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An evening of festive music to benefit Soft Landing Missoula and help new immigrants assimilate in our wonderful city.

Zia is a 21 year old singer/songwriter hailing from rural Montana. She draws inspiration from icons including Lianne La Havas, YEBBA, Stevie Wonder and more. Zia’s buttery voice is soulful and belongs to a melodic storyteller. Resembling Adele’s deep, crisp tone while often replicating the flavorful texture that YEBBA has perfected, Zia is a talented vocalist far beyond her years.

Independent songwriters, Read Barbee,  Sierra Cistone, Lucas Yatch, and Maria Zepeda have joined forces and together create a unique sound journeying through folk, soul, psychedelic genres with a hint of indie-rock, resulting in their own creation of “Psychedelic River Folk”. Their music features lush three-to-four-part harmonies, thoughtful instrumentals,  and lyrics that invite listeners to contemplate and celebrate. Their sound create a feeling of home and belonging that resonates with audiences of all ages.

Debut album Results Not Typical Defines Northwest Americana

On debut full-length Results Not Typical, seasoned Seattle singer-songwriter Ian Jones defines Northwest Americana with melodic, timeless songcraft coupled to universally relatable storytelling and evocative regional imagery.

Released on April 7, the album’s 11 tracks wander a contemplative, poignant sonic landscape between mid-period Tom Petty, the best of ‘70s outlaw country, and James Taylor’s accessible folk-pop.

“I grew up in the shadow of Mount Rainier. My dad left when I was five, leaving a single mom with three kids, bread-and-cheese-line poor,” Jones recalled. “My babysitter was a record player.”

Raised on a steady vinyl diet of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and David Allan Coe, by the time he was in junior high Jones was writing his own songs on a beat-up classical guitar. After years in promising bands in Seattle, Santa Barbara, and L.A., he released his cathartic debut solo EP, Evergreens, in 2021. “Ian Jones is creating a sound all his own,” raved Ear to the Ground in its review of the 6-song release, which Exclusive Magazine dubbed “A seamless collection.”

What a pair…Brooks Forsythe was here last yeat as part of a songwriter workshop and blew us away, and neighbor, Bill Mize has done multiple shows here over the years.  I know we have a show the day before, but when Brooks asked to fill a day off, I went for it.

This will be a memorable evening of fabulous guitar players doing their thing.

Stopping by at Longstaff House before a benefit t Florence/Carlton High School.

El Wencho is a powerhouse duo with big sound that relates the Montana lifestyle through
immersive lyrics, catchy melodies and driving rhythms. Their authentic music is an eclectic
fusion of genres that draws on sonic elements from red dirt rock, blues, country, Americana and
polyrhythmic Latin percussion. Purposefully inclusive, their music is a catalyst for storytelling,
laughter and fostering connections with fans. Live shows are an experiential combination of their
dynamic Montana sound, engaging storytelling and comedic flair. Josh and John are supremely
talented musicians and entertainers. Together they form an authentic and charismatic duo that
expertly connects with the audience and delivers an engaging and highly addictive musical
experience.

 Tom Catmull, Dana Cooper, and Jackson Emmer are teaming up for a night of original acoustic music at Longstaff House.  Tom and I put this show together to take advantage of musicians in Montana for songwriting workshops.  Please check these guys out, you will be impressed.

 Tom Catmull is a word enthusiast. They are the larger part of what makes his world go round. He’s spent the last twenty-five years in his adopted hometown of Missoula, MT presenting words in ways to make them as alluring as possible to people who crave such things. The tricks useful to achieving this feat include infectious melody, thoughtful arrangement, storytelling, some finger picking and a clean shirt. The last couple of decades have included seven full length albums, a few television appearances (Montana PBS 11th and Grant), a hundred theaters performances (The Wilma, The Rex, The Roxy, The Dennison, etc), dozens of festivals, countless honkytonks and two ridiculously fun national anthems. He’s been the supporting act for Robert Earl Keen, Charlie Musselwhite, Junior Brown, Asleep at the Wheel and a dozen others. There exists some confidence that his roots driven Americana songs are worthy of your time. Don’t be fooled, though. The acoustic guitar, harmonica and hat are just cheap ploys to get the words out in front of you.

Cooper’s lifelong passion & devotion to music began at age 2 in Kansas City. His father, George, was a huge influence. One of Dana’s earliest memories is of his father taking him to the Calico Cat, popping a coin in the jukebox and listening to Dana sing along with Hank Williams & Ernest Tubb.At age 20 a move to LA resulted in a record deal with Elektra Records where he recorded his first album with members of “The Section” Russ Kunkel and Leleand Sklar, as well as other luminary players Jim Horn, Al Perkins, Jim Gordon, Joe Osborne, and Lee Holdridge. This album still wins accolades today and was recently reissued on the Warner/Japan label.After several years in California and a year recording in Seattle, Cooper moved to Texas where he wrote and performed with Shake Russell. They released several independent albums and one album for Southcoast/MCA.

Jackson Emmer is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer from Carbondale, Colorado. His work blends humor with heartache, and tradition with exploration. Emmer’s writing is often compared to that of John Prine and Guy Clark. He has toured the US since 2009, collaborated with Grammy-winners, and co-written 40+ songs with folk music legend, Tom Paxton. Emmer has opened for Robert Earl Keen, Sierra Ferrell, and Tim McGraw. His work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard, 1200+ Spotify playlists, and 200+ radio stations worldwide.