Charley Ballard is one talented economomist who’s full of Michigan pride.
When he’s not educating Michigan citizens about the state of Michigan’s economy or educating Michigan State University students about supply and demand and consumer surplus and gross domestic product, he’s fine-tuning his singing voice.
Charley led the seventh-inning stretch of the Center for Michigan’s town hall meeting on taxes and the state budget this week with a rousing rendition of Michigan’s state song. To the verse of “Oh, Christmas Tree,” it goes like this…
A song to thee, fair state of mine,
Michigan, my Michigan.
But greater song than this is thine,
Michigan, my Michigan.
The whisper of the forest tree.
The thunder of the inland sea;
Unite in one grand symphony
Of Michigan, my Michigan.
I sing a State of all the best,
Michigan, my Michigan;
I sing a State with riches bless’d,
Michigan, my Michigan;
Thy mines unmask a hidden store,
But richer thy historic lore,
More great the love thy builders bore,
O Michigan, my Michigan.
One Comment
Charley, we’d be happy to have you fine-tune your singing voice with the Metropolitan Detroit Chorale, although your Tuesday night commutes from Lansing to Fraser might get a bit tiresome! I enjoyed singing “O Michigan” with you and the crowd during our break.