An Evening with the Breedlove Black Ram Guitar: Come hear singer-songwriter James McMurtry, writers Rick Bass and Bill McKibben, violinist Pico Alt, and a host of other musicians, poets, Native leaders and representatives from Our Children’s Trust as we celebrate the Breedlove Black Ram Guitar and the forest that made her.
Mark your calendars! The Montana Project, Maclean Literary Festival, and Whitefish Review have joined forces to present the Black Ram Guitar Festival - an evening celebrating music, art and environmental activism at the Wilma. On September 28th, visitors and locals are invited to enjoy events and performances in support of the establishing of the nation’s first climate refuge – featuring James McMurtry, Rick Bass, Bill McKibben and many more!
Jeff Bridges and Breedlove guitars teamed up to create the Breedlove Black Ram Guitar as a part of their “All In This Together” campaign. The instrument itself is handcrafted and produced from a 315-year-old, wind-felled spruce from the Yaak Valley. The guitar simultaneously champions the resiliency of nature and the urgent need for environmental conservation efforts both locally and globally.
The Yaak Valley is nestled deep in the northwestern corner of Montana’s Kootenai National Forest. As Montana’s only inland rainforest, the Yaak’s unique climate is home to a remarkable array of wildlife and old-growth forests. The Yaak provides critical habitat for nearly 200 wildlife species, 25% of which are on Montana’s species of concern report. The ancient woodlands, with some trees dating back 600-800 years – are fundamental in offsetting carbon levels on a global scale. Old-growth forests can sequester 12% of the world’s annual carbon emissions – making them irreplaceable in terms of combating climate change and the vitality of the ecosystem in which they exist.
The United States Forest Service’s Black Ram Project would affect over 95,000 acres of federal forest land. The proposal includes approximately 4,000 acres of forest designated for clear-cutting, harvesting timber, and logging – if approved, 60 million board feet of timber would be removed from the Yaak. The Black Ram Project threatens both the flora and fauna of the region, the delicate balance of the ecosystem, and undermines environmental efforts to combat climate change. The mighty larch, subalpine fir, red cedar and western hemlock have withstood the test of time – let's keep it that way.
Let’s keep the Yaak standing tall! Join us at the Black Ram Guitar Festival to celebrate and protect this natural treasure — let’s create the nation’s first Climate Refuge together. For more details and tickets, visit the official event page.
