Brenn Hill returns to Valley

Singer/songwriter Brenn Hill was born and raised in Hooper, Utah, but has a connection with Nevada.

"Nevada is the epicenter of my music - it's Great Basin country and tied to cowboy culture," said Hill. "Growing up I heard stories about buckaroos from ranchers. The stories fascinated me as a kid and it's a big part of what I do now."

Hill demonstrates what he does as a country entertainer in a 7 p.m. show Saturday at the Carson Valley Inn in Minden.

Hooper is a small rural community outside of Ogden, Utah, and 50 miles northwest of Salt Lake City.

"It has a long history of ranching and farming so I have that tradition surrounding me," said Hill. "I love my horses but I play cowboy for fun. My livelihood doesn't depend on livestock but I try to write from the prospective of the true cowboy and spread the word of the culture."

Hill's livelihood of making music started with the first of six CDs, "Rangefire" in 1997, more recently with "Endangered" in 2004 and the newest disc, "What a Man's Got to Do" from 2007.

Hill said he mostly sings his songs in a show but sometimes he gets requests to sing Ian Tyson's "MC Horses" about a dispersal sale of a ranch on the Oregon/Nevada border. His song "Buckaroo Tattoo" was a hit in Texas is frequently requested as is "Burnin' Hair."

"That song is almost is a cult-like favorite," he said. "It's captures the tradition of branding. It's pretty traditional for cowboys to look forward to spring for branding.

"The great thing about being a songwriter in this genre is that you can capture people from so many walks of life," he said. "It's hard to live in the West and not love the mountains and the land.

"I try to get people to stop and think about the culture. To find people who are living the dream or wish they were."

Although satellite radio and the Web are great resources for singers and songwriters, Hill feels entertaining is the best way to connect with his audience.

"I like to perform. It's the best way to get music to people," he said. "At the Carson Valley Inn I'll get to see a lot of people who support me. I'll be looking for new faces and old friends."

To find out more about Brenn Hill and to hear some of his music, go to brennhill.com or MySpace.com/brennhill.