Mission Valley Live brought Wylie and the Wild West to the Ronan Performing Arts Center on Friday night, and the place was packed, with plenty of whooping and hollering from both the stage and the audience.

Wylie comes from Conrad, and he seems like the rancher next door, if that rancher sings like a country music star and yodels. He’s a long tall guy with a western sense of humor, and he’s got some dance moves that rival Chuck Berry.

The Wild West members are all Montana men, too. Tim Lashley, Helena, plays the drums, and his son, Max, plays the bass guitar and stand-up bass on occasion. Clayton Parsons of Great Falls rounds out the foursome on guitar.

Wylie and the Wild West have been together for 33 years, in different configurations, and recorded 24 albums, with a new one coming out this year.

Wylie and the boys started out with “Whoop Up Trail,” preceded by a short history lesson about the Whoop Up Trail near Conrad where horses, cattle, and lots of whiskey crossed the Canadian border. Hence, the song’s refrain: “Ridin’, ropin’, lopin’, laughin’ on the Whoop Up Trail.”

Although there were plenty of lashings of good music, Wylie also talked about his life a bit, fondly remembering evenings in the Gustafson living room. His dad, Rib Gustafson, was a horse vet and rancher, who also sang old-time cowboy songs and quirky tunes, played on his old Martin guitar.

After supper, Rib would line the five Gustafson kids up in the living room, and they’d sing. Sometimes the four Gustafson boys (Wylie is the youngest) and one girl would dance.

“We’d dance with her until her tongue was hanging out,” Wylie recalled with a grin.

Their dad would sing their favorite songs, and Wylie’s favorite was the “Big Bad Brahma Bull,” which he sang at Friday’s performance.

The band puts their own slant on familiar songs, such as “Buffalo Gals,” which they rock and sexy up a bit, and “Bucking Horse Moon,” a lovely ballad written by Tom Russell.

But a lot of the tunes on Friday’s playlist were Wylie originals, such as “Buck Up and Huck It,” “Dryland Farm,” “High Line Polka,” and “Horseback Cadillac,” about his much-loved cutting horse, Whiskey (registered name Irish Whiskey Sugar), who passed away at 24.

Wylie also sang his original “Hey, Maria,” which helped launch his career back in the early 1990s. He sent video copies to Country Music Television, which started to play the clips. That exposure eventually helped Wylie and the Wild West land a gig opening for Merle Haggard in Las Vegas for 10 days during the PRCA National Finals rodeo.

In 1996, Wylie was recruited to sing his famous “Yahoo!” yodel for Yahoo tech company. Yodeling is a talent he’s honed since childhood as a way to express happiness and to impress his pals.

He started penning original songs in high school in the late 70s. Charlie Powers, Wylie’s English teacher, let him write him a song for extra credit, which inspired Gustafson to shout out a thank-you to good teachers who encourage kids during Friday’s concert.

Near the end of the show, Wylie told the crowd he had a first grader who was student of the month. The award was presented at Saturday’s varsity basketball game in Conrad so the band was driving home as soon as the show was over “cause I’m gonna be there,” Wylie said.

Wylie & The Old Timers

As part of Mission Valley Live’s outreach program, Wylie Gustafson and bandmate Clayton Parsons pulled up at Providence St. Joseph Assisted Living facility in Polson Friday.

Wylie clearly knew his audience. In addition to performing “Big Bad Brahma Bull,” “Little Red Hen,” and other songs, he sang a couple of hymns, “How Great Thou Art” and “I’ll Fly Away,” inviting his audience to join in.

Then he led everyone in “America the Beautiful,” before closing the show. The audience of more than 25 older folks clapped, smiled, and dabbed away tears as they tapped their toes and sang along.

Just a word about cowboy singers: Wylie’s the real deal. He didn’t just find the hat and buckle.

He grew up on a cattle ranch near Conrad, working cows, bucking bales, and handling horses. He and Irish Whiskey Sugar, his once-in-a-lifetime cutting horse, won several regional and national titles in the National Cutting Horse Association. He’s been inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and also the Montana Pro Rodeo Wall and Hall of Fame.

In addition, Wylie and his family raise horses, irrigate and put up a lot of hay. So “ridin’, ropin’, lopin’” isn’t just the refrain to a good song. It’s a way of life.

    Wylie Gustafson's leather guitar strap reflects his roots with a concho for some cowboy bling. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
  

    Wylie Gustafson, flanked by bandmate Clayton Parsons, explains his dad's system of lining up the Gustafson kids to sing to an appreciative audience at St. Joseph Assisted Living. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)
  

    Brandy Ayala and her grandson Jeremiah snuggle as they enjoy Wylie and the Wild West's performance at a Mission Valley Live show in the Ronan Performing Arts Center. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)