The Long Road Back to Ten Sleep

Leading up to the Wyoming Singer Songwriter Competition in 2022, the event’s founder (Jon Gardzelewski) asked everyone to work up some lyrics about the state of Wyoming. His thinking — if Tennessee has John Denver’s “Rocky Top Tennessee” then why doesn’t Wyoming have a song about its plains, mountains, and trails?

As many songwriters who were willing could bring a song they’d written, new, for this event/moment. They’d pick the best ones and showcase them at the event.

Being new to Wyoming, I wasn’t going to join this part of the competition. However, as I drove up to Ten Sleep (about 5 and a half hours from Cheyenne), I was inspired by the scenery.

At various points throughout the drive, I took rough voice recordings of what I felt. Somewhere along the way on interstate 25 headed north, this melody was born:

“Mountains be my guide, and north wind beside…”

After spending the night listening to others perform and experience the joy of community, I went back to the house I had rented (assuming Tanner, Hope, and my Dad would be there with me) — but Tanner was sick and so the family did not join me on the trip.

Now by myself, the house was quiet. I woke up the next morning and found a small breakfast restaurant on main street. After some food and coffee, I went back to the house and sat in silence. Soon enough, the lyrics came to me.

“All is calm and peace. On the long road back to Ten Sleep”

I already knew I’d want to come back to Ten Sleep. With more inspiration at hand, I recorded an early version of the lyrics and melody while I was there. But when I did not advance in the main competition, I decided to head home early to be with my family. I never got to share the song with the songwriter community.

A year later, in the 2023 competition, I returned to Ten Sleep and was able to share the song around the campfire with the harmony of voices and hearts as we sang this chorus,

“Oh oh, oh oh oh oh, all is calm and peace. Oh oh, oh oh oh oh, on the long road back to Ten Sleep.”