Randy Wrote a Musical!
World Premiere May 16, 2026
Olivia Armory
Olivia, MN - Dowling's home town,
the starting point for their epic journey
Randy Sabien (violin)
Gary Rue (guitar/piano/vocals)
Jan Lee (singer/actress)
"Are We There Yet?"
Every epic odyssey needs a hero and no one better than determined Irishman Michael J. Dowling who not only overcame personal tragedies and challenges by the age of fourteen but led the first expedition of motorcars across the vast plains of western Minnesota, South and North Dakota then through the treacherous Rocky Mountains in Montana and Wyoming to reach Yellowstone National Park.
This adventure paved the way on unpaved surfaces for the quintessential cross country family road trip in a car complete with an adult at the wheel, provisions packed in a picnic basket and children in the back seat establishing turf, including a teenager with a camera.
Let's hit the trail!
Inspiration!
In 2011, I was asked to perform in Hudson, WI for their Yellowstone Trail Festival. My first question was "What is the Yellowstone Trail?" I learned that it was the first transcontinental highway across the northern US and it ran through central Wisconsin and crossed the St. Croix River at Hudson. Cities along the route had begun to install new roadsigns marking the old trail and commemorating it with weekend festivals.
On May 14, before my concert, I attended a lecture in the Hudson library given by Barry Pritchard who had just published a book, We Blazed the Trail, chronicling the first automobile trip from Olivia, MN to Yellowstone Park on the Yellowstone Trail in 1913. The man leading the expedition was his grandfather, Michael J. Dowling, an extraordinary individual.
Barry's mother, Dorothy, was 15 years old at the time and she photographed the trip with her Brownie camera. I was immediately captivated by this saga and thought it could be told using a template I had experienced at the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield, WI. Warren Nelson would write original songs about an historical topic and Betty Ferris would curate images to illustrate the story using rear screen projection performed inside a canvas tent with a small band of musicians.
I was invited back the following year and I came prepared with an original song "The Yellowstone Trail." And that's as far as I went for the next thirteen years.
Postcards, Photos & Music
Finally, in early 2025, I pounded out eleven more songs with the encouragement and feedback of my esteemed colleague, Gary Rue. I was able to obtain digital copies of Dorothy Dowling's photos from Corrine Richards of Richards Publishing and they will be included along with other images assembled by Betty Ferris. The world premiere of "Are We There Yet?" will be May 16 in Olivia, MN - the hometown of the Dowling family and the starting point for their epic journey. Joining me will be Gary Rue (guitar/piano/vocals) and singer/actress Jan Lee.
Information on upcoming shows is available on my Calendar page in May. Looking forward to seeing you!
For more information about the Yellowstone Trail go to yellowstonetrail.org. To learn more about Michael Dowling watch this short movie.
© Randy Sabien 2026 All rights reserved.