Thoughts From the Writers and Performers of Bring Them In: Celebrating the Spirit of Trek

A Benefit for Martin's Cove
 
Nancy Hanson - Co-Writer of "Go Bring Them In"
 
I like to think songwriting is in my blood. My Grandpa Clayton’s great grandfather, William Clayton, wrote the words to “Come, Come Ye Saints”. I come from rich pioneer heritage and have always been fascinated and inspired by stories of the pioneers.  So when the opportunity to work on this song about Martin’s Cove came about, I was thrilled. 
 
The song “Go Bring Them In” really became personal for me when I had the opportunity to perform it, dressed as a pioneer woman, around a campfire at our Stake Young Women’s camp. I told the story as if I were this young mother who had lost her husband to the cold, and had to leave him behind - unable to bury him beneath the frozen ground. I spoke of how upon reaching the Sweetwater River, I could only take one of my children across at a time. I had to tie my young son to a tree to keep him from following me as I carried my baby through the icy river to the other side. 
 
I can only imagine the faith these people had to sustain them and how it must have felt to collapse into the arms of those young men that the prophet had sent to“bring them in”.

Sam Cardon - Arranger and Performer of Come, Come Ye Saints, co-writer, arranger, and producer of "Go Bring Them In"

The Martin's Cove experience is so much a part of our collective consciousness as LDS people that we sometimes  forget the significance.  We each share in the legacy of those incredible souls and their stories can motivate us today to face our challenges with courage and commitment.  The recording of this CD has been an opportunity for reflection and I hope that we have captured in some small  way the power and spirit of their sacrifice.

Dave Tinney – Writer and Performer "of Prayer of The Walking Child"

Several years ago, my wife and I, and my then one year old son made a pilgrimage to Winter Quarters. After a day of touring, we decided to conclude our visit with a trip to the pioneer cemetery. It was March, and although there was no snow on the ground, the incessant wind blew the temperature well below freezing. Still, we bundled up our boy in his blanket, and braved the trail through the forest of trees and sacred stones.

As we soon learned, the Nebraska wind cuts much deeper and faster than the desert winter to which we were accustomed. We quickly became chilled to the bone, and not long after, my exhausted little son began to cry for warmth and food. Feeling our bodies numbing, we hurried as fast as we could to the end of the trail. However, as we neared the clearing, we found ourselves face to face with the famous bronze statue of a pioneer couple burying their infant child. We couldn't move.

As I stood shivering on that hallowed ground, clutching my small child, I knew that I was looking into a not so distant mirror.

How did they do it?

How do you explain the cold and the hunger to a child?

What grace…what fire…what faith!

I was overcome by a very tangible and profound sense of awe and gratitude.

When we were once again warm, and our stomachs were full…and my one-year-old was finally asleep, I sat down to try to write my feelings about the day. This song came through instead.
 
Dan O'Very of Envoy - Vocalist on "Arrival in The Valley"
 
When we were asked to provide some creative input on this project, a strong sense of willingness took over. When the different groups of pioneers finally reached theSaltLakeValley, choruses of Saints lined the streets and sang the songs ofZion. The long trip was over, and now the challenge of building a home lay before them. We sought to recreate some of the emotion of this event. The completion of an exhausting and in many cases tragic journey, the sheer joy of being re-united with the body of Saints, and the hope and fear of building a new home in Zion. 
 
It took six hours to record just the vocals on this two minute track. We had to fight our emotions the entire time. Upon its completion, we were satisfied that this piece is what the Lord wanted. As you listen, may you feel the Holy Ghost ratify the truth and sacrifice of those early Saints. 
 
Michael Dowdle - Arranger and Performer of "The Handcart Song"
 
For some must push and some must pull as we go marching up the hill.  We work together as a body of saints to move this work along. Without this coordinated effort the task would be virtually impossible. My wife Eve has ancestors that were in both the Willey and Martin handcart companies. Truly they suffered greatly but there legacy is now before us and we find strength in there examples as we face our own "Rocky Ridges". I believe they are still helping us ,their progenitors, in our struggles here on earth. As we push along in this life, we may feel them pulling us along from time to time. We are so blessed to have this wonderful heritage of faith in this church.I really wanted this arrangement to have this positive feeling! I think it does.

Don Stirling – co writer of “Go Bring Them In” and the driving force behind the creation of Bring Them In: Celebrating the Sprit of Trek

The year 1997 was a singular year for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as that was the year the Church celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the arrival of the Saints into the Salt Lake Valley. Many of us were inspired as we watched people from all walks of life, including those that were members of the LDS Church as well as those who were not members of our faith, replicate the Pioneer Trek west. Part of that re-enactment took these modern-day pioneers through Martin’s Cove.

Through that summer of 1997, two experiences had a huge impact on me.
The first was that I learned what the group now known as the Martin Handcart Company went through. Having grown up in Northern California, I was very familiar with a group of people that went through a similar experience, the Donner Party. But I had not been aware of the story of this courageous, faithful group of pioneers, and those who went to rescue them.

As I learned more about this group of pioneers, I was made aware of President Brigham Young’s words to the Saints in an October meeting in 1846, when he informed those in the Salt Lake Valley that there were Saints stranded in Wyoming, and that if those from the Salt Lake Valley did not make an attempt to rescue them, they would perish. I was struck by President Young’s works, “Go bring them in.”

The second experience was that I was given the opportunity to participate in my own Pioneer Trek as part of the Salt Lake Cottonwood Heights Stake. Under the direction of President Gordon Flitton, I was able to enjoy a life-changing, testimony-building experience. While our Pioneer Trek took place in a wilderness area a few hours outside of Salt Lake City, the effect was dramatic. We learned first-hand what it felt like to pull handcarts, to be wet, to be hungry, and to be tired. And we only experienced that over a 3-day period. We felt the Spirit near as we re-enacted what has become known as the “Women’s Pull” to symbolize that time when Latter-day Saint women continued the trek west while their husbands, sons, and brothers were called into the Mormon Battalion. It was a singular and special experience that brought me closer to the stories and experiences of these incredible men, women and children, and closer to the Spirit.

In the summer of 2000, I was asked to be part of a team of youth leaders from our Stake to visit Martin’s Cove, as this was a possible site for 2001 Salt Lake Cottonwood Heights Stake Pioneer Trek. As we walked the grounds of Martin’s Cove on that late summer day, I was not prepared for the spiritual feelings that rose up from the ground and which spoke to our hearts. It was very evident that this was sacred and hallowed ground. It was clear to all who were there that day that this was a special place the Divine had touched and consecrated for our benefit, so that we would always remember those who had gone before us, and the ultimate sacrifice many of them made.

It was also clear that this had to be the site of our 2001 Pioneer Trek.
In the spring of 2001, the President of the Stake Young Women’s organization, Joyce Stay, asked if I would be willing to write a song that would be used as a theme song for the 2001 Pioneer Trek. It was then that I began to write the lyric that would become, “Go Bring Them In.”

For 3-4 years following the 1997 Sesquicentennial Celebration, I had always been moved by President Young’s plea to “go bring them in.” It had meaning then and it had meaning now. It spoke of the need to rescue those freezing pioneers then, and those people around us now who are not yet warmed by the peace and serenity that the Master, Jesus Christ, brings into one’s life.
The lyric itself began to unfold as I tried to think about the experience that one of those pioneers may have felt, waiting there in the cold, not knowing whether they were going to live another day, or ever find themselves in Zion, or “maybe Paradise.” I imagined them thinking back to their conversion, and the several places the Saints had been driven from. Thinking back to the Prophet Joseph, his commitment, his death, and “how we miss him still.”

I then imagined them thinking back to what drove them to make such sacrifices…their love of the Savior…their testimony of the Restoration…and their faith that the move West, albeit very, very challenging…was divinely inspired.

As the lyric unfolded, it was clear that although those of us of this day and age could not replicate their experience, we could take up a similar challenge. To love the Savior and act as He would have us act. To cultivate a testimony of the Prophet Joseph and the Restoration, and to be willing to share it with those in need. And finally, to know that the plea of a modern prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, to be friendly, and neighborly, and loving of those around us…to bring them in…was divinely inspired.

Once the lyric was completed, I went to my dear friend, singer/songwriter extraordinaire, Nancy Hanson, to write the music and sing the song. As always, she did an incredible job and truly reflected the spirit of the lyric, and the message. Although the young men and women of the Salt Lake Cottonwood Heights Stake, and their leaders, are the only lucky ones to hear Nancy’s very intimate guitar/vocal rendition, it is still a favorite version for me. We were grateful that this song provided some special moments for those who were part of our Stake’s 2001 Pioneer Trek to Martin’s Cove. I was fortunate enough to be part of it, and again it was made clear to me that Martin’s Cove is a very, very special place.

In late 2001, I received a call from hit songwriter, Jim Funk, asking if I had any songs that they could look at for the upcoming 2002 EFY CD. Immediately I thought about “Go Bring Them In.” I played Jim the guitar/vocal version that Nancy had sung. Both Jim and his co-producing partner, Greg Simpson, liked the song and committed to presenting it to the EFY committee that determines what songs go on each EFY CD.

Both Nancy and I were pleased that the song was accepted for the 2002 EFY CD, but knew that it needed further arranging and production. We turned to our ongoing partner-in-crime, Sam Cardon. Sam and I have worked together since the late 1980’s on many music projects. Sam is a brilliant writer, composer, film scorer, arranger, jazz pianist, and one of our dearest friends. There is no one more generous with his time and his talent than Sam, and he always delivers.

Version #2 of “Go Bring Them In”, which appears on the 2002 EFY CD, turned into a Celtic/folk take that is very enjoyable and very musical. A funny story regarding the recording of that track. When Jim and Greg came back to us with the green light to include the song, they did say, “The only stipulation is that the song be shorter.” Greg was very concerned that the song HAD to be shorter. At that time, Nancy’s guitar/vocal version was a bit over 5 minutes.” I put their minds at ease and said that Sam would do a great job in arranging and producing, and even if the song length stayed at 5 minutes, it would “seem shorter” because of the added instrumentation and other things Sam was going to. I will never forget Greg’s face when he walked in the studio on the day Nancy was doing her final vocal, when I said to him, “Greg, we have good news and bad news. The good news is the song will be finished today. The bad news is that not only is the song long, it is now longer!” At that time, the song was clocking in just over 6 minutes. Perhaps the longest song in EFY history! At one point Brett Raymond came into the studio and saw the lyric and said, “This must be a Don Stirling lyric. Look how many words there are! That’s about 3 of my songs in 1!” We eventually edited out what I still think was a very cool instrumental break, and found a middle ground on the length.

Following the release of the 2002 EFY CD, I began to get calls and requests for sheet music and choir arrangements for “Go Bring Them In.” It was thus in the fall of 2002, in a conversation with another great pal, Earl Madsen, at Sounds of Zion, that I said, “You know, I am getting some calls on ‘Go Bring Them In.’ My sense is that this song could have a long life to it, but I am not sure that occurs on an EFY CD. Would Sounds of Zion be interested in some sort of special CD that focuses on Trek…a CD that becomes a soundtrack for the experience people have, young or old, but especially the youth, when they participate on a Trek?”

One conversation lead to another, and one idea lead to another. We all owe Doyl Peck, President and CEO of Sounds of Zion, a huge thanks for allowing Earl and me to go on this adventure and journey that has turned into the “Go Bring Them In—Celebrating the Spirit of Trek” CD. Even when Earl and I suggested that one, the CD be priced at a cost where it was affordable to as many people as possible ($3.98 for the CD and $5.98 for the songbook) and two, that all proceeds from the CD and print music should be donated to Martin’s Cove, Doyl was on board from the start. Thank you, Doyl.

I also would be remiss if I did not thank all those who participated on the recording of “Go Bring Them In” as well as the entire CD. Special thanks to Sam Cardon, David Tinney, Michael Dowdle, and Envoy for the great songs they contributed. I am grateful to the Friends of Martin’s Cove—Nancy Hanson, Brett Raymond, Cherie Call (now Sister Anderson!), Barry Hanson, Jessie Clark, Peter Breinholt, the Martin’s Cove Choir, under the direction of our good friend, Kurt Bestor, as well as all the musicians and engineers. Thank, guys.

Thanks, as always, to Sam for producing and arranging in a style we have all become accustomed to—creative and very pro. Finally, thanks to Dan Carlisle at Soularium Studios who played a huge role in making the recording of “Go Bring Them In” such a memorable experience for all involved.
We hope everyone enjoys the project, and the spirit that hopefully it reflects, as much as had in making it. If you have a chance to participate in a Trek, do it. If you have a chance to visit Martin’s Cove, go. These experiences will change your life, as they have changed mine.

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