Carrie Underwood and Riley Green rock Big Sky By Carli Johnson STAFF WRITER PHOTO BY CLAIRE LICHTWARDT Editor’s note: Outlaw Partners produces Wildlands and is the publisher of Explore Big Sky. The roar inside the Big Sky Events Arena reached its peak just before Carrie Underwood took the stage—not for a song, but for conservation. Minutes before the Grammy-winning country music artist closed out the second night of Wildlands, Outlaw Partners CEO Eric Ladd presented a $625,000 check to the Property and Environment Research Center, the weekend’s primary beneficiary. The total donation, generated through a combination of ticket sales, vendor partnerships, special donors, and silent and live auction items during charity night, highlighted the mission behind bringing world-class entertainment to Big Sky and pairing it with a love for protecting wild and scenic lands. "The true heroes are the people who go out and conserve places like Montana," Ladd said before presenting the donation on stage. Addressing the crowd, PERC President and CEO Brian Yablonski said protecting Montana's landscape depends on the people who steward it every day. PHOTO BY GEORGE ORTIZ "We live in the most beautiful place in all of America," Yablonski said. "It takes people to protect this place. The original conservation is here in Montana. It's the cattle ranchers and farmers—they're the last best defense for the Last Best Place." PERC served as this year's primary beneficiary, with additional support directed to Vital Ground Foundation and the Montana State Parks Foundation. “It was rewarding to see Big Sky gather together to celebrate great music, great conservation, and our wonderful mountain community,” said Gary Rieschel, PERC board member and Big Sky resident. Nearly 5,000 attendees gathered each night to celebrate live music and conservation over the event’s two nights, filling the arena with cowboy hats, boots and handmade signs as locals and visitors celebrated music against the backdrop of Lone Mountain. Friday night's lineup featured Fader Magavin & the Risky Livers, followed by LeAnn Rimes before country music heartthrob Riley Green closed the evening. Long before Green took the stage, fans had lined up outside the arena clutching homemade posters and sporting fake mustaches in tribute to the country star. On Saturday morning, younger music fans gathered under the arena tent to dance and partake in face paint and balloon animals for the first annual Wildlands Family Jam, featuring music from Papa Strings and Jamie McLean. Kids of all ages showed off their dance moves to classics such as “The Wheels on the Bus” and “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” PHOTO BY GEORGE ORTIZPHOTO BY GEORGE ORTIZPHOTO BY GEORGE ORTIZPHOTO BY GEORGE ORTIZPHOTO BY CLAIRE LICHTWARDTPHOTO BY CLAIRE LICHTWARDTPHOTO BY CLAIRE LICHTWARDT That evening’s main event opened with a more rock n’ roll set from McLean before Kaitlin Butts energized the crowd ahead of Underwood's headlining performance. As the sun dipped behind the mountains, thousands sang along to Underwood's biggest hits, bringing the weekend to a close beneath a classic Montana sunset. “You don't often see country music and conservation share a stage, but that's exactly what makes Wildlands so incredible,” Yablonski told EBS after the event. “What an honor to be featured at this year's festival and to be the recipient of so much generosity, kindness and enthusiasm for our innovative conservation work.” “From the incredible performances on stage to the mountains around us, Wildlands felt like Montana at its best; a true celebration of this place and the people responsible for keeping it wild,” he added. While performances like Green’s and Underwood’s is what may have initially drawn fans from across the region, and country, to the arena, the landscape behind it reminded concert-goers of its larger purpose: raising money and awareness to conservation efforts that make Big Sky, and the surrounding Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, unique.
