Jamie Wyman Band among local performers to take stage at UTBS

The Jamie Wyman Band applied to be part of Under the Big Sky Festival in 2022. When they weren’t selected, Wyman wrote her song, “The Underdog,” as a mantra to keep going through the challenges of the music business.

One year later, the Jamie Wyman Band prepares to take the Big Mountain stage at this year’s festival. Under the Big Sky is Friday through Sunday, July 14-16, at Big Mountain Ranch in Whitefish. The lineup features nationally known performers like Hank Williams Jr, Zach Bryan and Caamp, but also several local bands have the opportunity to perform on the big stage.

The Jamie Wyman Band delivers a unique blend of heavy folk rock that is both anthemic and lyrically driven. Their music radiates the qualities of unconditional love: it tells all the truths, sees you for who you really are and brings you through the dark back into the light where hope reigns.

Born and raised in the Flathead Valley, Wyman has been part of the local music scene since 2012 when she joined her first band as lead singer. She had music lessons as a child but didn’t revisit her musical roots until she hit the age of 30.

After her first band broke up, Wyman started songwriting and relearning the piano. In 2014, she set aside her law degree and her social work job in order to make music a priority. She spent several years honing her songwriting skills and performing solo. In March 2020, Wyman picked up the rhythm guitar. She and her now husband Andy Belski (bass player) decided that they were going to start a band. By July 2020 it became a reality.

Since their Covid beginnings, the band has gone through a few iterations before landing on the current lineup. Belski, who plays a melodic style of bass and creates tapestries of sound, has been a key member of the band since the beginning. He is a longstanding member of the community and a principal owner of River Design Group in Whitefish.

Johnny Wall, who is also a member of Radio Ranch, brings a light-hearted but heavy-hitting style to drums. He joined the band in summer of 2022 after he moved to the valley with his family from the Aloha State. Lisa Kelley also joined the band in 2022 as percussionist. She has lived in Whitefish with her family for over a decade and brings a contagious energy to the band with her arsenal of instruments that includes egg shakers, the cajon, cowbells and even a wooden frog. Andy Diafos, owner of Wrap and Roll Cafe in Whitefish, joined the band in March 2023 and has been playing music with other local bands for many years.

According to Belski, “Andy Diafos’s lead guitar weaves together beautifully with Jamie’s vocals all while being backed by the complex foundation of the backline. Together, we create a unique sonosphere that is hard to put in a box.”

The band considers sound engineer Brayden Richardson their sixth member. Brayden was born and raised in Whitefish and always takes the band’s sound to the next level.

“The band is honored to be part of such an amazing lineup at Under the Big Sky Festival this year,” says Wyman. “It’s nice to have validation for the endless hours of hard work we have put in and it’s exciting to have the opportunity to play our original songs in front of a large audience of music lovers.”

Jamie Wyman Band released their first studio album in 2022 and will continue to release singles throughout 2023. They have a backlog of songs waiting to be recorded and released. To find out more about them, visit jamiewymanband.com or their Instagram or Facebook @jamiewymanband.

Under the Big Sky Festival will feature several other local bands this year, including Archertown, Radio Ranch, The Helnore Highwater Band and War Pony.

“We are grateful to Outriders for supporting local bands. We are so lucky to find ourselves in this beautiful place that is bursting at the seams with talent. It’s a very tight-knit and supportive creative community,” says Wyman. “We encourage festival-goers to join us in showing up for all the underdogs early in the schedule.”

Go to underthebigskyfest.com to see the full lineup and schedule.