08/03/2026
Some days your email is full of bills.
Some days it's someone "trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty."
And then there are the days when you open one and have to read it twice.
This was one of those.
It said I'd been inducted into the North Dakota Music Hall of Fame.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around it.
When I left North Dakota, I never imagined I'd one day be recognized by the place where my journey began. Like most people who make a life in music, I wasn't chasing awards—I was just trying to make the next record a little better than the last one and hoping I didn't mess up too badly along the way.
Looking back, I'm reminded that no career is ever built alone.
North Dakota gave me a foundation of hard work, humility, and perseverance that has stayed with me through every studio session and every season of life.
I'm grateful for this incredible honor and to everyone who thought I belonged there. Thank you to the artists, musicians, engineers, writers, friends, and mentors who trusted me, challenged me, encouraged me, and occasionally reminded me that I didn't know nearly as much as I thought I did.
To Laurie, Charles, and James—thank you for putting up with me through the long hours and distracted seasons. To my folks, and my brother Steve, thank you for giving me roots strong enough to spend a lifetime chasing dreams.
Thank you all for being part of the journey.
P.S. To everyone back home in North Dakota... thanks for getting me started. You never really leave home—you just carry a little of it with you everywhere you go.
