The Livingston Songwriter Festival has made a $5000 donation to Park High School’s Music Department to supplement their music program.
“The Livingston Songwriter Festival has three missions—to promote the art of songwriting and songwriters, to promote Livingston as a destination for music fans—promoting an economic lift to local businesses, and to support music education in our schools,” explained Mike Booth, who produces the festival with locals John Lowell and Joanne Gardner Lowell.
“We’re delighted to announce we’ve accomplished all three after our festival in early October,” said Booth. “During the 2nd Annual Livingston Songwriter Festival, twenty songwriters from Montana and across the country showcased their songs and stories in forty shows throughout the weekend. Additionally, eighteen aspiring songwriters attended a two-day songwriting workshop enhancing their songwriting skills. Over 64 percent of ticket buyers traveled more than 100 miles away to attend the festival, and 38 percent were from outside the state of Montana, benefiting the economy with money spent on lodging stays, meals, gas and more.”
“By donating this check to Garrett Stannard (with Park High School’s music department) we accomplish our third goal,” added coproducer John Lowell. “Park High School will use the money to address a significant challenge: limited access to private lesson teachers. These lessons will be conducted in the Park High School music studio, utilizing tools such as recording equipment and software to facilitate interactive and impactful sessions. By offering group lessons, they will maximize the reach of this investment, allowing multiple students to benefit from expert instruction.”
The Livingston’s Yellowstone Songwriter Festival is a production of the Rocky Mountain Songwriters Inc., a 501 c (3) organization and will return October 1 - 3, 2026 with new and returning performers for their third annual event. The lineup and early tickets will be available soon after the first of the year, with opportunities for people to become involved through sponsorships, becoming patrons, offering housing donations and volunteers.
“We look forward to next year, when we will bring new songwriters to share their songs and stories, attracting more music fans to Livingston, and continuing to enrich the lives of young people through music,” added coproducer Joanne Gardner Lowell. “We love how Livingston has embraced this festival and thank everyone who made this donation and this festival possible.”