The Palisade Historical Society announced today the music video created by Maggy Fellman and her international team to celebrate the 100th Birthday of the “Roller Dam” is now available. She wrote the music and lyrics, and it features local bluegrass musician, Carroll Quarles, as lead vocal and acoustic guitar. You can see this fun music video using a broadband Internet connection athttps://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6HmOX6Jh-Xsa2s3aEJPeW5PSjA&usp=drive_web
The Palisade Historical Society is planning a fun and interesting birthday event on June 27, 2015 for the iconic Grand River Diversion Dam located eight miles east of Palisade in DeBeque Canyon. It will be held at the Veteran’s Memorial Community Center from 9 to 5 that Saturday and will feature speakers, a “Dam Art Show,” information booths, videos, the “mobile museum” with photos of the Dam’s amazing construction, music, and a “dam birthday cake.”
Fellman is a filmmaker who spends summers in Palisade and winters in Southwest France. As a member of the Palisade Historical Society, she was intrigued by the 100th birthday celebration thought it would make a great music video. The elegant, 100-year old structure and the water flowing from the dam to the orchards and fields are perfect for filming. Her film company, littlemargieproductions, is in Helsinki, Finland, and used her international connections to make the video.
ThatDAMWater Keeps Us Green, also includes Egon Plaedazmski, guitar and drum accompaniment, with backup vocals and guitar from Baptiste Daleman. The music was arranged by Sharon Riggen, Carroll Quarles, Eki Halkka, and Baptiste Daleman. It was recorded at Aspen Leaf Recording and Production Studio in Grand Junction as well as internationally, at Spacewhale, in Helsinki, Finland, and K studio, San Jean de Luz, France. DVD copies will be available for a donation to the Palisade Historical Society.
“We’re pleased Maggy Fellman used her creative documentary skills and music talents to help us call attention to the importance of the Roller Dam to life here in the Grand Valley,” said Charlene Weidner, director of the Palisade Historical Society.
LYRICS FOR THE MUSIC VIDEO – Property of littlmargieproductions
ThatDAMWater Keeps US Green
by Maggy Fellman
Livin’ in the desert high and dry
That DAM water keeps us green
You better love it ’til you die
Cuz there ain’t no in-between
Rolling water, rolling water
That dam water keeps us green
Into the valley water flows
That DAM water keeps us green
Waters our orchards row by row
Makes this desert a livin’ dream.
Rolling water, rolling water,
That DAM water keeps us green,
Gives us life, keeps us green.
MORE ABOUT THE ROLLER DAM
The Grand Valley Diversion Dam is comprised of six large steel cylinders, or rollers, hence the “Roller Dam.” It was designed to keep the level of water behind the dam constant and prevent flooding the nearby railroad tracks. It supplies five irrigation canals in the Grand Valley, including the Government Highline, Price, Stub, and two East Orchard Mesa Canals. Water was first turned into the Government High Line Canal at the official Congressional Dedication on June 29, 1915. It was the successful solution to make the Grand Valley into one of the most productive agricultural regions in Colorado and the Intermountain West.
LINKS: www.historicpalisade.org
Facebook: Grand-River-Diversion-Dam-Celebrates-100-Years-1915-2015
