Tim Montana and Kelsie May
Tim Montana
It’s easy to see why Montana’s music connects with so many people far and wide. Dubbed as one of Rolling Stone’s “Artists You Need to Know,” his musical influencers range from Merle Haggard to Guns N’ Roses. Montana’s passion for music has not gone unnoticed by his fellow musicians. “Tim is the real deal. He’s a little bit country with lots of hard rocks — or maybe he’s a rocker in touch with some serious country roots,” says ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons.
Tim grew up in Butte, MT in a household that did not support his musical career. He quickly learned if he wanted to make a reality of out his passion to sing and play guitar, he had to escape Big Sky Country. He packed his bags and made his way to the heart of country music, Nashville, TN.
Soon after living in Nashville, a rodeo performance caught the attention of David Letterman. David was so impressed by Tim’s music, he personally invited Tim to perform on The Late Show with David Letterman.
Montana continued to write and record which earned him a worldwide publishing deal with the Spirit Music Group. This led to an introduction with ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons. The two of them collaborated on multiple different tracks including, “This Beard Came Here to Party” which was the anthem for the Nashville Predator’s 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Tim followed up with writing on Kid Rock’s current single, “Tennessee Mountain Top” and “Greatest Show On Earth” as well as Mac McAnally’s current hit, “Amarula Sun.”
In September 2017, Tim released his single, “Hillbilly Rich.” Rolling Stone called the song an, “an ode to fantasies about telling off your boss, making it rain, and having everything all at once.” Shortly after the song was released, Tim performed the single live on Fox & Friends.
Kelsie May
Singer/Songwriter Kelsie May is someone many describe as an old soul. Her dynamic vocals and distinct ability to write songs that captivate audiences from every age group sets her apart from the mainstream, causing many to believe that she is destined for a broader scene. The vast number of superstars born and raised along Highway 23, Kelsie’s home region, is astounding, leading many to believe there’s something extra special about the hollers that surround the area.
Singing all her life, but not landing on stage until the mere age of thirteen, Kelsie has already contributed remarkable light into the Country Music world. After quickly being introduced to Bernard Porter, President and Founder of PCG Nashville, she was invited to train at the coveted and leading artist development company in Nashville, Tennessee. “Kelsie is an incredibly gifted artist with an equally beautiful spirit. She’s learned from some of the greatest artists in the world and incorporated a piece of each one into her own unique sound and style. The combination is stunning. We feel very privileged to work with her and help hone her God given talent,” states Porter. He goes on to say, “The key to success in this genre is being authentic to who an artist is. We like to use the term ‘It Factor,’ but it’s only something we know when we see it. It’s a magic combination of presence, voice, song, and character. Kelsie is that rare artist who has all of those.”
By fourteen, Kelsie found herself in the company of Pam Tillis and Tom T. Hall – two staples in the Country Music genre now mentoring her craft. Those hours by their side created an atmosphere that led Kelsie to believe in her talent, not only for the time being, but for the continuing years to ensue. One year was all Kelsie needed to perform on the historic Wheeling Jamboree, become an artist involved with Tunes for Tots with the Make A Wish Foundation, and have three chairs turn for her on the popular and Emmy Award winning show The Voice. Ultimately choosing Blake Shelton as her coach and Meghan Trainor as her mentor, her career soon began to grow.
After a successful run on the show, May joined forces with industry veteran Bob Kinkead, CEO of the Kinkead Entertainment Agency. She was introduced to GRAMMY nominated songwriter and producer, David Malloy from there. Malloy, who has 41 #1 hits to his credit, has worked with everyone from Tim McGraw, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, and Reba McEntire to Julianne Hough and Fleetwood Mac. After teaming up with Kelsie, they debuted an EP with songs written by her and some of Country Music’s brightest stars – one of them being 6 time CMA and 5 time ACM Award Winner and GRAMMY vocalist, Lee Ann Womack who co-wrote the title track Make Mine Count. Performing along side of Jo Dee Messina, Jewel, Craig Campbell, Montgomery Gentry, Marty Stuart, Ray Stevens, Bucky Covington, Raelynn, Angaleena Presley, Eric Paslay, John Michael Montgomery, Travis Tritt, and Sara Evans is yet another honor she can add to her long list of accolades.
Now freshly eighteen, Kelsie finds herself signed to Blue Sapphire Music (a division of Universal Music Group), gearing up for a tour in support of her anxiously awaited, new record. One thing remains the same, though. Whether she’s in a vocal booth or in one of the many states she’s performed and headlined her own shows in (Las Vegas, California, Missouri, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, New York), her gift shines through each time she sings and will ultimately transcend through time.