“Montana” by Charles C. Cohan and Joseph E. Howard is the state song of Montana, adopted in 1945. It praises the state’s beauty, land, and mountains, and mentions the state’s nickname “the treasure state”. It was written in just 30 minutes after a suggestion from Mrs. E. Creighton Largey. The song was extremely popular and was declared the state song by Governor Edwind L. Norris in 1910. It was officially adopted in 1945 and all proceeds from sales of the song go to the Montana Children’s Hospital.
The state song of Montana is “Montana” by Charles C. Cohan and Joseph E. Howard. Not to be confused with Montana’s state ballad or lullaby, “Montana” was declared the official state song of Montana in 1910, but was not actually adopted until 1945. Written specifically about Montana, the song emphasizes the beauty, land and mountains of the state and also mentions the state’s nickname “the treasure state”.
The idea for a song specifically written about the state came from Mrs. E. Creighton Largey, who was at one time a member of Howard’s performing troupe. After a September 27, 1910 show where the song “Illinois” was performed, she suggested a tribute to Montana. She also recommended that Cohan, a newspaper editor, assist Howard in writing the song. Howard and Cohan wrote it in just 30 minutes and performed it for the first time that night.
The song is about the beauties of the state, from the “always blue” skies to the “sunset fire” of the mountains. State flowers are also praised, especially the bitterroot, the state flower of Montana. The state, says the song, the “glory of the West” and, as befits a state song, the best state in the United States.
The song was performed again in Helena, Montana on September 29, 1910. The song was extremely popular and audiences would demand a dozen encore performances before the performing troupe could continue with the show. In the audience during this show sat Governor Edwind L. Norris, as well as other prominent politicians and businessmen. The governor asked to hear the song again after the show, apparently he liked it so much that he asked them to play Montana’s future state song several times.
Although the song’s immediate success led Governor Norris to declare it the state song of Montana that September 1910 night, it was not actually adopted as the official state song until February 20, 1945 by Governor Sam C. Ford and the Legislature of Montana. Howard and Cohan ended up donating the song to Montana Children’s Hospital, located in Helena. All proceeds from sales of the song go to the hospital. Montana Children’s Hospital is now Shodair Hospital and still retains ownership of the song.
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