Coming during the MSU Homecoming Weekend!
Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR), at Montana State University in Bozeman, along with VI Productions, is proud to welcome Sam Riggs, an American country singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas and special guest, TJ Broscoff from the Dallas-area to the Faultline North Concert & Music Venue in Bozeman on Saturday, September 26, 2015 as their headliner for the 2015 Testicle Festival. “Sam Riggs wears a legacy of honest country, makes good rock, writes lyrics that matter and straps on a stage presence second to none,” says Ray Wylie Hubbard. Receiving a hand up in this business of music from the likes of Ray Wylie Hubbard is no small accomplishment, and that mentorship–and sometimes harsh instruction–was not lost on Riggs, who has had the fortunate opportunity to meander through Wylie’s cerebral countryside over the last few years. At the time of their meeting, Riggs was already a commercially-viable songwriter with an impressive root system, having sprung from his family’s musical genes; but he was still feeding off the unripe fruits of his youth. Through the songwriting school of Hubbard, he learned the time-honored virtue of patience and the aptitude for turning the rough and tumble falls to the ground into a steady, recovered gait. “He opened my eyes to songwriting, and I could see the idiot I had been and the idiot I was going to be, and he helped me to navigate that. He taught me what it really is to be a songwriter.”
Those rough and tumble falls steadily began upon Riggs’ relocation in 2007 from his home base in Florida to Austin, Texas, after some friends brought him a CD from the prominent Texas-based band, Reckless Kelly. Their unprocessed lyrics and raw production hit Riggs squarely between the eyes, like hammer on nail, driving him to plant his personal flag in a place where he could be his own artist. His inception was less than spectacular, as he struggled to imprint himself on the hearts of Texas Music fans while also drawing heavy influence from commercial radio. With hard stares and indifferent responses, Riggs diligently worked to strip down the polish and bring out the more natural shine–a task that resulted from the truth that, as Riggs so accurately put it, “You can’t bullshit a Texan.” The experience was both a breath of fresh air and a simultaneous smack in the face, and it ultimately cultivated the signature collection that is his debut record release, “Outrun the Sun.” “The only thing that matters is how you interpret this life. I wanted this to be reflection of my intent and an echo of my soul as songwriter and artist.” Following the release of the 2012 EP, “Lighthouse,” Sun is a perfectly ripened delicacy that is available now.
Produced by Erik Herbst (Eli Young Band, Bowling For Soup, Josh Abbott Band), the debut album from Sam Riggs signals a lyrical comprehension that reaches far beyond Sam’s years, and musical compositions that are both brave and progressive. The driving will in “Longshot”; the matter of abuse in “The Change”; and the love-provoked courage in “Lighthouse” are just a few of the towering giants included in this release. The record is fully backed by a live show that comes out swinging and keeps the energy high. Having opened for acts that include Chris Knight; Joe Diffie; Kevin Fowler; Pat Green; Eli Young Band; Randy Rogers Band; Josh Abbott Band; and, of course, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Sam Riggs has become well-educated in the art of working a crowd. Riggs himself never fails to dazzle with his “musical chair” performances that never restrict him to one location on the stage. Vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, fiddle, and even drums are all part of the magic that he hypnotically spins on a nightly basis. The Testicle Festival has been going strong since starting in 1988.
Every fall, the Alpha Delta chapter hosts this fun philanthropy event featuring a live band, dancing, a full bar, and of course the delicacy known as Rocky Mountain Oysters while raising thousands of dollars for local and regional organizations such as Farm Rescue, Montana FFA and Montana Special Olympics. Tickets are available online at for $20 in advance or $25 at the door. For more information, or to buy tickets, visit ticketriver.com/event/15392. •
