In this month’s edition of CitySong from sister station WFPK, Louisville singer-songwriter and cellist Ben Sollee takes us to the most iconic location in Louisville to present a brand-new song celebrating the rich history of Churchill Downs.
Watch the video, produced by Louisville Public Media Visual Media Producer J. Tyler Franklin, in the player above.
Here's what he says about the song:
"My song, The Shade of Spires, was written at Churchill Downs as we were setting up to film. It’s a simple song but sitting by the first turn of the track, watching the sun turn the shadows of the spires like a clock I thought of the history of the place. I thought of triumphs of athleticism and transcending stories of silks over skin color. I thought of challenges we still need to overcome. And the words just came."
Happy Derby!