Spotlighting both established and emerging writers from Montana and the western U.S., Words Out West offers listeners a wide range of literary forms, genres, and styles. In each episode, our talented writers present poems, fiction, nonfiction, radio plays, songs, and other modes of verbal expression
Welcome to Words Out West, a podcast bringing you original writings from the Rocky Mountains and beyond.
A rapping cowboy, a river-guiding novelist and a bus-riding Poet Laureate are just a few of the folks you’ll hear from on Words Out West.
Save the date, Sunday, March 26, 2023, for your chance to support Season 3 of the literary podcast Words Out West while enjoying an evening hosted by Cole Grant and featuring original music by Montana singer/songwriters Sean Howard Burress, Rebecca Kelley, Greg Owens, Gabrielle Tusberg, and Maria Zepeda.
Some of the writers featured on this radio show include, poet Chris La Tray, songwriters Caroline Keys with Nate Biehl, poet Sarah Aronson and short story author David Allan Cates.
In this episode, we celebrate the fruits of a teacher’s labor. You’ll hear from Professor Robert Stubblefield, along with three of his University of Montana students.
In this episode, writer, geologist and professor Rob Thomas explains how the amazing history of rocks is related to the mining town of Butte finding its place in the sun.
In this episode, novelist Claude Alick introduces us to a place of mystery in the island country of Grenada—a village that appears on no map—a place that resides only in wilting memories.
In this episode, we pair writers who were born to be storytellers—poet Mara Panich and singer/songwriter Margi Cates, accompanied by guitarist Nick Barr.
This episode contains some adult language and themes, which may be unsuitable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
In this episode, a struggling writer has a breakthrough when she accidentally steals her neighbor’s laundry. A short play written by Bozeman playwright Greg Owens, directed by Missoula’s own Reid Reimers and read by Missoula actors Hamilton Clement and Az Sacry.
This episode contains adult language and themes, which may be unsuitable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
In this episode, Joan Melcher finds her perfect saloon, and chats with the bartender who has the same name as his bar—Moose.
A selection from her non-fiction books Watering Hole: A User’s Guide to Montana Bars and Montana Watering Holes: The Big Sky’s Best Bars.
This episode contains some adult language, themes, and references to alcohol consumption, which may be unsuitable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised
In this episode, we get up close and personal with Bobby Lee Springfield, a singer/songwriter who gives us the skinny on the ups and downs of show biz.
This episode contains some adult language and themes, with references to alcohol, tobacco and drugs, which may be unsuitable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
In this episode, a butte native reflects on the twenty years she spent in almost every state prison in California—teaching and performing theatre.
This episode contains some adult language and themes, and depictions of sexual misconduct in a prison setting, which may be unsuitable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
The narrator in Sean Gallagher’s short story laments the damage done to his older brother after becoming a soldier — the brother who taught him, “That no one wins a fight.”
In Jay Kettering’s audio play, we find that Phil and Stacey were never great communicators, so when they recount how they met, fell in love, and ultimately broke up, let’s just say, it gets a bit noisy.
This episode contains some adult language and themes, and sexual references, which may be unsuitable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
Cacophony is performed by Missoula actors Nathan Adkins and Jasmine Sherman with musical accompaniment by Missoula musicians Paul Marshall Allen on violin and Craig Menteer on drums.
In this excerpt from Caroline Patterson’s novel The Stone Sister, the year is 1953 and a young couple is struggling with their decision to institutionalize their baby Lizzie, who has Down Syndrome.
Chris La Tray doesn’t need many words to tell a damn fine story.
In this episode featuring Métis storyteller Chris La Tray, we celebrate words, and the way even very few words, in the right hands, can capture the wonder in every single day.
(From One-Sentence Journal: Short Poems and Essays From the World At Large and Descended from a Travel-Worn Satchel: Haiku & Haibun, as well as other poems.)
There Is No Story Until It Happens To You.
In this episode, novelist Richard Fifield puts us in a car going way too fast up a narrow mountain road, and that’s only the beginning of our troubles.
This episode contains some adult language and themes and graphic descriptions of a fatal car crash, which may be unsuitable for some listeners. Listener discretion is advised.
Featuring the WOW Poetry Jam, hosted by Teresa Waldorf To celebrate the launch of its second season, WOW is throwing a party! Join us May 15 for poetry, music, free nibbles, a cash bar with wine and beer, and more at the way-cool West Side Theater. Starting at 7:30 p.m. some WOW poets from seasons […]
To raise money to cover production costs for its second season, W.O.W. is hosting the WOW Audio Showcase on Friday, November 12, at the Zootown Arts Community Center (the ZACC) at 216 W. Main St., Missoula, Montana.
