Author: CharliesTrail
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Christmas Eve at the South Side Tavern
Torrin finished his second Evan Williams and Coke and signaled Seth for another as he and a few other evening bar dwellers took in Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime” from the jukebox. “This song makes me think of shopping,” Seth said, taking Torrin’s generous tip. “Reminds me I’m gonna have to make a late-night K-Mart run.…
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All aboard the “Zhu Choo”
During the pandemic, ZHU, an electronic dance musician and Grammy-nominated recording artist, has made it a mission to “bring people to a place where they’ve never been.” He’s streamed from the mountains of western Japan, the sand dunes of southwestern Utah, and now Central Montana’s Charlie Russell Chew Choo. In the 49-minute video called “Billings…
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Talent Scout
I jammed along to Blind Melon’s “No Rain,” watching from my bedroom window as Adam pulled up in his old Mercedes-Benz. This was one of my favorite things to do. Rock out and night watch. There wasn’t a lot of activity for a Saturday in the suburbs, but that was typical in this ritzy Hamilton…
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Falling Out
“I wonder how we look to other people,” Penny said. “Do you think we look happy?” She took a sip of her Guinness and stared blankly into the mirror behind the bar. under a poster for “The Commitments,” a movie we both loved about an Irish soul band. We were at O’Connell’s Pub on Main…
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Senior reporter grateful to be considered family
“You’re family, Charlie.” That was Lynn Toller’s reaction when I told her I was leaving the News-Argus to take a position with the Lewistown Chamber of Commerce. She gave me her sad puppy face. Those of you who know her have probably seen it and know she’s perfected it with help from her cockapoo, Sadie…
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Choosing happiness in a time of uncertainty
Looking for something upbeat? Based on the novel by French writer Francois Lelord, “Hector and the Search for Happiness” is a fitting watch for the moment, as it takes the viewer on a journey to discover what it means to be happy. Hector (Simon Pegg), a London psychiatrist struggling both personally and professionally, impulsively goes…
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Seeking Solace in Song
“Give me the beat, boys, and free my soul I want to get lost in your rock n’ roll and drift away” I’ve always known this comforting chorus, but I never really connected to Dobie Gray’s 1973 smash hit until recently, when my friend Troy in Glendive requested I play it on my live stream.…
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Paying tribute to Grandpa, the most grateful man I’ve known
On Saturday, April 18, my grandfather Marshall Cheek Kidd passed away. He had just turned 97, and, for the first time, was really starting to feel his age. The life of the party was slowing down, both physically and mentally. It was hard to believe, but the man with the gift of gab suddenly had…
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Let laughter and positivity carry you through this difficult time
“Blow up your TV. Throw away your paper. Go to the country. Build you a home. Plant a little garden. Eat a lotta peaches. Try and find Jesus, on your own.” – John Prine, “Spanish Pipedream” Well, it’s Holy Week, and here we are in the middle of the greatest pandemic of our lifetime. It…
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Local musicians, artists go “live” to lift spirits
It was February of 2007. I was in New Orleans with my friend Daniel – a native – celebrating his first Mardi Gras after Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the impassioned city, its impact still widely spread. Daniel’s home had significant water damage and some of his friends were still crashing in FEMA trailers. New Orleans,…
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