Montana Radio Cafe

Well, they call it rainy Saturday, and the best thing for me to do is hang in front of the fire place, and have a laid back day.
But others are different, including my wife, and may opt into the "action" mode.
A couple of "action" things going on today would include the snowboard racing on the Big Mountain and catching the bluegrass group Left Over Biscuits up at the Symes Hotel in Hot Springs tonight.
Spring, for Montana, is here; with all the unpredictability of unsettled weather that comes with it - snow in one spot, rain in another, sun in another; all in our valley - at the same time!
It's the western way, and it's grand!
Thanks for listening and becoming a part of our community. We hope that no matter what you do today, you enjoy the music we are playing for you.
Be blessed.

More sunshine for the flathead!
At least this morning.
By the way, this morning we are being listened to in England (cheers!), Korea (hello Paul), and Switzerland (hi Sara, yes I will do everything you told me to:), as well as all over the United States!
That's very exciting to me!
Do you think if Katie Couric and Oprah get emails from overseas that it will make a difference?
Maybe!
Push the buttons, folks. Send da emails!
But most of all, enjoy the music, and if you have a chance drop us a line. We love it when you do.
Thanks for listening and telling your friends.
By for now.
With a grateful heart,
Scott

And it's more sunshine for the northwest corner of Montana!
At least for this morning it's lookin' fine!
Just hung yesterday, recovering from a cold that's been going around. Sorry if my voice is a little rough around the edges today.
received a wonderful second birthday gift from two of our listening family yesterday. Chris and Beth Burtch made a beautiful hand made card and custom CD for us! Thanks guys!
A couple of things coming up this week - my buddy Andre Floyd is coming in around 11 on Tuesday to tell us about the Knead Cafe's Last Saturday series, and remember the Creston Auction is coming up April 1rst and 2nd. The Creston auction is the way we know it' s spring around here, even if it snows on us! It's a not to be missed part of northwest Montana culture.
Whatever you do today, we hope you find the joy in it.
Later.

Looks like a we have a beautiful Sunday in store for us!
Last night Marie and I attended the First annual Swingin' on High big band concert and dance fund raiser for the Lighthouse Christian Home for the Developmentally Disabled and had a great time!
The band, Swingin' on High, was absolutely incredible! BJ Lupton of Snappy's leads a group of friends in the band that is all about the era of swing. And swing they did, and did well!
The event was held at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, a beautiful new place where the old Viking Lodge used to be years ago. Marie and I got to see lot's of old friends and by the look of it, it was a huge success! Congratulations to all those that worked so hard to put it on, and great job. Thanks for having us.
As for this blog, people are starting to find it and leave comments! Thanks for the feedback, and the participation, and the letters to Katie and Oprah!
Soon, soon the Montana Radio Cafe will be featured on national television! I can feel it coming!
Hey, I'm telling you- it could happen!
Thanks for your support everyone, thanks for the kind words.
I hope all goes well with you today.

It's a foggy day down in the Flathead valley today. But I've no complaints; we've had some stellar sunshine the last few days.
Just hangin' today, and getting ready to MC tonight's benefit for the Lighthouse Christian Home for the Developmentally Disabled. I'll be teaming up with BJ Lupton of Snappy's Sport Senter, as he does most of the work playing in and leading an 18 piece swing band for the dance and dinner at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, a beautiful new place right on the lake in Whitefish!
I'm not sure why they asked me, but I'm honored to help. I hope as many of you locals as can make it, and I'll see you there! I also hope I can enter the raffle for the Bye Bitney painting and win it, but I suppose if I won it and announced myself as the winner, it might not be a good thing.
Ah well, I'll just have to settle for the free food!
Thanks everyone for listening, the encouraging emails, and don't forget to email Oprah and Katie Couric from the homepage so we can get featured on their show!
Blessings!

It's a foggy day down in the Flathead valley today. But I've no complaints; we've had some stellar sunshine the last few days.
Just hangin' today, and getting ready to MC tonight's benefit for the Lighthouse Christian Home for the Developmentally Disabled. I'll be teaming up with BJ Lupton of Snappy's Sport Senter, as he does most of the work playing in and leading an 18 piece swing band for the dance and dinner at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, a beautiful new place right on the lake in Whitefish!
I'm not sure why they asked me, but I'm honored to help. I hope as many of you locals as can make it, and I'll see you there! I also hope I can enter the raffle for the Bye Bitney painting and win it, but I suppose if I won it and announced myself as the winner, it might not be a good thing.
Ah well, I'll just have to settle for the free food!
Thanks everyone for listening, the encouraging emails, and don't forget to email Oprah and Katie Couric from the homepage so we can get featured on their show!
Blessings!

It's a foggy day down in the Flathead valley today. But I've no complaints; we've had some stellar sunshine the last few days.
Just hangin' today, and getting ready to MC tonight's benefit for the Lighthouse Christian Home for the Developmentally Disabled. I'll be teaming up with BJ Lupton of Snappy's Sport Senter, as he does most of the work playing in and leading an 18 piece swing band for the dance and dinner at The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, a beautiful new place right on the lake in Whitefish!
I'm not sure why they asked me, but I'm honored to help. I hope as many of you locals as can make it, and I'll see you there! I also hope I can enter the raffle for the Bye Bitney painting and win it, but I suppose if I won it and announced myself as the winner, it might not be a good thing.
Ah well, I'll just have to settle for the free food!
Thanks everyone for listening, the encouraging emails, and don't forget to email Oprah and Katie Couric from the homepage so we can get featured on their show!
Blessings!

Happy St. Patricks Day!
It's an interesting celebration of all things Irish, with the exception of St. Patrick, who was actually an Englishman and former slave of the Irish, who went back to Ireland as a missionary.
And because of that, at least according to one book, the Irish where able to eventually save the world.
Here's to St. Patrick!
As far as Celtic music in the Flathead today, I know that Tra la Gael is playing at the Knead Cafe at 5:30, and at Flanagans in Whitefish later in the evening.
As far as the Montana Radio Cafe goes - we haven't heard any thing yet from Katie Couric or Oprah, but I am emphasizing the "yet". I'm sure once our email campaign get's rolling they'll both come around. And what about Jay, and David and Conan?
Happy's St. Paddy's Day everyone!

As we move into the first day of the third year of being on the air, we begin the campaign to let more people in the world know about the Montana Radio Cafe!
On our homepage, you can read the letter my daughter Vanessa wrote to Katie Couric and Oprah Winfrey two years ago, asking them to do a show on the station. No word.
Now, we have listener's all over the world on the internet, but not nearly enough! We've gotten great press in Montana, but it's time for the little station that could to get some national exposure, don't you agree?
That's where you come in!
If you would hit the email Katie and email Oprah buttons and email one or both of these ladies, I'm sure at some point they will come to their senses and give us a call!
Really, Katie and Oprah probably didn't get the letter, they're assistants did, but no matter, they need to hear from the hundreds of thousands of loyal MRC listener's out there who want the world to hear the music and culture of the Montana Radio Cafe!
So MRC fan's unite! Let the first ladies of television hear from the masses!
Hey, what could possibly go wrong? This could happen! And if it does, it will be a lot of fun!
Here's to you, and the little station that can, the Montana Radio Cafe!

It seems unbelievable, but it's true! The Montana Radio Cafe is Two years old today!
I hardly know what to say.
It's been an honor and privilege to do what I do, play the music I play, meet the people I meet.
None of it would have been possible without the community of friends that has risen up around the station, friends that helped build and maintain the station, support it, and supply the music.
And the music!
Music brings people together, and that's certainly true of MRC. I've met so many wonderful people!
Thanks everyone; the last two years have been the best I think I've ever experienced!
Here's to many more years and more great music!
Peace

There's some changes to our website that your going to love!
Sara,(our director of front porch operations), has been working so hard to keep our website updated with fresh oh so tasty info.
The lastest addition is the Montana Quarterly magazine's article on us. It's got some big photos and so it literally takes over a minute to load. If you have dial up, I wouldn't even try. Of course, nothing beats holding the actual magazine in your hand. And, in my case, Mom doesn't have a computer, so I can send her a copy.
Also, there's additions to our online store. The black tshirt is a must get for me. And the beer stein.
Check out the website and enjoy! It's really for you.
Cheers!

Yesterday demanded that everyone be outside in the sunshine, so Marie and I spent some time in Glacier Park. We drove up to Lake McDonald Lodge, and did some walkin'and talkin'. The lake was absolutely still and the day beautiful!
After that we dined at the historic Belton Chalet and had a quiet meal and hung out in front of the fireplace for a while. Teresa was our charming waitress, and dispite the fact that she was the only one serving the the whole place, the food was good, the atmosphere comfortable and laid back, and she served us with grace and a wonderful smile.
By the way, the Belton is having Wayne Murphy and Matt Ford in to play some acoustic blues this Friday, St. Patricks day. These guys are great! They've played in the studio, and they are formaly Electric Mud.
Tonight it's the first of the last two Moonlite Dine and Ski's at Big Mountain. The Summit House on Big Mountain probably is the most unique place to enjoy a fine meal in Montana! The food is excellent, the view of course is one of a kind over the top jaw dropping incredible, and the chance to ski down in the moonlite is and opportunity not to be missed! Of course, you can ride down on the lift if you like.
You've got to do the Moonlight Dine and Ski at least once in your life or you haven't lived!
OK. So I'm opinionated and pro Montana. Go figure. I love it here.
Enjoy the sunshine and the moonshine!

It's another sunshine Sunday in the Flathead!
Marie and I had a great time at Red's last night listening to Dusty Miller. They are a fine bluegrass band from Missoula with great vocals and absolutely incredible picking.
We also got a chance to visit with Ian Fleming's folks and found out about all the family connections. What a great family!
Also I'm proud to announce that as of today, we have over 15,000 different songs in our format! The format is definitely eclectic, and, if I do say so myself, wonderful! Thanks to all who brought in CD's that just had to be on the list! Hopefully, we'll never stop expanding our musical horizons as part of the musical community.
And please check out our new online store. Sara (director of front porch operations) has done a great job of lining up some great products with various Montana Radio Cafe logo's for your pleasure and the stations support. Just go to the store tab at the top of the web page and let us know what you want. Buying some of these products will go along way to help support the station.
Cheers!
Have a Montana day!

What a gorgeous Saturday morning!
Yesterday didn't turn out to bad either!
If you are listening out of area, please check out the web cam links through the community tab on this web site. You'll fall in love with Montana, if you haven't already.
I was briefly in Red's last night, caught some awesome Jazz, and shamelessly showed many of my friends the Montana Quarterly magazine article. Hey it's impressive.
Speaking of the article, Sara is setting it up so everyone can check it out on our web site. That said, there's nothing like looking at these pictures in the magazine itself.
John Dunnigan and I had a great time together yesterday afternoon! And no, we weren't "on" anything as one listener asked; at least I wasn't. You'll have to ask John about hisself.
By the way, would you all email John and encourage him to finish his Celtic Christmas CD?
Today? A couple of folks are coming in to give away the raffle prizes that were sold to help the homeschool girls basketball team get to the national tournament in Oklahoma. The girls raised $5,000 in five days!
That's more than enough of my writing today!
Blessings!

Good morning!
Got a little fresh snow out side the front porch overnight. Kind of makes you think it's March in Montana!
Let all your friends know that John Dunnigan is playing in the studio today around 3 pm. One of the last times John was in, someone emailed us and said we should never be allowed in the same room together - in the daytime. What!?
If you love bluegrass, Red's Wine's and Blues has Dusty Miller playing Saturday Night starting around 8pm. This group has Chad Fadley and Ian Fleming in it who are both incredible pickers!
They've both played in the studio, and I can attest to their skills (I'm maybe a little envious).
Hope your listening!
Celebrate Friday!

Well, I got four advanced copies of the new Montana Quarterly magazine in yesterday - all I've got to say is that it's over the top incredible! From the photography to the kind words the article is just awesome.
I understand that we have made some friends at the Montana Quarterly as we have reports of the staff listening via the internet and the magazine is sponsoring the station starting in April.
I'm humbled and grateful to the Montana Quarterly staff and the two local free lance writers who put this all together.
Pick up a copy and check us (and the magazine) out. They also did a great article on Hot Springs that included another one of our sponsors, Alameda's.
On other fronts, John Dunnigan should be playing live in the studio tomorrow, and the local celtic group Tra La Gael will hopefully be playing here around St. Paddy's day.
Thanks to everyone for your support!
Later.

Good news on the news front!
Look for an article in the spring edition of the Montana Quarterly magazine about the Montana Radio Cafe featuring John Dunnigan and David Walburn playing live in the studio!
I can't begin to tell you what a fun day that was; special thanks to John and David for doing the show with me, the two local freelance writers, Shirley Rorvik and Debbie Burke, who wrote the article, and Thomas Lee, the Montana Quarterly photographer who came all the way from Bozeman to shoot the pictures.
By the way, Thomas told me yesterday that he is an avid fan of the station, and listens all the time on the internet and so is his 7 year old daughter!
The buzz on the internet is growing about us. Our friend Paul emailed us from Senegal last night, where he was listening.
It's easy to recommend us to others - just hit the "tell a friend" button on the homepage and send an email to everyone in your address book! :)

What a way to start off the week!
The first thing on getting up this morning, is an email from Katrin Nicolaus of Berlin Germany, telling us how much she appreciates the station. She also wonders if the frequency of 101.9 fm is a sign everywhere that great music is being played because in Berlin that's the place on the dial for their jazz station. Sweet! Thanks Katrin for the email and the compliments on the tunes and the landscape of Montana!
New tunes to listen for in the next couple of days - we'll be playing some John Mayer Trio, Chris Isaak, and a strange compilation of Beatles tunes done by a group of session musicians out of Memphis called Fried Glass Onions. Talk about eclectic!
Cheers.

Made it to another weekend, and the first thing I see this morning is an email from a friend who lives down the road in Woods Bay that says he's listening in Paris! I love this radio station and the new technology! If your listening from some far off place, be sure and drop us a line, we'd love to hear from you! To tell you the truth, we just love to hear from all of our listener's, no matter where they are!
Earlier this week it was wonderful to be reacquainted with the Englishbee's, who's son listens to the Montana Radio Cafe in Iraq, where he fly's Blackhawk helicopters. Oren Englishbee called me one evening a few weeks ago to say how much he loved the station and how it kept him in touch with home! Wow! What an honor for us! Thanks to the Englishbee family, and Oren, get home safe.
Just a couple of musical notes - Stephen Jackmans at the Knead Cafe tonight, and Larry Keel and Natural Bridge bring great bluegrass to Whitefish tonight at Flanagan's.
I'm sure I'm leaving lot's of things out, but that's the risk of saying anything at all!
Dance the dance of life! Have a great one!

Is it hard for anyone else to believe it's March Already?
Yesterday we had a team of State champion basketball players in the studio. The Flathead girls homeschool basketball team won the state championship, and now are trying to get to the nationals in Oklahoma City. So they came in the studio (all but two of them!), and asked for money. Since I have no problem begging for others, I helped the best I could, mostly by giving them a bad time and showcasing their feisty personalities. These girls are after the title! They need five grand.
Anybody want to help? They'll be around town this weekend in their black team tops. Lay some cash on em'!
Today, Dr. Chris will be in, hopefully telling us more about the benefits of wine and chocolate.
And after that, musician Stephen Jackman will be in to play a few tunes and tempt us to come out and see him this Saturday night at the Knead Cafe.
Enjoy life! Enjoy the music! Cheers.

Well, it's Thursday. The day after the middle of the week, and not quite the end of the work week. What do you do with a Thursday?
For one thing congratulate the Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol for and job well done at last nights Banff Mountain Film Festival, radical Reels. Probably over 500 people showed up for the first ever Radical Reels showing here in the Flathead, and all apparently had a fine time!
The Montana Radio Cafe was priviledged to help sponsor the event and I personally had a ball!
Thanks to the Flathead Nordic Ski Patrol for all the hard work they do, and for bringing in Radical Reels!