Country music’s hidden voices tell their story at BCPA’s ‘Origins’

Did you ever wonder how a hit song was created? Or maybe you actually are a songwriter and would like to learn more about the creative process of other singer-songwriters. Or maybe you would just enjoy an exciting evening of live country music. 

The Bigfork Center of the Performing Arts is kick-starting their latest fundraising campaign with the presentation of “Origins,” created by singer-songwriter March Leach to provide audiences a behind-the-curtain look at the creative process and lives of three successful country singer-songwriters from Nashville.

Leach says that the name “Origins” was coined to give a nod to the fact that hit country music often starts with unsung singer-songwriters at its origin. He adds that a little-known fact is that the songwriters behind these hits often write in pairs or threesomes and frequently play in what is known in Nashville as a writer’s round. 

Leach will be joined by fellow country singer-songwriters Josh Withenshaw and Rob Ragosta to perform a 90-minute writer’s round performance of storytelling and acoustical song-playing of their most popular songs for one night only, on October 12 at the BCPA. The evening will include a performance by Rob Ragosta of the No. 1 song by Jelly Roll “Need a Favor,” which Rob Ragosta co-wrote with Jelly Roll, Joe Ragosta and Austin Nivarel. 

VIP tickets will include an exclusive after-concert meet-and-greet, drinks and hors d’oeuvres. 

The intimate evening will help support a BCPAF campaign to raise money for a new rigging system, a new film screen and projector system, to repair and replace bricks at the entrance of the theater and new flooring inside the auditorium. 

The Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts is operated by a non-profit foundation established in 1984 to replace an aging building deemed unsafe that had housed summer stock productions since 1960. The foundation successfully raised funds to build a new 435-seat year-round facility that has provided a home for theater, dance, music, film, educational and civic events as well as other activities and special events since 1988. Building improvements and maintenance have been an ongoing focus for the volunteer board of directors who are dedicated to managing and promoting the facility, which is at the heart of Bigfork. In 2009 the building was enhanced with a lobby renovation and expansion. In 2019 they established a new parking lot on Grand Ave. in downtown Bigfork to ease some of the pressure for parking in the tiny village on performance nights. As the town grows and the building ages, the BCPAF continues to face the financial challenges of running this valuable non-profit community organization. 

If you can’t attend the event, donations can be made online at: https://www.bigforkcenter.org Donations also can be mailed: BCPAF, PO Box 1230, Bigfork, MT 59911 For more information call 406-837-4885. 

All tickets are reserved seating and space is limited. Tickets are available online tix.com/ticket-sales/tix/2861/event/1393884

 A sneak preview of “Origins” is available online at youtube.com/watch?v=UFXH9JxPV1c