Our Story
Every garden has its beginnings. For Tone Farmers, it started with a recording session between our founder and his father, a professional jazz guitarist. That project revealed something crucial about great recordings: while technical excellence matters, creating an environment where artists feel completely comfortable matters more. The best equipment in the world won't save an uncomfortable performance, but when artists feel at home, magic happens.
Finding Our Roots
We chose our historic building in Livingston because it had the right combination of character and potential. Yes, sometimes trains rumble by or trucks idle outside. But rather than seeing these as limitations, we've found they often add something special to our recordings. These moments remind us and our artists that we're creating something genuinely Montana.
Growing Understanding
Working with local musicians, we noticed that most weren't held back by lack of talent – they needed better environments for both performing and recording. Almost every artist we met dealt with some form of performance anxiety. We realized that artist development isn't just about technical skills – it's about building confidence and creating supportive spaces for taking creative risks.
Cultivating Community
As we grew, we saw that sustainable artistic careers need more than just individual talent – they need a supportive community. Musicians need reliable venues, engaged audiences, technical support, and professional networks. This insight expanded our mission from recording artists to developing Montana's entire music scene.
Looking Forward
Today, we're working toward nonprofit status because we believe our mission of developing Montana's musical community should continue for generations. Our network of artists, venues, volunteers, and music lovers shows what's possible when people come together to support authentic music creation.
The door is open for artists looking to grow, music lovers wanting to support local talent, community members interested in volunteering, venues looking to partner, and businesses wanting to support the arts. There's a place for everyone at Tone Farmers.
Ready to grow with us? Reach out to learn more about how you can be part of Montana's musical future.