Bringing honest storytelling to Bob Marshall Music Festival

SEELEY LAKE - For the past three years, the Bob Marshall Music Festival has brought world-class musicians to perform in Seeley Lake, and its fourth year is no exception. This year, the Flatland Cavalry of Texas is eager to bring its unique sound to the festival.

The band includes Cleto Cordero on vocals and guitar, Reid Dillon on electric guitar, Wesley Hall on the fiddle, Jonathan Saenz on the bass and Jason Albers on percussion. Together, the five of them blend into an energetic mix of Country-Folk-Americana focused on storytelling and the human experience.

"We are from the plains of Texas. There's not any beautiful scenery and there's not much that you'd say we have in common," said band leader Cordero. "But we do have something in common, and that's that we are both people. Montana has country people too, it's just a different kind of country."

Cordero's initial interest in music came from a young age when he would borrow his brother's CDs and write down the lyrics because he wanted to understand them.

"I won't mention what CDs they were because it's kind of embarrassing and kind of dated," said Cordero with a laugh. "Looking back, I think that's where it all started."

He didn't realize his true musical talent until he was gifted a guitar at age 17. He claimed he accidentally wrote his first song after agreeing to write a song for a friend. He didn't expect his music to move them like it did.

"No one had ever patted me on the back for playing baseball. I think I found something I was good at," said Cordero reflecting on his early experiences with song writing.

Flatland Cavalry released its first Extended Play (EP), Humble Folks, in 2015. Prior to that the band performed primarily covers, but the musical connection between Cordero and Albers runs deeper than that. According to Cordero, the two have been making music together since they were in middle school playing in their parents' garages.

Cordero explained that the extended relationship with Albers, and the five years of experience the Flatland Cavalry have all together gives them a unique stage presence. To Cordero, the band feels more like a family.

The band is currently touring the country to celebrate the release of their sophomore album, Homeland Insecurity, which was released earlier this year. The band has previously performed in Bozeman, Big Timber and Whitefish.

Homeland Insecurity maintains a familiar feeling to the landscapes and lifestyles in Montana. Cordero explained that his lyrical storytelling comes from observing and listening to people he encounters. He believes that the familiarity of his music comes from the overarching bond of the human experience. As a lyricist, he feels it can be difficult to find a new way to tell stories that already feel so familiar to people.

"Every song has already been sung before, and every image has already happened," said Cordero. "How can I take this experience and make it more poetic?"

This year the Bob Kick-off Party will be held at the Filling Station at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 27 with bands El Wencho and National Park Radio. There is no cover charge.

The main festival will follow on Friday and Saturday with music starting in the afternoons and running through the evening in the field south of Cory's Valley Market. Flatland Cavalry will perform at the Bob Marshall Music Festival on Friday, June 28 from 8 - 9 p.m.

For more information and tickets, visit http://www.thebobmusic.com or The Bob Marshall Music Festival's facebook page.