Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

If we get 100 donations on Dec. 3rd, generous friends of the station will add an additional $3,000 bonus. Your donation in any amount helps us get there.

Musician's Spotlight - James McMurtry 2024

James McMurtry
James McMurtry

Acclaimed singer songwriter and guitarist James McMurtry returns to Musician's Spotlight for the first time since being the guest on the show, named, Non-Commercial Program Of The Year by the Montana Broadcaster's Association back in 2018.

James goes in deep in his recollections of the production and arrangement of his most recent recording "The Horses and the Hounds" which won numerous Americana Music awards.

He shares his technique of writing lyrics from the perspective of characters which are inspired by specific lines of dialogue that he thinks of off the top of his head.

He also shares how different guitars can inspire his writing and how they can dictate the drive of energy of the song.

On a more personal level, James shares how he stopped drinking and how it has effected his life in general and specifically how it might have improved his hunting skills.

John Floridis, the host and producer of Musician's Spotlight, has been with Montana Public Radio since 1997. He has interviewed over 200 musicians during that time. He is also an independent recording and performing artist in his own right and a former registered music therapist.
Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information
  • Host John Floridis visits with fiddler and Della Mae founder Kimber Ludiker. Della Mae is a GRAMMY-nominated, all-women string band. Hailing from across North America, and reared in diverse musical styles, they are one of the most charismatic and engaging roots bands touring today.
  • Award winning trombonist and composer Naomi Moon Siegel returns to Musician's Spotlight. Namoi discusses her newest recording project "Shatter The Glass Sanctuary" and the work behind the scenes to make it happen.
  • Host John Floridis visits with percussionist Matt Zimbel of Manteca, the unique Pan fusion collective also described as “Jazz adjacent, heavy metal, hoe down rock band…"
  • Electronic music composer, producer and songwriter Scott Hansen, also known as Tycho joins host John Floridis for this episode. The Grammy nominated musician discusses his early inspiration into music which came more from a knowledge of computers than from mastering a musical instrument.
  • This program is a 20 year retrospective on our visit with the legendary B.B. King. On July 30th, 2004 Musician's Spotlight host John Floridis and then co-host Brian Kopper ventured to the Big Sky Brewery in Missoula, Montana for a blues festival that included Shemekia Copeland and Dr. John as well as B.B. King.
  • Son Cubano legend and virtuoso of the cuatro and tres string instruments Kiki Valera joins host John Floridis to talk shop.