MISSION
To bring world-class songwriters to Whitefish, Montana—one of the most inspiring and iconic destinations in the West—and offer a creative retreat for the local community.
To celebrate the creation of words and music in Big Sky Country.
To do good while doing it. The Whitefish Songwriter Festival supports the local community by offering high-quality original music experiences and educational opportunities, enhancing tourism during the shoulder seasons, and promoting the Flathead Valley as a distinctive music destination.
HISTORY
After fifteen years, three record deals, and a lot of music business ups-and downs, a girl named Jo did what no one serious about a career in Nashville ever does; she left. “I realized that I was trying to write about a life I wasn’t truly living on the two small streets of Music Row.” So, she packed her car, all the dues paid, and drove away from the proverbial box. Years later, settled in a cabin on a mountainside in rural Montana with her husband and son, Jo realized that decision had been the best one she’d ever made.
In a 2023 writing appointment with the award-winning songwriter of George Strait’s classic “troubadour”, Leslie Satcher, that decision was a topic of discussion and inspiration. It led to the idea that what was good for one, would probably be good for others. Satcher—who’d spent her honeymoon in the same part of Montana where Jo was now living—agreed that there was something special and inspiring about the place. The more Jo reconnected with old songwriting friends, the more the stories of burnout and yearning for the simpler things in the craft resonated.
In 2024, Big Sky Troubadours was born. Co-founded by Jo and native Montana event producer Cari Klepper, the organization invites writers to Whitefish, MT to retreat from the things that steal their inspiration, and reconnect with what drove them to pursue dreams to create in the first place. It’s like the song says …
Sometimes I feel like Jesse James
Still trying to make a name
Knowing nothing's gonna change what I am
I was a young troubadour
When I rode in on a song
I'll be an old troubadour when I'm gone
SONGWRITERS: MONTY HOMES/LESLIE SATCHER
Troubadour Lyrics © Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, Reservoir 416, Richardson Zuleger Publishing Company, Ash Street Publishing, Songs of the Llano, Angel Music Co., Cherry Blend Music.
FOUNDERS
CARI KLEPPER
CO-FOUNDER
a girl named Jo
CO-FOUNDER
An intimate acoustic show at various Whitefish venues. BST co-founder a girl named Jo brings some of her favorite collaborators to town. Get to know the next-big-things in country music and hear their stories behind the songs, and stories from behind the scenes as a rising star in Music City.
An exclusive summer evening at a private Whitefish residence featuring a renowned Nashville hit songwriter(s) and a meal designed by a top Whitefish chef.
Cutting edge authors and musicians come together at local Whitefish spots for a unique big sky celebration of words and music.
EVENTS
A multiple day celebration of the art of songwriting welcoming hall-of-famers, radio hit songsmiths, and emerging artists all sharing their original music and the stories of the passions that inspire them. All shows will be presented to you in “songwriter rounds” a Nashville-style laid back format born in the legendary Bluebird Cafe that gives a small group of writers the perfect environment to share their songs and stories. These “in-the round” shows will bring you as close to the process as you can get without actually being inside the storied Nashville writer rooms themselves. We are partnering with four downtown Whitefish iconic venues that offer the perfect stages to foster the signature magic that this format is known for - Second Story at 101 Central, Remington Bar, Great Northern Bar & Grill, and the coolest record store ever – Slow Burn Records! By nature, songwriters are the best storytellers you will find. Their songs touch our lives daily and some hits impact cultures around the globe. You know the songs and the performing artists, and now you will hear from the original artists – The songwriters.