In the summer of 2010, I was a mechanical designer for SeaRiver Maritime Inc./ExxonMobil in a high-rise building in downtown Houston. I was hired by Operations and Technical Manager, Ron Floyd. We had some pretty important roles such as watching the everyday operations of running huge oil tankers and we became friends. I was just getting back into practicing some of my old songs since I gave up playing guitar for twenty years, but I was inspired to write again. I guess I had to get my butt out there and play to prove my musical abilities to my wife of several years.
I heard about cowboy painter Charles Marion Russell back in 1985 when my roommate at the time, Cazz, had a framed drawing of a cowboy scene on the wall. He said it was an original by C.M. Russell himself. So I began researching this wonderful artist, reading his colorful stories and marveling at his western art. I have been a Lewis and Clark fan drawing on the inspiration of the Corp of Discovery since I was a kid but I found out that fifty years later, young Kid Russell came through to Montana and became a night wrangler. So both of these historic adventures had a purpose, a dream, which became my passion as well. Days would go by and I aspired to write a song about Kid Russell. One day, I poked my head into Ron's office and told him that I was in the process of writing a song about his home state hero. He was so impressed that I had to do it!
A few years ago, my wife and I took a road trip through the Rockies to Montana. When we arrived in Great Falls we sought out the homestead and Charles Russell Museum. His artwork had been featured in Houston a year earlier so many of his paintings were still out on that tour. It was awesome to visit his actual cabin/art studio and his amazing Indian artifact collection. We were greeted by Richard Mattoon who is the museum's spokesman, greeter, musician. He played a beautiful melody on his Native flute for us after he heard my story about creating a C.M. Russell tribute CD called Storytellin'. I feel that maybe the ghost of Charles has followed me home because I am about to release my album of songs and stories. I have adapted some of his narratives to music with my own interpretations playing all the music and singing all the vocals. I tried to stay true to the spirit of Charlie as possible. Hopefully, by contacting local and Montana TV and radio stations, I will generate some publicity.
I love Charlie Russell's art and he lives in the 21st century through me. We have so many similarities: I paint my canvas with sound, he paints his with pigment. My own wife is promoting me like his wife, Nancy Cooper Russell did. I too have a peculiar way of dress and write stories from life experiences as Charlie did.
Eventually, I would love to be the creative force in a movie soundtrack about the artist...hasn't been done yet. With my fans' help and good contacts, we can do it someday. As far as I know, no one has ever created a musical tribute collection to Kid Russell before so I hope to be the first. Why me? I'm a rocker, not a country and western singer, but listen to my Storytellin' music and let me know what you think. www.calvinballimusic.com or www.reverbnation.com/calvinballi
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