Bozeman Magazine

Tickets available at Cactus Records and online @ chickenjamwest.com National Park Radio Emotional, gut-wrenching, but still incredibly hopeful, National Park Radio’s music reverberates important themes about life, love, and difficult choices, all while echoing the enduring beauty of the band’s deep-seated roots in the Ozark Mountains. Formed in Harrison, Arkansas in 2012, National Park Radio, headed by singer/songwriter Stefan Szabo, have infused the surrounding region (and many others as well) with their unique brand of indie folk music. Emerging from the shadows cast by giants Mumford & Sons, The Decemberists, and The Avett Brothers, NPR offers the indie folk world something a little different: An outstanding blend of incisive songwriting and organic Americana charm, alongside a heritage in genuine mountain music. Szabo (lead vocals, acoustic guitar) self-produced the band’s EP back in 2013, and National Park Radio has never looked back. Initially, the music spread like mountain wildfire throughout the region, earning the band a substantial and incredibly loyal following in their home region. Szabo’s wife Kerrie joined the band with the release of their album “Old Forests” (2017), bringing beautiful harmonies and a unique chemistry that creates a sense of family at the core of the band. They have spent the last few years touring and gaining fans throughout the West and Midwest, from California to Nashville, building a passionate fan base that believes in the power of music. Wes Urbaniak & Mountain Folk Wes Urbaniak's experimental expression makes fire from the gasoline structured folk genre. His songwriting carousels around the density of life questions and observations. Always seeking the more whole output of sound, Urbaniak drives the guitar mechanism hard - he drives the vocal folds hard, too. Having learned that the simplest expressions can hold some of the most complex returns the driving of this mountain music becomes: don’t overcomplicate; be a part of the dance; weave the fabric; leave the rest. This is the Mountain Folk genre of music - it’s the Mountain Folk story.