Greetings, Beacon Nation! My morning media intake began with the sad news that former Grateful Dead vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux had died at age 78, and it ended with festival organizers announcing a 2026 Under the Big Sky music festival lineup that includes Chris Stapleton.
What the music gods taketh, they also giveth.
In the “taketh” column, it’s been a mournful year for celebrated musical icons, from Garth Hudson, Brian Wilson and Sly Stone to Ozzy Osbourne, D’Angelo and now Godchaux, whose mezzo-soprano strains of gospel-and-soul inspired vocals animated timeless treasures like the Dead’s “Playing in the Band” and Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Loves A Woman.” These late artists all made lasting contributions to our musical heritage long before our listening habits went algorithmic, and they’ll endure long after the data-tracking catalog crashes, or falls on deaf ears.
To quote Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, “May the four winds blow you safely home.”
One unifying characteristic that was core to the identities of all the departed artists I named above was their dedication to live performances, be it D’Angelo’s soul-shaking set at the 2000 Montreaux Jazz Festival or Godchaux’s immutable harmonies on the Dead’s triple-record live set “Europe ’72.” Speaking from personal experience, I haven’t encountered a crisis of faith that couldn’t be restored by indulging our human impulse to congregate for live concert performances, which is why I’m pleased to announce here in the “giveth” column that Under the Big Sky is returning to Whitefish for its seventh edition this summer.
For me, the week of crowds and congestion is a small sacrifice for the soul-soothing salve of live local music. (In other News for Allah: If you missed Katie Bartlett’s singular profile of Whitefish sound engineer Toby Scott and the decades he spent in the studio with Bruce Springsteen, it’s a must read.)
I’m Tristan Scott, here to deliver the full festival lineup and the rest of your Daily Roundup.
The region’s largest music festival is returning to the Whitefish area this summer with a lineup headlined by Chris Stapleton in his Under the Big Sky debut, along with former festival fan favorites Zach Top, Cody Jinks, Ryan Bingham, and more.
The multi-day music festival is slated for July 17, 18 and 19. The lineup was announced Monday in social media posts, a press release and on the Under the Big Sky website, where festivalgoers can access presale tickets beginning Friday, Nov. 7 at 10 a.m.
The full lineup includes: Chris Stapleton, Zach Top, Cody Jinks, Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentlemen, Of Monsters and Men, Stephen Wison Jr., Charles Wesley Godwin, Marcus King Band, Max McNown, Greensky Bluegrass, Old Crow Medicine Show, Waylon Wyatt, Benjamin Tod, Katilin Butts, Jamestown Revival, Chance Peña, Ocie Elliott, Leftover Salmon, Rattlesnake Milk, Gabriella Rose, Goldie Bootilier, Hogslop String Band, Mountain Grass Unit, Lauren Watkins, Caitlyn Smith, The Brudi Brothers, Cole Chaney, Lily Meola, Fabrizio, Madeline Hawthorne, Archertown, Blue Point, Hannah King, Kyle Hunter Band, Michelle Rivers, Miller Campbell, Radio Ranch, Tanner Laws, Tobacco River Ramblers, and Tomara.
This will be the festival’s seventh year. Last summer’s festival was headlined by Tyler Childers, Mumford & Sons and The Red Clay Strays. For more information go to https://www.underthebigskyfest.com/.
Check out the Beacon’s photo gallery from last year’s Under the Big Sky here, and keep reading for the rest of your Daily Roundup.
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This holiday season, celebrate the spirit of our community by shopping local. Every purchase you make from a neighborhood business helps support local jobs, families, and the unique character that makes the Flathead Valley such a special place to call home. From thoughtful gifts to festive experiences, our local shops have everything you need to make the season bright. Here’s some information on how to keep it local this holiday season.
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