Living 'a beautiful experience' with Halladay Quist

Halladay Quist has traveled across the spectrum of musical endeavors, from a metal band in Seattle to a gospel choir in Austria. Now, she’s bringing her music back home.

“I want to really get back to my Montana roots,” Quist said. “There’s nothing like this place anywhere else in the world. When I’m here, I’m home.”

Quist is currently working on her first solo album, which she has yet to name. She dubs the album a country collection, infused with bluegrass and folk music. However, Quist also draws on her experience in a metal band and her rock background to add a female rock vibe to her newest album.

“It’s a mesh of everything,” she said with a laugh. She said she draws inspiration from across the board, from bluegrass artists such as Willie Nelson, all the way to female rock artist Grace Slick.

Quist said she hopes the album, with 11 tracks already recorded, will be a cross-section of her favorite styles. She’ll continue to work on the album over the next few months, adding around four more tracks, until she feels it’s ready for the limelight.

“I might just round it out, and create a full-length album,” she said. “I want it to be worth the wait, worth the buck.”

This album is the singer/songwriter’s first solo venture, for which Quist said she is both excited and nervous.

“I’m very self-critical, so I haven’t put out much self-written music,” she said. “It’ll be wonderful to get feedback and see the response.”

Quist grew up in Creston, between Kalispell and Bigfork. Her life seemed to be that of any rural Montanan — She rode her horse to school and sold fresh eggs to the neighbors. However, Quist’s upbringing was different in one important way: it was saturated with music.

Halladay Quist is the daughter of Montana musical legend, Rob Quist. She has said some of her earliest memories growing up were singing and playing music with her father. At six years old, she took up piano, and eventually transitioned to guitar, and then bass guitar. Recently, she began to learn upright bass and banjo.

Quist was scheduled to leave this month for a three-month stint in the country of Kuwait as the nightly act at a jazz center. However, due to the current political climate, she decided to postpone the trip for the time being.

“They wanted me to go alone, and as a single young woman, that’s a daunting task,” she said. “I would like to go in the future, because I want to experience their life and culture.”

Instead, Quist said she will throw herself into her solo project. 

QUIST SAID one of her favorite projects is House of Quist. The group, which includes her father and brother, Guthrie, moved to Seattle in 2008, an experience that inspired the musician. Each night, she would see a variety of bands and singers at local venues, which helped to solidify her passion.

Quist said that playing with family is some of the easiest work she’s done.

“When you play with family, I think you just get right to the heart of it,” Quist said. “You let go of being polite, and get right to it.”

According to Quist, playing with her family pushes her to improve, and play her absolute best. The musician said when she plays with House of Quist, the group is able to set aside any differences quicker than other groups, because they know each other so well.

Quist draws inspiration from her father regularly for her music.

“He absolutely shines with the joy he feels while he plays, he always does,” she said. “I want to take a note from him, because that’s the reason you play music, the joy.” 

THE MUSICIAN felt the most influence to live a life dedicated to music living overseas for several months. In 2006, she traveled to Vienna, Austria with a University of Montana singing group, directed by Gary Funk. At the time, Quist was attending the university as a student studying journalism, but she said the tour captured her attention.

The group performed concerts in some of the oldest cathedrals and classical halls in the city, and Quist said the group took full advantage of the situation. The audiences at their performance sites were used to hearing classical music, but the group from UM decided to spice it up, singing a variety of soulful gospel music.

“We’re in these beautiful, historic cathedrals, and [Funk] is having us sing songs like ‘Right On, King Jesus’,” said Quist. “You can sing with such umph, and after about five seconds, it echoes back to you beautifully.”

During the tour, Quist had a solo, which was meant to transition the song from a classical piece into the gospel style, getting the audience clapping along. She credits that solo as the moment she discovered her voice and straightforward style.

“That solo was what helped me find my power,” she said. “I had to dig deep. Find my chutzpah. And I loved it.” 

AS MUCH popularity she’s gained in the last few years, Quist says she’s still making music purely for the love of it.

“In today’s world, you can’t just put out an album to sell, and expect to make money,” Quist said, explaining that since listeners can easily download or stream music illegally, most physical albums have a more difficult time selling than they used to. Instead, she said she is a musician because she loves all that the lifestyle encompasses, from touring and meeting new people to play with, to performing live for an excited audience.

“This is a beautiful experience, and I’m so blessed to be able to do this,” she said, happily. “I’m able to live in the now, and make a life doing what I love. What could be better?”

Quist is currently touring around the area, playing several shows over the next few months. She is scheduled to play Oct. 25 at Pig in the Park in Ronan from 2-4 p.m., and Nov. 22 at Stage 112 in Missoula after the football game. For additional show information, or to book a performance, visit her website at www.halladayquist.com.