BGS 5+5: Sterling Drake

Artist: Sterling Drake
Hometown: Philipsburg, Montana
Latest Album: The Shape I’m In (out May 2, 2025 via Calusa Music/Missing Piece Records)
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): “Sterl Haggard”

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

Roots country and folk music have a way of bringing people together. These songs carry the stories and wisdom of those who came before us, reminding us of what we share across generations. Music can open hearts, challenge perspectives, and create space for vulnerability. I’m especially grateful for the chance to use my platform to advocate for the land, the people who depend on it, and the importance of mental health both in rural communities and beyond. Whether playing for a small gathering or a big crowd, I see music as a way to keep these stories alive and inspire connection.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do they impact your work?

I live in a small town in Granite County, Montana, where the land is mostly ranches and public wilderness and things are luckily untouched by urban sprawl. The Rockies and the high desert ranges are the place I like to go to in my mind. Although music is my main focus at this time in my life, I spend a lot of time outdoors. Horseback, hiking, camping, skiing, and helping out the neighbor in the branding pen. Being outside is part of my daily life, and it helps keep me grounded.

Genre is dead (long live genre!), but how would you describe the genres and styles your music inhabits?

I consider my music “roots” in the broadest sense. It draws from the deep well of American musical traditions: country, folk, Western, bluegrass, Western swing, and even Irish traditional. At times I may lean more on traditional country and honky-tonk and other times I may feel inspired by something else, and I enjoy the creative flexibility. At its core, it’s about storytelling, connection, and carrying forward the sounds and ideas that have shaped generations before me.

Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?

Willie Nelson has influenced me the most. He pulls from so many corners of American music – jazz, blues, folk, Western swing – but no matter what he’s playing, it always feels country, always feels Western, and always feels like Willie. He never let genres box him in, and that’s something I really admire. His approach to songwriting, storytelling, and even the way he plays guitar has shaped how I think about music.

A close runner-up would be Roger Miller. He had this effortless looseness and wit in his writing that made even the simplest songs feel unique. He never took himself too seriously, but was still a master of his craft. That balance between depth and playfulness is something I aspire to carry into my own music.

What’s one question you wish interviewers would stop asking you?

Interviewers will sometimes ask artists the question, “When did you know you were talented, or when you were a musician?” It makes it sound like creating music is something only a few people are born to do, when in reality, it takes years of work, dedication, and a willingness to keep learning. More importantly, it makes artistic expression seem out of reach for most people, when creativity exists in everything we do. Music isn’t about being chosen, it’s about choosing to put in the time and effort to make something meaningful.


Photo Credit: Taylor Hoover

WATCH: Meadow Mountain, “Trail to Telluride” (SkyTheory Sessions)

Artist: Meadow Mountain
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Song: “Trail to Telluride”
Release Date: May 6, 2024 (single)

(Editor’s Note: Over the next few weeks, Colorado-based bluegrass band Meadow Mountain will premiere a series of four exclusive, live performance videos of newly releasing tracks. Watch each installment of their SkyTheory Sessions on Thursdays each week for the next three weeks right here, on BGS.)

In Their Words: “I have attended the Telluride Bluegrass festival every year for over 12 years now. It is where I fell in love with bluegrass music and it is where I felt my first calling to write the music of the Rocky Mountains. This song tells a fictional story of a miner in the late 1800s who traveled from Denver to Telluride in an attempt to strike it rich mining for silver. While I am no miner, I do feel that the story tracks with the life of a working musician. You go out there to try something new, and if it doesn’t stick, you reset and get back to work.” – Summers Baker, guitar and songwriter

Track Credits: Written by Summers Baker


Photo Credit: Video still by Erik Fellenstein

Video Credits: Videography – Erik Fellenstein
Lighting – Payden Widner
Mixing – Vermillion Road Studio

BGS 5+5: Corb Lund

Artist: Corb Lund
Hometown: Taber, Alberta, Canada
Latest Album: Agricultural Tragic (June 26, 2020)
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): My full name is Corby. My outfit sometimes calls me ‘El Presidente’. Ian Tyson calls me ‘Corbo.’

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc — inform your music?

I read a lot and that seeps in for sure. At a pretty granular level, but it definitely has a big impact. I’m a history nut also. When I was younger I used to draw and paint quite a lot, but there’s no time for that stuff anymore, too busy touring. I’d also like to try live theatre. Some other lifetime, probably.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

It took me about five years to write “Bible on the Dash.” I had to recruit my old buddy Hayes [Carll] to help me finish it. I had a verse and chorus FOREVER and I was stuck. When Hayes got hold of it we wrapped up the rest in a couple hours.

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

The few hours between soundcheck and the show are pretty important to me. The venue and the green room are empty because everyone is out eating, so that’s my only real time on the road to work on my voice or new songs or guitar playing. I jealously guard it. And I don’t really eat food anyway and dislike restaurants.

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

Two things. First, I’ve always been very committed to doing my own thing musically. I’ve always wanted to be able to look back at a solid body of unique work and be proud of it. It’s important to me to get my voice and perspective and culture into my music at all levels. Secondly, to just roll up my sleeves and do things myself. I have plenty of excellent help now, but in the earlier, leaner part of my career I swore that I’d never wait around on the music industry. I just made my own records and booked my own tours and printed my own T-shirts and fixed up my own van. Unless you win the record deal lottery at 22, no one’s going to do that stuff for you. There’s a grand tradition of that, from SNFU to Chris LeDoux.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

I spend as much time as I can on our family ranch in foothills of the Alberta Rockies. My great grandfather homesteaded there in 1898 and it’s a huge part of my psyche and my art. That area comes up pretty often in my songs. It’s pretty country.


Photo credit: Scott Slusher

A Minute in Colorado’s Western Slope With David Starr

Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns our favorite artists into hometown reporters. In our latest column, David Starr takes us through Colorado’s Western Slope and his adopted hometown of Cedaredge – where the locals proclaimed his 60th birthday as David Starr Day. Taking a cue from his corner of Colorado, David Starr titled his new album South and West.

Nestled at the base of Grand Mesa on Colorado’s western slope, Cedaredge has long been home to apples, arts and more. The town was incorporated in 1907 from what was then the I-Bar Ranch.  In recent years, the town has seen slow growth due to folks seeking a mild climate, cultural amenities and small-town hospitality.  With the recent addition of the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center and several new eateries, the future of this little mountain town is bright indeed. — David Starr


Grand Mesa Lake: Within the Grand Mesa National Forest are 300 lakes and reservoirs, a network of shorelines and waterside retreats that keeps fishers, boaters, hikers and campers satisfied. The Grand Mesa is particularly popular with anglers seeking fish tales among the area’s seven trout species. It’s also home to the largest flat-topped mountain in the world.


Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park: I can see part of this park from my back porch. Their website describes it beautifully: “Big enough to be overwhelming, still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time, Black Canyon of the Gunnison exposes you to some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. With two million years to work, the Gunnison River, along with the forces of weathering, has sculpted this vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky.” This area is just minutes from Cedaredge and surrounding communities and offers easy access, astounding views and world-class fly fishing.


Starrs Guitars & Stacy’s on Main: Located on Main Street in Cedaredge, my music store Starr’s Guitars offers a boutique guitar-shopping experience in a very unexpected location. The shop is also a vital part of the local music scene hosting concerts, offering lessons and promoting local artists and songwriters. Located next door to Starr’s, Stacy’s On Main offers coffees, pastries, sandwiches and gifts and artwork by numerous local painters, photographers and authors. It’s also become a natural gathering place for locals to catch up on a daily basis.


Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center: Opened in June 2018, the GMAEC in Cedaredge boasts an art gallery, classrooms and a 175-seat theater space. Founded on the idea of fostering High Altitude Creativity, the center hosts concerts by local, national and regional acts, yoga, dance, art classes for adults and children and events rental services for weddings, reunions and other gatherings. The non-profit center is open for tours and info seven days a week on Main Street in Cedaredge.


Local Apple Orchards & Cedaredge Applefest: The warm days and cool nights of the Surface Creek Valley make for perfect apple, peach and apricot conditions. Many area orchards (such as Wag’s World in Eckert) offer their harvests at the Cedaredge AppleFest every October. Founded in 1978, the festival has grown for two growers selling apple pies on Main Street to a weekend of arts, music and food that draws more than 20,000 visitors to the western slope.


Wineries: In addition to the fruit orchards in the area, grapes seem equally at home in the soil around the Grand Mesa. The Surface Creek Valley has seen several vineyards take hold in recent years. The town of Palisade, located to the west of the Mesa, boasts numerous wineries and vineyards. The sign seen here is from I-Guana Farm on Cedar Mesa.


Lede image: Cat Denton
Photo of Grand Mesa Lake: Phillip Berghauser
Photo of Starr’s Guitars & Stacy’s on Main: Deb Shaffer
Photo of Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center: Phillip Berghauser
Photo of Apple Orchards: Phillip Berghauser
Photo of I-Guana Farm: Phillip Berghauser
Photo of Black Canyon of the Gunnison: NPS.gov

3×3: Humbird on the Rockies, the Radish, and the Teriyaki

Artist: Humbird
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Latest Album: Where Else (EP)
Rejected Band Names: Too many to list. Highlights include “Arm” and “Fork” and “Yes Gnome.”

What’s the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Paul Simon with YMusic at Eaux Claires Music Festival. Many tears were shed.

How many unread emails or texts currently fill your inbox?

1,878. It’s terrifying.

How many pillows do you sleep with?

One pillow.

 

Peach magic in Paonia, as always 

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How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Over 20 pairs. Only wear three of them.

Which mountains are your favorite — Smoky, Blue Ridge, Rocky, Appalachian, or Catskill?

The Rockies — so far.

What’s your favorite vegetable?

Radish

Fate or free will?

Who knows?

Sweet or sour?

Teriyaki

Sunrise or sunset?

Depends on the clouds.

3×3: Jeremy Pinnell on Eating Steak, Being Up, and Loving Kale

Artist: Jeremy Pinnell
Hometown: Elsmere KY
Latest Album: Ties of Blood and Affection
Personal nickname: I’d rather not say.

 

Tonight @jigandreel #knoxville #tennessee

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Best concert ever attended?

The Queers, Lexington, Kentucky, 1994

How many emails or text currently fill your inbox?

None. I mark everything as read. I don’t like having any icons on my phone.

How many pillows do you sleep with?

This question makes me uncomfortable.

 

#myboy #harlan

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How many pairs of shoes do you own?

3 or 4 … work, running, fishing, and lounging. Maybe two pairs for lounging? 

Which mountains are your favorite?

I’m partial to the Smokies because I spent time there as a kid, but there’s nothing like the Rockies.

Favorite vegetable?

Kale, bro!

 

#hayday

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Fate or free will?

Only a fool would take a hard stance on either.

Sweet or sour?

Steak

Sunrise or sunset?

I like being up before anyone. So really the time before sunrise.


Photo credit: Michael Wilson

3×3: Heather Thomas on Snarky Puppy, Rocky Mountains, and False Dichotomies

Artist: Heather Thomas
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Latest Album: People in Places
Personal Nicknames: On the road, my friends call me Lone Wolf. In the studio, I go by One Take Shake because of how much I love playing shakers and tambourine. There’s also Two Hand Thomas or Heather Two-Hands. HT or H-Bomb are pretty common, too.

What’s the best concert you’ve ever attended?

Best … I am having a hard time coming up with a “best.” I feel like I’ve seen tons of great shows, but nothing pops out as better than all the rest. I remember seeing Allen Stone early on and thinking he and his band put on a killer show. I loved seeing Snarky Puppy. I saw Lettuce at the Neptune and I adore Lake Street Dive. Some of my favorite local shows have been McTuff, the Black Tones, Whitney Mongé, Lowlands, Funky 2 Death, Deep Sea Diver, Duke Evers … Those are just some that stick out to me.

How many unread emails or texts currently fill your inbox?

Right now my email says 10,281 with an exclamation mark next to it.

How many pillows do you sleep with?

Two pillows side-by-side, I sleep on one of them at a time. One’s a little fluffier, the other a little flatter — depends on what feels comfortable at the time.

How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Four pairs of sneakers, 12 pairs of boots, three pairs of heels, five pairs of sandals, three pairs of slippers. I also have running shoes, rock climbing shoes, tap dancing shoes, and wrestling shoes.

Which mountains are your favorite — Smoky, Blue Ridge, Rocky, Appalachian, or Catskill?

I’m not sure which of these I’ve been to, really. I think probably I’ve driven through the Rockies on tour, so let’s go with those!

What’s your favorite vegetable?

I like carrots a lot. And broccoli. 

Fate or free will?

False dichotomy.

Sweet or sour?

Probably sweet.

Sunrise or sunset?

Sunset on the Puget Sound.

3X3: Mark Lavengood on Rye Whiskey, Rocky Mountains, and Running Shoes

Artist: Mark Lavengood
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
Latest Album: We’ve Come Along
Personal Nicknames: Huggy Bear (Got that from slingin’ sammies in the Founders Brewing Company’s deli back in ’07.)

If your life were a movie, which songs would be on the soundtrack?

“Eye of the Tiger” (thanks to my high school wrestling days), Greensky Bluegrass’s “The Four,” Seth Bernard’s “Where the Days Went,” and Lake Street Dive’s “Seventeen”

How many unread emails or texts currently fill your inbox?

Texts, I got locked down to 0 … 30 unread emails and 76 drafts. (Yowza!)

How many pillows do you sleep with?

Four. Two for me, two for my baby. My literal baby, as in child, doesn’t use pillows.

 

#coffee #maplesyrup and #mugs for the #morning

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How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Three. Two pair of Yore Unlimited custom shoes and one pair of running shoes.

Which mountains are your favorite — Smoky, Blue Ridge, Rocky, Appalachian, or Catskill?

Appalachian, because I’m currently driving through them. But if I’m being honest, probably the Rockies.

If you were a liquor, what would you be?

Bulleit Rye.

Fate or free will?

Free will (though, that plus desire and hard work = Fate).

Sweet or sour?

Sour.

Sunrise or sunset?

Sunrise. Though it’s been awhile since I last witnessed one.