I loved watching the Iowa State Fair Singers and Jazz Band. It was something we saw at the fair at the stage by the Cultural Center at least a few times, if not every year. I certainly loved it when the group came to Czech Fest on its 1989 state tour. I could say I aspired to make it some day, but… sing and dance? At the same time?
The thing that stuck with me was the end every year, when the singers would line up and (with jazz band accompaniment) sing a version of “Iowa Stubborn” from “The Music Man”…
… and rattle off their and the band members’ hometowns.
Thanks for giving Iowa, Hawkeye Iowa —
Anamosa! Burlington! Chariton! Denison! Eagle Grove! Fontanelle! Garnavillo! Holstein! Independence! Jefferson! Keokuk! Le Mars! Marion! Northwood! Osceola! Pomeroy! Quimby! Reinbeck! Sioux Rapids! Tama! Urbandale! Victor! Waukon! Yetter! Zearing!
Thanks for giving Iowa, thanks for giving Iowa, thanks for giving Iowa, a tryyyyyy! *trumpets* *ba-bomp*
(They didn’t do it alphabetically. I’m just doing that for effect. I likely would’ve thought it even neater that way.)
Simple, but effective, as a way of showing that teens from every corner of the state can come together. It would be silly to say that it might have been a little inspiration for future pursuits, right? And yet…