Red Ants Pants brings Montana to Americanafest

Four Montana bands showcase talents Sept. 16 on Nashville stage during Americanafest

New & Notable

The Red Ants Pants Music Festival is hosting a showcase of Montana musicians in Nashville this week as part of the Americana Music Association’s annual Americanafest.

The Last Revel brings the full spectrum of modern Americana to life with lush three-part harmonies, acoustic and electric guitars, upright bass, fiddle, and 5-string banjo.
The Last Revel brings the full spectrum of modern Americana to life on the Americanafest stage with lush three-part harmonies, acoustic and electric guitars, upright bass, fiddle, and 5-string banjo.

“Red Ants Pants Music Festival Presents Montana” will take place at Nashville’s historic Station Inn on Friday, Sept. 16, and will be hosted by Grammy Award-winning country superstar and Red Ants alumna Suzy Bogguss. The event will feature Montana musicians who have played at the Red Ants Pants Music Festival in the past including Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs, Band of Drifters, The Last Revel and The Lucky Valentines.

For years, Red Ants Pants Music Festival producer Sarah Calhoun has spent time in Nashville to help identify new musicians to bring to Montana for the Red Ants Pants Music Festival. While networking to bring even more amazing music to Montana in 2023, she wanted to also showcase Montana artists on the Nashville stage and promote their work while calling attention to the state’s vibrant arts community.

“This is an exciting way for us to export a bit of our Red Ants Pants Music Festival culture and share with the world what amazing musicians we have in Montana,” said Calhoun. “We’ve spent many years developing a strong network in Nashville that helps us bring fantastic lineups to Montana every summer. Now we want to help showcase our Montana musicians on an important stage in the world of Americana music.”

Several of the participating artists have received support from the Montana Arts Council, through its Strategic Investment Grant program.

 “Strategic Investment Grants help working artists build their careers through support for professional development, finding new audiences, and access to arts events like Americanafest,” explains Montana Arts Council Program Officer Brian Moody explains. “Having these bands represent Montana in the heart of country music will not only help their careers, but also draw Nashville’s attention to all the great music coming out of our state. We thank the Red Ants Pants Music Festival for its leadership and support in perpetuating the arts in Montana.”

The 12th Red Ants Pants Music Festival is scheduled for July 27 – 30, 2023.