What is a Balladeer?

A balladeer, often referred to as a troubadour, is a person who travels the land, gathering stories from each area and taking them to the other areas. Usually the stories are presented in the form of a song.

Click the image at the left to see lyrics from Dolan's original song, "Call Me the Balladeer."

Dolan Ellis first became Arizona's Official State Balladeer in February 1966, soon after Governor Sam Goddard had been elected. Governor Goddard sent an emissary, Jim Gremanis, to ask Dolan whether he would consider becoming the Balladeer. At the time, Dolan wasn't sure exactly what that involved, but he thought about it briefly and decided it would be a great way to repay the citizens who had supported his career so enthusiastically.

Dolan was Arizona's first Official Balladeer.  There wasn't even a "Balladeer" role model in other states, although subsequently several states have appointed their own balladeers. So Dolan had to write his own job description. He decided it was important to meet people, see places, study history, and truly experience the state of Arizona. He knew it was important to write songs, to travel around the state and sing them. And in the day of electronics, it was important to record the songs so more people could hear them.

It has now been 41 years since his first appointment as Balladeer, and Dolan has accomplished a lot in that role. One of his greatest accomplishments was the founding of the Arizona Folklore Preserve, a venue for the presentation of the best of folk and acoustic music. But even more importantly, Dolan Ellis has taught hundreds of thousands of people, from 2 to 102, what it means to be an Arizonan.

Dolan often ends his concerts with "Arizona (Through and Through)," one of several songs in which he expresses eloquently what it means to him to be an Arizonan, and in so doing says what is in other Arizonans' hearts. The last verse includes these lines:

"Hear the voice of your Maker
On the wings of a Western breeze
Lift your eyes to Arizona skies
And let your soul run free"

Dolan Ellis and Arizona belong together!