From playing local gigs at ski resorts in exchange for free lift tickets, the band is composed of Michael Kang (acoustic/electric mandolin, electric guitar, and violin), Michael Travis (drums and percussion), Bill Nershi (acoustic guitar, lap steel guitar, and electric slide guitar), Kyle Hollingsworth (piano, organ, Rhodes, and accordion), and Keith Moseley (bass guitar), and, in 2006, Jason Hann (auxiliary percussion).
The String Cheese Incident has been described as a democratic ensemble rather than a band, since all of the members contribute their own original compositions to the group’s burgeoning library and share the vocal burden on a number of cover versions as well as their own songs. If a de facto leader had to be named, such a title would probably fall upon Nershi, who is responsible for the bulk of the group’s original song library.
From their management, Madison House Inc.:
"The String Cheese Incident has emerged as one of America’s most significant independent bands. Born in 1993 in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, SCI has since released 6 albums, 3 DVDs and countless live recordings from their relentless tour schedule. Their 14 year history is packed full of surreal experiences, epic moments, groundbreaking involvement and huge accomplishments. They have been recognized for their commitment to musical creativity and integrity, for their community spirit, philanthropic endeavors, and for their innovative approach to the business of music.
When The String Cheese Incident’s growth first started gaining momentum over a decade ago, when the internet was just beginning to take hold and the major-label business model was failing, the band decided to make music on their own terms.
Since then, The String Cheese Incident has gone on to carve out a completely different approach to the business of music; they are truly pioneers of a new way of “making a band.” With the World Wide Web as their tool, SCI was among the first artists to disseminate information via the internet, such as tour dates, release information, and other news, to their growing fan base. Rather than doing business on such terms as “the bottom line,” The String Cheese Incident put their music and their fans first, opening companies of their own, including a ticketing company, a merchandise company and a fan travel agency, to best serve their community. The band’s record label, SCI Fidelity Records, has always operated under the same ideals. Even early on, SCI Fidelity embraced downloadable music and file sharing, delivering SCI’s “On the Road” series, where every show the band plays is made available for download on the internet. Whether they realized it at the time or not, The String Cheese Incident was inventing grassroots band development. Today, literally hundreds of bands are using some version of this same approach to building a band.
The String Cheese Incident’s commitment goes well beyond their immediate community, and even beyond the music community as a whole. Early on, the band took a serious interest in giving back to the communities that they visited, and they were among the first performers to encourage “Green” shows and tours. SCI’s support has helped give rise to such not-for-profit organizations as Conscious Alliance, Rock the Earth, and Head Count. In 2002, when the band’s right to sell tickets to their own shows became threatened by ticketing giant Ticketmaster, the band stood strong for the independent music community and filed a lawsuit against the company. All the while, The String Cheese Incident has stayed committed to music as a creative endeavor, not just in their recordings but also in their live performances. The list of SCI’s special guests and collaborators is long and diverse. Their annual events such as Horning’s Hideout, and holiday shows such as New Year’s and Halloween, have helped redefine the concert experience and has garnered the band a reputation as live music vibe innovators."
Some side groups are eoto, zilla with Jamie Janover, Zuvuya, Honkytonk Homeslice, Billy nershi's Plue Planet, Pangaea, The Trancident & Keller Williams with Moseley Droll and Sipe
Desert Dawn
The String Cheese Incident Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From the breath of life that rises from the glowing stone.
Feel the rock of ages smooth against your skin,
Smell the scent of flowers dancing on the wind,
DANCING ON THE WIND!!!!
Canyon siesta, resting shady by a pool
Dancing water sings a song beneath the cottonwood.
Dried upon the summer breeze touched by God's own hand,
BY GOD'S OWN HAND!!!!
Twilight turns, to the beating of the drum,
Standing flaming silhouettes before the setting sun.
When the nighttime comes you'll lay your blanket on the sand,
Reach up to the skies and touch the stars with your own hands.
WITH YOUR OWN HANDS!!!
Desert Dawn rise up early and lift your song,
From the breathe of life that rises from the glowing stone.
Feel the rock of ages smoothed against your skin,
Smell the scent of flowers dancing on the wind
DANCING ON THE WIND!!!!
The String Cheese Incident's song "Desert Dawn" is a song that invites listeners to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature. The lyrics encourage us to rise up early with the desert dawn and take in the elements around us. The "glowing stone" and "rock of ages" create a sense of timelessness and suggest the idea of connecting with the earth's ancient history. The scent of flowers dancing on the wind adds a layer of sensory experience to the song, which transports us right into the setting. The repetition of "DANCING ON THE WIND!!!" further emphasizes a sense of joyfulness and celebration of life.
In the second verse, the song describes a more specific experience of resting in the shade by a pool, baptism, and touch by "God's own hand." The song's spiritual undertones become more apparent here, suggesting that the experience is akin to a sacrament or holy baptism. Moreover, the experiences described are grounded in nature – playing in the water, feeling the sand underfoot, and being dried by the summer breeze. The lyrics illustrate the power of nature to renew the soul.
As the song proceeds, it takes a different direction as it talks about "standing flaming silhouettes before the setting sun." Here, the imagery changes to a more fiery depiction. However, this shift in tone is not necessarily negative. It is an opportunity to recognize the cycles of life and death and to accept that everything has its time. The song's ending is an invitation to continue to connect with nature ("reach up to the skies and touch the stars with your own hands."). The line "WITH YOUR OWN HANDS!!!" emphasizes individual empowerment and encourages the listener to take ownership of their experiences and the natural world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Desert Dawn, rise up early, lift your song,
Awaken early, Desert Dawn, and sing your song with vigor,
From the breath of life that rises from the glowing stone.
Enjoy the life-giving air that emanates from the heated rock formation.
Feel the rock of ages smooth against your skin,
Experience the sensation of timelessness as you touch the smooth rock face,
Smell the scent of flowers dancing on the wind,
Inhale the fragrance of the blossoms as they sway in the breeze,
DANCING ON THE WIND!!!!
The flowers are alive and moving with the currents!
Canyon siesta, resting shady by a pool
Take a relaxing nap by a pool in the canyon's shade,
Dancing water sings a song beneath the cottonwood.
Observe the shimmering water as it dances and sings underneath the cottonwood tree.
Baptized in the water, she'll run in the sand,
After being immersed in water, she'll happily run on the sandy terrain,
Dried upon the summer breeze touched by God's own hand,
Her body is dried by the warm summer wind, an act that seems divinely inspired,
BY GOD'S OWN HAND!!!!
The natural occurrence was so perfect, it seems to have been crafted by a higher power!
Twilight turns, to the beating of the drum,
As night approaches, the rhythmic drum sounds fill the air,
Standing flaming silhouettes before the setting sun.
The figures are prominently visible, lit up by the setting sun's rays,
When the nighttime comes you'll lay your blanket on the sand,
Once night falls, you'll rest on the sandy ground covered in a blanket,
Reach up to the skies and touch the stars with your own hands.
Look to the sky and extend your arms, try to reach the stars as if you could touch them yourself.
WITH YOUR OWN HANDS!!!
It's a magical moment so unbelievable, you'll feel like you want to touch the stars,
Contributed by Lucy P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@generalcontact1766
aloha all, my name is Lauren Rose and the song, Desert Dawn, was written by my dear friend Christina, when we were on a backpacking journey together through the Grand Gulch, way out in the desert, and I would pray and sing and frolic and make offerings of song as we journeyed along together because the area is so sacred and totally remote and she wrote this poem, when we were deep in that canyon.... among all the ancient puebloan ruins... we are from Colorado, and she was long time friend's with the String Cheese family... and so she gave them the poem she wrote about me on our adventure in this sacred place and they made it into a song, i think Kang wrote the music? but not sure... She actually has written the lyrics to a few of their songs. So that is how this song was born in a way, she also took me on tour with them and we got to travel in their bus and stuff for a couple weeks way back in the day because of their connection. Roots run deep. Anyways, when YOU say this song is good medicine for you, you literally give my life more meaning, because i am grateful you enjoy it and i get something, from you getting something... and so it is good like that. I also just showed Christina a few of these comments and she was stoked too.... so Thanks for just being you out there! You all are so appreciated!! And I feel that way about everyone who has ever enjoyed this song. I am grateful for each of you. Hope you have a sweet day~ aloha nui loa , mitakuye oyasin ...
@GreenGhostGalahad
This song brings tears to my eyes everytime I hear it
@gailj2266
Same here. I've never heard it live but after listening to it so many times, I think I'd burst into tears if they ever played it to me live. Just so much pure beauty and happiness
@maxpower92
@@gailj2266 I've seen it live many times. It is everything you hope for, plus more.♡
@generalcontact1766
@@gailj2266 aloha, my name is Lauren Rose and the song, Desert Dawn, was written by my dear friend Christina, when we were on a backpacking journey together through the Grand Gulch, way out in the desert, and I would pray and sing and frolic and make offerings of song as we journeyed along together because the area is so sacred and totally remote and she wrote this poem, when we were deep in that canyon.... among all the ancient puebloan ruins... we are from Colorado, and she was long time friend's with the String Cheese family... and so she gave them the poem she wrote about me on our adventure in this sacred place and they made it into a song, i think Kang wrote the music? but not sure... So that is how this song was born in a way. anyways, when YOU say this song is good medicine for you, you literally give my life more meaning, because i am grateful you enjoy it and i get something, from you getting something... and so it is good like that. Thanks for just being you! You are appreciated!! And I feel that way about everyone who has ever enjoyed this song. I am grateful for each of you. Hope you have a sweet day sista~ aloha nui loa , mitakuye oyasin
@uminememe4050
I want to listen to this over and over again until I'm 84
@Largeinthemarginx311
😂😂😂 what happens after 84
@williamquinn6399
I got an advertisement in the middle of this :( right during the segway into sweet emotion, talk about a buzzkill!
Whoever is managing this account please check the monitization settings and set them up for ads at the start or end of the video. The grooves should not be interrupted!!
@Hayden-sp1ol
Thanks for the memories...!! Flashing wrist bands for all in attendants....!
@evearmst
Best concert ever