Reunion brings together legendary Montana band

Mission Mountain Wood Band is throwing a reunion party and inviting fans old and new to the Polson Fairgrounds on July 2.

The band continues to draw on its two generations of unwavering support from all over the country, and the band s lone CD Release, In Without Knocking, is still a big seller.

The band first came to national prominence in the 1970s when it toured non-stop, playing over 250 dates a year around the country.*

They played major clubs like Mr. Kelly s in Chicago, CBGB s in New York City, the Palomino in Los Angeles and the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.

The band played an eclectic mixture of original bluegrass, rock and roll and Montana party music.

They were a band s band, playing every musical instrument with strings.*They had three lead singers and specialized in flawless four-part harmonies.*

Band member Rob Quist remembers, there were no borders.* One night we could be playing with a great jazz legend like Buddy Rich and the next night playing with the (Grateful) Dead.*It was a perfect time in my life for that.

The Mission Mountain Wood Band members were Quist, Terry Robinson, Steve Riddle, Christian Johnson and Greg Reichenberg.

The Wood Band suffered a major loss in 1987 when lead singer Robinson was killed with the Montana Band in a plane crash on Flathead Lake on the Fourth of July.* His brother, Bruce Robinson, former lead singer of the band, Whiskey Jack, has stepped in to represent the Robinson vocals on subsequent band reunion concerts.* *

Tickets for the Mission Mountain Wood Band are $25. Admission is free for kids under age 12.

Special guest bands begin playing at 2 p.m. and the Mission Mountain Wood Band takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Parking opens at noon.

For tickets, call toll free 1-877-877-7677; on Google type in Mission Mountain Wood Band; or visit www. robquist.com

Proceeds from the concert will go toward the building of a new skate park in Polson. Only 5,000 tickets are available.