LISTEN: A Haunting Song About Wyoming Wind
A few years ago when the Wyoming wind woke me in the middle of the night I found myself lying in bed, listing to it, thinking that there must be a few good songs about the Wyoming wind.
Last night, with gusts over 60mph where I live, even more in other parts of the state, that same wind woke me again, and I went searching for that song.
There is a romance that comes with the often-cursed Wyoming winds. Those winds have made it into our folklore, photography, art, and music.
Singer and songwriter Caitlin Canty sing the song written by Mark Erelli in a haunting slow style:
"It’ll rip through a man
Like a bullet but faster
From Cody on down to Cheyenne
Clear through to Nebraska
It howls and haunts
Goes where it wants
It’ll taunt you and get under your skin
No there ain’t no shelter
From the Wyoming wind"
There are many songs about our wonderful and cursed winds, but this sweet slow rendition is perfect for a cold, cloudy December day.
Canty writes and records with several bands including Down Like Silver, her duo with Peter Bradley Adams. Her credits also include singing on the season 2 finale of the CBS show "Code Black".
Canty is currently featured on the album Reckless Skyline witch features an all-star band on twelve songs that veer nimbly between country ballads, dark blues and sparsely arranged folk. The band worked fast and hard, cutting 19 tracks in all.
Her current tour schedule does not bring her to Wyoming any time soon. Perhaps though, we can schedule her for the next windy day.