Joe Sullivan Music

I’m about to release an instrumental version of a song that I wrote 40 years ago called Minnesota.

I wrote Minnesota when I was a junior in college at the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh. I was homesick, missing the place where I’d grown up, and wanting to express that in song. I wrote a set of lyrics for the tune and recently found an old cassette recording of me singing this song back in Spring 1985.

My dad, Ken Sullivan, was so enthusiastic about this song. He just loved it! The recording starts with him providing me with a DJ-style intro. Given that Dad passed away in 2013, it is heartwarming to hear his voice again, strong and clear on the audio recording.

I decided to release just the instrumental version of Minnesota first, because I still find the melody both interesting and comforting. Forty years later, it still reminds me of my favorite place, my home.