The Music of the 2017 Bob Marshall Music Festival

SEELEY LAKE - When festival organizer Chris Stout thought about what kind of music he wanted to bring to Seeley Lake, he decided that it should be an eclectic mix that would appeal to the widest variety of people. This year, he assembled 17 bands from 12 different states. Here is a look at the range of bands playing at this year's Bob Marshall Music Festival.

Deer Tick

Deer Tick has been electrifying the music scene for more than a decade. The five-member blues-infused alternative rock band from Providence is headed by John McCauley. A pair of new albums are set to be released in mid-September, "Deer Tick Vol. 1" and "Deer Tick Vol. 2." The Guardian called Deer Tick "A band with a gift for evoking rock's recent and more far-flung past," saying the band can "groove as well as they goof."

National Park Radio

National Park Radio, the other NPR, is an all-acoustic band featuring original songs and beautiful vocals with an Americana/folk/bluegrass sound. Lead singer/songwriter Stefan Szabo is described as an "old soul, 30 going on 60." The sound of this Arkansas-based band is described as "banjo-and-strings-driven acoustic sound- call it Americana, roots, indie-folk or simply music to get up and dance to."

Metaphorical Lions

One of the more recently formed bands in the line up, Metaphorical Lions is making their first appearance in Seeley Lake to share their take on rock music from the Tri-Cities. Last year they released their first five-track album entitled God Willing This Works.

The Ballroom Thieves

Boston's The Ballroom Thieves took an extended break from touring in 2016 and emerged with their newest album Deadeye, which was self-released in October. The rock band-disguised-as-a-folk-band has a cellist at its core that makes for a compelling sound. According to their Facebook, the trio "finds a captivating mélange of acoustic styles, blending folk conventions with modern hymnals, delta blues grit with rich harmonies, exploring the basic construction of pop music while almost wholeheartedly rejecting its restrictions at the same time."

Chad Okrush

Professor, poet, philosopher and musician, Chad Okrusch is a mainstay in the Butte music scene. His tunes are firmly versed in the folk tradition with an undercurrent of humor and struggle. His album Wisdom Road was praised by the NewWest as being "anchored in the specifics of Butte's corner of Montana while still managing the difficult trick of feeling general and universal enough to appeal to anyone who enjoys a solid chorus an good melody."

Alanna Royale

"Alanna Royale shines bright by marrying smooth, retro roots with dirty Rock n' Roll attitude. The band combines the best elements of rock, pop, funk and soul, all executed by their fearless leader and sensual vocalist, Alanna Quinn-Broadus." ~Band Bio

Rebekah Rolland

Rebekah Rolland was selected as an artist-in-residence for the National Park Service Centennial and spent several weeks working on her first solo release at the Homestead National Monument in Nebraska. Characteristic of some of the most forceful and compelling voices in folk music, Rolland's writing succeeds in building worlds of dust and clay, worn pages and weathered pearls, highways and high rises, the faces and hands, the triumphs and disappointments that make up the stories of the past and the present. Her sweet and resonant vocals serve as a striking counterpart to original songs that paint a gritty, though beautifully honest and captivating picture of the human experience. She is joined by husband Matt Rolland on fiddle and Ryan Green on guitar and vocals. ~Band bio

Dead Winter Carpenters

Hailing from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Dead Winter Carpenters fuse country music with folk-like vocals, bluegrass beats and rock guitar. Since forming in 2010, California-based Dead Winter Carpenters has gained a reputation for steadfast touring, heartfelt performances and authentic Americana. Portland Metronome puts the quintet "at the forefront of a youthful generation trying to redefine what string music is and what it can do." ~Band Bio

Birds of Chicago

"Music this raw and soul-rich demands to be experienced live." So says the bio of Birds of Chicago, who are described as having "stark, elemental imagery that feels like scripture, or a lost folk song recovered." Since the band formed in 2012, they have toured internationally and released two albums. The L.A. Times said they were "This year's biggest roots surprise."

Status the Band

Returning for their second Bob Marshall Appearance due to popular demand, Vegas entertainers Status the Band is not just a band according to their bio, "but an experience in high quality entertainment." It can safely be said they were one of the favorites from last year's festival.

HoneyHoney

Los Angeles based country-folk duo HoneyHoney released their newest record "3" in June. The group is made up of lead singer/banjo player/violinist Suzanne Santo and vocalist/guitarist Ben Jaffe. The duo claims influences from a variety of artists including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Iron and Wine, Frank Sinatra and the laughter of small children, which they twist into a gritty, harmony-driven Southern-flavored, folk rock.

Cold Hard Cash Show

This Missoula-based tribute band brings classic Johnny Cash songs back to life. In 2008 the band gained international recognition when they performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, but are a staple on the music scene in Montana.

Good Old Fashioned

Based out of Missoula, "Good Old Fashioned plays a mixture old-time bluegrass, folk, country and blues. The band showcases tightly crafted original tunes, soaring vocal harmonies and catchy re-created covers. They'll make you stomp your boots, clap your hands, shed a tear and always leave you wanting more."

~ Band bio

Jeffrey Foucault

Jeffrey Foucault is a songwriter and singer from Wisconsin. He has toured extensively since 2001 as a solo artist and as part of several combinations. His latest record, Salt as Wolves, was a return to his solo roots. In the liner notes of the album, Chris Dombrowski reminisces hearing Foucault for the first time in Missoula and states that "his cry is a belt of pure blue Wisconsin lake ice with a back of December sunlight angling through bare limbed birches." A sound like that will be a welcome reprieve from the summer heat.

Jive Mother Mary

Just a couple of self proclaimed "Carolina boys who love good people, good times and good music." Jive Mother Mary is a four-piece soul 'n roll band that pulls from 60's era British rock, gospel tunes, Americana and country influences.