Country star meets his fans at Goodwill

Before his Kalispell concert on Wednesday, music star Kristian Bush, part of the Platinum-selling country duo, Sugarland, met a host of fans at Evergreen’s Goodwill store.

In addition to personally inviting each fan to his concert later that night, he was there to spread the word about his new partnership with Goodwill.

“It’s like a social experiment, but it’s right here in your hometown and it’s putting people here back to work,” Bush said.

Bush has teamed up with Goodwill in his “Give It Away” campaign, the result of his song “Trailer Hitch” in which Bush describes having too many unnecessary things in his life. Across his tour, Bush has been encouraging fans to donate their old belongings to Goodwill to lighten their own loads and help local employment in the process.

The Bush effect hit Kalispell almost immediately upon his arrival.

“One person standing in line told me she didn’t have a job, and we were able to get her talking with the manager here and got her an application,” Bush said.

Bush said the objective of the song traveled faster than his exposure as a solo artist. He’s happier than ever with the result.

“That’s why we’re out here and that’s why I write music like this,” he said.

From noon to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, the line for Bush’s meet-and-greet session never died. Kalispell resident Stephanie Brinkman and her 3-month-old son, Colton, were part of the crowd, recognizing Bush as a country-band and solo-artist success.

“I saw him with Sugarland a couple years ago and it was one of the best shows I’ve ever gone to,” Brinkman said. “He was so nice in person; I’m glad he’s doing well on his own.”

Bush said he was excited about his first Kalispell show.

“It’s something new and exciting and it’s all happening in a new direction for me,” Bush said. “It’s real exciting.”