Did You Know Montana Is The Only State Ever With This Cool Thing?
"Unique" is one of many ways to describe Montana. From our wilderness to our wildlife. We definitely stand out. We have the longest-running Chinese restaurant in the United States, and how about the tallest masonry structure? Well, we've got that too.
And as the only current state with an official lullaby, that's definitely the word I would use.
In a recent "Big Sky Why" podcast on Montana Public Radio hosts Austin Amestoy and Edward O'Brien talk about an unknown fact to most Montanans, we have a state lullaby.
Now, as a longtime/4th generation Montanan, I had no idea this was a thing, but to be fair, it's a sort of recent addition to our official state roster like the Huckleberry.
The hosts spoke with the song/lullaby creator, Ken Overcast who teamed up with longtime friend Wylie Gustafson of Conrad:
It wasn't by design. The original tune was written in the '90s by Ken's pal and fellow cowboy singer Wylie Gustafson from Conrad. Back then, it was just a cowboy ditty with no lyrics. A yodel called the Big Sky Lullaby. Well, Ken really liked what he heard, and the guys tweaked it until it became what it is today.... Edward O'Brien/Big Sky Why Podcast
Ken recorded lyrics to the song and had sort of a rough demo. All he had to do was get people to listen:
I recorded it and then I sent the CD around to people who I thought would play it on the radio. And lo and behold, one of them wound up in Billings at KGHL -Ken Overcast
Now that the song was gaining traction, all they had to do was get it on a bill to get it to legislation to make it the official state lullaby:
So that's a classic country music station. DJ Lonnie Bell and former Yellowstone County Museum Director Maurice Deverill, both of whom have since passed on, came up with the idea to promote it as Montana's official lullaby. - Edward O'Brien/Big Sky Why
Fast forward to 2007 and that's exactly what happened. Legislators indeed passed an official bill to make "Montana Lullaby" the official lullaby of Montana, and according to the podcast, we're the only state to have one!
Thanks to the hosts and guest, Ken Overcast for this great bit of Montana information and a terrific interview. You can listen to "Montana Lullaby" the official lullaby of Montana below.