Opening bands for county fair feature artists from Wyoming and Montana

WORLAND – For those interested in live entertainment, you will be able to find some pleasure at this year’s Washakie County Fair.

Alongside the usual festivities of barbecues and animal shows, the fair board’s new musical artist consultant and “crues” singer, Daniel Kosel of Daniel Kosel and the Crue has arranged entertainment for Tuesday through Saturday night of the fair.

In company with two state area bands, Kosel has also arranged more local artists, along with a couple from Montana.

Opening for Band of Drifters on Tuesday night is local singer-songwriter, Tom Walker.

Walker is from Powell, and is considered to be an acoustic singer-songwriter. He’s a local in the Big Horn Basin area of Wyoming and south-central Montana. He’s played in many venues, including The Chamberlin Inn in Cody, and has a weekly gig at the Silver Dollar bar in Cody. He has also played the WYOld West Brewing Company in Powell, and multiple times at the Ten Sleep Brewery.

Walker has recorded projects in Nashville, Tennessee, and will be performing both original and cover songs.

On Wednesday, the band Drones Over Yellowstone is opening for local band, Rattlesnake Ridge.

Drones Over Yellowstone may be familiar with those who attended Worland’s CultureFest in June.

The Riverton band fits in the genre of rock/rockabilly, along with blues and jazz. The trio of members, consisting of Aaron Baldes, Travis Smith and Chance Bradbury, have been working on different projects for 15 years, but over the last three years have joined forces to create the band.

The rock band plays cover music along with original songs. According to their website, they’ve found inspiration and material through genres like ska/reggae and blues, and folk artists like “The Tallest Man on Earth.”

Wednesday, before the performance by Arterial Drive, Montana artist, Jarret Kostrba will be performing.

Kostbra is an independent artist originally from Bozeman, Montana and currently lives in Red Lodge. He has experience working in a band, but has taken off into a solo career the past year. Kostrba performs a variety of genres, including folk, soul, bluegrass, and alternative country.

He enjoys being able to come to the Washakie county fair to add to the large list of venues he has played.

According to Kostbra, he found his love for music from his grandfather, who performed on violin in a band with his family. He first started off when he was in high school, and prides himself on his “banjolin” playing.

To finish off the week, local musician from Ten Sleep, Lacy Nelson will be opening for Daniel Kosel and the Crue.

Nelson was raised in the foothills of the Big Horn

Mountains. She’s a folk-style artist with country toots.

“My music draws inspiration from the wild prairies around me and rural life,” Nelson said. “I started to play my mother’s piano as soon as I was tall enough to sit on the bench and read the keys.”

Growing up, Nelson was always surrounded by music, with a mix of Juice Newton, Kool and the Gang, and the Steve Miller Band. She started piano lessons in kindergarten, all the way through until middle school, when she had stopped reading sheet music and began to come up with her own music. She started to learn guitar in high school and has been focused on that since.

“I’ve always written songs, but within the last few months I’ve put together some that I’m proud of that reflect where I am in life, and who I am,” Nelson said. “I get the unique experience of being fifth generation on my family’s ranch outside of Ten Sleep, so I sing songs about what it’s like to in the middle of nowhere among the hippies and cowboys.”

Nelson has been singing publicly for a few years and, in addition to playing the Washakie County Fair, will also be performing for the Wyoming State Fair, and will be competing in a songwriter’s competition later this August.

Opening performances will start at 7 p.m. The main acts start at 8.

The Northern Wyoming Daily News will be featuring the main acts in articles throughout fair week.