Simple Song was commissioned by the Cedar Rapids Community School District of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in commemoration of Iowa's Sesquicentennial. It received its premiere on February 29, 1996 at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Participating schools and their directors were: Jefferson High School (Earle Dickinson, Andrew Houk, Liz Sinadinos), Kennedy High School (David Law, Dianna Hinman) and Washington High School (Jim Wright, Bill Danser).

Simple Song is a quiet, simple, and lyrical piece that features the use of a woodwind quintet of soloists (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn) and also prominent parts for flugelhorn.