Rain Follows the Plow is a song cycle that captures the worldviews and first-hand experiences of those who lived through the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. It gains significance from reanimating an important and underappreciated chapter in our history. The listener will find no preaching or moralizing here, but if the stories resonate in the present age—if they cast into sharper relief our own folly as we rush headlong into climate change, that is a good thing. The expression “rain follows the plow” was a popular aphorism of the time, embodying the widely held belief that simply by plowing and planting, and secondarily by burning fuel, settlers would impact the local climate and produce more frequent rainfall. It expresses the hubris and eternal optimism that is the special province of farmers—and their enterprising enablers and exploiters. Musically, Rain Follows the Plow showcases the Americana movement at its best, celebrating authentic folk traditions with freshness and creativity. While there are strong references to early white-folks folk in the tradition of Woody Guthrie, there are many contemporary twists and turns. The songs of Rain Follows the Plow comprise an anthology or series of vignettes following a narrative arc from the end of the “good years” through the relentless drought and soul-crushing dust storms of the 1930s, from hope and hucksterism to remorse and calls for redemption. The songs honor the tenacity and dignity of the people who suffered through those years, while also serving as cautionary tales about what can happen when we bend nature too far.