Sheryl Crow, Wilco and Sleater-Kinney to headline Peak to Sky

Eight acts round out festival weekend Aug. 7-8

By Michael Somerby EBS STAFF

BIG SKY – Peak to Sky ticketholders can expect to “soak up the sun” with Sheryl Crow this August, when the nine-time Grammy Award-winning artist and her band takes the stage as the summer festival’s headliner on Friday, Aug. 7.

Crow, a bona fide American music icon, has been dominating charts and winning hearts of millions worldwide for nearly three decades since the 1993 release of her debut album “Tuesday Night Music Club,” which peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Top 200 and remained ranked for 100 consecutive weeks.

That was just the beginning.

Her first nine studio albums have sold 35 million copies worldwide; seven of them charted in Billboard’s Top 10 and five were certified for Multi-Platinum sales. In addition to such No. 1 hits as “All I Wanna Do,” “Soak Up the Sun” and “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” Crow has logged some 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Top 40, Adult Contemporary, Mainstream Top 40 and Hot Country Songs charts, with more No. 1 singles in the Triple A listings than any other female artist.

“We set the bar pretty high last year, and we’re excited to continue that momentum,” said EJ Daws, VP of Sales and Marketing at Outlaw Partners, the Big Sky media, marketing and events company producing the event in collaboration with Mike McCready, the festival’s curator and guitarist from Pearl Jam.

Headliners for Saturday, Aug. 8 include Grammy Award-winning Wilco and Sleater-Kinney as part of their newly announced “It’s Time” Summer 2020 co-headlining tour.

Fronted by alt-rock legend Jeff Tweedy, and with 2 million monthly listeners on the popular music-streaming app Spotify, Wilco has a massive and dedicated worldwide following, and their alt-rock, folksy sound will be a perfect match for the groove-loving folks of southwest Montana (and anybody lucky enough to fly in for a taste).

Sleater-Kinney, comprised of Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein, who also starred in the hit TV show “Portlandia,” formed in the ‘90s in Olympia, Washington. The female rock band has been dubbed “punk rock heroes” by fans and critics alike, including Rolling Stone, which noted the fusion as “radical feminism and challenging, fiery punk.”

“To have a music event anchored by Sheryl Crow and Wilco, Sleater-Kinney will bring the highest level of performance to our little mountain town,” Daws said.

On Friday, guests will be treated to a comedy and music show by Fred Armisen, actor, comedian, writer, producer and musician best known for his role in Portlandia and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Warming up the stage for their Nashville neighbor, Jamie McLean Band will open for Crow, bringing the Americana, folk, Delta blues, Southern soul and New York City funk sounds that have made him a regular and a favorite in Big Sky over the last decade.

Saturday’s lineup will also include the desert disco band KOLARS, and Peak to Sky curator Mike McCready & Friends who will take the main stage following Wilco and Sleater-Kinney. Earlier in the afternoon, McCready will present a glimpse into his coffee table book, “Of Potato Heads and Polaroids” offering a perspective into his world inside and outside of Pearl Jam. 

A family-friendly show by Casper Babypants, also known as Chris Ballew, twice Grammy-nominated lead singer and songwriter for the Seattle band The Presidents of the United States of America, will take place Saturday morning under the venue’s “big top” tent.

“It’s exciting Peak to Sky has evolved into a true festival this year,” said Megan Paulson, Chief Operating Officer at Outlaw Partners. “The caliber of artists and a lineup as diverse and talented as we have planned, along with a few surprises, will be an event you won’t want to miss.”

Tickets on sale April 21, peaktosky.com