Known for its wide open spaces and breathtaking beauty, more than a million people call Montana home. It also has several tourist attractions like Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. Additionally, visitors and locals enjoy ski resorts that are nestled into the Rocky Mountains and other smaller mountain ranges, too.
Beyond the natural beauty of “Big Sky Country,” did you know Montana is also home to several famous musicians? From country music to alternative rock, Montana paved the way for a few musicians to gain their start in the music industry. (To learn about musicians from a nearby state, click here to see the biggest musicians from Oregon.)
To compile this information, 24/7 Tempo used various sources, including IMDb, Singersroom, and Last FM, along with local sources like My 103.5. Here are the 10 biggest musicians from Montana.
Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam)
Jeffrey Ament is most known for his work as the bassist and one of the co-founders of the alternative rock group Pearl Jam. Born in 1963 in Havre, Ament grew up in the small town of Big Sandy, Montana. He learned to play bass guitar as a teenager and continued to study music and art in college.
When Ament discovered that his college was no longer going to be carrying the classes he desired to take, Ament picked up and moved to Seattle, Washington. There, he connected with other local musicians and was part of several other bands like Green River and Temple of the Dog before Pearl Jam was formed in 1990.
Ament helped to write many of the songs Pearl Jam recorded, and he even released a solo album in 2008. Today, he splits his time between Seattle and Missoula, Montana, while continuing to write and record new music.
Huey Lewis
While originally born in New York City in 1950, Hugh Cregg III (known professionally as Huey Lewis) currently resides in Stevensville, Montana. Lewis grew up in California and graduated high school with notably high SAT scores and an all-state baseball career. Following high school graduation, he attended Cornell University before losing interest in college and moving on to other ventures.
Lewis’ music career began in 1971 when he was asked to join the band Clover. Lewis became famous for his strong lead vocals and stellar harmonica playing. After several stage name changes, Lewis went on to form his own band, Huey Lewis and The News. The group’s most popular song, “The Power of Love” was released in 1985 and was also chosen as a track for the hit movie “Back to the Future.”
Lewis no longer tours, but is still involved with the music industry. He also announced in 2018 that he suffers from Ménière’s disease, which affects his hearing and his ability to sing.
Rob Quist
Robert Quist was born in Cut Bank, Montana in 1948. Growing up, Quist learned to play several different instruments but is most known for playing the guitar and banjo for the bluegrass group Mission Mountain Wood Band. Quist was also a songwriter and singer for the band.
Quist’s musical journey began in college. While he originally attended the University of Montana to play men’s basketball, he also joined the Jubileers singing group. Through the connections he made in this group, Quist went on to form the Mission Mountain Wood Band and the country rock and bluegrass band saw success through the 1970s and ’80s. Today, Quist is active in politics and continues to call Montana home.
Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse)
Born in Helena, Montana, you might know Isaac Brock as the lead singer and guitarist for the indie rock group Modest Mouse. Brock was born in Helena but moved to Washington with his mother and sister when he was 11. Brock moved around throughout his teen years and eventually settled in the Seattle area where he met the future bandmates of Modest Mouse.
The band was formed in 1990, but Brock is the only remaining original member of the group. Modest Mouse saw popularity in the mid-1990s and early 2000s but recently released a new album in 2021. Brock is also the owner of a record label called Glacial Pace which he founded in 2005. Today, Brock resides in Portland and continues to stay active in the music scene.
Martha Raye
circa 1944: Martha Raye (1916 - 1994) the stage name of Maggie OReed, the American comedienne and vocalist who made a number of films in the 40s. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Known as both an actress and singer, Martha Raye was born in Butte, Montana in 1916. With parents who were both performers, Raye was accustomed to the lifestyle and began her vocalist career as a teenager, performing with two different orchestras. Aside from music, Raye made her big-screen debut alongside Bing Crosby in “Rhythm on the Range,” which was released in 1936.
Before this film, however, Raye made a splash on Broadway. In 1934, she appeared in the musical “Calling All Stars.” She then returned to Broadway following her stint with Paramount Pictures where she starred alongside Crosby. Raye was known for her comedic roles and took on television after movies and Broadway. She passed in October of 1994 at the age of 78 due to complications from pneumonia.
Stephanie Quayle
An acoustic guitar on an empty stage
Hailing from Bozeman, Montana, Stephanie Quayle is a modern-day singer-songwriter. Her musical talents began at an early age when learned to play piano at 4 before picking up a guitar as a teen. Quayle’s debut album “Love the Way You See Me” dropped in 2017. This led to Rolling Stone listing her as one of the “Top Ten Artists to Watch” that same year.
Quayle then made her Grand Ole Opry debut in 2018 before releasing her EP “If I Was a Cowboy” in 2019. In 2020, she paired up with Wrangler to produce “The Montana Sessions” which included stripped-down versions of her “If I Was a Cowboy” album. Branching outside of music, Quayle is expected to release her debut book in April of 2024.
David Lynch
While David Lynch is most known for his talent as a filmmaker, he is also a musician who’s released several albums both as a solo artist and in group projects. Lynch was born in Missoula, Montana in 1946, though his family moved to several different states throughout his childhood.
Lynch’s musical career is closely tied to his filmmaking. His first projects involved writing lyrics and producing albums in the late 1980s and early ’90s. While he continues to compose numbers for movies, he has also released his own electropop albums. Lynch also went on to create his own music label in 2008. Today, Lynch continues to stay active in the film and music scene. He is also known for his literature and work as a painter.
Amiee Allen (The Interrupters)
Amiee Allen is a singer-songwriter from Montana who now resides in Los Angeles. Allen’s singing career began at a young age leading her to leave Montana at age 18 to move to California to pursue a music career. When Allen first arrived in California, she joined the band No Motiv as a singer. When their record deal fell through, however, Allen signed on with Elektra Records to pursue a solo career.
In 2009, Allen and 3 brothers, Kevin, Jesse, and Justin Boniva, formed The Interrupters. Allen covers lead vocals for the punk rock group and is married to Kevin. The band continues to create music and tour. You’ll also find Allen under the pseudonym Amiee Interrupter.
Tim Montana
Electric guitar player on a stage with colorful blue and purple scenic illumination
Born in Kalispell but raised in Butte, Montana, Tim Montana is a country musician whose last name is ironically the same as the state he was born in. As a child, he learned to play the guitar and often played in school talent shows before graduating and moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music.
Montana then made the move to Nashville to pursue country music. His debut album “Iron Horse” dropped in 2007. Afterward, Montana formed the band Tim Montana and the Shrednecks. This group hit the road in recent years, opening for ZZ Top and Kid Rock. Montana is also known for his stellar songwriting abilities, having written songs for Kid Rock, Michael Ray, and Travis Tritt.
Nicolette Larson
Like Brock, Nicolette Larson was born in Helena, Montana before moving to other parts of the country. She is most known for her hit “Lotta Love” which hit No.1 on the Adult Contemporary Chart in 1978.
Larson began her career as a backup vocalist to many artists including Neil Young before seeing success as a solo artist. After her “Lotta Love” hit in 1978, Rolling Stone named her Female Vocalist of the Year. In the early 1980s, however, Larson moved over to country music where she saw success until her early and untimely death in 1997 at the age of 45. (Click to read about some of the most popular artists who’ve never had a No. 1 hit.)