Recently, in my “Minnesota Writers” class at the University of Minnesota Duluth, we spent a week discussing songwriting, and as an exercise in fun, students voted on their favorite songwriter. Then, to get a different perspective, I went to the Music Resource Center and had the same conversation. I thought I would share the results.

Honorable Mentions, Twin Ports Category

We have two honorable mentions. First, Bob Dylan, because, for as long as Ed Newman lives, Dylan’s reputation is assured. Second, Jason Wussow of Woodblind, who, it was agreed by both UMD students and MRC students, is a unique voice in the region and state.

It was too hard, they agreed, to compare Wussow’s accomplishments alongside the others — the genres of music and lyrics were, really, too much his own. And Barber’s video is in its own league, too.

An Unusual Suggestion or Two

Owl City was foisted upon me when I opened the topic to “Minnesota” lyricists, broader than the Twin Ports. Adam Young is from Owatonna, and his Owl City act has a few earworms you might recognize.

Most of my students were, I think, about 10 years old when that song was on the radio. So its persistence speaks to something.

The students expressed similar appreciation for Thomas X, not really from the Twin Ports, but I opened the door to see what made students excited.

A Generation Ago

Low, it seems, was a band for a generation ago. Of course, the more I tell students that this is the greatest band ever to come from Duluth, perhaps, the more likely they are to argue with me. One of them counted the number of times the word “sweet” was repeated in the song “Sunflower,” which I played for them. The number was, for them, a reason not to like the song. But repetition, beautiful, calming, saddening repetition is the reason why the band’s earliest albums are the best ever to be born from Duluth. In my opinion. The youth have other ideas.

Passion for the Turtles

Students noted omissions on my list, but the one that garnered the most love across both UMD and MRC was “Alone,” which I may have heard before — I can’t remember. I just am not into what I think TBT is about — shanties and drinking songs. Students think I am unfair. That’s good. It makes them argue with me.

The Winners

At UMD, in a class full of future writers, the clear favorite was Gaelynn Lea. This makes a huge amount of sense to me — Gaelynn Lea writes what is most recognizably poetry in their song lyrics, lyrics that writing students would appreciate, basically.

At the MRC, in a class full of future musicians, the clear winner was Born Too Late.

So there is a youthful energy in Born Too Late, and the passion here, I think, was as much for lyrics as for music.

Omitted from the list was Shawna Weaver, because she directs the MRC. But she had some thoughts about what makes a Twin Ports or even more particularly a Duluth musician unique and reflective of our community. Perhaps because we met in November, in the late afternoon, she emphasized a darkness, a sense that the world closing in, of close horizons that define the music (and sometimes, the career) of a Duluth musician.

As she spoke, all I could think of was driving 300 miles from St. Paul to Madison and back to see Low with my friend Shannon, eager to hear them play me a song without any sense of horizon at all. But my students like Owl City, and that’s okay, too.