Patriotic music to be performed in downtown Bigfork

Bigfork is known for it’s strong artistic community, whether it’s plays, paintings, sculptures or singing. On Friday a patriotic flair will be added to Bigfork’s repertoire of creative expression with live performances of “The Star Spangled Banner” three times a week and everyone is encouraged to join in with the singing.

Starting June 15 at 10:15 a.m. and every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through the end of August, the National Anthem will be sung in downtown Bigfork. Performances on Fridays and Saturdays will be from the balcony at Grille 459 on Electric Ave. and on Sundays it will be near the flagpole at the Bigfork Inn.

Bigfork’s Jerry Murphy came up with the idea about a month ago when he contacted David Vale, owner of Pocketstone Café, who is also involved with the Flathead Valleyaires barbershop chorus.

“I come from an area where they sing it whenever they hiccup,” Murphy said. “If I were to visit friends in Minneapolis, we moved here from there, I would be delighted if they would say ‘oh that’s the place that sings the National Anthem.’”

So far the performances include a loose assortment of people including Bob Keenan, owner of the Bigfork Inn, Mike Michlig, and Joel Hagen. Vale said a quartet from the Valleyaires would also be involved, but that part is yet to be determined as of press time.

The first performance will be lead by Bigfork High School’s music teacher, Tanya King. Murphy and Vale are currently hoping more local singers sign up to lead performances throughout the summer.

Although the public is invited to join in with the singing, each lead singer is asked to be able to perform on their own if nobody else joins in.

Vale said this is a work in progress. An additional patriotic song may be sung; singers might even go to different shops in Bigfork to sing if they get permission from the shop owners in town.

“In addition to the patriotic aspects of singing the National Anthem, I believe good music performed well is a positive experience and I’m happy to see it happening in Bigfork,” Vale said.

Murphy would like to have each Sunday performance include a segment to honor local families with military backgrounds. He is also considering having two buglers do an echo performance of “Taps” on Sundays, but hasn’t found two bugle players yet.

There has been “some controversy” surrounding the performances according to Vale because this is being organized as a private citizen and is currently not supported or sanctioned by the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce or the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork.

“There’s some concern this won’t be of professional quality like we are expecting it to be,” Vale said. “I would like to say people are thrilled, but it’s a wait and see what effect it has, and we are determined to make sure the effect is a positive one.”

Although the performances haven’t started yet, word spreads fast in Bigfork. Murphy said he encountered a group from the Bigfork Center of the Performing Arts at Montana Bear Food singing sections of the song while discussing the upcoming performances.

Murphy and Vale are currently asking local performers who want to get involved and perform in front of a crowd to contact Murphy at 837-2459 or Vale at dave@pocketston ecafe.com.