Co-op News
Fire in the Wire
A former construction crew worker who grew up watching his father battle power outages on the High Plains has captured the trials faced by linemen in a song. Now Warren Wilken is hoping to catch the attention of song publishers on Nashville’s Music Row.
Walt Wilken, who worked as a lineman from 1941 to 1980, inspired the song “Fire in the Wire.” (Photo By: Dawson Public Power District)
“I worked construction on the plains for Dawson Public Power District from the time I was 19 until I was 30,” said Wilken. “It’s always haunted me that working men can go out and never make it home for supper because some of that work is dangerous.”
Wilken penned “Fire in the Wire” last year as a tribute to his father, Walt Wilken, 95, who worked for Dawson PPD, based in Lexington, Neb., from 1941 until his retirement in 1980. Dawson and many other public power districts in Nebraska are members of NRECA.
The ballad’s chorus catches the chilling reality generations of electric linemen have carried with them:
“I worked these lines for my living
Till the day that I retire
I know one careless move could kill me
There’s fire in the wire”
Some who’ve heard it say it’s the best musical tribute to linemen since Glenn Campbell struck music gold with Jimmy Webb’s 1968 hit, “Wichita Lineman,” which romanticized the lonely life of a telephone lineman.
A contractor friend who helped Wilken with the demo brought it to the attention of the district’s public relations coordinator. Marsha Banzhaf was putting together the program for a May 8 recognition dinner for district employees when she decided to use it in a video tribute.
“The song has such strong ties to Dawson PPD,” said Banzhaf, who has since posted it on YouTube. “Warren understands what it’s like when a lineman’s away from his family and some of the challenges they face keeping the lights on.”
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