It seems that with this posting you have the material for a very large song cycle. Any of the above-mentioned places would make a good song and you've got a double CD's worth of topics.
As to the Southwest input, there is a wonderful little book titled "Everett Reuss: A Vagabond for Beauty" (by W.L. Rusho, Peregrine Smith Books, Salt Lake City, Utah) which, if one has the skills, could translate to a pretty damn good ballad.