John Allred "Big Horn Country" (CG Productions, 1976)
(Produced by John Allred & Leon Bohanon)
A farm kid from Montana, John Allred played in high school bands and local acts in the late 1960s, getting more serious about his music in the early 'Seventies. Along the way he caught the attention of promoters working for a talent agency run by Buck Owens, which led to many more high-profile concerts as well as the opportunity to record professionally. His first sessions were in Bakersfield, where he cut a single, and then this album, which was recorded at the RCA studios in Nashville. The songs are all originals, mostly by Allred, although one tune was written by his father, Garth Allred, while another was composed by Louis Reynolds, one of the guys in his band.

John Allred "A Real Live Cowboy" (Wind River Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Williams & Ronald Gant)
I suppose if George Strait had missed the bigtime and just kept playing with the Ace In The Hole Band back in Texas, he might have sounded something like this uber-indie Montana cowboy... Allred went to Nashville to record, and cut an album of consistently good, simple, straightforward melodic honkytonk, with a sharp backing band, spotlighting rich, ringing pedal steel and dobro by Paul Franklin, and the Bob Wills-flavored fiddling by Tommy Williams (of the Hee Haw house band.) As with his other albums, this contains a wealth of original material, with about half the songs being Allred's compositions, along with some well-chosen cover tunes such as Jimmy Work's "Making Believe" and "Good Hearted Woman" by Waylon Jennings. The vocal phrasing can be a little sluggish at times, but essentially this is pretty strong stuff... Definitely worth a spin!

John Allred "Born With Country Music" (Wind River Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy Williams & Ronald Gant)
Man, what a great record. Allred sounds a lot more at ease here, robust and relaxed, and much better at riding along with the rhythm of the songs. This time around he hired another Nashville studio crew, with paid pickers including Sonny Garrish, Bunky Keels and Terry McMillan playing some sharp, slick riffs, with Tommy Williams is still leading the sessions and still sounding western-swing sweet. You really gotta wonder why Allred didn't make to the national stage with a record like this under his belt, but hey, that's show business. Another set of all original material -- six songs by John Allred, one by his dad Garth Allred and a few more by bandmembers Leon Bohanon and Lonnie Bell. Nice stuff. The title track, "Born With Country Music," is one of those fun twang-booster tunes where the singer says he ain't from Texas or Tennessee, but he can play country just as well as those big city fellers. Amen to that, brother!

John Allred "Dreams Of A Dreamer" (Wind River Records, 1984) (LP)

Bruce Anfinson "Huckleberry Hill" (Last Chance Records, 1988) (LP)
A cowboy-poet type guy from Helena, Montana, Anfinson covers Guy Clark's "Homegrown Tomatoes," along with some other butte-iful old songs. (Sorry, couldn't resist that one...) I think he made a few more albums as well... Joining Mr. Anfinson on this album are a slew of local musicians, notably fellow folkie Gary Burgess, who recorded an album in 1984 that also had Mr. Anfinson sitting in on guitar.

Bruce Anfinson "Home Is Where Montana Is" (Last Chance Records, 1991)

Tim Bailey "Her Husband Says I Can't" (Sounds Of Country/Part 2 Records, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Mike Shockley)
A honky tonker from Manhattan, Montana, Tim Bailey went to Nashville to record this album, with studio assist from pros like Jack Eubanks and Leo Jackson on guitar, Hoot Hester playing fiddle and Larry Sasser on steel... The material is all originals, presumably written by Bailey (although there are no songwriting credits on the album itself...) And it's really good. Some killer weepers and cryin' in your beer music, particularly the title track, which is a doozy. Recommended!

Band Of Drifters "Heavy On The Lightfoot" (Band Of Drifters, 2021) (CD)
On one level, an odd little record, though seen through a different lens, a delightful one. This Gordon Lightfoot tribute album features a bunch of very faithful renditions of thirteen Lightfoot classics, ably performed by a solid band out of Livingston, Montana. The covers are faithful not simply in their arrangements, but more notably in the vocals which are nakedly and unabashedly imitative of Lightfoot's unique tonality. Lead singer Ian Thomas sounds a lot like Gordon Lightfoot. Like, a lot like him. And while that begs the question, why not just round up a few old Lightfoot albums and play them instead? Well, the thing is, a modern band that sounds just like Gordon Lightfoot is still a very, very good thing. These tracks have the same easygoing, doleful, contemplative, alluring feel of the originals, and this is a very satisfying record, one that you can just leave in your disc player and listen to time and time again. Also of interest is the song selection, which mines some of the more obscure corners of the Lightfoot legacy -- yeah, a random listener might recognize classics such as "Carefree Highway" or "Rainy Day People," but "Sundown" and "Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" are nowhere to seen, much less "If You Could Read My Mind" or "Early Morning Rain." It's like a well-chosen album track mixtape, as much a love letter to listeners as to Lightfoot himself. Recommended!

Bell "Do You Ever Get Lonely?" (Jester Sound, 1986-?) (LP)
The mononymic Ms. Bell was a young (teen?) singer from Billings, Montana who seems to have been a terribly sincere and well-meaning kid. The album includes the cautionary tale, "Don't Ever Let A Drunk Take You Home," which is dedicated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (aka MADD) and was also released as a single. Other originals on this album include tunes like "Victim Of My Heart" and "The Pools I've Cried," all copyrighted by the Hale Publishing company. Unfortunately, there are no producer or musician credits, but she does thank The Gairrett Brothers, Shorty Spang and Mark Donahue -- Bob Hale is also thanked, and was perhaps her father, or at least manager/producer(?) Anyone with more info? I'm all ears!

Benny & The Boys "Benny And The Boys" (Jester Sound Studio, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Hale)
Fiddler Benny Milks rosins up the bow and plays some old-timey stuff and good-time country tunes with four of his pals from Malta, Montana -- bassist Bob Fleshe and the LaFond brothers: Craig LaFond on drums, Ed LaFond on steel guitar, and Maynard LaFond playing rhythm guitar. The repertoire includes chestnuts such "Uncle Pen," "Orange Blossom Special," and "Wabash Cannonball," along with some newer tunes from the Top Forty, like Doug Kershaw's "Louisiana Man," and the Kenny (Sauron) Rogers hit, "The Gambler." Seems to me like these fellas just wanted to have a little fun!

The Big Sky Singers "The Big Sky Singers" (Dot Records, 1964) (LP)
Years before forming the Canadian rock band The Original Caste, songwriter-guitarist Bruce Innes led this early-'Sixties folk group while attending the University of Montana, up in Butte. The group started in 1960, and legend has it that while back in Montana, Innes became pals with future gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, who advised the group to try their fortunes out west, leading to the a record contract and a studio session in LA. Their career was cut short when singer David Stiles passed away unexpectedly. This was their only album, notable in part for liner notes by Hunter Thompson himself... Innes hung around LA for a while, writing music and doing studio work before heading back to Calgary, where he got into the regional rock scene. Though he dabbled a little in country-rock, this was probably his most rural-based material... Not really country, but still kinda cool.

Sam Braswell "Lookin' Back With Sam Braswell" (Jester Records, 1977) (LP)
An entirely satisfying set of country covers from a longtime Montana local. Louis "Sam" Braswell (1933-2014) was born in Mississippi but made his way up North working as an itinerant "shot hole" oil driller, eventually settling down in Montana in the early 1950s... He was a self-taught musician who led a local bar-band called the Tavern Travelers, and started his own business in Billings -- Midland Tool And Supply, which he ran for over thirty years before retiring in 2000. As far as I know this was his only record, but it's a nice one. Braswell was a slightly clunky singer, but he's heartfelt and sincere, and his love of the music radiates though each song. The backing band was modest and minimal, with an accomplished steel player named Allen Meade backed by a less-dynamic rhythm section, including Chuck Bell on lead guitar, Red Austin on bass, Rex Rieke plunking piano and Mr. Braswell playing rhythm guitar. He mainly covers standards, stuff by Johnny Horton, Jimmie Rodgers, Porter Wagoner and Lefty Frizzell, with a few newer tunes such as "Catfish John," "Amanda" and Johnny Russell's "Red Necks, White Socks And Blue Ribbon Beer," three of four songs on here written by Bob McDill, who Braswell seems to have admired quite a bit. Real-deal, locally generated old-school country.

Bubba & Nicky "Back Porch Country" (Deanne Records, 197--?) (LP)
(Produced by Dean Narramore)
This one is super-duper amateur hour stuff... The husband-wife duo of Elmer ("Bubba") and Nicky Charles were a couple from Deer Lodge, Montana who were possessed of big hearts but modest talents. Now, I'm not in this to make fun of people, but even I have to admit that this disc has limited appeal. It's authentic, low-profile country DIY, and the Charleses wrote several songs themselves, but the album is poorly recorded and their performances -- particularly the vocals -- aren't exactly top-flight. However, if like myself, you've gone down the rabbit-hole of appreciating the efforts and aspirations of little guys and unknowns, you might wanna check this out... There's definitely enthusiasm and energy here, just not much musically that actually swept me up and made me sing along. Notable among the studio musicians is guitarist Bob Buell, who later led the Idaho-based band Coltrain and may have done session work on other albums. I couldn't discover this album's release date anywhere online, though it looks most likely late-1970s, possibly early '80s.

Buffalo Chips Band "Watch Your Step" (Guitar Cowboy Records, 1979) (LP)
This band from Bozeman, Montana featured two main songwriters, Johnny Hale and Ric Steinke, here in more of an indiebilly/outlaw mode, though in subsequent bands Steinke got into a singing-cowboy "Western" music style.

Gary Burgess "Hillsides And Honkytonks" (Valtron Records, 1984-?) (LP)
(Produced by Ace Anderson, Bob Berkstresser & Les Liedel)
Country, folk'n'bluegrass by a guy from Helena, Montana... Songwriter Gary Burgess (1946-2020) is joined by Bruce Anfinson on guitar, bass player Tim O'Reilly, and singer Jerry Olson (1945-2021) who contributes some original material as well, notably "The Laundromat Song," which closes the album out. The rest of the record is packed with Burgess's own originals -- "Fifty Miles West Of Eugene," "I'll Be Home Before Too Long" and others, as well as traditional tunes and oldies ranging from "Shenandoah" to Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'." Anfinson, Burgess and Olson played together for many years as the Sand Coulee Band, and continued to collaborate after Olson moved to Iowa in the early 'Eighties, including shows at Anfinson's home venue, the Last Chance Ranch. Bruce Anfinson's first album, Huckleberry Hill, came out a few years after this one, with Gary Burgess sitting in on guitar, banjo and mandolin.

Butch Cady "With Tender Loving Care" (Glacier Records, 1973-?) (LP)
Wallace Roy "Butch" Cady (1924-2008) was a country crooner from Montana's Flathead Valley, and he definitely looked like a real-deal backwoods roughneck on the back cover photo. Mr. Cady owned a family-operated construction company, but spent a lot of nights playing local gigs with his trio. Here he's backed by Bill Gress and his band (who also put out an album on the Glacier label around the same time) including gal singer Betty Lou Armstrong, as well as Don Cabitto, Larry Caldwell, Ronnie Luzon, Billie Steppe, Bob Trumble and Elaine Trumble. Although this record came out in the early 'Seventies, the request-heavy repertoire was mostly from the early 'Sixties, mainly ballads like Willie Nelson's "Funny How Time Slips Away," "Welcome To My World" and Ned Miller's "From A Jack To A King," though he was willing to tackle a little bouncier material, like "Hello Trouble" as well. There are almost all cover tunes, though the title track, "Tender Lovin' Care," was Mr. Cady's own tune, one he penned in '73.

Larry Caldwell & Speedy Price "The Country Gentlemen" (Crown Records, 1962) (LP)
Speaking of hotshot guitarist Larry Caldwell, here he is headlining a tight, rambunctious quartet on one of the early gems in the Crown Records catalog. Caldwell was originally in a Missoula-area band called The Snake River Outlaws, which played locally throughout the 1950s... He eventually headed for the bright lights of Los Angeles, which is where he was when he and Pacific Northwest steel player Vernon "Speedy" Price cut this brisk disc with bassist Don Hughes singing lead vocals and drummer Johnny Roberts keeping a low profile and a steady beat. According to some interwebs scuttlebutt Caldwell and Co. were playing gigs around Oxnard, California, and while Caldwell later tried his luck in Las Vegas, Price and Hughes stuck around LA and were stalwarts of the late 'Sixties SoCal twang scene. (Don Hughes also recorded at least one other album for Crown, issued under his own name...) At any rate, this is a pretty fun record, even if it suffers from this cheapo label's shoddy production quality. Kinda like what Bob or Johnny Wills would have sounded like if Jimmy Bryant and Speedy West had been in the Texas Playboys...

The Collins Coins "The Collins Coins" (Cherish Records, 1975-?) (LP)
(Produced by Dan Hoffman, Neil Wilburn, Gary S. Paxton & Mort Thomasson)
An odd album, pretty terrible actually, and not necessarily all that country but very instructive when it comes to the power of a good producer. The "Collins Coins" (strange name!) was a family-band lounge music trio from Billings, Montana who made their way to Nashville and somehow swung a deal with local radio deejay Don Hoffman, whose fledgling Cherish label was trying to break in some new talent, one way or another. This album was put together from two entirely different sessions, one helmed by Hoffman and the other by Gary S. Paxton, who also provided a few songs for them to perform. Despite the goofy white funk of "TWA," Hoffman's session lacks imaginative oomph, and did little to boost the group out of its third-tier lounge roots, particularly on lethargic version of pop hits such as "I Got You Babe," "Listen To The Music" and "Don't Pull Your Love Out." In contrast, Paxton is adept at obscuring flaws and boosting the sound of mediocre singers, keeping the band focused on the downbeat in a way that bolsters the leaden delivery of the Collins brothers, and adding perky vocal chorus and sunshine-pop arrangements that further blur the lines. To be honest, there's really nothing all that great on this record, especially if you're a country fan (they cover Mickey Newberry's "American Trilogy," but that's about it for overt twang.) Maybe the one noteworthy novelty number is "Get Your Ship Together," which had a semi-naughty chorus... But still, you could skip this one and not miss much.

Jeanne Lee Collins "At Home With..." (Jester Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Jeanne Lee Collins & Bill Long)
As a teen, Montana native Jeanne Lee Collins won several regional fiddling championships... Apparently she liked to sing as well, and on this uber-indie private pressing she sounds quite a bit like Skeeter Davis (though, obviously, not quite as good...) The repertoire is straight-up country, mainly standards by folks such as Harlan Howard, Kris Kristofferson and Marvin Rainwater, along with a couple of public domain tunes and one she wrote herself -- "You've Got It All Wrong" -- which kind of makes you wish she'd recorded more of her own stuff. It's fine hearing her cover a few classics, but this disc was her one shot at immortality, and who knows? maybe she had more to offer. Anyway, this isn't a dazzling record -- the backing band is okay, and she was okay, too, for an amateur -- but it's another nice slice of some anonymous local people making music just for the love of it, without any Nashville glitz or any real hope of success. Wonder what she did after this? Well, apparently she married one of the musicians on this album, Fred Buckley, and settled down near Roundup, Montana. The Buckleys remained active in traditional music, forming a family band and helping organize the yearly Montana Fiddle Camp. They self-released a couple of albums as a family, and mentored their son, Taylor Buckley, who became a championship fiddler as well, and recorded an album of his own.

Stephanie Davis - see artist discography

The Durrell Brothers "Rattle My Cage" (Jester Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Hale)
Southern rock... from Montana? Guess so... I'm not sure where these guys were from, but they cut this album at the Jester studios in Billings, MT, with some assist by country producer Bob Hale. The group included brothers Steve and Stormy Durrell, along with keyboardist Mike Black, and Billy Parsons on bass, playing a bunch of original tunes penned by drummer/singer Stormy Durrell. The songs include themes such as "Outlaw Livin'," "Moonshine Man," "Gimme My Rock And Roll," and the title track, "Rattle My Cage," which led to a rather unfortunate album cover with a photo of a desperate, terrified monkey peering through the chain link fence in some grim experimental lab somewhere. Yeeks.

Leo Everett "The Pure Sweet Country Sounds Of Leo Everett" (Jester Records, 1977-?) (LP)
Originally from Billings, Montana, singer Leo Everett moved to Colorado in 1981, becoming a fixture on the local scene., with a decade-long gig at a place called Country Land. This album was recorded in the late '70s, when he was still in Big Sky country.

The Fiddlin' Ferch Family "Album Number One" (Rosebud Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Rick Barrett)
Oh, come on... how could I resist? These fresh-faced folks were from microscopic Melstone, Montana, in the eastern end of the state, just north of Billings. It turns out, though, that the super-cute band name was a little bit of a bait-and-switch, as it's only the dad, Will Ferch, who played the fiddle, while the rest of the group plays fairly standard stringband accompaniment. The mom, Carole Ferch strums guitar, twelve-year old daughter Kimberly chimes in on the piano, and nine-year old Timothy picks the mandolin; they are joined on bass by Brett Barrett, who seems to have been the son of the guy who recorded the album. The set list is pretty bluegrassy, with a little gospel and western swing in the mix. According to Tim Ferch's online profile page, the group played local jam sessions and music festivals; before making this record Will Ferch had taken part in several fiddling competitions.

The Fiddlin' Ferch Family "Album Number Two: The Wednesday Night Waltz" (Music City Records, 1977-?) (LP)
(Produced by Steve Forbis)
I'm not sure of the dates on either of these albums, but the first seems to be from the early 'Seventies and this one from later in the decade. Here, the liner notes mention a couple of state fiddling championships, in 1974 and 1976, so I'd guess this came out in early '77... This was a studio album, recorded in Helena, Montana.

Gary Ferguson "Think For Yourself" (American Music Heritage Corporation, 19--?) (LP)
Born in Canada, but raised in Montana, Gary Ferguson cut a few singles in the '60s, including the song "There Is No Answer," originally recorded in 1966 and included here along with four other Ferguson songs... The remainder of the record is basically honkytonk standards, stuff by Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Harlan Howard and Kris Kristofferson. This album was recorded at the AMHC label in Caldwell, Idaho, though unfortunately the liner notes don't include any info on who was backing him up.

The Gairrett Brothers "The Garrett Brothers Band" (Karavan Records 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Jerry Abbott, Jerry Hudson & The Gairrett Brother Band)
A family band from Billings, Montana this group featured three brothers, bassist Darrell Gairrett, steel player Jim-Bob Gairrett and John Gairrett (1956-2006) on guitar, with a fair-sized backing band whose membership evolved over the years. First formed in 1968, the band built up a strong regional fan base through the 1980s, breaking up at the decade's end, with brother John getting a day job and moving to Salt Lake City, Darrell going into ranching, and Jim-Bob moving to Nashville and a successful career as a Top Forty country music sideman. Along the way they made a few records, including this LP which was cut in Texas, with their Montana-based band augmented by pianist-producer Jerry Abbott, who ran the Pantego Sound Studio. The Gairretts don't seem to have written any songs themselves on this album, though they cover stuff by Curt Massey, Kenny Seratt and Dan Fogelberg, as well as a serviceable version of Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville." About half the are songs credited to a Acuff-Rose staff writer, "L. Steele" -- who may have been the prolific Lois Roberts Steel, best known for the 'Fifties hit, "Ivory Tower" -- suggesting that they were able to make records partly by acting as a demo band for established songwriters. At any rate, they were a pretty solid-sounding group, with crisp, no-nonsense arrangements and a decent amount of twang. (Note: the group's name seems to have been misspelled on the front cover, though this was definitely the same bunch of Gairretts as below.)

The Gairrett Brothers "Lovers And Warriors" (Black Gold Records 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Stull & Norman Petty)
"...and warriors??" WTF? Oh, well, whatever. I dunno what all that warrior jazz was about, but this disc finds the Gairrett Brothers once again down in Texas, and once again workshopping songs by established composers. In this case, it's songwriter Milton Carroll, who contributes four songs including the goofy-sounding title track. However, the band asserts its own creative voice as well, with several songs penned by John Gairrett, as well as others by Brad Maule, Billy Stull, and Scott Vaughn. (Perhaps also worth noting: Maule and Vaughn worked together on an earlier project, Scott Vaughn's 1976 solo album, which was also produced by Norman Petty, so they were probably not part of the Gairrett Brothers hometown crew...) The band broke up in the late 'Eighties, though they staged a few reunions over the year, including a stint where they simply called themselves "The Outfit" after John W. Gairrett passed away in 2006.

Ray Grenfell "Montana Mountain Man" (Vanco Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Gene Breeden & Ray Eldred)
A devotee of old-school country yodelers and balladeers such as Elton Britt, Wilf Carter and Jimmy Rogers, mountain man Ray Grenfell was born in Florence, Montana, in the Bitterroot Valley and was a quintessential Northwesterner, working as a logger, rancher and rodeo rider... even as a boxer and an auctioneer. Mr. Grenfell also recorded a couple of albums later in life, one in the mid-1990s and another around 2002, as well as several singles in the 'Seventies, including a few tunes which are also on this album.

Bill Gress & Country Blue "Live At Rex's Nite Club" (Glacier Records, 1974) (LP)
High plains country-pop bandleader Bill Gress led the house band at Rex's Nite Club, a watering hole in Kalispell, Montana (in the West end of the state's Flathead Valley, just north of Missoula...) This album has a lot going for it, starting with the tinny, fake-live applause, which sounds like it was stripped from an old Beatles concert. The music is perky, with bouncy guitar riffs and charmingly uneven vocals... Bassist-emcee Gress has a sort of optimistic, can-do style, reminiscent perhaps of Del Reeves, while his sister, "girl" singer Betty Lou Armstrong -- pictured on the cover in provocative though hopelessly outdated go-go boots and midi skirt -- had a slightly folkish sound, equal parts Judy Collins and Donna Fargo. Some groovy chicken-pickin' guitar and really nice pedal steel... All in all, a swell example of a real-live, working country-lounge band in the upper plains states during the "Me Decade" early '70s. Fun stuff!

Bob Hale & The Casuals "Casual Country" (Jester Records, 1971-?) (LP)
(Produced by Dick Damron)
A mostly-covers country band from early-'Seventies Saskatchewan... The group was made of singer Bob Hale on bass and guitar, his wife Grace Hale (drums), Al Gain (steel guitar) and Fred Pelletier (lead guitar and bass). The repertoire is truly packed with oft-recorded standards of the era, including "Is Anybody Going To San Antone," "Proud Mary," "Help Me Make It Through The Night," and "Okee From Muskogee" -- pity they couldn't squeeze "Green Green Grass Of Home" in as well. According to the liner notes, Grace Hale was originally from Holland, which probably explains the inclusion of a tune called "The Dutch Song" at the end of Side One. This appears to have been Bob Hale's only album as a bandleader, though he later worked as a sound engineer, and moved to Billings, Montana, establishing Jester Records as a significant regional indie label. Mr. Gain and Mr. Pelletier each did a lot of session work in Canada, both before and after this band.

LeGrande Harvey "Montana Melody" (Bear Paw Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Baird Banner, LeGrande Harvey & Gary P. Nunn)
More Big Sky country, including a version of LeGrande Harvey's own "Montana Melody," which in 1983 was adopted as the Montana's official state ballad, though not the official state song, which remains the song "Montana," written by Charles Cohan and Joseph E. Howard, back in the 1800s. So now you know. There's plenty of other regional pride stuff on here, though Mr. Harvey got some assist from an out-of-state production team, including Texas legend Gary P. Nunn, of Lost Gonzo Band fame.

LeGrande Harvey "Montana My Home" (Grandhi Records, 2001) (LP)
There's a lot of overlap between this CD and Harvey's 1983 LP... Six songs (half this album) are repeats, though I'm not sure if they are straight reissues, or re-recordings.

Tusco Heath "Cross Roads" (Rimrock Records, 19--?) (LP)
Outsider-y folk ramblings by songwriter Tusco Heath, a Montana mountain man who at the time was living in Petoskey, Michigan, where he taught history and literature at a local community college. Heath was originally from Bozeman, and was an outdoorsy kinda guy whose life took a big turn at age eighteen in 1946 when he lost a leg in an automobile accident while stationed as a US Army private in Germany. Health considered the tragedy a blessing in disguise, causing him to head back the States and enroll in college then to eventually become an academic. Heath taught English and History at colleges and universities in Montana and Indiana before landing a permanent position at North Central Michigan College, where he worked for twenty years before retiring in 1990. Among his many interests was singing and folklore, inspiring him to record four albums that have a rather odd feel -- in one sense they are very staid and almost fusty, packed with traditional ballads of the "Barbara Allen" folk-revival variety. His vocals are booming and stentorian, not unlike Burl Ives or Tennessee Ernie Ford, although with amateurish rough edges that make them distinctive enough, perhaps, to attract modern listeners. Mr. Heath also composed much of his own material, often writing with his wife, Mary K. Heath, a collaboration heard on several tracks on this album. He also covers Gordon Lightfoot, on the title track, while his background in literature is also evident in adaptations of works by Edna St. Vincent Millay ("Ballad Of The Harp Weaver") and Stephen Vincent Benet ("Ballad Of William Sycamore.") Not everyone's cup of tea, to be sure, but Heath did have a large presence and these tracks have an oddly compelling feel.

Tusco Heath "My Kind Of People" (Rimrock Records, 1970) (LP)
Recorded as professor Heath was leaving Dawson College, headed for a new position at Ball State University in Muncie. A news item from The Billings Gazette in January, 1970 mentions that Heath had recently recorded this album, and that it was his second record, although honestly it's kinda hard to sort out which of his records came out when. I guess he was teaching at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana around this time.

Tusco Heath "This Is Loneliness" (Rimrock Records, 1969) (LP)
Probably Heath's most overtly country album, this includes folk songs written by Jesse Ashlock, Ric Masten, Buffy St. Marie, Tom Paxton, Ian Tyson, as well as more overtly country stuff by Waylon Jennings and Sheb Wooley. Tusco Heath plays 12-string guitar and dobro, with backing by Lucky Deppe on bass, Zyndall Raney (organ and electric guitar), and Ron Wight playing drums. The disc was reviewed in the Ball State University student paper on April 23, 1969, so it's another one we can pin down a bit, despite the sparse liner notes.

Tusco Heath "Songs Of Love And Bloodshed" (Old Homestead Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Gig Stewart)
Although it sounds like this could be a swell set of good, old Appalachian murder ballads, but all the songs are apparently Tusco Heath originals. He sings and strums the 12-string, with additional guitar picking by Dale Reiger. Added bonus: this one's logged in the Library Of Congress as having come out in August, 1973, so this helps bookend Heath's recording career...

The Horse Brothers "Casual Country" (Jester Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Hale)
A country/rock covers band recording on an indie label from Billings, Montana. The group included Nathan Dockery (bass), John Horse (guitar and vocals), Lynn Horse (drums and vocals) and Homer Simon on piano, covering tunes like "Honky Tonk Blues," "House Of The Rising Sun," "Route 66," "Proud Mary" and "Women Make A Fool Out Of Me," and possibly a couple of others that might have been originals (though there are no composer credits...) It's not clear where these fellas were from, though the brothers might actually have been named Horse... At this point, though, your guess is as good as mine.

Homegrown "Homegrown" (Homegrown Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Homegrown & Randy Rand)
Though this is starting to get a little too "Bambi Meets Godzilla" for me, I will tell you that Homegrown, the band, was the duo of Steven Farmer and Michael Myers, from Bozeman, Montana. "Homegrown," the album, was recorded in Missoula, and is mostly original material from Farmer and Myers, as well as two by R. O. Baird -- "Really Love Ya Woman" and "Sunshine Goodbye," along with a version of Willis Alan Ramsey's "Angel Eyes."

Jana Jae -- see artist profile

Andy Larson "The Man With The Crooked Hands" (1986) (LP)
(Produced by Andy Larson & Richard H. Kuschel)
A local fella from Butte, Montana pursuing rural and regional themes, albeit with some pretty modern methods. Songs include "He's A Cowboy," "Cowboy Made Of Steel," and "Big Montana Sky," while the instruments include saxophone and synthesizers. There's a pop and retro-'Fifties rock vibe, but also some twang in there as well. The title track was a working-man ballad, dedicated to Larson's father, who is pictured in an illustration on the cover wearing what looks like miner's gear. All the songs are Larson's own, except for one called "Whiskey Makes Me Happy." Mr. Larson apparently played in local bars for many years before cutting this album, and was backed by a band called Rocky Mountain Saturday, which included Jim Ellis on drums, John Jose (keyboards), Scott Wheeler (bass, saxophone and synthesizer) and several other locals chiming in on the recording sessions, including Becky Campbell, Leon Gulbro, Dave Stang, and perhaps most notably Kip McFaul, who was a Bozeman-based musician with diverse tastes who worked in a duo with a guy named Bo Keck for many years, starting in the late 'Seventies. (Side note: Mr. McFaul was also the father of American political scientist and diplomat Michael McFaul, a conservative scholar who was appointed US ambassador to Russia during the Obama administration's "reset" policy, then ran afoul of the Putin regime when he began to seriously press for anti-corruption measures in the former Soviet Union. Now you know.)

Clay Lewis "Tall Shadows" (American Heritage Music Corporation, 19--?) (LP)
A California native, Mr. Lewis was living in Montana when he cut this album of western-themed material. His wife, Margie, plays piano on the album, and wrote the liner notes... They play mainly cover songs, mostly western/cowboy songs and oldies and old-timey music. Very mom-and-pop... literally!

Live Wire Choir "Live Wire Choir" (Helios Records, 1978) (LP)
A remarkably eclectic crossover band from Missoula, Montana, mixing folk and country with bluegrass and western swing. The group included Oakley Cassaboom on banjo and pedal steel, Frank Chiaverini (guitar and mandolin), Richie Reinholdt (banjo and guitar), David Swayne (fiddle and mandolin), Don Townley (drums) and Rick Waldorf on bass. They were perhaps best known for their participation in the Aber Day Keggers, a rolling series of 1970s mini-Woodstocks held up in big sky country, although the group also toured widely across the Pacific Northwest and the rest of the West Coast during its brief late-'Seventies glory days.

Live Wire Choir "Topsy" (Matchbox Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Ron Pallone & Mark Kaltman)
The title track is a Benny Goodman tune, while they also play a little Gershwin, a Tin Pan Alley oldie by Dave Franklin, and a swell version of "Panhandle Rag." Most of the songs on here, though, are originals by various band members, including three tracks credited to Oakley Cassaboom, and several by some of the other guys. This was their final album, recorded before the band broke up in 1980. Several members moved on to other bands, notably Richie Reinholdt, who delved deep into the regional bluegrass scene, Cassaboom who kept doing local gigs, and Chiaverini who seems to have opened a music store in Troy, MT. Live Wire Choir reunited in 1997 and staged annual reunion tours for several years, though I don't think they made any other records.

The Lonesome Highway Band "Travelin' Light" (Texas Re-Cord Company, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Augie Meyers & Joey Lopez)
An easygoing, longhaired hippie outlaw stringband from Montana, these guys trucked on down to Texas where they met Augie Meyers of the Sir Douglas Quintet, and recorded this album for Meyers' label. The group was formed in 1974, with Bob Dobbins on bass, Phil Hamilton (harmonica), Chojo Jacques (fiddle), Lewie Norton (drums), Michael Purington (guitar), and Phil Quenin on banjo and dobro. They hung out in Austin for a while, where Chojo Jacques recorded on a few other albums, though eventually they packed up their gear and headed back to big sky country. LHB played regionally until 1985, when they dissolved the band. This debut disc is remarkably coherent and clear in its purpose, mixing bluegrass and country rock with a wispy, mellow feel that would appeal to fans of Jonathan Edwards. Good musicianship all around,

The Lonesome Highway Band "Play Something We Can Dance To" (Ball Of Wax Records, 1979) (LP)

The Lonesome Highway Band "Live" (2010) (LP)
A live album documenting the band's 1985 farewell concert, these recording sat in the can for a couple of decades... After the LHB broke up, several members went on to other projects, perhaps most notably Chojo Jacques, who seems to have moved into session work for various Americana artists over the years. (Thanks to Aaron Parrett for some of the background info in his book, Montana Americana Music, which profiles several 'Seventies-era Montana twangbands.)

Bill Long "Mountain Fiddlin' Music From Montana" (AHMC/American Heritage Music Corporation, 19--?) (LP)
Championship fiddler Bill Long was born in Texas in 1929 but moved up to Montana when he was fifteen and soon carved out a name for himself playing at square dances and local hoedowns, as well as winning three state championships in 1966, '67 and '68. He played his fair share of music contests and festivals, as well as recording several sets of fiddlin' tunes for the American Heritage label, including this one, which may have been his first album. Mr. Long is backed by Dave Frisbee on guitar, Alice Krahn (drums), Red Thompson (bass), and Cheryl Wanzer on piano...

Bill Long "Listen To The Mocking Bird" (AHMC/American Heritage Music Corporation, 19--?) (LP)
Gettin' kinda fancy this time around, Bill Long toyed around with multi-tracking his sessions, dubbing in multiple fiddle parts, as well as playing guitar and bass. He still has some local collaborators, though, with Kenny Boom on banjo, Kelly Rubrecht (guitar), Johnny Sherpe (bass) and the album's producer-engineer Chuck Nolley also pickin' guitar on a couple of tracks.

Bill Long "Orange Blossom Special" (AHMC/American Heritage Music Corporation, 19--?) (LP)
Expanding his sound a bit, Bill Long retained the same trio of Boom, Rubrecht and Sherpe, while adding a second banjo picker, Jake Hoffman, mandolinist Fred Buckley and perhaps most notably pedal steel player Harley Brendal (1939-2000) a country player who went on the road in the early 1970s but eventually headed back to Billings, Montana to play the local bars and occasionally do some session work. Brendal was also featured on Long's subsequent album, Texas Fiddle Favorites, below.

Bill Long "Texas Fiddle Favorites -- Montana Style" (AHMC/American Heritage Music Corporation, 19--?) (LP)

Doug McGuire & Friendship "Take Me Along" (Multi-Media Records, 1977-?) (LP)
This bar-band from Bozeman was led by singer Doug McGuire, a local character who grew up in nearby Belgrade. McGuire had a distinctly novelty-oriented approach, seen in the cover art, which spotlights bassist Sherry Lee in some major cheesecake photos. Tons of original material, some of which also appeared on various singles, most notably the novelty number "Bernard The Mule," a modest regional hit that McGuire first recorded in 1974, providing the impetus for this album. The record was recorded in Nashville with a blend of McGuire's own band and a bunch of Music City hired guns. The local folks McGuire brought with him included Bozeman's own Kip McFaul on banjo, piano and saxophone, and John Wehren playing lead guitar. A later edition of the band also included guitarist Craig "Bo" Keck; after the Friendship band folded around 1980, Keck and McFaul formed a two-man act called Kip & Bo, which performed regionally for nearly three decades, up until 2008. I'm told Doug McGuire has passed away though I'm not sure when: he seems to have been living in Lake Havasu, Arizona around 2010, when he self-published a slightly kooky, very chatty autobiography where he talked about his youth in rural Montana and his forays into the music business.

Doug McGuire & Friendship "Doug McGuire & Friendship" (Multi-Media Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Billy Strange)
This half-live album features all original material, written by Doug McGuire or by other members of the band, including a few by bassist/singer Sherry Lee, piano player Kip McFaul and even one by lead guitarist John Wehren. About half the album was recorded live at the Ramada Inn lounge in Bozeman, Montana; the rest of the record was produced in studio sessions helmed by Billy Strange, with Nashville pros like Hal Rugg, Tony Migliore and Terry McMillan beefing up the band.

Mardell Jean Milligan "Milligan Stew: Old, New, Borrowed 'N' Blue" (Big Mountain Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Mardi Milligan, Tod Stillwell, Billy Tripplett & Mike Woodring)
Ms. Mardi Milligan was a country gal from Kallispell, Montana who sang both twangtunes and golden oldie pop vocal tunes, including a couple from the Gus Kahn songbook. She covers Willie Nelson's "Crazy" and one by Leon Russell, though most of the tracks are her own originals, notably the regionally-themed "Montana Cowboy" and several others dating back as far as 1976. She sings and plays acoustic guitar, with backing from Genley Anderson on bass, George Bone (clarinet), Steven Bradley (bass), Doctor K (piano), Eddy Foy (drums), Pierre Rocheleau (12-string guitar), Sandi Sanderson (piano), Gary Schumacher (electric guitar), and Tim Smith on electric piano. Producer Tod Stillwell plays a bunch of different instruments on this album, including steel guitar, cello and vibraphone. As far as I know, this was her only album, though it's an interesting offering from Big Sky country.

Mission Mountain Wood Band "In Without Knocking" (M2WB Records, 1977) (LP)
A classic hippiebilly indie-twang album from a hard-working band that met with a tragic end. The Wood Band was a hard-working regional group which was together for most of the '70s, and this album had fairly wide distribution in the plains states and on the West Coast, probably mostly due to their relentless touring. The original band went through a few changes and finally changed their name to Montana (and later The Montana Band) in 1982 when several key members left, and others took up the banner. They kept at it for several years and released several albums (listed below) before the entire band was killed in a plane crash in 1987. It all started out great, though, and this record has some nice stuff on it: I remember hearing some of these songs on the legendary alt-twang radio station, KFAT, back when I was a kid.

Montana "Change In The Weather" (Waterhouse Records, 1982) (LP)
(Produced by Randy Bean)
These guys, at least some of them, were formerly known as the Mission Mountain Wood Band; apparently the named was changed after several of the founding members drifted away into full-time careers or other musical gigs... On this aptly-titled album, they're clearly looking for a hit in the early '80s mode, and while there's some residual twang in the mix, on most tracks they're aiming at a straight-up pop sound, as on "Dreamer" (with it's tinny '80s lead guitar) as well as the dreadful, saxophone-heavy "Sure Fooled Me," and the Dan Seals-ish "She's Never Gone." Founding member Rob Quist clung to his banjo on the back cover and contributes a couple of the twangier tunes, but mostly the ship seems to have sailed, and the whole soft-pop thing wasn't really gonna work. This album was Quist's last hurrah with the band: he left in 1984 to pursue a solo career in Nashville, while the rest of the group continued to tour and perform for several years without him. Sadly, the Montana Band itself ended in a spectacular, horrific tragedy, an airplane crash on July 4, 1987 when the small twin-engine plane that was taking them to their next gig crashed in the woods near Kalispell, Montana. A terrible epitaph for a popular Northern band... Quist moved back to Montana and formed several other bands, including a "re-boot" of the Mission Mountain Wood Band, and even ran for office in 2016.

Montana Band "Wake Me When That Sun Goes Down" (Lake Song, 1984) (LP)

Montana Band "Long Talk With Myself" (Moore Recording Corporation, 1987) (LP)
(Produced by Gary Laney & Dale Moore)
This was a posthumously released record, with liner notes that make note of the plane crash that killed the band...

Montie Montana, Jr. "Songs Of Montana: Big Sky Country" (1964) (LP)
A rodeo rider and rancher, Mr. Montana was the son of Montie Montana, Sr., who was apparently an entertainer in his own right... This album was commissioned by rancher Howard T. Kelsey, of the Nine Quarter Circle Ranch in honor of the centennial celebration of Montana's being named a territory in 1864 (as well as the diamond jubilee of its statehood in 1889...) About half the songs have explicit Montana-related themes ("Going Home To Montana," "I Love Montana" "Bozeman Trail," etc.) along with others that have more general "western" flair. (Kansans may take exception to the inclusion of their state song, "Home On The Range," on an album honoring the Big Sky State, though they may be flattered by the as well...) Eight of the album's songs were composed by Montana native Gene Quaw to be recorded by Mr. Montana and his band, The Wranglers.

Montana Skyline "Big Skies And Sawdust Floors" (Brave Records, 1980-?) (LP)
(Produced by Brien Fisher)
These guys apparently played around Missoula and environs during the early 'Eighties... The band included Steve "Bulldog" Bevins on lead guitar, Chris Brooks (steel), Jeff Haberman (bass), and Jack Souligny on drums, with some studio assist in Nashville from guitarist Greg Galbraith, fiddler Jana Jae and a couple of other studio cats.

Montana Skyline "Full Moon Empty Pockets" (Snow Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Montana Skyline & Hal Sacks)

The Neaves Family "On the Right Track" (1987-?) (LP)
(Produced by Bill Neaves & Joe McLean)
A bluegrassy family band from Hamilton, MT, first formed in 1972. This edition of the band included parents Bill and Diana Neaves and their four children -- Billy, Gina, Jimmy and Leah. Both of the boys were state-level championship fiddlers, with the most recent title listed in the liner notes being from 1986.

Wild Bill (Ochsner) "Pickin' With My Friends" (Ripcord Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Blaine Allen, Gene Breeden & Ellis Miller)
Well... To put it diplomatically, Missoula, Montana's Wild Bill Ochsner is perhaps an acquired taste, one that I'm still working on. He was an ultra-local musician, with an ultra-local band, and that approach has its plusses and minuses... This album kicks off on a high note, with the bouncy title track, "Pickin' With My Friends," where Oschner and his entourage literally sing the praises of keeping things local: you don't have to move to Austin, LA or Nashville to get funky and twangy. But as the album progresses, things get rough. Ochsner himself can be an okay vocalist on uptempo numbers, though his slower ballads can be torture. Worse are the tracks where he lets his female co-singers take over... I think mostly it's Nikki Jean -- who also sings on his next album -- who is so hard on the ears. But, whatever. This record is all about the rural DIY vibe, and more than most, Ochsner keeps it real in the sense that he's willing to put it all out there, flubs, bum notes and all. He is a good songwriter, though -- some tunes could be edited down, but the bones are solid, particularly on novelty numbers such as "Hank, I Know Just How You Felt" and "Will You Play Proud Mary Again." I'd be hard pressed to actually recommend this album to anyone, but this guy was certainly a hometown hero, kind of a high plains Jerry Jeff Walker, at least I think that was the idea. Ripcord regular Gene Breeden was in the studio booth, though apparently not picking on the sessions themselves... The lead guitar is credited to Les Sneed, pedal steel to Roy Smith, with Gene Keyes on piano and Jim Finneran on harmonica... There was a lot of turnover from album to album, but this one seems to have really been all Montana locals.

Wild Bill (Ochsner) "Montana Power, v. 1" (Ripcord Records, 197--?)
(Produced by Wild Bill Ochsner)
Yikes. I mean, Oschner is an appealing character -- cheerful, engaged, full of creativity and a prolific songwriter... He's just not a very, um, consistent singer, and the arrangements on this album go a little overboard, particularly the string arrangements, which get a bit shrill. I dunno, I guess with repeated listening, this can grow on you, and I'm sure as a memento of his barroom days, this had a lot of appeal to local fans. But some of it can be quite painful, particularly tracks like "Why Should I Cry" and "Don't Call My Name," when he lets his female co-singer, Niki Jean, take the lead... She's not really star quality, and the backing musicians tend to go over the top while backing her because, well, why not? Pianist Gene Keyes, in particular, gets a little too cute and coy with his fills on these tracks. I don't want to sound mean, but in all honesty, this disc mainly falls into the "so-bad-it's-good" category of country kitsch, although I think the songs themselves are often pretty well-written.

Wild Bill (Ochsner) "The Future's In The Hands Of The Children" (Ripcord Records, 197--?) (LP)
Missoula, Montana's Wild Bill Ochsner recorded several albums for the ever-mysterious Ripcord label... Later in life he turned to the Lord and became an evangelical preacher (as well as an auction caller...) but here he's still working in a secular style. It's all original songs, with Gene Breeden playing guitar, and additional vocals by a gal called Niki Jean. The cover photo is of a kids' martial arts class, where Oscher was presumably an instructor, while the back cover shows Ochsner at various local businesses: The Memory Banke record store, Ron's Auto Refinishers, the Grizzly Fence store... You can't get more local than that!

Wild Bill (Ochsner) "Montana Power, v. 2" (Ripcord Records, 197--?)
(Produced by Wild Bill Ochsner)

Wild Bill (Ochsner) "Let's Look For The Good Times" (Ripcord Records, 197--?)
(Produced by Wild Bill Ochsner)

Clink Olsen "Gear Jammin' Cowboy" (Gallatin Records, 1983)
From Helena, Montana...

Wally Payne "A Cowboy's Life" (Guitar Cowboy Music, 1980-?) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Hale & Wally Payne)
A Montana local singing a mix of covers and original material... Wally Payne wrote the title track, "A Cowboy's Life," as well as "Montana Cowgirl" (with both songs copyrighted in 1980) and there may be some other originals on here as well. To give you a sense of his range, he also includes covers of "Cattle Call," "Tennessee Stud" and Ian Tyson's "Someday Soon", as well as a version of "Red Headed Stranger," with the opening verse giving a call-out to Blue Rock, Montana... Backing Mr. Payne are John Cassell on lead guitar, banjo, and mandolin, Bunny Davis playing piano, and Peggy Warner adding some licks on the fiddle. This album was recorded in Billings, Montana, though I think Wally Payne later settled in Bozeman.

Bruce Quande "Ol' Montana Boy" (Bitterroot Valley Records, 1985) (LP)
(Produced by Michael Purington & Luther Henley)
For some folks, Bruce Quande is perhaps best known as an athlete, a kid from rural Kalispell, Montana who is often credited as the first person to competitively "flop" on a high-jump. When he was photographed doing his signature move at a high school meet in 1963, the hometown newspaper made fun of him, but when a guy from Oregon did the same maneuver at the 1968 Olympics -- and won -- they named it the Fosbury Flop and athletes across the world started clearing the bar head first and upside-down as well. Quande never let his lack of fame go to his head, though, and stuck around Montana, working in a variety of fields before he eventually opened his own windshield repair company. He also played a bit of music, and cut this album with several guys on the local scene. This may have been a cassette-only release, a pretty stripped-down, no-frills production recorded at a small studio in Missoula. All the songs are Bruce Quande's originals, with one tune co-written with Catfish John Tisdell, a local multi-instrumentalist and roots radio deejay who also plays guitar on the album. The rest of the band were also locals, many of whom played together in various bands over the years... They included bluegrass banjo plunker Larry Gangi, Phil Hamilton on drums, Paul Kelley (bass), Don Pawlak (pedal steel), Michael Purington (guitar), Richard Reinholdt (mandolin), Tom Robison (fiddle) and Steve Wright on guitar... Some of these names may sound familiar, notably Richie Reinholdt, who was in the Livewire Choir back in the 'Seventies, and steel player Don Pawlak who did a fair amount of session work and eventually landed a gig in Dale Watson's band. Plenty of regionally-themed material, including one track called "Ain't No Nashville In Montana." (And ain't that the truth!)

Burch Ray "Woman On My Mind" (Yellowstone Records, 197-?) (LP)
(Produced by Burch Ray & Bill Porter)
A singer from Miles City, Montana who caught the rockin' pneumonia, Burch Ray formed his first band, The Walkers back around 1961 and cut his first record in '62... Though originally a rock band, they drifted towards country in later years, as heard on this disc from the 'Seventies. The album includes several originals, as well as rock, folk and country covers. Two tracks -- a version of Buddy Knox's "Playground" and Buddy Holly's "Well, All Right" -- were released as a single back in 1965, recorded in LA with Glen Campbell on guitar and some members of Holly's old band, The Crickets. (As far as I can tell, this LP reissues those old tracks, along with newer material recorded with unidentified studio musicians.)

Burch Ray "Nashville Dreams" (Yellowstone Records, 198-?) (LP)
(Produced by Ronnie Gant & Tommy Williams)
This album was recorded in Nashville with Nashville pros such as steel player Sonny Garrish, Bunky Keels on piano, and Tommy Williams on lead guitar and fiddle. The set is all Burch Ray originals, except for instrumental covers of Billy Armstrong ("Fidjun") and Bob Wills ("Faded Love"). Mr Ray comments on the music business in the wistful title track, "Nashville Dreams" and in the more philosophical "In My Home Town I'm A Star." The album unfortunately is undated, though it features liner notes by Montana governor Thomas L. Judge, who left office in early 1981; Ray autographed a copy of this album in '81 so I'm guessing it came out around 1980-81.

Richard Riddle "Cowboy" (no label, 1975) (LP)
A mega-custom pressing with no album are (a plain white cover) and only the song titles on the inner label. This disc was a memento of, or possibly a reference material for, an off-Broadway biographical play written about "cowboy painter" Charles M. Russell (1864-1926) a folkloric figure who was born in the Midwest but moved to Montana in his teens. Russell is often seen as a romantic figure who set out to capture the spirit of the open frontier, which he saw vanishing by the turn of the century, as the open plains were being fenced off, and the rough-and-tumble wild west was settling down. Staged in 1975, the play featured a libretto by Jess Gregg and music by Richard Riddle, and was staged with a cast that included David Canary as Russell, playing opposite Zan Charisse. The musical was panned by critics, and appears to be Riddle's only play staged for Broadway, although it found a second life in regional performances in Montana. I'm not sure how twangy or "country" this recording is, or who performs on the tracks, as there are no liner notes or information online (that I could find) about these recording sessions.

Rocky Top "Rocky Top" (Jester Records, 1975-?) (LP)
A truly local twangband from Billings, Montana, with an unapologetic set of contemporary cover tunes from the early-to-mid 1970s laid on top of a few 'Sixties chestnuts such as "You Gave Me A Mountain" and of course the band's namesake, "Rocky Top." The group included lead singer Alice Fay, along with bandleader and lead guitarist Chuck Kocher, Marv Allen (drums), Wayne David (bass), as well as veteran session player Harley Brendal (1939-2000) sitting in on pedal steel. In addition to hits like "Rhinestone Cowboy" and Johnny Rodriguez's "Ridin' My Thumb To Mexico," there's a hefty dose of Waylon & Jessi, as heard on their versions of "I'm Not Lisa" and "Just Pretend I Never Happened." They even cover a little bit of pop, with a cover of Roberta Flack's 1973 hit, ""Killing Me Softly." The liner notes inform us this was the group's first album, and as far as I can tell, their last. Although there's no date on the disc, it looks to be from 1975 or thereabouts, largely based on the repertoire.

Chan Romero "Bought With A Price" (Warrior Records, 19--?) (LP)
A latin rock pioneer who had a big hit in 1959 with "Hippy Hippy Shake," Chan Romero made his way out to Nashville many years later to cut this gospel set after having a religious conversion and devoting himself to an evangelical calling. This custom-pressed album was recorded with his family ("The Romero Singers") including quite a few little kids, including at least one, daughter Holly Romero Sanchez, who later became a pastor. There's a bunch of all-original material, including tunes such as "At The End Of It All," "Lighten Up Your Life" and "My Father's Business," and the Romeros were probably backed a full flight of Music City studio musicians, although no credits are provided, other than telling us it was made at the Nashville Recording Factory. An odd memento of a remarkable career. Never knew he was from Billings, though!

The Snake River Outlaws
I regret to inform you that thus far there are no albums (that I've found) that document this influential old-school, hard-country band from Missoula, though apparently they self-released a few singles, back in the day. Up through 1954, the band's main quartet was made up of multi-instrumentalists Orval Fochtman, brothers Harold and Vern Wilburn, and Jimmy Widener, although a bunch of other local lads cycled through the group during its long career. The Snake River Outlaws were a legendary Montana band from the 1940s and '50s who starred in their own live revue, The Sunshine Jamboree, which was broadcast every Saturday on KXLL-AM, Missoula. Though an album remains to be made, some vintage video survives -- not much, because Mr. Fochtman used to save money by recording over their weekly airchecks, and after years and years of playing live, only a handful of tapes were left. (The sound quality on the ones I've heard, though, is quite good, so maybe some of you collector-label reissue folks could get on the stick and press me up a vinyl copy or two?) At any rate, the Outlaws left a long legacy, with alumni such as guitar picker Larry Caldwell, et.al., fanning out to other states as they pursued their careers, while Harold Wilburn's son, T. Scot Wilburn, played in the neo-cowhand Americana band, Wylie & The Wild West and later formed his own group, The Shut Up And Play Boys. Orval Fochtman also performed in some old-timey music competitions and appears on at least one early 'Sixties festival album. I'm serious, though: can somebody put out an album already?

Tiny Stokes "These Hands: Tiny Stokes Sings Hymns" (19--?) (LP)
This gospel set may have been the only solo album from Dwight "Tiny" Stokes (1920-1999) who was best known as the bass player and lead tenor of the comedic country group, Captain Stubby & The Buccaneers. The Chicago-based group was together for several decades, most notably starring on the WLS National Barn Dance program, as well as local and nationally syndicated programs on the ABC network. Stokes was born in Springfield, Missouri but like many entertainers in the radio era he moved around a lot, living in Monticello, Indiana and Helena, Montana among other places, before retiring down in Florida. It was up in Montana in the early 'Sixties while working as a radio deejay that Tiny Stokes met a factory worker and aspiring country singer named Charley Pride, whose career he championed, introducing the future chart-topper to Red Foley, who helped then Pride break into the Nashville scene. Though not known as a solo artist, Stokes recorded prolifically with the Buccaneers, both on Decca singles and countless airshots; he was also known for the hillbilly hit, "Blackfoot Boogie," a Montana-themed novelty number he recorded in 1956 with a group called the Frontiersmen. (The song name-checks every country bar in the state, one by one, city by city, and is about as specific a shout-out song as you'll ever hear...) Unfortunately this album doesn't tell us who was backing Stokes or when it was recorded, though the graphics had an early 'Seventies feel. Any additional info is welcome!

String Fever "Introducing String Fever" (Guitar Cowboy Music, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Luther Henley)
A jazzy string-swing trio from Missoula, Montana, featuring multi-instrumentalists Benny Queen (guitar, mandolin and steel), Peggy Werner (fiddle, guitar and saw) and James Warford (banjo, guitar and piano) with additional assistance from bassists Mark E. Stoltenberg and Kenny Williams. They dip lightly into contemporary material, with a version of "Desperado," but mainly stick to standards such as "Columbus Stockade Blues," "Saint James Infirmary," "Home On The Range" and the ever-zippy "Undecided." Perhaps not surprisingly, this is one of several groups using the "String Fever" name over the years, though as far as I know, the only one from Montana.

The Strommen Brothers "What A Way To Go" (Orphan Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Dan Hoffman & Ernie Winfrey)
The Strommens -- brothers Eliot Strommen and Del Strommen -- were from Vandalia, Montana, way up North, though they indulged in some big-city pop-country sounds. This album kicks off with a bunch of "sunshine country," poppy stuff reminiscent of Coke's "I'd Like To Teach The World" commercial, as well as the countrypolitan sounds of an earlier era. Indeed, although it's well-produced some of this sounds a little out of date -- like stuff you'd hear on the radio circa 1973. The studio crew they assembled for their Nashville sessions -- Jimmy Bryant, Johnny Gimble, Charlie McCoy, Hal Rugg, Buddy Spicher, et.al., -- were heavyweight pros hired by Nashville DJ-turned-record producer Dan Hoffman. Hoffman, who had his hands in the lucrative publishing business, funneled several songs onto this album, including several poppy tunes written by Johnny Slate for the Tree publishing company, and one that Hoffman co-wrote with Chuck Woolery. There's also a more "outlaw" side to the album -- Side Two kicks off with Bobby David's raunchy "What A Way To Go," along with Eliot Strommen's "I Ain't Blind" and a funky cover of the country chestnut, "Cigarettes, Whiskey And Wild, Wild Women," all of which have a rough-hewn Tompall Glaser-ish feel. Nice version of Leroy Van Dyke's "Auctioneer," as well... All in all, a solid album from some Big Sky cowboys off to make it big in Music City... definitely worth a spin!

The Strommen Brothers "Meet Me Down By The River" (Baby Grand Records, 1979) (LP)

The Strommen Brothers "The Strommen Brothers" (Monument Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Lou Bradley)

The Western Gospel Messengers "Western Gospel Messengers" (19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Jack Miller, Buck Coghlan & The Western Gentlemen)
A country gospel group from Corvallis, Montana featuring Chuck Burrus, Jeanne Burrus and their thirteen-year-old daughter Sandy, along with songwriter Bill Ralston (1935-2020) on rhythm guitar and his sixteen-year-old son Steve Ralston playing lead, as well as championship fiddler Jimmy Widner. Not exactly sure when this one came out, but it looks like a 1970's outing. Bill Ralston's obituary notes that he also recorded a few CDs under his own name, though I haven't been able to track down any of their titles...

T. Scot Wilburn & The Shut Up 'N' Play Boys "Cafe Del Norte" (2015) (LP)
Latter-day alterna-twang from multi-instrumentalist T. Scot Wilburn, son of Harold Wilburn of the legendary 1950's Missoula group, The Snake River Outlaws. This guy grew up surrounded by plenty of talent, including the big-name, out-of-town stars that performed on his dad's radio shows. T. Scot was playing professionally when he was still a teen, and hit the national stage himself when he joined Wylie Gustafson's band, Wylie & The Wild West.

Wylie & The Wild West Show - see artist discography

Bob Yarger "Smoke 'N' Ashes 'N' Promises" (Jester Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Hale)
A cattle rancher from McCone County, Montana, Bob Yarger covered a few of his favorites, but also offered up a trio of original tunes, including his satirical "Energy Independence," the title track which he also wrote, as well as Helen Waller's "Real Contentment," which extols the virtues of the rural life in Big Sky country. And, of course, there's the inevitable rendition of "Me And Bobby McGee!"

Various Artists "1972 COLUMBUS, MONTANA FESTIVAL" (1972) (LP)
Fiddle tunes and other old-timey music, with a little bit of country, like a Merle Haggard tune or two... Most of the participants were Montana residents, with the notable exception of Dick Barrett, a champion fiddler from Texas who had won the National Fiddle Championship in Weiser, Idaho in 1971 and '72.

Various Artists "LONG TIME COMIN': LOST SOUNDS FROM THE TREASURE STATE, 1958-1969" (Lost Sounds Montana, 2015) (LP)
An ultra-indie, locals-only double-LP that collects a bunch of rare old stuff from..."the treasure state"? Really? Okay, well sure, I guess... Anyway, I know these were garage rock singles and not country stuff, but eagle-eyed collector types might notice a name or two that are familiar to twangfans as well, since of course all the best rockers wind up playing country music when they get old. Particularly notable is rockabilly rebel Burch Ray, who later recorded plenty of country stuff (see above) as well as collector fave Chan Romero, a latino rock pioneer who had a big hit with "Hippy Hippy Shake," but also made his way out to Nashville in later years.

Various Artists "MONTANA GOLD" (Rod Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Rod Harsell)
This collection is a mix of country and bar-band rockers, mostly from around Missoula, Montana. On the country side, the groups include the The Lost Highway Band, The Mission Mountain Wood Band, Dogwater, The High Country Rollers and Homegrown. The rockers include a band called Sonics, though I don't think it was the legendary garage-punk pioneers from Tacoma, Washington. At least I hope not! The album was sponsored by radio station KYLT-AM, in Missoula.

Various Artists "SONGWRITERS OF FLATHEAD VALLEY" (19--?) (LP)

Various Artists "WHEN THE WORK'S ALL DONE THIS FALL" (Montana Folklife Project, 1977-?) (LP)

Hick Music Index