Bozeman Magazine

Sam Platts and the Great Plainsmen

Southwest Montana’s Sam Platts and the Great Plainsmen play honky-tonk music with a unique sound guided by tradition. Sam Platts leads the group and is backed by solid rhythm, bass and harmony, creating music that is meant to be danced to. Songs range from originals written by Platts to traditional country staples, led by his vocals and guitar. The band’s focus is on making country music—while it may not fit on mainstream country radio, the young group’s commitment to their sound sets them apart. They have played around the world for a wide range of audiences, including festivals in France and China. The group originally formed in Coeur d’ Alene Idaho, but now call the small mountain town of Pony, Montana, home. Platts grew up in southern Wyoming, listening to music while driving around his grandfather’s ranch and cultivating a passion for traditional country music that few young people have today.
His grandfather’s love for polka and accordion playing prompted Platts to learn the instrument himself, which now adds variety to the band’s music. His father runs Stonetree Guitars, which Platts worked for throughout high school. He plays guitars built by his father, Scott, and holds a great appreciation for each piece that goes into the music he makes. When he isn’t making music, Platts works for local ranches and can frequently be found feeding and working cows. The group recorded their first studio album Sundown at Noon (recorded under the name Sam Platts and the Kootenai Three), in 2013, which was entirely written and arranged by Platts and the band. In a time when the style of traditional country music has been pushed aside, Sam Platts and the Great Plainsmen is keeping the sound alive.

The Dead Yellers 

The Dead Yellers formed in 2011, with the ostentatious goal of finding a good excuse to smoke cigarettes and drink whiskey, and have been doing just that ever since. Relying on songwriting and simplicity rather than a love of NASCAR and Jesus, the band has carved out that difficult niche in the country scene with the conspicuous and stunning lack of a Johnny Cash or Waylon cover on their debut album, leading many critics to the conclusion that this must not be country at all.

They play both dancing and crying music.