>> Robert: My most recent record, that I recorded with Steve Albini in Chicago, is called "Pepper in His Heart."

And it's a 10-song folk rock record loosely based on friends and family that I know.

♪ Now, now, now ♪ ♪ If you gonna break it ♪ ♪ Maybe then you bought it ♪ ♪ If you gonna shake it ♪ ♪ Shake it right this moment ♪ ♪ If you gonna lose it ♪ ♪ Tell it to your meemaw ♪ ♪ If you gonna choose it ♪ ♪ Jump into the water ♪ ♪ 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 us 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.

>> Robert: One, two three, four.

(guitar strums) (harmonica plays) ♪ I like the record player ♪ ♪ It plays my favorite songs ♪ ♪ I like them Beatles and uh ♪ ♪ I like them Rolling Stones ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll, yeah ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll, yeah ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll ♪ ♪ I like t'have more guitars ♪ ♪ I like to play them loud ♪ ♪ I like that Jimmy Hendrix ♪ ♪ It puts me on a cloud ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll, yeah ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll, yeah ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll ♪ (harmonica solo) ♪ I like the record player ♪ ♪ It plays my favorite songs ♪ ♪ I like them Beatles and uh ♪ ♪ I like them Rolling Stones ♪ ♪ I like t'have more guitars ♪ ♪ I like to play them loud ♪ ♪ I like that Jimmy Hendrix ♪ ♪ It puts me on a cloud ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll, yeah ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll, yeah ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll, yeah ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll, yeah ♪ ♪ I like that rock and roll ♪ (plays final hot lick on guitar) >> Robert: One, two, three, four.

(guitar strums) (harmonica plays) ♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪ Well he woke up one morning ♪ ♪ He was craving him some spice ♪ ♪ So he drove to the grocery store to pick up something nice ♪ ♪ He was stealing habaneros from the produce part ♪ ♪ Now old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart, yeah ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart, yeah ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ (harmonica fill) ♪ Well he started sweatin' bad ♪ ♪ And he was sweatin' up a storm ♪ ♪ So he took off all his clothes in the grocery store ♪ ♪ The fire chief came with the hose that he got ♪ ♪ But it couldn't tame the flame ♪ ♪ From the pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart, yeah ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart, yeah ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Hey ♪ (harmonica solo) >> Robert: Whoo!

(harmonica solo) ♪ Pepper in his heart, yeah ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart, yeah ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Well he woke up one mornin' ♪ ♪ He was cravin' him some spice ♪ ♪ So he drove to the grocery store to pick up somethin' nice ♪ ♪ He was stealin' habaneros from the produce part ♪ ♪ Now old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Well he started sweatin' bad ♪ ♪ And he was sweatin' up a storm ♪ ♪ So he took off all his clothes in the grocery store ♪ ♪ The fire chief came with the hose that he got ♪ ♪ But it couldn't tame the flame ♪ ♪ From the pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart, yeah ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart, yeah ♪ ♪ Pepper in his heart ♪ ♪ Old Zach Blackwood got a pepper in his heart ♪ >> Robert: I have a song called "The Distance."

It's gonna be the title of my next record that I'll be recording with Steve Albini sometime in 2021.

It'll be my 10th record, and I've chosen music from my life.

That's how I make my living.

And I really feel like I've gone some distance now.

I hope to make many more records, but I think it's time at number 10 to look back and say, "Wow, I've made the choice to have this thing be my life and my living and, you know, my security, so."

I think I'm holding this kind of tight, right?

It's my little wooby.

(laughs) (slow arpeggiated guitar intro) ♪ The wind was cold and blowin' ♪ ♪ As the snow began to fall ♪ ♪ It was not worth knowin' ♪ ♪ What was comin' for us all ♪ ♪ So I dreamt of California ♪ ♪ While sleepin' in my bed ♪ ♪ We were leavin' Minnesota ♪ ♪ Visions of palm trees in my head ♪ ♪ Can you go the distance ♪ ♪ Will you travel far ♪ ♪ Girl of the resistance ♪ ♪ Grab your guitar ♪ ♪ Nothing's gonna stop you ♪ ♪ Except yourself ♪ ♪ Can you go the distance ♪ ♪ Hey, might as well ♪ ♪ Some things never happen ♪ ♪ Unless you see things through ♪ ♪ An audience ain't clappin' ♪ ♪ If they can't hear you ♪ ♪ Best you pack up that guitar ♪ ♪ And drive right out of town ♪ ♪ Look up to the stars ♪ ♪ They will guide you now ♪ ♪ Can you go the distance ♪ ♪ Will you travel far ♪ ♪ Girl of the resistance ♪ ♪ You grab your guitar ♪ ♪ Nothing's gonna stop you ♪ ♪ Except yourself ♪ ♪ Can you go the distance ♪ ♪ Hey, might as well ♪ ♪ Can you go the distance ♪ ♪ Hey, might as well ♪ ♪ Can you go the distance ♪ ♪ Hey, might as well ♪ (guitar arpeggio) ♪ Well it's cigarettes and candy ♪ ♪ Ice cream cones and brandy ♪ ♪ Goin' to the corner store ♪ ♪ Lollypops and chocolate ♪ ♪ I love Farrah Fawcett ♪ ♪ Summertime's never a bore ♪ ♪ Black and white TV ♪ ♪ Louder than a bumblebee ♪ ♪ White Sox host Detroit today ♪ ♪ And Harry Caray's wasted ♪ ♪ Falstaff beers in cases ♪ ♪ Ralph Garr's up to the play ♪ ♪ I'm hangin' with my grandpa ♪ ♪ He's the family outlaw ♪ ♪ Lets me sip on his beer ♪ ♪ South Siders are losing ♪ ♪ Lula and I are boozing ♪ ♪ I don't ever even care ♪ ♪ Now I want some cookies ♪ ♪ I'll go take a look-see ♪ ♪ Inside my grandma's cookie jar ♪ ♪ Nothin' but Fig Newtons ♪ ♪ I'd rather be pukin' ♪ ♪ I think I'll grab a candy bar ♪ ♪ 'Cause it's cigarettes and candy ♪ ♪ Ice cream cones and brandy ♪ ♪ Goin' to the corner store ♪ ♪ Lollypops and chocolate ♪ ♪ I love Farrah Fawcett ♪ ♪ Summertime's never a bore ♪ ♪ Black and white TV ♪ ♪ Louder than a bumblebee ♪ ♪ White Sox host Detroit today ♪ ♪ And Harry Caray's wasted ♪ ♪ Falstaff beers in cases ♪ ♪ And Ralph Garr's up to the play ♪ ♪ Yeah, Ralph Garr's up to the play ♪ ♪ It's summertime in '78 ♪ (Slow guitar intro) (harmonica plays) ♪ I pick her up and kiss her on the cheek ♪ ♪ We've never been apart more than a week ♪ ♪ I look at her and I cannot see ♪ ♪ Our bulldog's dreaming peaceful at our feet ♪ ♪ My love runs deep ♪ ♪ My love runs deep ♪ ♪ My love runs ♪ ♪ Drive along into the wild night ♪ ♪ Eddy Bond he sings in the moonlight ♪ ♪ Sometimes we feel high and we feel low ♪ ♪ We always rely on afterglow ♪ ♪ Our love runs deep ♪ ♪ Our love runs deep ♪ ♪ Our love runs ♪ ♪ My baby lets me know that she's not home ♪ ♪ I don't ever have to feel alone ♪ ♪ She always has a place for me to sleep ♪ ♪ Always has a shoulder when I weep ♪ ♪ Her love runs deep ♪ ♪ Her love runs deep ♪ ♪ Her love runs ♪ ♪ Her love runs deep ♪ ♪ Her love runs deep ♪ ♪ Her love runs ♪ (guitar and harmonica play) (Robert plays arpeggiated harmonics on guitar) >> Zimmerman is an idea that I had: if Bob Dylan didn't change his name from his real name, Robert Zimmerman, what his life would have been like.

Like back in the day, when you had a song out, or a single, it had to go on jukeboxes all over the country.

Like, that was the main thing where people were gonna hear your song.

The radio, and jukeboxes.

And since his name is Zimmerman, it's all the way at the end of the jukebox, a lot of people didn't really hear his songs as much, and he struggled a little more, as being Robert Zimmerman as opposed to being Bob Dylan.

So that was the kind of quirky idea for the song "Zimmerman" which is gonna be on my next record.

(guitar strums) ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ Yeah I wanted to rock ♪ ♪ My last name is Zimmerman ♪ ♪ That's why they put me at the very end ♪ ♪ They never play me on the radio ♪ ♪ Say my songs are too slow ♪ ♪ Yeah, they're too political ♪ ♪ Labeled me a radical ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ They never play me on the stereo ♪ ♪ Along with bands like REO ♪ ♪ Waitin' for my big break ♪ ♪ Openin' for Whitesnake ♪ ♪ They never play me on the satellite ♪ ♪ In your car at midnight ♪ ♪ Drivin' south on 55 ♪ ♪ I would feel so alive ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ Oh no ♪ ♪ Oh no ♪ ♪ Oh no ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ Man I wanted to rock ♪ ♪ My last name is Zimmerman ♪ ♪ They always put me at the very end ♪ ♪ They never play me on the radio ♪ ♪ They say my songs are too slow ♪ ♪ Yeah, they're too political ♪ ♪ Labeled me a radical ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ ♪ They never play me on the jukebox ♪ (slow guitar intro) (harmonica plays) >> One, two, three, four.

♪ Well if you're gonna break it ♪ ♪ Baby then you bought it ♪ ♪ If you're gonna shake it ♪ ♪ Shake it right this moment ♪ ♪ If you gonna lose it ♪ ♪ Tell it to your meemaw ♪ ♪ If you're gonna choose it ♪ ♪ Jump into the water now ♪ ♪ Right now ♪ ♪ Right now ♪ ♪ If you gonna chew it ♪ ♪ Baby better eat it ♪ ♪ If you gonna lose it ♪ ♪ Brother won't you keep it ♪ ♪ If you say you made it ♪ ♪ Tell it to your father ♪ ♪ If you wanna save me ♪ ♪ Jump into the water ♪ ♪ Now ♪ ♪ Right now ♪ ♪ Right now ♪ ♪ Two, three, four ♪ (harmonica solo) Hey!

Ho!

(harmonica solo continues) ♪ If you're playin' possum ♪ ♪ Hit you with a hammer ♪ ♪ If you're playin' awesome ♪ ♪ Baby you are jammin' ♪ ♪ If you breakin' curfew ♪ ♪ Breakin' law and order ♪ ♪ If you're playin' true then ♪ ♪ Jump into the water ♪ ♪ Jump into the water ♪ ♪ Jump into the water ♪ ♪ Jump into the water ♪ ♪ Jump into the ♪ ♪ Now now now If you gonna break it ♪ ♪ Baby then you bought it ♪ ♪ If you gonna shake it ♪ ♪ Shake it right this moment ♪ ♪ If you gonna lose it ♪ ♪ Tell it to your meemaw ♪ ♪ If you gonna choose it ♪ ♪ Jump into the water ♪ ♪ Now ♪ ♪ Right now ♪ ♪ Right now, whoa ♪ ♪ Jump into the water ♪ (bluesy finish on guitar and harmonica) >> When my old rock band got signed, I had a job at the electric company in Chicago, and it was a good job.

And when my wife and I talked to each other, and said, "Listen, you have to do this, you have to take the record deal and make this your life."

When I made that leap, with her encouragement, it really impressed upon me like, "Okay, I'm gonna work super hard at this and I'm not gonna stop."

I have no ego about playing music.

I pick this thing up like a hammer and I hammer away and play, and I love it.

And I had mentioned earlier that I played 178 shows in 2019, and I love it.

I love to work.

I like to get up and I like to go, and I like to work.

A lot of people think music is taking it easy, and maybe for them it is, but music has been nothing but easy.

It's been work, and it's hard work, but it's work that I enjoy.

So I attribute that to being from the Midwest, and also having a single mom who worked her behind off for two kids.

And I saw how hard she worked, and that was instilled in me.

If I didn't have support from my wife and my manager, Michael Goldberg, I wouldn't be playing music for a living.

But I've had such tremendous support and I have a nice, small career.

When I play, I have a nice following.

So people come out and see me play, which is wonderful.

Having nice fans and nice family, and people that support you means everything.

(guitar strums) Two, three, four.

(harmonica and guitar intro) ♪ Uh huh ♪ ♪ She went to work ♪ ♪ She went to school ♪ ♪ She tried her best every day ♪ ♪ Married a jerk ♪ ♪ Married a fool ♪ ♪ Who told her that she could not play ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Don't know why you ever went away ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ And this time the kid is here to stay ♪ ♪ She said listen man ♪ ♪ I'm startin' a band ♪ ♪ We're gonna practice every day ♪ ♪ Gonna get some gigs ♪ ♪ Gonna wear new digs ♪ ♪ Gonna play at Reggie's Rock Club someday ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Don't know why you ever went away ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ And this time the kid is here to stay ♪ ♪ She practiced hard ♪ ♪ In her backyard ♪ ♪ Neighbors, oh they don't complain ♪ ♪ And soon her old man ♪ ♪ He got with the plan ♪ ♪ He joined the band and started playing the bass ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Don't know why you ever went away ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ And this time the kid is here to stay ♪ Pat Shaw, yeah!

(harmonica solo) ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Don't know why you ever went away ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ And this time the kid is here to stay ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Don't know why you ever went away ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ And this time the kid is here to stay ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Don't know why you ever went away ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ Here comes the comeback kid ♪ ♪ And this time the kid is here to stay ♪ The comeback kid is here to stay, baby!

(harmonica and guitar play bluesy finish) >> 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 us 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: I have a very strong connection to other students.

Everyone makes an effort to help each other.

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

(energetic music) (violin and piano intro) (Robert sings) ♪ When everyone lets go ♪ ♪ I will hold on ♪ ♪ To you ♪ ♪ When everyone betrays ♪ ♪ I will be true ♪ ♪ To you ♪