You're lost at close to 5,000 feet in a fog bank on a mountain road. Your child needs medical care while traveling. You're confronted by someone very suspicious in a harsh environment. Who comes to your rescue?
Kaleb Cecil writes music about first responders in West Virginia. This article focuses on a song Kaleb wrote about the West Virginia State Police, and as someone who has traveled many remote roads in that state, it was always surprising to have a West Virginia State Trooper come out of nowhere (as I sit on my tailgate enjoying the view) and ask if I was OK.
First responders, especially in challenging terrain in West Virginia, deserve our respect, which is why I wrote this article.
If you have been where I've been, you would understand. I was lost in a cloud bank in a wilderness area at close to 5,000 feet. I've traveled icy mountain roads. Who would come if I got in trouble?
I traveled the roads of West Virginia beginning at the age of five with my parents. In my 20s, I used my Jeep Wrangler(s) to explore West Virginia's mountain roads and have been doing so since.
There are two amazing things about West Virginia: it's incredibly beautiful, and there are people who like to live far off the beaten path on mountain roads. I always wondered if there was a fire, medical, or police emergency, especially during the winter, who would respond? How would they respond?
West Virginia is close to major cities to the point where, unfortunately, some wilderness dirt roads are clogged with out-of-state vehicles. But I'm not talking about tourist spots for this article; I'm addressing well-paved and gravel roads (some without guardrails) that literally take your breath away. You travel up the mountain for miles only to come to a farm at the top. You travel down the mountain and find a sleepy little village dedicated to world-class trout fishing.
West Virginia is all about friendly people and magnificent beauty. But again, how does the state protect its citizens (and endless visitors) in challenging conditions, especially during the winter?
I have found that West Virginians like and respect law enforcement, which is evident in the work of the musician described below.
Kaleb Cecil
A West Virginia friend sent me a song about the West Virginia State Police. It was written and sung by Kaleb Cecil, and the links to his music are below. He is the person behind Cecil Odell Music. He writes about first responders and police-sheriff agencies throughout the state.
He writes original country and country-rock songs rooted in West Virginia — the roads, the towns, the people, and the kind of work that doesn't ask for attention but still deserves respect. Long shifts. Late nights. Family ties. Small communities where everyone knows the weight of responsibility.
His Dad is a retired Sheriff from Lincoln County, WV.
One of his long-term projects is The Sound of the West Virginia Line — a county-by-county music documentary told through original songs written for sheriff's departments and the communities they serve. Each song is personalized to its county: the county seat, the roads, the landmarks, and the people who live and work there.These songs are not political, not promotional, and not written at the request of any department. They are independent tributes meant to honor service, restraint, and professionalism. He writes these songs. Like most modern recordings, the vocals are enhanced in production — but the words and the stories are his.
He states that this project is about documenting West Virginia with honesty and respect — one county at a time. He writes, "If you're here because you're from one of these communities, thank you for the support. If you're just discovering the music, welcome. More counties are coming."
He's building a charity (link forthcoming) called The Voice of the West Virginia Line First Responders Relief Fund, to donate a minimum of 50 percent of all net proceeds from these releases to support law enforcement and first responders.
Links
You can listen to the song below on Facebook. Be sure to click the volume icon at the top left.
His Facebook page is Cecil Odell Music
You can see him interviewed on television here.
His Apple Music page: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cecil-odell/1865994725
His Spotify page: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2oUxHLBa7IRVpyOZi4fzyA...
Lyrics-West Virginia State Police
State Police Line (Cecil Odell Music)
West Virginia State Police
Midnight on the ridgeline
Wet blacktop, blue light
West Virginia, stand by
Coffee burnin' in the cupholder, rain on the dash
Dispatch in the speaker, static cuttin' through the ash
Interstate Seventy Nine northbound, fog on the hill
Interstate Seventy Seven Turnpike, got a knot in the will
United States Nineteen claws the mountain
Interstate Sixty Four runs wide
County lines in the mirror
State pride inside
We don't roll for a headline
We roll 'cause somebody's scared
A calm voice in the chaos
When the whole world's unprepared
And the badge ain't a costume
It's a weight you learn to wear
You don't chase trouble
You step into it
And leave it there
West Virginia State Police, hold that line
Blue lights cuttin' through the coal dust night
From river bends to highland wind
From town signs to timber lines
We show up steady
When it don't feel right
Ain't here for praise
Ain't here for shine
Just keepin' folks alive
On the State Police line
Two car fender in the fast lane, kid in a backseat cryin'
One driver shakin' so bad, can't even stop denyin'
A domestic on a dead end, porch light flickerin' weak
Hands up, voice low, talkin' peace into the heat
Missing teen at the overlook, boots in the mud
Searchlight sweepin' treeline, prayin' for blood not to come
And you learn real quick out here
Bravery ain't loud
It's breathin' slow, eyes open
While everybody else gets wild
Yeah we train for the moment
But it still hits your chest
'Cause the job ain't "calls"
It's people, at their worst
And their rest
West Virginia State Police, hold that line
Blue lights cuttin' through the coal dust night
From river bends to highland wind
From town signs to timber lines
We show up steady
When it don't feel right
Ain't here for praise
Ain't here for shine
Just keepin' folks alive
On the State Police line
And it ain't always sirens
Sometimes it's silence
A hand on a shoulder
A "breathe, you're safe"
Compliance
A wrecked out family on the berm
And you stand there still
Tryin' to be the dam
While the world wants to spill
You carry it home in your shoulders
You set it down in your boots
But it follows the miles
And it follows the news
So you pray
And you lace up
And you go back out
No politics, no speeches, no games
Just duty, and a last name
Radar hum, dark road, cold wind
We're here, again
West Virginia State Police, hold that line
Blue lights cuttin' through the coal dust night
From the northern interstate to the southern mine
We show up steady
When it don't feel right
Ain't here for praise
Ain't here for shine
Just keepin' folks alive
On the State Police line
Midnight on the ridgeline
Wet blacktop, blue light
West Virginia, clear
From Cecil Odell Music. Written, produced, and sang by Kaleb Cecil.
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