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The Montana State Song

Montana

words by Charles Cohan (1884-1969) and music by Joseph E. Howard (1878-1961)

    Tell me of that Treasure State
    Story always new,
    Tell of its beauties grand
    And its hearts so true.

    Mountains of sunset fire
    The land I love the best
    Let me grasp the hand of one
    From out the golden West

   Refrain:
    Montana, Montana, Glory of the West
    Of all the states from coast to coast,
    You're easily the best
    Montana, Montana, Where skies are always blue
    MONTANA, Montana I love you.

    Each country has its flow'r;
    Each one plays a part,
    Each bloom brings a longing hope
    To some lonely heart.
    
    Bitterroot to me is dear
    Growing in my land
    Sing then that glorious air
    The one I understand.

   Repeat Refrain

Adoption of State Song

Overnight, Montana had an official state song, literally!

Joseph Howard's performance company was presenting a show called The Goddess of Liberty on September 27, 1910 in Butte, Montana. A former member of the company, Mrs. E. Creighton Largey, was in the audience that night and, at the after-show party, admonished the producer. Why had he included the song "Illinois" in the production and failed to recognize Montana? Mrs. Largey challenged Howard to compose a suitable tribute to Montana. She further challenged Charles C. Cohan, city editor for the Butte Miner, to help Howard.

The two men retired to the music room and, thirty minutes later, Mr. Howard and Mr. Cohan presented the basic melody and a basic lyric to "Montana". Howard and Cohan finished the song that night and the performance company prepared for a premiere performance in Helena on the evening of September 29.

Word of the new song spread rapidly and, when the performance began in Helena, Governor Edwind L. Norris, Senator Thomas Carter and James J. and Louis Hill of the Great Northern Railroad, were in the audience. It's reported that the song was a great success and that 12 encores were called before the rest of the performance could continue. Governor Norris was jubilant and invited Howard and Cohan to a gathering at the Montana Club after the show. There, he asked Howard to sing "Montana" again. After hearing it for the 14th time that night, the Governor proclaimed "Montana" the official state song.

Joseph Howard and Charles Cohan were honored and offered to donate the song to a worthy charity. The Montana Children's Hospital, in Helena was suggested. It was agreed and the hospital, now Shodair Hospital, maintains possession of the song to this day.

The next day, Howard performed the song with the Black Eagle Band, of Great Falls, at the State Fair. 10,000 Montanans were singing and humming the refrain before he had finished playing.

The song, "Montana", words by Charles Cohan and music by Joseph E. Howard, was adopted by the Montana Legislature and Governor Sam C. Ford as the official state song of Montana on February 20, 1945.

* Copies of "Montana" can be obtained from Shodaire Hospital, Box 5539, Helena, Montana 59604.

Source: Montana State Web Site, (http://www.state.mt.us), December 2, 2004
Source: Symbols of Montana by Rex C. Myers and Norma B. Ashby, Copyright 1989
Source: State Names, Seals, Flags, and Symbols by Benjamin F. Shearer and Barbara S. Shearer, Copyright 2002
Source: State Songs America, Edited by M.J. Bristow, Copyright 2000

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