KBGA Live! Featuring Letter B

Natalie Schmidt is DJ Short, you can check out her morning show Cups on Tuesdays from 7AM - 9AM and listen to interviews before they hit the website.

Since 2013, Letter B has been providing local venues with a funky sound only the Missoula Valley can provide. This year they’ve partnered up with SPARK! Arts Ignite Learning, to help ring in the new year at the Top Hat on December 31st.

SPARK! Arts Ignite is a Kennedy Center Initiative, that facilitates various art programs for schools across the community. These include bringing art professors from the University of Montana into the classroom to share core ideas with students, and taking kids to local art exhibits, musicals and theater productions. “Some have them have never been to a play or the art museum, so it’s a really great opportunity,” mentioned Sienna, a SPARK! spokesperson.

“It’s a great cause [and] that opportunity doesn’t come up for kids very often, especially in lower income schools,” says the band's bassist, Dylan, who also teaches music at Lowell Elementary.

“When I was doing my student teaching at Lewis and Clark, we had a little kid that was in the fourth grade to see the Missoula Symphony big children’s show, and it’s awesome. The day after that, he came up to me and said, ‘I am gonna play the trombone next year! That’s what I am gonna do!’ It’s just the coolest thing cause I knew he heard something in the symphony that was trombone and was like ‘that’s what I wanna do!" Dylan commented.

“It feels really good, it is an honor to work with them. By coming, you are helping SPARK! out.” said Katie, a lead vocalist with Letter B.

Listen to the full interview above to learn more.