Over the years, so many people have been inspired by Big Sky Country. From Hollywood directors and legendary artists to naturalists and even singers, Montana inspires great works of art. It’s amazing how many songs about Montana there are, and movies that were filmed in Montana. For example, Frank Zappa once sang a quirky little tune about the experience of moving to Montana. Singer-songwriter Jewel was so inspired by Missoula that she wrote “The Missoula Song.” These two weren’t the first artists to sing Montana songs, either – and we have a feeling that they certainly won’t be the last. Here’s a small sample of some of the Montana music that was inspired by the spirit of our great state:

1. "Montana Lullaby" by Ken Overcast
Bear Valley/Youtube
Of course, the official state lullaby has to top our list! The lyrics are beautiful: "From the wide rollin' plains, cross the Rockies blue range, wherever the proud eagle flies, a lone coyote croons to a full lover's moon, a Montana lullaby." It was adopted as the official Montana lullaby in 2007. The singer, Ken Overstreet, is a Chinook native, so it's no surprise that his Montana song captures the spirit of the state so completely!
2. “Wild Montana Skies" by John Denver and Emmylou Harris
xAroganceInASoupCanx/Youtube
This song was a hit on Denver's 1983 album "It's About Time." It's been voted as one of the best Western songs of all time, which is high praise considering how many hits Denver has praising the West!
3. “Montana On My Mind” by Shane Clouse
Shane Clouse/Youtube
"I’m missing home and all alone tonight… I’ve got Montana on my mind."
4. “Meet Me in Montana” by Dan Seals & Marie Osmond
countrychloe/Youtube
This bittersweet song was a single for both Seals and Osmond. It's about a pair of lovers who each fail separately at their dreams, so they decide to meet up again in Montana and try their luck at a relationship again.
5. “Montana Song” by Hank Williams, Jr.
Long Live Outlaw Country/Youtube
This song is about a man who decides to heal his broken heart by moving to Montana in hopes of meeting someone who will love him for who he really is. Clearly, he has great taste. Williams knows what he's talking about, as his family owns a home near Missoula.
6. “Goodnight, Montana” by Dave Walburn
David Walburn/Youtube
"Your hand may well be waving goodbye, but your heart never leaves this place. It just says, Goodnight, Montana, goodnight." That’s so true, isn’t it? Walburn's album Montana: Life Under the Big Sky has several songs about his life in Big Sky Country.
7. “Montana Rodeo” by Chris LeDoux
bkenyon21/Youtube
Chris LeDoux was a rodeo champion before he ever became a singer. This song was on his 1983 album Thirty Dollar Cowboy.
8. “Midnight in Missoula” by Nanci Griffith
Nanci Griffith/Youtube
"It's midnight in Missoula, where the Black Hills know your name…" Nanci Griffith has released several songs about the great state of Montana, though she is originally from Texas.

What are some of your favorite songs about Montana? Please share your suggestions in the comments with your fellow Montana music lovers!

 

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Songs About Montana

Sarah M. | July 11, 2022

What are some movies that were filmed in Montana?

The following movies have scenes that were filmed in Montana:

  • Though the movie is primarily shot in the South, Forrest Gump runs through Montana in the film, and two scenes shot in Montana appear in the movie. One scene was filmed in Cut Bank (the one where wheat fields appear briefly), and the other was filmed at the St. Mary Entrance to Glacier National Park.
  • Glacier served as the inspiration for Heaven in 1998 from "What Dreams May Come," and it's no wonder why! Robin Williams was apparently so impressed with Glacier that he said, "If it isn’t God’s backyard, He certainly lives nearby."
  • Missoula, too, is a popular film location in Montana, serving as the main setting for "A River Runs Through It." But what many don’t know is that the scenes that supposedly took place in Missoula and the Blackfoot River were actually shot in Livingston, Bozeman, and parts of Yellowstone. The church scenes were filmed in the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Livingston.
  • The 2013 movie "Nebraska" may have been about the Cornhusker State, but parts of it were filmed in Billings and Laurel. The movie’s main character, played by Bruce Dern, was from Billings. Watch the first 15 minutes and you’ll see some familiar territory.

 

Check out some of the movies filmed in Montana.

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