A special one-night concert featuring traveling musicians on a railroad tour along with local performers will benefit the North Valley Music School.

The Roots on the Rails train, with a group of music lovers traveling in vintage passenger railway cars, will make a stop in Whitefish this week. Musicians who travel on the tour provide onboard concerts. They typically hold a public concert when the train overnights in town.

“We’re really enthused about our stop in Whitefish, meeting some of the locals and sharing some great music,” said Sarah Ovenden with Roots on the Rails.

The concert is Thursday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Craggy Range. Suggested admission donation is $10 for the concert in the backroom bar. The restaurant will also serve a fixed-price dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Traveling musicians on the train include, Dave Alvin, Jon Langford, David Olney and Rick Shea. Local talent includes John Dunnigan, Christian Johnson, Chuck Suchy, Deidre Heaton, Luke Dowler and Kathy Sullivan.

Alvin is a Grammy award-winning guitarist and singer-songwriter. His song “Lonesome Whistle” appears on the movie soundtrack for last year’s Disney film “The Lone Ranger.”

Langford is a Welsh musician and artist based in Chicago. As a musician he started out in punk and settled into country music, while his latest album is described as a mix of folk songs with rock ‘n’ roll and hard rock undertones.

Olney is an American folk singer-songwritter, who over the course of four decades and 25 albums, has attracted a devoted following.

Singer and guitarist Shea reflects the folk, country, rock and Mexican influences he grew up with.

The Roots on the Rails performers will be departing on that evening’s westbound train. After they wrap up their portion of the show, the local talent will take the stage.

Dunnigan performs around Montana with his original, often hilarious songs entertain crowds late into the night.

Johnson, one of the original Mission Mountain Wood Band members, plays hot bluegrass licks with good old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. He also teaches at North Valley Music School.

Suchy is a working farmer, born and raised in the blue hills along the Missouri River in North Dakota. Singing and playing guitar and accordion, his love for making music goes back to his childhood.

Heaton is a singer-songwriter who performs her original tunes in the Flathead Valley and beyond. Her music is a cross over between acoustic Americana, folk and blues.

Dowler, a songwriter and Montana native, has recorded nine albums, two singles and more than 30 music videos. He focuses on a “song is king” approach which has earned him a dedicated fan base.

Sullivan came to Whitefish for the first time in the 1970s as a traveling professional singer to perform at the Viking Lodge. She continues to sing and strum her guitar for audiences.

For more information on the concert, contact NVMS at 862-8074.