Rob Quist, a rancher’s son and native Montanan, is recognized as one of the West’s best known songwriters, composers and main stage performers.  In the words of Ruth Mills, Reviewer of the Reno-Sparks Tribune, “Quist keeps the  audience enthralled—not just loud clapping and hooting but rapt attention to songs sung by a man deep into his music—the originality is astounding . . His band is a combined musical talent  bank putting together a sound unlike any other heard in Country Music today!”

 Rob has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, and Japan, headlining  in every major concert hall in America including the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, the Palomino in Los Angeles, The Bitter End in New York City, The Rainbow in Denver and Byfield’s in the Ambassador East  Hotel in Chicago.  Rob has also appeared at Michael Martin Murphey’s West Fest in Copper Mountain, Colorado and Red River, New Mexico, Bumber Shoot in Seattle, Rockin in the Rockies , Aber Day Kegger in Missoula and the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada. 

                The Missoulian  named Rob one of the Premiere Montana Musicians of the 20th Century and he was just recently inducted into the University of Montana’s Fine Arts Department Hall of Fame.  He was saluted as  “a celebrated Montana musician and composer who has captured the spirit of the West  in his music, an evocative and versatile artist whose gift of song has touched the hearts and souls of his countrymen, an eloquent  proponent of the history and beauty of the West whose legacy in song will be embraced by generations to follow.”           

              Rob has released 8 CD’s and his original music has been charted on Billboard’s Top 100, the National Independent Label Charts and has hit the charts in Europe where his song “Rain, Tears and Whiskey” debuted on Radio ATL in Belgium at #10 and “Living Wild and Free” debuted at #16.  His music has been recorded by Country Greats Michael Martin Murphey, Loretta Lynn, Mission Mountain Wood Band and The Montana Band.   

            Levi  Jeans chose Rob from a field of Top Country Music Writers to compose and produce a song for their National Ad Campaign.  The song, “Blue Jean Love Affair” aired on the Top 20 Country Markets for  90 days.  Other artists chosen by Levi Jeans to compose songs for the Jazz, Blues, Rock and Roll, and Heavy Metal Markets were Taj Mahal, Jerry Garcia, Shawn Colvin, Ry Cooder, Los Lobos and the Subdudes.     

          “Rob Quist and his Band, Great Northern are definitely Main Stage, Showcase material.  Their show is original, professional and quite simply, one of the most entertaining shows I have seen in a long time.  They left the audience toe-tappin’, clappin’ and hungry for more.  The audience did a wave with their bodies while he played  and when he finished, he received a standing ovation!  I look forward to booking him again.”

                                                          Clay Wynter Baker                                                                                                                           Chairman ASMSU  Programming   

Rob Quist Career Highlights

CD’S Released

In Without Knocking– Mission Mountain Wood Band (Lead Singer)

Wake Me When That Sun Goes Down—The Montana Band (Lead Singer)

Songs from Western Harmony—Rob Quist

This House of Memories—Rob Quist

Living Wild and Free—Rob Quist

Honor Bound—Rob Quist

New Big Sky Singers– Rob Quist, Don Collins, Gary Funk and Don MacDonald

Western Odyssey—Rob Quist & Jack Gladstone

Productions and Musical Scores

    Currently touring with Jack Gladstone in their original production Odyssey West  in honor of the 200 year Bicentennial Lewis and Clark Celebration.  Performed at Thomas Jefferson’s home in Monticello in January, 2003 for the first Signature Event in honor of the Bicentennial.  The show is sponsored by the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

    Starred in “No Time for a Saturday Night” , produced by Montana Outdoors featuring leading Cowboy Poets of the West.

    Wrote, co-produced and starred in the video “Roll On Forever” for Amtrak celebrating the passenger train’s seventy years of service.  The video aired on Amtrak’s Empire Builder.

    Wrote, produced, directed and starred in the Highly Acclaimed Show, Western Harmony,  an original musical and visual narrative celebrating the centennials of several Western States.  The show initially received a grant from the University of Montana, opened with a sold-out , three week run at Missoula’s Riverfront Theatre and completed a  100 date tour, including a final performance for President George Bush. 

    Composed the musical score and title song for the Montana Repertory Theater’s production of “Voice of the Prairie.”

    Composed and recorded the soundtrack for the Fish and Game Department’s film, “Wild Rivers.” 

    Composed numerous soundtracks for films produced by Polar Bear Productions, an independent Film Company located in Montana.

Symphonies

     Rob’s original music has been arranged and scored by Ray Garner of the Glacier Orchestra, Montana Composer Jerry Fletcher and Nationally-Acclaimed Houston Symphony Arranger, Don Elam,  for a full symphony performance. 

    Rob and his Band, Great Northern, have performed with the Missoula, Butte, Great Falls, Billings and Helena, Montana Symphonies, as well as the Glacier Orchestra, the North Dakota State Symphony and the Fairbanks, Alaska Symphony.

          Television Appearances

Appeared as a Special Guest on NBC’s “Country Comes to New York.” 

Starred in the national Coors Beer advertising campaign, “Bars of the West.” 

Guest host of public television’s “Exploring Montana Show.” 

Special appearance on Country’s Premiere Variety Show, “Hee Haw”. 

Performed his original music as a featured guest on ABC’s Cheryl Ladd Special.

Radio Appearances

    Rob’s original song, “Blue Jean Love Affair” aired on the Top 20 Country Music Markets for a 90 day period.

   Appeared with the Riders in the Sky as Special Guest on their “Rider’s Radio Theater” which aired Nationally.

   Featured instrumentalist on the “Bars of the West” National Coors Beer radio ad campaign.

    Rob Quist and his original music were featured live on two one-hour specials on KUFM Public Radio taped in Missoula, Montana and aired through the Western States.

Original Music Recorded By

  Michael Martin Murphey           Loretta Lynn                                   Jack Gladstone

Pearls in the Snow        The Shoe is on the Other Foot Tonight       In Without Knocking