MsParrish

In what other state can they claim Herb Brooks, Chief Justice Warren Burger, The Andrew Sisters, Peter Graves, James Arness, E.G. Marshall, Judy Garland, John Sanford, Prince, Charles Schulz, William Demerest, Bob Dylan (I actually asked a young guitarist if his name was Robert Zimmerman, to which he asked 'who'), F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Russell, Michael Todd, Sinclair Lewis, Garrison Keillor, Harrison Salisbury
... Jesse Ventura... Tammy Faye... oh, wait... maybe we won't credit them too loudly.

trpt2345

There is quite definitely a Minnesota accent. You can't hear it so well when ya live there, but it's there just the same. Spend ten years in, say, New York or Arkansas and then come back, you'll hear it right away. A lot of nasal tones. It's less in the Twin Cities as in every big city regional accents are muted but go to Red Wing or Pipestone or Detroit Lakes, you'll hear it more clearly.
One of my sisters who lives in Minnesota, has all her life, was offended by Fargo and thought the accents unrealistic. Then she got a job at the switchboard of a hospital and realized, geez, we do sort of sound like that.

Michael McLaughlin

I know several Boreson and Setterbourg songs, too.

MsParrish

Michael,

I do agree we have an accent in comparison to other parts of the country. I was raised, for the most part in Albuquerque, New Mexico, so when I came up here my 'browns and downs'... had a slow twang to them. Even to this day the southern drawl tends to come out.
I talked to a friend from New Jersey the other day and his voice was nothing as I expected it to be. He had a lyrical beautiful voice, almost sounded as if he was from Seattle rather than Jersey. He'd never heard the lovely accent Seattle folks have, but my sister, living out there most of her adult life, has it.
Minnesota accent, definitely. Frances Mcdermott's characterization in "Fargo"... even I have problems mimicking her voice in that.