>> So I started writing late high school.

I figured out I had a knack for poetry and telling stories.

English class was always my favorite class, and then my voice had dropped out a few years before.

It's always been like this.

It's been like this since I was 12, really, and writing poetry and finding my voice, 'cause I never really sang growing up, until I started becoming like 16, 17, got into Johnny Cash.

Christmas, when I was 17 years old, I got my first guitar and I got the critiquing once or twice that my poems would read like songs anyhow, so it just became putting two and two together, and through college, that's when I really started diving deep on songwriters I love, versus just performers I love.

♪ I'm Mr.

Right Here ♪ ♪ I'm Mr.

Right Now ♪ ♪ Just let me get us two more beers, dear ♪ ♪ We'll talk this whole thing out.

♪ >> Announcer: Support for programming of Lakeshore PBS comes in part from a generous bequest of the Estate of Marjorie A.

Mills, whose remarkable contribution will help us keep viewers like you informed, inspired, and entertained for years to come.

>> Narrator: Additional support for Lakeshore PBS and "In Studio" is provided by viewers like you.

Thank you.

>> Dale: Doing as much as you can, as quickly as you can, is important to me.

Life is short and the earlier we get started helping our community, the better off our community will be.

(upbeat music) >> Student: I have a very strong connection to other students.

Everyone makes an effort to help each other.

I'll remember the feeling of being here, the feeling that I was a part of a family.

>> "Thin and Blue," that's a capital F folk song, and I have a few like that, where it came about when the George Floyd protests were happening, and I figured I'd give myself enough poetic license to write about a fictional scenario, but one that didn't feel fictional.

And it was trying to harness the anger of the situation, but still use it to tell a story.

So the song is...

It's from the perspective of someone that helps their friend who murdered someone get away with it.

And their occupation happens to be a police officer, and then that's a key part of the story.

When writing that song, it was important to put it from that perspective and empathize, but not sympathize.

And by the end, you know, the character in the song has certainly taken a turn because of the weight of his actions.

But that song just came about from me feeling frustrated about all this, and it's a line I say whenever I play the song, it's not an anti-cop song, it's an anti-murder song.

(guitar strums rhythmically) (harmonica plays) ♪ Parking break ♪ ♪ Traffic stop ♪ ♪ Police Dodges stretching down the block ♪ ♪ A fleet of phones outstretched in arms behind the wire ♪ ♪ Patrol Officer Sinclair ♪ ♪ Can feel the graying in his hair ♪ ♪ With the pooling blood of the young man that just died ♪ ♪ He was seventeen at best ♪ ♪ Gravel dug into his chest ♪ ♪ Opposite the holes put in his back ♪ ♪ Cuffs tied around his wrist ♪ ♪ As if he's getting up from this ♪ ♪ Sinclair curses and said of course the dead kid's Black ♪ ♪ A war is waged ♪ ♪ Breathing down rage ♪ ♪ The story is sad but nothin' new ♪ ♪ Justice takes time ♪ ♪ But the line ♪ ♪ Between justice and murder is thin and blue ♪ ♪ Thin and blue ♪ (harmonica plays) ♪ Officer Raymond made the kill ♪ ♪ Service pistol smokin' still ♪ ♪ Swore he saw the young man reaching as he fled ♪ ♪ Sinclair swears up at the sun ♪ ♪ 'Course there's no damn gun ♪ ♪ Just a phone, a wallet, and a little extra lead ♪ ♪ With words like suspect and deceased ♪ ♪ Not specific in the least ♪ ♪ Is how they refer to the young lion that's now gone ♪ ♪ Once they're back inside the station ♪ ♪ The killer gets too much paid vacation ♪ ♪ They'll investigate then they'll bring him back on ♪ ♪ A war is waged ♪ ♪ Grief and outrage ♪ ♪ The story is sad but nothin' new ♪ ♪ Justice takes time ♪ ♪ But the line ♪ ♪ Between justice and murder is thin and blue ♪ ♪ Thin and Blue ♪ (electric guitar solo) ♪ Sinclair served with Raymond for years ♪ ♪ They used to chase girls over beers ♪ ♪ Raymond swears that kid was threatening his life ♪ ♪ So Sinclair keeps his neck stuck out ♪ ♪ Rot gut whiskey to drown his doubt ♪ ♪ He takes up lifting weights and screaming at his wife ♪ ♪ Years later down the road ♪ ♪ Somebody pays a debt that's owed ♪ ♪ Officer Raymond catches a bullet in a hotel ♪ ♪ Never found a suspect or the gun ♪ ♪ Sinclair beats his youngest son ♪ ♪ For asking if Uncle Raymond went to heaven or to hell ♪ ♪ A war is waged ♪ ♪ Grief and outrage ♪ ♪ The story is sad but nothing new ♪ ♪ Justice takes time ♪ ♪ But the line ♪ ♪ Between justice and murder is thin and blue ♪ ♪ Thin and blue ♪ (electric guitar slowly finishes, fades out) (acoustic guitar strums rhythmically) (electric guitar joins in) ♪ It's been a long day ♪ ♪ Be a long night too ♪ ♪ It's all been long ♪ ♪ It's all been hard since you ♪ ♪ The familiar drive to a familiar house ♪ ♪ Lights are on ♪ ♪ But they'll soon be out ♪ (electric guitar fill) ♪ She opens up the door ♪ ♪ Says Babe, where you been ♪ ♪ Been too long you gotta kiss me before I let you back in ♪ ♪ Now I know the dance ♪ ♪ I know all the steps ♪ ♪ Been hard to feel like a man ever since you left ♪ ♪ So I'm laying in bed, I'm thinking of you ♪ ♪ And we're doing all the things that we used to do ♪ ♪ Wishing I knew how to make it right ♪ ♪ I look in her eyes and I see yours ♪ ♪ And I'm kissing you when my lips touch hers ♪ ♪ Make love to your memory every night ♪ ♪ Though you're gone ♪ ♪ Oh it's wrong ♪ ♪ Gotta find a way so the long nights ain't so long ♪ ♪ Made mistakes ♪ ♪ I'll do what it takes ♪ ♪ And I'll sleep around till I can sleep alone ♪ (electric guitar solo) ♪ Another first date ♪ ♪ Now you know how that goes ♪ ♪ Put your best foot forward and try not to let her know ♪ ♪ Put on a happy face ♪ ♪ Though I'm hurting inside ♪ ♪ And you've still got my heart but I've got my pride ♪ ♪ I got a little beer before we leave the bar ♪ ♪ Think I'll have a little bit more when we get to the car ♪ ♪ She looks up and asks ♪ ♪ Will you follow me home ♪ ♪ Sure as hell shouldn't but I don't want to be alone ♪ ♪ So I'm laying in her bed ♪ ♪ I'm thinking of you ♪ ♪ And we're doing all the things that we used to do ♪ ♪ Wish that I knew how to make it right ♪ ♪ Look in her eyes and I see yours ♪ ♪ And I'm kissing you when my lips touch hers ♪ ♪ I make love to your memory every night ♪ ♪ Though you're gone ♪ ♪ Oh it's wrong ♪ ♪ Gotta find a way so that nights ain't so damn long ♪ ♪ I made mistakes ♪ ♪ I'll do what it takes ♪ ♪ And I'll sleep around till I can sleep alone ♪ ♪ I'll sleep around till I can sleep alone ♪ (electric guitar plays out and fades) Sometimes there's just more you feel like you need to say, even though you don't really need to.

Like one of the songs I did tonight, "Church on Sunday," that song's about my sister-in-law passing away, my brother losing his wife, my nieces losing their mother.

And it was just about me trying to get into his head space of how he could get up on Sunday morning and still take his girls to church two days after they lost their mother.

And there's so much more I wanted to express in that song, and just try and come at it from different angles.

But at a certain point, you have to pull yourself, pull the camera back.

It's good for songs to be personal, but sometimes if you just let the raw nerve flow, you lose your ability to edit.

(slow acoustic guitar picking) (electric guitar plays melody) ♪ Honey it's been hard to get along down here alone ♪ ♪ Truth be told I'm not used to it still ♪ ♪ I walk through our house ♪ ♪ But it don't feel like home ♪ ♪ I suppose you'd say it's all part of his will ♪ ♪ I Guess I should be thankful ♪ ♪ For the blessings that I'm left with ♪ ♪ They wake up looking for you every day ♪ ♪ But it's just been so hard ♪ ♪ To count the blessings that he giveth ♪ ♪ And thank God when he took so much away ♪ ♪ But I still take the girls to church on Sunday ♪ ♪ 'Cause I know you'd want 'em raised this way ♪ ♪ I tell 'em to look above ♪ ♪ I tell 'em Mama sends you love ♪ ♪ But I'm not sure I mean it when I pray ♪ ♪ I still take the girls to church on Sunday ♪ (harmonica solo) ♪ Guess I'll have to learn ♪ ♪ How to do their hair ♪ ♪ And pick the cutest outfits from the store ♪ ♪ 'Cause I know you'd want your angels ♪ ♪ Looking pretty everywhere ♪ ♪ Even though you can't dress them anymore ♪ ♪ And I know you expect me ♪ ♪ To take care of myself ♪ ♪ But there's so much more that needs to be done ♪ ♪ It was hard enough for two ♪ ♪ And honey without you ♪ ♪ It's a heavy load to bear now as just one ♪ ♪ But I still take the girls to church on Sunday ♪ ♪ Because I know you'd want 'em raised this way ♪ ♪ I tell 'em to look above ♪ ♪ I tell 'em Mama sends her love ♪ ♪ But I'm not sure I mean it when I pray ♪ ♪ But I still take the girls to church on Sunday ♪ ♪ I still take the girls to church on Sunday ♪ The right tone can be the difference between a cartoonishly sad song, like kind of morose and silly versus a real punch in the gut.

You know, one of my favorite songs is a song by John Prine called "Far From Me," and it's a song about just before a breakup.

It's when they're laughing just a little bit later at your jokes, when they're canceling plans you thought you had, and nowhere in the song does it say breakup, or relationship, or even love, I don't think, but it's just it has that tone, that feel through the whole thing of that pit in your stomach.

And that's something I try and do when I write is come at things from unique, emotional angles.

(guitar picking) For the most part, when I'm writing songs, it's about just being comfortable to sing, and being able to sing it every time.

And so that's where the economy of words comes from, and the challenge of painting a picture with only what I need, and nothing more.

So some of my favorite songs are character pieces.

And when you look at it, when you get down to the actual words used in the song, a lot of the time it's just a very loose sketch, but some of my favorite songwriters do that.

It becomes just, what do they need to know about this character in this song?

Giving people enough to go on.

If you can say something with five words, why take 12 to say it?

(guitar strums) (harmonica plays) ♪ He was there at his perch on the corner stoop ♪ ♪ Watching the lovers and the drunkards ♪ ♪ Like he's guarding the pool ♪ ♪ The pool sharks are ironically at his back ♪ ♪ Drinking plastic jug whiskey 'cause they can't afford jack ♪ ♪ He's half watching the bears come up short again ♪ ♪ And the brunette bartender working the men ♪ ♪ She leaves her ring out in the glove box every shift ♪ ♪ Because acting single makes her better tips ♪ ♪ And it's Sunday night and he's crunching ice ♪ ♪ And he's dreaming right what he's got so wrong ♪ ♪ In his neon tavern ♪ ♪ It doesn't matter ♪ ♪ Forgets he had her ♪ ♪ All along, all along ♪ (harmonica solo) ♪ Stopped singing Pete Seeger in 2016 ♪ ♪ Took his old banjo and pawned the thing ♪ ♪ Started ignoring his girl till she quit comin' by ♪ ♪ Kept going to his meetings but he started to lie ♪ ♪ Checked all his pull tabs but he didn't win ♪ ♪ Son of a bitch on a stage murdering Lennon again ♪ ♪ He's in line for the men's room barely alive ♪ ♪ Just wants to tell the kid ♪ ♪ You're supposed to go to the five ♪ ♪ And it's Sunday night and he's crunching ice ♪ ♪ And he can't make right what he got so wrong ♪ ♪ In his neon tavern ♪ ♪ It doesn't matter ♪ ♪ Forgets he had her ♪ ♪ All along, all along ♪ (electric guitar solo) ♪ It's going on two but he can't tell ♪ ♪ It's just him and Nancy down the stool of the spell ♪ ♪ Looks at her says you know tonight's supposed to be cold ♪ ♪ She looks at him as if to say not with a ten foot pole ♪ ♪ The bartender's sweeping, wishing looks could kill ♪ ♪ He takes his last swig with a couple of pills ♪ ♪ Heads back out into the night ♪ ♪ Wherever he's livin' ♪ ♪ Thinking about his daughter and if he'll ever be forgiven ♪ ♪ And it's Sunday night and he's crunching ice ♪ ♪ And he can't make right what he's got so wrong ♪ ♪ In his neon tavern ♪ ♪ It doesn't matter ♪ ♪ Forgets he had her ♪ ♪ All along, all along ♪ ♪ All along ♪ ♪ All along ♪ ♪ All along ♪ ♪ All along, oh all along ♪ ♪ All along, all along ♪ (medium paced guitar strumming) (electric guitar solo) ♪ Can't say I'll be the best of your whole life ♪ ♪ But sugar I'm the best you can get tonight ♪ ♪ In this dive ♪ ♪ In this one horse town ♪ ♪ I know my way around a kiss and I look okay ♪ ♪ My hair's been cooperating with me today ♪ ♪ So what do you say ♪ ♪ Let's turn this night around ♪ ♪ I'm Mr.

Right Here ♪ ♪ I'm Mr.

Right Now ♪ ♪ Mr. Let Me Get Us Two More Beers, dear ♪ ♪ We'll talk this whole thing out ♪ ♪ I'm not Mr. Next Year ♪ ♪ But I'll be Mr. Next Round ♪ ♪ Sugar, you've got Mr.

Right Here right now ♪ ♪ You wear your old heartaches all down your arms ♪ ♪ I take mine and make 'em into songs ♪ ♪ But they're still there ♪ ♪ I'm still hurting, too ♪ ♪ So let's drain these bottles, get a few more to match ♪ ♪ I'm not the best horse, but I'm the one you can catch ♪ ♪ So take hold of me and I'll take care of you ♪ ♪ I'm Mr.

Right Here ♪ ♪ I'm Mr.

Right Now ♪ ♪ Mr. Let Me Get Us Two More Beers, dear ♪ ♪ And talk this whole thing out ♪ ♪ I'm not Mr. Next Year ♪ ♪ But I'll be Mr. Next Round ♪ ♪ Sugar, you've got Mr.

Right Here right now ♪ Right now, Jack.

(electric guitar solo) ♪ That amber's rolling through our mind ♪ ♪ And your hand's getting closer to holding mine ♪ ♪ And you haven't checked your phone since 10 P.M. ♪ ♪ You're keeping your story a mystery ♪ ♪ But I know there's gotta be a why and a he ♪ ♪ So don't worry, girl ♪ ♪ You'll forget all about him ♪ ♪ I'm Mr.

Right Here ♪ ♪ I'm Mr.

Right Now ♪ ♪ Just let me get us two more beers, dear ♪ ♪ We'll talk this whole thing out ♪ ♪ I'm not Mr. Next Year ♪ ♪ But I'll be Mr. Next Round ♪ ♪ Sugar, you've got Mr.

Right Here right now ♪ ♪ I'm not Mr. Next Year ♪ ♪ But I'll be Mr. Next Round ♪ ♪ Sugar, you've got Mr.

Right Here right now ♪ ♪ Right now ♪ >> Announcer: Support for programming at Lakeshore PBS comes in part from a generous bequest of the Estate of Marjorie A.

Mills whose remarkable contribution will help keep viewers like you informed, inspired, and entertained for years to come.

>> Announcer: Additional support for Lakeshore PBS and "In Studio" is provided by viewers like you.

Thank you.

>> Dale: Doing as much as you can, as quickly as you can is important to me.

Life is short, and the earlier we get started helping our community, the better off our community will be.

>> Student: Almost every single professor I've had I'm on a first name basis.

By building that relationship with faculty, I was able to get involved with research.

It's one thing to read about an idea in a book, versus physically doing it and seeing results.

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(fast guitar strumming) ♪ She shuts down every local joint ♪ ♪ And pushes far beyond the point she used to go ♪ ♪ Her painted face, painted eyes ♪ ♪ Her shapely hips sway side to side ♪ ♪ And high and low ♪ ♪ But the lights they don't get brighter or excite her ♪ ♪ As she fights her heart's content ♪ ♪ When she can't find something stronger ♪ ♪ Then she'll long for Old Reliable again ♪ ♪ He knows just how to hold her and console her ♪ ♪ And he's told her to no end ♪