It began with a practice…

Our Story

On a snowy February day back in 2017, Keith Rennie and Doug Ruhman were working on a few blues songs in Doug’s living room in Polson, Montana. Doug was playing his Taylor 414 acoustic/electric guitar, and Keith was alternating between a few of his trusty blues harps, mostly likely in the keys of A, D, or G. After a decent practice they were rolling up cables and folding up stands, tucking away microphones into their cases and carting heavy amplifiers back down a flight a of stairs, when one remarked to the other, “How great would it be to have a place where musicians could go to play music together- whenever they needed, and have the gear already there, all set up… no set up, no tear down?” They both smiled at the ridiculous idea. Then as Keith was descending the stairs, he paused and said, “You know… that might not be impossible.”

This idea nested itself in the minds of the two musicians for the next two years. Funny thing was, Doug already had most of the music equipment they would need… instruments, sound gear, speakers, cables, etc. And he knew almost every player in the valley from playing solo, in open jams, and in bands for decades. Keith was relatively new to performing but had experience playing, and he knew how businesses and organizations worked, having been an attorney as well as the Business Dept. Head for many years at Salish Kootenai College (where Doug also worked). What the two men mostly needed was the right space.

For the next two years, they checked out numerous empty spaces throughout the Valley, but nothing really fit the bill. Too small, too big, too expensive, too close to residences. A Facebook page was created for the new “Western MT Musician’s Cooperative”, even though it had no physical home yet. Then, in September 2019, Donn Borden, the then owner of the Red Poppy Building in Ronan, agreed to rent a section of that building that included the dance floor / stage to Doug and Keith’s group until the building sold. On October 10, 2019, the very first meeting was held with about 20 interested people at the Red Poppy. Two days later, on Saturday night Oct. 12th, the first Jam took place.

Word got out, and the WMMC (or “MC” for short) grew steadily. By early March 2020 there were about 45 paying members. Each Saturday night as many as 30-40 folks were in the audience and around 12 musicians would be on the stage jamming. Parking became an issue, as some had to leave their vehicles across the street at the True Value and brave a Highway 93 crossing to get to us. We decided we better have a big splash celebration to announce our presence to the world and throw a big party…

Then came COVID-19.

We shut the jam down in mid-March. After a few weeks we tried to do some Facebook Live broadcasts. We put links to “SequesterFest 2020” and other events on our group’s page. But we had to follow local health guidelines about gathering in groups, and so we were basically shut down for about 10 weeks. It was tough on our memberships, but we had a small number of faithful members who kept paying their monthly membership fees despite not being able to use the stage, because they believed in what the MC represented for the community… people from all different perspectives, ages, backgrounds and musical tastes, coming together around music. These folks, and some COVID relief funds made available to non-profits like ours, kept us going. We re-opened the Saturday night Jam cautiously, with masks and distancing required, in July 2020. Slowly, our membership began to trickle back in very slowly. We added new equipment to the stage, upgraded our sound system, added some new donated gear, and added a weekly Friday Night Open Mic offering in addition to the Saturday Night Open Jam. On Memorial Day (May 29) 2021, we finally were able to have our log-delayed celebration, over a year later.

What We Do

Our little project now boasts a 20 x 40 foot stage with 7 guitars, 2 bass guitars, electric guitar amps, bass amps, two full drum sets, hand drums, multiple handheld percussion instruments, a baby grand piano, electric keyboard, a Hammond organ, a full Carvin PA with 15” subwoofers, main speakers, floor and side monitors, vocal and instrument mics, stage lighting, and much more. We also have many instruments in storage that can be used by members on stage or rented, bluetooth connections to the sound system for personal devices for practicing, and we have a smartTV on stage for easy access to tens of thousands of lyrics and chords visible to anyone on the stage with the click of a remote.

Individuals and bands use our stage and equipment for rehearsal with minimal setup or just to jam and have musical fun with friends. Our equipment on stage is all insured and protected by a state of the art security / alarm system that is monitored online 24/7 and which can be checked at any time by our officers using their cell phone. Prior to COVID we held regular monthly members meetings and hope to return to these in late summer 2021. During the week, folks sign up for stage access to practice, rehearse with others, or just jam and have fun on the stage from 5:00 pm on. On Fridays there’s an Open Mic where you can sign up for a slot of time to perform 4-5 songs. On Saturdays we have an Open Jam that anyone can participate in where there is no setlist or signup… people just get up and make music together, never really knowing what will happen. Both the Friday and Saturday events begin at 7:00 pm and go as long as they go. You do not have to be a paid member to participate in these events; they are open to the public.

The best thing about the MC is the way it has brought all kinds of different people together through their mutual love of music. Old, young, country, urban, rednecks, hippies, headbangers, it doesn’t matter at the MC. All are welcome. And you can just come and listen, or you can come up and join in, in a place that’s not a bar. Where the only expectation is that you are kind and that you have a good time.