Chinook and Harlem Libraries to host "Home, Home on the Ranch…"
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The Chinook and Harlem Libraries, in conjunction with Montana Humanities, are hosting stories and songs by Bill Rossiter in his presentation titled “Home, Home on the Ranch: Farm and Ranch Life in Story and Song.” The program, through songs and stories, illustrates the less glamorous but more enduring side of life on the ranches and farms in Montana. Both programs are at the respective libraries: Chinook’s performance is Wednesday, April 26, at 7pm, and Harlem’s is Thursday, April 27, at 7 pm. There is no charge to attend the program.
Rossiter, who currently lives in Kalispell, taught literature and folklore for twenty-five years at Flathead Valley College. He also served as Chairman of the Humanities Division at Flathead, overseeing courses in literature, art and music at the college. His career path, including stints as a farm laborer, brakeman on the railroad, Capuchin friar, factory worker, newspaper columnist, carpenter, public relations flack, disk jockey, ghost writer and bartender, has given him a varied background that he brings to his presentations. He performs at museums, heritage centers, libraries, public and private banquets and story tellers’ festivals. He was the 2015 recipient of the Governor’s Award for Service to the Humanities in Montana.
In addition to his stories, he is a musician. He’s been playing traditional finger-style guitar, autoharp and old-time “clawhammer” banjo music in bars, concert halls and back rooms for, as Rossiter notes, “for a reeeally long time.” In addition to his solo work, he is also a member of several musical groups including a Dixieland band, a folk/roots duo, an Irish duo and an American Roots group, “The Grin-and-Bear-It String Clan.” Rossiter’s wife, Sharon, plays the washtub bass and often accompanies Bill at his performances.
The songs and stories
Rossiter describes his songs and stories as resulting from the long haul—when settlers, pioneers, wrangles and boomers had to put down roots and carve out a home. The topics cover the range of challenges those early folks faced: drought; fluctuating markets; grasshoppers; dust storms; taxes and, of course, mortgages. The songs, back in the day, that were current among the farm workers and ranch hands had an authenticity (compared to later “Hollywoodized” songs) that script writers couldn’t fake.
Those old songs and stories told of being left afoot by a runaway horse; of being run up a tree by a maverick steer; of hand-to-hand combat with the hard times and good times brought on by the farm markets. How real were the topics? “There’s even a song about spotted knapweed,” writes Rossiter. The program will feature several songs where Rossiter accompanies himself on the guitar, banjo, Autoharp or harmonica.
After each session there will be an opportunity for the audience to visit with Bill Rossiter and ask questions. In his program outline he notes there will also be time for audience members to share their own stories about families who survived the tough times on ranches and farms. There will be refreshments after each performance. Call the Harlem or Blaine County Library for more information about the upcoming programs.
