Podcast
Outlaw Beat
Hosted by Joe Borden & Michelle Veale Borden · EN
“Outlaw Beat: Stories from the West” scans the horizon for anything worth mentioning. Hosted by Joe Borden & Michelle Veale Borden
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Taco & Caden Dowler on Montana State's National Title, the Transfer Portal, and “the Stick Incident”
1w ago00:36:27Tap to summarizeTaco and Caden Dowler are twin brothers from Billings who became the faces of Montana State's first national championship in 41 years — Taco caught the title-tying touchdown in overtime, Caden won Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year. They sat down with Outlaw Beat to break down the final fourth-down play snap by snap, explain why they turned down transfer portal money to stay in Montana, and settle a few things about growing up as each other's toughest competition. Plus: the family bloodline that runs through the first Super Bowl, the Taco Dowler Youth Foundation's Backpack to Belong program, and a game of Bobcats Back to Back presented by Stay Montana.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/dowlertwinsLearn more about and support the Taco Dowler Youth Foundation: TacoDowlerYouthFoundation.orgCome see the Dowlers play this fall: MSUbobcats.comSupport Bobcat football by joining the Bobcat Collective: BobcatCollective.comAnd visit StayMontana.com to book your next Big Sky vacationFollow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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Jamie McLean & Willie McMillon on Wildlands 2026, the First-Ever Free Family Jam, and the Worst Gigs of their Lives
2w ago00:33:51Tap to summarizeTwo very different musicians, one festival weekend under Lone Peak. Jamie McLean — former guitarist for New Orleans' legendary Dirty Dozen Brass Band, with stages from Madison Square Garden to Japan's Fuji Rock — plays Wildlands Music Festival on Saturday, August 1 alongside Carrie Underwood and Kaitlin Butts, plus a free solo acoustic set at the first-ever Wildlands Family Jam that morning. Willie McMillon of Fader Magavin & the Risky Livers brings underground basement warehouse country from Jackson, Wyoming to Friday night's bill with Riley Green and LeAnn Rimes — and explains why his band keeps writing checks to a festival they're already losing money to play.Jamie comments on being drafted into the Dirty Dozen without a single rehearsal, what Taj Mahal told his tour manager, and why streaming royalties don't fill a gas tank. Willie speaks to the artist donation he started as a dare to richer bands, the tour bus sticker incident that nearly got him uninvited, and the night his drummer set him on fire with a bottle of 151.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/jamiemcleanWILDLANDS MUSIC FESTIVAL 2026July 31 – August 1, Big Sky Events ArenaTickets and full lineup: wildlandsmusic.comWildlands Family Jam — Saturday, Aug. 1, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., Big Sky Events Arena VIP Tent. Free, no tickets, all ages. Pancake breakfast, face painting, balloon animals. Papa Strings with special guest Jamie McLean.JAMIE McLEAN BANDLatest album One Step Forward — featured track "Summer of Who Knows When"[JamieMcleanBand.com / Spotify / IG — @jamiemcleanband]FADER MAGAVIN & THE RISKY LIVERSNew album Troubled Blud, out now on all major streaming platformsFaderMagavin.com[Spotify / Instagram — @riskylivers]CHAPTERS00:00 Roots rock dude00:52 How the Jamie McLean Band got its name02:19 The free Wildlands Family Jam (and the pancake bribe)03:56 Why Saturday morning is solo acoustic04:47 The Taj Mahal bus does not leave without Taj Mahal06:05 Six years in the Dirty Dozen, zero rehearsals08:15 How bands actually make money now10:38 What happens when weather cancels a show12:40 Of Monsters and Men, incognito at Pine Creek Lodge13:32 Fly fishing, coffee, and Montana off-days14:19 Tales From the Tour Bus: Jamie20:01 "Summer of Who Knows When"21:02 Willie McMillon and the rise of warehouse country22:13 Two years, one new album: Troubled Blud23:01 The artist donation that started a trend24:10 The tour bus sticker incident25:50 Why protecting Montana land is worth the money27:36 Tales From the Tour Bus: Willie31:03 Outro#WildlandsMusicFestival #BigSkyMontana #JamieMcLean #FaderMagavin #OutlawBeatAnd visit Crossbow Hatmakers in Bozeman to get fitted for a hat that's as tough and one-of-a-kind as Big Sky country. ShopCrossbow.com Follow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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The Guitar Fighting to Save a Forest - Rick Bass on the Yaak Valley’s Last Hope
3w ago00:27:03Tap to summarizeRick Bass — petroleum geologist turned Montana Project director — explains how a 315-year-old spruce, felled during a Forest Service clearcut in Montana's Yaak Valley, became the Black Ram Guitar. Jeff Bridges heard it once and commissioned six more. Now it's touring with a busload of MFA students trying to get the Black Ram region of the Yaak designated as America's first Climate Refuge. We talk old-growth forests, grizzly habitat, the politics behind a proposed 800-acre clearcut, and whether a guitar can actually stop a chainsaw.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/rickbassBuy a ticket to the Black Ram Guitar Festival this October 2 in Bozeman, MT at The Ellen Theatre: BlackRamGuitarFest.orgFollow the students’ progress on their journey: GreenCurtainRoadShow.orgCheck out this story about Rick and the Yaak in Mountain Outlaw: https://www.mtoutlaw.com/songs-from-a-climate-refuge/And head to the Big Sky Events Arena for the free Wildlands Family Jam Saturday Aug. 1, from 10am to 12pm! Follow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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Meteorologist Mike Heard - What’s in his Forecast after 38 Years in Local News
Jul 1600:35:04Tap to summarizeFor 38 years, Mike Heard was the most trusted voice in southwest Montana weather — chief meteorologist for KBZK and KXLF, the forecast an entire region planned its week around. In June 2026, his position was eliminated in a statewide downsizing. He didn't see it coming: "0% chance," in his words.Mike joins Outlaw Beat to talk about growing up in Butte, getting hired with zero TV experience, and why forecasting Bozeman is so hard (southwest Montana is a radar desert). We cover the super El Niño threatening this ski season, why there's been no snow on Christmas in Bozeman, what a microburst actually is, and Mike’s brutally honest forecast for the future of local television. Plus, he plays along in "Cloudy with a Chance of BS," where he rates your favorite weather folklore — and a science teacher finally stumps him.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/mikeheardFollow Mike's new venture, Heard's First Forecast, for hyper-local southwest Montana weather here:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590004850751Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/15587640/joinAnd treat your feet to handcrafted, made-in-Texas leather boots at downtown Bozeman’s Lucchese. lucchese.com Follow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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Epilepsy Foundation & Making Montana Schools Seizure Safe
Jul 900:31:10Tap to summarizeWhat does a seizure actually look like? What do you do when one happens in front of you? And why is Montana one of the states still without a law requiring teachers to know the answer to that question?On this episode of Outlaw Beat, we sit down with Jessica Veach — Regional Executive Director of the Epilepsy Foundation covering Montana, Nevada, and Utah — and Dr. Karla Mora Rodriguez, neurologist with Billings Clinic, to talk about one of the most common neurological conditions most people know almost nothing about.Nearly 11,000 Montanans are living with epilepsy. 1 in 10 people will have a seizure in their lifetime. And a free, one-hour, on-demand training exists that could prepare every teacher and school employee to respond — but Montana has yet to make it law.Big Sky PBR is going purple in support of epilepsy awareness Thursday July 16. If this episode moves you, contact your Montana state legislator and ask them to support the Seizure Safe Schools bill when it hits the floor in February.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/epilepsyfoundationLearn more and support the Epilepsy Foundation: Epilepsy.comResources:📞 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-332-1000📲 @epilepsymontana🏥 Billings Clinic Neurosciences: 406-238-2410Tags/Keywords: epilepsy Montana, seizure first aid, Seizure Safe Schools, Epilepsy Foundation Montana, Big Sky PBR, what to do during a seizure, ketogenic diet epilepsy, SUDEP, Billings Clinic neurology, Montana health, epilepsy awareness, purple day epilepsyAnd plan your next trip to the Crown Jewel of the National Park System with Explore Yellowstone! ExploreYellowstone.comFollow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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Ornithologist Jeff Marks: The Guy Who Wrote the Book on Montana Birds
Jul 200:43:04Tap to summarizeMeet Jeff Marks, senior author of “Birds of Montana” - the first comprehensive state bird reference since 1921. Jeff is the executive director of the Montana Bird Advocacy, a former editor of The Auk, and has spent decades studying everything from Long-eared Owls to Bristle-thighed Curlews in the Pacific.We met Jeff in Grant, Montana to talk about the best places to birdwatch in the state, the worst bird in Montana (his answer might surprise you), how birds can literally see Earth's magnetic field, the controversial ethics of using bird call playback apps like Merlin Bird ID, and we play a rapid-fire birding etiquette game to find out what's actually frowned upon in the field.Topics covered: the most underrated birding spots in Montana, why grassland birds are in trouble, the strange science behind bird migration, magpie funerals, and what it's like being the gatekeeper of the official Montana bird records list.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/jeffmarksSupport Jeff's nonprofit: MontanaBirdAdvocacy.orgThis episode is sponsored by Vim & Vigr, Montana-born compression socks. A portion of proceeds from their limited edition Wildlands Music sock goes to this year's festival beneficiary. Find them at VIMVIGR.com.Follow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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Building Montana with SWMBIA - Bozeman Housing, Trades Training & the Future of Work
Jun 1100:38:21Tap to summarizeWe’re talking home building and AI-proof trades for Gen Z with President of Southwest Montana Building Industry Association slash owner of Rivers Landscaping Riley Rivers and Career Outreach Coordinator for Bozeman and Gallatin High Schools Karl Schwartz, architect of the new Bozeman Construction Academy.Riley breaks down the real inputs driving building costs in the Gallatin Valley: materials, labor, land, fuel, permit delays, government regulation, and the cost of holding land while projects wait for approval. Karl explains how the Construction Academy gives high school students hands-on trades experience, college credit through Gallatin College, and job-site readiness before they graduate.They also get into why construction careers are much broader than “swinging a hammer,” why AI is not about to install sprinkler lines on a Big Sky hillside, and how private industry support helped launch a public-school trades program. Then Joe makes Riley and Karl play a deeply unserious but weirdly educational price-per-square-foot guessing game featuring storage units, Bozeman homes, Costco, Yellowstone Club, coffee shacks, the Las Vegas Sphere, and the International Space Station.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/swmbiaJoin SWMBIA: SWMBIA.orgSupport the Construction Academy: BozemanConstructionAcademy.orgAnd get your Big Sky Community Rodeo tickets here: BigSkyPBR.comFollow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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YES Compost & Big Sky Resort Tax
Jun 400:32:16Tap to summarizeBig Sky, Montana is technically unincorporated — no town council, no mayor — yet it generates $25 million a year in resort tax revenue and just became the most taxable community in the state. We sat down with Daniel Bierschwale, Executive Director of Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD), to break down how resort taxes work, what the new hospital district means for residents, and why Big Sky is essentially funding two teachers per school district across all 391 Montana school districts.And while we’re talking dirty details, Karl Johnson, owner of YES Compost, joins to explain what vermicomposting is. It’s hundreds of thousands of worms eating your food scraps and pooping out garden gold. We talk worm aversions (no citrus, no onions, definitely no diapers), scaling from 10 lbs of worms to a city-wide composting operation, and the one commercial client who really should have read the green bucket guidelines.This episode was made possible by the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce, for your enjoyment and information.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/yesbsradLearn more about Big Sky Resort Tax: ResortTax.orgAnd sign up for YES Compost here: YesCompost.comTopics covered: Big Sky resort tax | BSRAD | Montana local government | vermicomposting | worm castings | Big Sky housing | hospital district | Gallatin Valley composting | Big Sky Chamber of CommerceFollow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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Big Sky’s Vet & New Headmaster
May 2800:35:59Tap to summarizeResidents of Big Sky, Montana have an increasing number of options and opportunities, and on this episode, we’ll feature a couple of great examples.Dr. Syd Desmarais of Lone Peak Veterinary Hospital and Jeremy Harder, head of school at Big Sky Community School, join us to talk about what it actually takes to serve a resort town of pet owners with active, sporty kids.We cover some serious ground here: pet acupuncture, why dental powders are a waste of money, what a brand new hybrid K-12 school actually looks like, and how it’s connected to a school in New York.This is part of a series brought to you by the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce, which is very cool of them.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/vetschoolCheck out Lone Peak Veterinary Hospital: https://www.lonepeakvethospital.com/about-usAnd learn more about Big Sky Community School: BigSkyCommunitySchool.orgTopics: veterinary medicine in rural Montana | alternative education | Big Sky Community School | Lone Peak Veterinary Hospital | pet acupuncture | hybrid homeschool | Big Sky Chamber of CommerceFollow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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Big Sky PBR 2026: Elite Rodeo Food with Chefs Eduardo Garcia and Emily Hahn
May 2100:55:10Tap to summarizeBig Sky PBR, recently crowned 12-time event of the year, will ride again this July 16-18. And I hope you’re hungry, because the lineup of chefs is a murderers row: event organizer and Top Chef alum Emily Hahn, James Beard Award winner Eduardo Garcia, plus some of the most acclaimed chefs in the Mountain West and beyond: Sheldon Simeon (Top Chef, touring his second cookbook), Jamie Lynch (Top Chef), Josh Adams of Livingston’s Campione (James Beard nominee), and Jarrett Wrisley of Shan (James Beard nominee). Plus local skybox chefs Joel Gil of BRAZA and Kenan Anderson of Provecho.All in Big Sky, Montana for just three unexpectedly delicious days. On this episode, we sit down with Emily (chef-owner of Bozeman's Mountain Provisions) and Eduardo (founder of Montana Mex and host of Magnolia Network's Big Sky Kitchen) to talk about what they're cooking up – like whole bison sourced from North Bridger Bison, whole hog, whole lamb, fresh Alaskan seafood, and locally grown produce. We also get into:Emily's four years as a commercial shrimper and how she earned her 100-ton captain's license before landing in BozemanEduardo's full origin story — the electrocution, 21 surgeries, cancer diagnosis, and the hook he chose over a bionic handWhy neither of them could care less about a Michelin star — and why that's exactly the pointThe Low Cuisine game: Eduardo's tia's rural kitchen and Emily's formative years at a sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll Italian restaurant in Richmond, Virginia.This is a conversation about what food is actually for — community, land, ranchers, farmers, and the people eating it — told by two chefs who've both taken the long, hard, scenic route to get here.Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/pbrchefsGet your tickets to Big Sky PBR 2026: BigSkyPBR.comHave another helping of Emily Hahn: MountainProvisionsMT.comAnd Eduardo Garcia: ChefEduardo.comAnd book an unforgettable stay in Yellowstone National Park this summer: YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.comFollow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcastOur barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcastsHelp us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/
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