It's a full-scale effort to yield new state song for celebration

Article by: HERÓN MÁRQUEZ ESTRADA , Star Tribune
Updated: January 13, 2008 - 12:01 AM

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The JazzMN Big Band performed the state’s 150th birthday song, “Shines for All to See,” as part of Roseville’s Winter Blast at Northwestern College. Composer Dean Sorenson, director of Jazz Studies at the University of Minnesota, conducted the number.

Photo: David Joles, Star Tribune

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You would think a place that has produced musical talents such as Bob Dylan, Prince, Garrison Keillor and Judy Garland would have a more memorable state song.

Not so in Minnesota, which since 1945 has claimed the highly forgettable "Hail! Minnesota" as its official state song.

Not quite as catchy as "The Tennessee Waltz," "Georgia on My Mind," or even "Home on the Range," the Kansas state song.

And because it's hard to get excited about lyrics in "Hail! Minnesota" such as "thy sons and daughters true" and "proclaim thee near and far," two efforts to produce a more memorable state song began on Saturday night.

The two performances -- one in Duluth and the other in Roseville -- were part of this year's state sesquicentennial celebration.

The Roseville Visitors Association commissioned a birthday song for the state called "Shines for All to See," which debuted at the Roseville Winter Jazz Blast at Northwestern College.

And Minnesota Public Radio has gone so far as to put on a six-city concert tour called "A Song for Minnesota."

The project involves Ann Reed, a singer-songwriter, who is seeking help with crafting the song. On Saturday, Reed performed at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.

Her next performance will be at the University of Minnesota, Morris, on Jan. 26. Her final composition will be performed at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on May 3.

For those unable to make the Reed performances, MPR is also taking suggestions for the composition at its website, www.mpr.org.

Herón Márquez Estrada • 612-673-4280

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Audio: State's birthday song: "Shines For All To See"

Saturday January 12, 2008

Hear the state's official 150 birthday song, "Shine For All To See," which debuted Saturday....