About a dozen students enjoyed their day off from school with a free concert and song-writing tips from Western singer Brenn Hill.
"The best songs have a plan," Hill said. "You should know where you want to be before you can get it done."
His advice for when you get "stuck" writing poetry or songs: "Read something good, listen to some music, read some cowboy poetry by someone like Robert Service."
Hill and fellow Utah musicians Mike Iverson from the Blue Sage Trio and Ryan Tilby of the Rubber Band presented the free outreach program to the students and their parents on the observed Nevada Day on Oct. 29.
Hill said that he finds release riding horses and writing songs about his life experiences.
The group played his original songs "One Hand in the Rigging," and "Burning Hair," about his first experience at a branding: "There's nothing like the Wasatch in the springtime and nothin' like the smell of burnin' hair."
"This music started around campfires and cattle drives," Hill told the audience. "I hope it survives a long time."
The program included a lesson about guitars, bass guitars and banjos.
"The earliest instruments were banjo-like instruments - a drum with strings," said banjo player and educator Iverson. "The way people played banjo changed from backstroking to using finger picks."
He and Ryan Tilby demonstrated different styles of banjo playing - with Iverson backstroking the clawhammer banjo and Tilby finger-picking blue-grass style - in the song, "Old Joe Clark."
Hill, Iverson, and Tilby played music from Hill's new CD "Equine," and favorites from his six previous releases later that day at the CVIC Hall in Minden as part of the Carson Valley Arts Council's 2010-11 concert series.
Next in the series is Vishten on Jan. 15, Red Chamber on Feb. 25, Robert Mirabal on March 25 and Hot Club Cowtown on May 13. Tickets may be purchased at cvartscouncil.com or 782-8207.
