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Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations

Zeeland (8): Update – Love Letters & Murder Ballads – The Wade and Ellen Zick Murder in North Dakota

Dakota Spotlight: True Crime & Cold Case Investigations

James Wolner

Documentary, Society & Culture, True Crime

4.8900 Ratings

🗓️ 9 February 2020

⏱️ 30 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The 1976 murders of Wade and Ellen Zick in Zeeland, North Dakota inspired Season 2 of Dakota Spotlight, one of the state’s most haunting true crime stories. Episode 8, Update – Love Letters & Murder Ballads, shifts focus to music as host James Wolner interviews Peter Hicks of Sleepy Driver. Peter generously allowed his music to be featured throughout the season and here shares his thoughts on songwriting, inspiration, and how stories of tragedy and memory influence his work. This update offers a creative reflection tied to a cold case that still lingers in rural North Dakota. Music by Peter Hicks – performed by Sleepy Driver: ⁠https://sleepydriver.bandcamp.com/⁠ ‘To God be the Glory‘ sung by the Sunday School kids at St Peter’s church, Chaffee, North Dakota Check out the full catalog and everything Dakota Spotlight: https://dakotaspotlight.com/ Get all episodes early, ad-free, and more. Subscribe to Spotlight PLUS: https://dakotaspotlight.com/spotlight-plus/ Sign up for the Dakota Spotlight newsletter: https://dakotaspotlight.com/newsletter/ Email: dakotaspotlight@gmail.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/dakotaspotlight X/Twitter: @dakotaspotlight Instagram: @dakotaspotlight TikTok: @dakotaspotlight Bluesky: @dakotaspotlight.bsky.social YouTube: @dakotaspotlightpodcast4800 Proudly produced by Six Horse Media: info@sixhorsemedia.com Advertise your podcast or brand in Dakota Spotlight episodes: info@sixhorsemedia.com All content in this podcast, including audio, interviews, and soundscapes, is the property of Six Horse Media. Any unauthorized use, reproduction, or rebroadcast of this material without the express written consent of Six Horse Media is strictly prohibited. For permissions or inquiries, please contact info@sixhorsemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey folks, it's James here, host and producer of this show, Dakota Spotlight.

0:03.8

I've got some exciting news to share with you.

0:06.4

I've just launched a brand new podcast called The Sleep Retreat.

0:11.6

The Sleep Retreat is designed to help you relax, unwind, and drift off to sleep.

0:17.1

With soothing soundscapes and calming original stories by yours truly,

0:22.1

it's the perfect escape for a busy mind.

0:25.1

You can find The Sleep Retreat wherever you listen to podcasts

0:27.9

or head over to the sleepretreatpodcast.com.

0:32.1

Music Hello, everyone. This is the first bonus or update episode of Season 2, Zeeland,

0:52.0

The Untold Story of Wade and Ellen Zick.

0:57.5

Wow, it's been a crazy couple of weeks since releasing season two.

1:02.3

I cannot thank you all enough for your wonderful support and your spectacular feedback.

1:05.5

This includes those of you from out of state and overseas,

1:11.1

but perhaps even more touching for me personally is the feedback I've received from the residents of the Zeeland area. As I mentioned on two or three radio interviews here recently, it really has been

1:16.7

an honor for me to be the one to have the opportunity to tell this story. I want to thank the

1:21.8

families of the Zicks, again, the Wald and Mammel families, for allowing me to tell this story.

1:26.9

And of course, most importantly, thank you to all of you who have been listening.

1:30.3

In this update episode, we're going to meet Peter Hicks, the songwriter behind the Canadian band Sleepy Driver,

1:36.3

who very generously allowed Dakota Spotlight to use their songs and musical arrangements in season two.

1:42.3

Let's meet Peter Hicks, the songwriter behind Sleepy Driver and the music in season two. Let's meet Peter Hicks, the songwriter, behind Sleepy Driver, and the music from Season 2.

1:48.8

I talked to him on the phone the other day, and my first question for him was,

1:52.6

where in the world does he live?

...

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