Slider-Blog

Sounds like Montana – Recording ear candy from the Great Plains

posted in: Blog | 0
Tarek sits near a barbed wire fence outside Richey, Mont., capturing the sounds of the prairie.
Tarek sits near a barbed wire fence outside Richey, Mont., capturing the sounds of the prairie.

The sounds of the prairie winds blowing, of trucks passing, of the hustle and bustle of busy towns, of farm implements dutifully working the land—the noise of a place can take you there. We’re keeping our ears open all the time.

A region’s music can take you there, too, speaking to inhabitants’ influences, feelings, and upbringing. Melodies tell visceral narratives; lyrics relate stories true and fictional.

Daniel Gillispie recorded original compositions for the HPHP in our make-shift recording studio.
Daniel Gillispie recorded original compositions for the HPHP in our make-shift recording studio.

Last night, multi-instrumentalist Daniel Gillispie visited us at our temporary headquarters in Billings. We set up a quick-and-dirty recording studio in a spare bedroom. Sheets hung from the ceiling and covered the window. Blankets were shoved against the crack under the door. Tarek, Stan and I stood (perfectly!) still while Daniel played some pieces he had prepared for this project.

I’ve heard Daniel perform around Billings in rock and roll bands, but I didn’t know he could play like this. Full, complex numbers flowed from his acoustic six-string. The selections, dynamic in mood and tempo, fit the tone of this project, I think. He improved a couple tracks, too, which turned out great.

Here’s a taste:

We’d like to extend a special thanks to Daniel for stopping by last night and sharing his compositions. We’ve received a lot of support from area musicians. If you’re a tunesmith hailing from MT or ND and you’d like to get involved, shoot us an email: team@highplainsheritage.com.