Cowboy music and community spirit fill the Lovell–Kane Museum fundraiser

The Lovell Community Center was alive with laughter, music and the sound of rain pounding on the roof Saturday evening, October 11, as the Lovell-Kane Area Museum held its annual fundraiser. While lightning flashed across the sky and the town received one of its heaviest downpours in months, the show went on, and the crowd didn’t seem to mind a bit.

Headlining the night was Dan Miller’s Cowboy Music Revue, whose easygoing blend of classic Western tunes and crowd sing-alongs brought a nostalgic warmth to the evening. The audience clapped, sang and even danced a bit to familiar favorites.

One of the most memorable moments came when Lanning May took the stage to perform “The People of Kane,” a heartfelt original song he wrote in memory of the long-vanished town of Kane. The tribute struck a chord with many in attendance, connecting the evening’s music to the history the museum works so hard to preserve. It was a special gift and surprise for museum board president Karen Spragg, who oversaw the event.

Dinner was catered by the Wyoming 310 Restaurant of Deaver, which earned rave reviews for its hearty Western fare.

Between the silent auction, ticket sales and donations, the event raised more than $10,000, a major boost for the museum’s ongoing preservation projects and educational programs.

Spragg expressed her appreciation to all who helped organize the event, noting in particular the assistance of the Byron, Cowley and Lovell LDS missionaries, who served food and stayed afterward to take down tables and chairs. She also expressed gratitude to everyone who braved the weather to support local history and help keep the stories of the Big Horn Basin alive for future generations.

To make a donation, send a check to: Lovell-Kane Area Museum, 354 Oregon Ave., Lovell, WY 82431

The People of Kane

Lyrics by Lanning May

Today I shed a tear for the people of Kane Valley,

For their packing and moving away.

For soon their dear valley will be covered in water.

Oh Lord, have mercy on the people of Kane.

O Lord, have mercy on me.

As I walk through the fields and the river bottoms of Kane,

My heart is filled with sorrow,

For I know I’ll never see her again.

O Lord, have mercy on the people of Kane.

O Lord, have mercy on me.

And tomorrow we’ll be moving on.

New horizons we will find.

And we will not forget her, Kane Valley our home.

O Lord, have mercy on the people of Kane.

O Lord, have mercy on me.

As I kneel down to pray,

I thank thee, Lord, for my blessings,

And show me the way I must go,

And please mend this broken heart.

O Lord, have mercy on the people of Kane.

O Lord, have mercy on me.