American Routes at Montana Folk Festival

It’s a time of year when music festivals have returned. The Montana Folk Festival in Butte was hotly anticipated after two years of Covid cancellation.

Nick hosted stages and interviewed artists, many of whom will be heard on American Routes this fall. Here are a few shots from Butte July 8-10, 2022

Rockabilly with Chuck Mead

Butte is an old mining town

Stages are mounted over old mine shafts

While copper ore is still mined, blues is also becoming a precious commodity: Sugaray Rayford from Texas

Downtown Butte

Native American cultures are strong across Montana. Nick recorded pow-wow songs and spoke with members of the Assiniboine Cree Tribe

Tribal leader Winston Stewart

Mandé balafon ensemble with Famoro Dioubaté (left)

and Balla Kouyaté (center)

Hot Club of Cowtown

Plena Es, Puerto Rican ensemble from south Florida

After the show

Well after sundown

The crowd heads over to the Silver Dollar Saloon

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