(woman) Prairie Musicians is made possible by The Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota and by the members of Prairie Public.

[electric guitar intro] ♪ ♪ [playing rhythm & blues style rock] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Is everything sacred, ♪ ♪ Or nothing at all?

♪ ♪ Got to think about it, ♪ ♪ And the fear will fall.

♪ ♪ Gaze into the darkness, ♪ ♪ The great unknown.

♪ ♪ We're all in it together, ♪ ♪ Or are we all alone?

♪ ♪ And all the worlds we walk, ♪ ♪ Are passing by.

♪ ♪ And all the wisdom there was, ♪ ♪ Won't answer ♪ ♪ Why?

♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah.

Why?

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ Whispers of the water, ♪ ♪ Heard it in a dream.

♪ ♪ Sharing of the story, ♪ ♪ Living in a stream.

♪ ♪ Breathing brings the beauty, ♪ ♪ It'll show you how.

♪ ♪ Power of the present, ♪ ♪ Ain't nothing but the now.

♪ ♪ And all the worlds that we walk, ♪ ♪ Are passing by.

♪ ♪ And all the wisdom there was, ♪ ♪ Won't answer ♪ ♪ Why?

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Worried about tomorrow, ♪ ♪ Dwelling on the past.

♪ ♪ Don't you think about it, ♪ ♪ There's nothing that lasts.

♪ ♪ Looking for the answers, ♪ ♪ Searching for a sign.

♪ ♪ Feel it coming closer, ♪ ♪ When the stars align.

♪ ♪ And all the worlds that we walk, ♪ ♪ Are passing by.

♪ ♪ And all the wisdom there was, ♪ ♪ Won't answer ♪ ♪ Why?

♪ Hi, my name is Darren Quam, I'm from Battle Lake, Minnesota.

I'm with the band Darren Quam and Friends.

On the bass guitar we have Moises.

On the drums we have Jon, on the guitar we have Justin Ness, and singing vocals we have Brooke.

Our band plays a mix of different genres.

A lot of it is blues-based, rock 'n' roll, we also have some folk, a little bit of funk, reggae.

We were really inspired by music from the late '60s, early '70s.

I got started playing music around the age of 15.

I was attracted to the guitar, and ever since I started playing guitar, I just knew I wanted to be a musician.

The music I've written has always been influenced by something, a creative spark that I just follow.

Lyrically I like to have something that means something to me and to someone else listening.

And if you listen to the lyrics, you might find a message for yourself or for a friend.

It really feels really special when someone connects with a piece of music you've written 'cause that's the whole point of the music is connecting to people.

It really feels nice like full circle when someone recognizes a song and really feels connected to it.

[playing in slow rock rhythm] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ A golden light was shown to me.

♪ (Brooke) ♪ Oo oo ♪ ♪ Gave peace to a raging stormy sea.

♪ ♪ Oo oo ♪ ♪ Told me telepathically.

♪ ♪ Oo oo ♪ ♪ Alright it's gonna be.

♪ ♪ Oo oo ♪ ♪ Alright.

♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo oo ♪ ♪ Alright.

♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo oo ♪ ♪ Alright.

♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo oo ♪ ♪ Alright.

♪ ♪.

♪ Alright.

♪ ♪ Oh yeah.

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The worst that could happen is not so bad.

♪ ♪ Oo oo ♪ ♪ But seems to make us all so sad.

♪ ♪ Oo oo ♪ ♪ Now think of all the joy we had.

♪ ♪ Oo oo ♪ ♪ Worst that could happen is not so bad.

♪ ♪ No no.

♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo oo ♪ ♪ Not so bad.

♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo oo ♪ ♪ Not so bad.

♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo oo ♪ ♪ Not so bad.

♪ ♪ ♪ No no.

♪ ♪ Oh yeah.

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ We're not meant to stay here long.

♪ ♪ Oo oo ♪ ♪ There is no right, ♪ ♪ Yeah no wrong.

♪ ♪ Oo oo ♪ ♪ You're right, where you belong.

♪ ♪ Ooo ooo ♪ ♪ Just listening to this song.

♪ ♪ Alright ♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo oo ♪ ♪ Not so bad.

♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo oo ♪ ♪ Not so bad.

♪ ♪ Oo oo oo oo oo ♪ ♪ Not so bad.

♪ ♪ No no.

♪ ♪ Oh yeah.

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ What I'd like to do in the future is basically what I'm doing at the moment-- continue playing music, finding more opportunities, and bigger audiences to connect with.

I've been very fortunate to connect with my friends that are also in the band and be able to express our original music and have so much fun doing it.

I hope people can take away from the music that we're having fun, and we like to find expression through music which we feel is very important.

"A Friend" is a song about the importance of friendship, and it's off our new album Darren Quam and Friends.

[playing rhythmic rhythm & blues] ♪ Well you say life is getting you down.

♪ ♪ Old smiling things just bring you a frown.

♪ ♪ Well you don't have to worry.

♪ ♪ You got a friend, ♪ ♪ Right here.

♪ ♪ Feeling strange, ♪ ♪ Now feeling blue.

♪ ♪ I can help.

♪ ♪ What can I do for you?

♪ ♪ Well you don't have to worry.

♪ ♪ You got a friend, ♪ ♪ Right here.

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Don't get lost ♪ ♪ In worldly things.

♪ ♪ Just listen to what your heart sings.

♪ ♪ Well you don't have to worry.

♪ ♪ You got a friend, ♪ ♪ Right here.

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Well I listen to what the wind told me to do.

♪ ♪ Yeah just to help a friend make it through.

♪ ♪ Well you don't have to worry.

♪ ♪ Because you got a friend.

♪ ♪ Right here.

♪ ♪ You got a friend.

♪ ♪ Right here.

♪ ♪ You got a friend.

♪ ♪ Right here.

♪ ♪ You got a friend.

♪ ♪ Right here.

♪ ♪ You got a friend.

♪ ♪ Right here.

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [finger-picking in bright folk/country rhythm] ♪ That moon come up ♪ ♪ Over the hilltop.

♪ ♪ Shine so bright make your jaw drop.

♪ ♪ I had a funny feeling for days.

♪ ♪ Guess that's all part of the phase.

♪ ♪ Yeah when that full moon's flying ♪ ♪ I don't feel too much like dying.

♪ ♪ Yeah that moon is gonna wash my worries away.

♪ ♪ ♪ Easier done than said.

♪ ♪ And I believe my boots are made of lead.

♪ ♪ Yeah it's got to be a dream.

♪ ♪ Because this reality just ain't what it seems.

♪ ♪ Yeah when that full moon's flying ♪ ♪ I don't feel too much like dying.

♪ ♪ Yeah that moon is gonna wash my worries away.

♪ ♪ ♪ You gotta sit back, and open wide.

♪ ♪ Whatever you do, just don't hide.

♪ ♪ You gotta relax, enjoy the ride.

♪ ♪ What your searching for was deep inside.

♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah when that full moon's flying ♪ ♪ I don't feel too much like dying.

♪ ♪ Yeah that moon is gonna wash my worries away.

♪ ♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Nothing ever stays.

♪ ♪ Yeah we're always changing our ways.

♪ ♪ But that full moon keeps on shining.

♪ ♪ Yeah, there's always that silver lining.

♪ ♪ Yeah when that full moon's flying ♪ ♪ I don't feel too much like dying.

♪ ♪ Yeah that moon is gonna wash my worries away.

♪ ♪ Yeah gonna wash my worries away.

♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah that moon ♪ ♪ Gonna wash my worries away.

Yeah.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [playing rhythmic blues/rock] ♪ Sometimes you work so hard, ♪ ♪ You got nothing to show.

♪ ♪ Keep planting them seeds, ♪ ♪ But nothing will grow.

♪ ♪ Sometimes you think too much, ♪ ♪ You don't even know.

♪ ♪ Like running too fast, ♪ ♪ But you're moving too slow.

♪ ♪ When you worship the clock, ♪ ♪ Don't wanna be late.

♪ ♪ You're blinding your eyes ♪ ♪ To the concept of fate.

♪ ♪ Missing the moment, ♪ ♪ Losing the meaning.

♪ ♪ A warning for you, ♪ ♪ Your house of cards is leaning.

♪ ♪ ♪ Looking out for the light inside.

♪ ♪ All they told you were distractions and lies.

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ [drum solo] ♪ [slide guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Looking out, for the light inside.

♪ ♪ All around for places to hide.

♪ ♪ All they told you were ♪ ♪ Distractions and lies.

♪ [guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [establishing the beat] ♪ I can't hold out ♪ ♪ Much longer, ♪ ♪ It's killing me.

♪ ♪ ♪ Try to look now ♪ ♪ On the bright side, ♪ ♪ It's getting harder to see.

♪ ♪ ♪ Darkness creeps in ♪ ♪ Like a rainstorm, ♪ ♪ There's no shelter in sight.

♪ ♪ ♪ Fade away now, ♪ ♪ Day by day now, ♪ ♪ Night after night.

♪ ♪ ♪ Rainy days, ♪ ♪ All I crave, ♪ ♪ Don't know where to turn.

♪ ♪ Fade to gray, ♪ ♪ Lost my way, ♪ ♪ Don't know where to turn.

♪ ♪ Storm is screaming, ♪ ♪ Caught me dreaming, ♪ ♪ Of soft summer sun.

♪ ♪ ♪ Lightning strikes me ♪ ♪ In my heart, ♪ ♪ I'm coming undone.

♪ ♪ ♪ Won't be long now, ♪ ♪ It'll pass on now, ♪ ♪ What they're telling me.

♪ ♪ ♪ But I can't hold out ♪ ♪ Much longer, ♪ ♪ It's killing me.

♪ ♪ ♪ Rainy days, ♪ ♪ All I crave, ♪ ♪ Don't know where to turn.

♪ ♪ Fade to gray, ♪ ♪ Lost my way, ♪ ♪ Don't know where to turn.

♪ [slide guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Rainy days, ♪ ♪ All I crave, ♪ ♪ Don't know where to turn.

♪ ♪ Fade to gray, ♪ ♪ Lost my way, ♪ ♪ Don't know where to turn.

♪ [slide guitar solo] ♪ ♪ ♪ (woman) Prairie Musicians is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota and by the members of Prairie Public.