Outlaw Partners Announces 2026 Wildlands music lineup

Carrie Underwood headlines, with LeAnn Rimes, Riley Green and Kaitlin Butts at the Big Sky Events Arena July 31 – Aug. 1

BIG SKY, Mont., Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Outlaw Partners is excited to release the official lineup for Wildlands, a live music event returning July 31 – Aug. 1 at the Big Sky Events Arena for two unforgettable nights of live music in an intimate venue set against the backdrop of 11,166-foot Lone Mountain.

Now in its sixth year, Wildlands continues to distinguish itself as one of the most unique music events in the country, pairing world-class artists in an unique outdoor venue limited to 5,000 attendees, while raising funds for conservation groups devoted to preserving the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Carrie Underwood, one of the most successful artists in modern country music, will headline the weekend on Saturday, Aug. 1. Launching her career after winning American Idol in 2005, Underwood is the highest RIAA certified female country artist of all time, released 29 #1 singles (14 of which she co-write), and has won over 100 major awards, which include 8 GRAMMY® Awards, 16 Academy of Country Music Awards, with multiple Entertainer of the Year honors, and 25 CMT Music Awards, the most wins in the show's history, among others. She has starred in the show open for primetime television's #1 program, NBC's Sunday Night Football, for 13 consecutive seasons, and this month will return for a second season on the judges panel of the hit show "American Idol," alongside Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie on ABC and Hulu. A high-resolution image of Underwood can be found here.

Underwood has played several times before in Montana including 2006 in Great Falls at the Montana State Fair, 2010 at Montana State University's Brick Breeden Fieldhouse, and in 2016 in Billings at the Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark.

Kaitlin Butts will join Underwood on Saturday. Like Underwood, Butts is from Oklahoma and has built a strong following with music that blends traditional country sounds with a modern perspective and wit, building a respected presence in the Red Dirt and Americana scenes.

Friday, July 31, will feature country music singer-songwriters Riley Green and LeAnn Rimes. Hailing from Jacksonville, Alabama, Riley Green first broke through with hits like "There Was This Girl" and has continued to build a strong presence, earning multiple Academy of Country Music Awards, which include Single of the Year and Music Event of the Year. Rimes rose to fame in the mid-1990s as a country music prodigy and gained international recognition at just 13 years old with her breakout hit "Blue," becoming one of the youngest Grammy winners in history.

Produced by Outlaw Partners, Wildlands is a conservation-driven event, benefiting vital land, water and wildlife initiatives. The lead conservation partner for 2026 will be the Property and Environment Research Center. PERC is a leader in conservation with over 40 years of pioneering research and a network of respected experts in the Yellowstone Ecosystem. PERC has a unique approach to conservation, exploring incentives for environmental stewardship that produce sustainable outcomes for land, water and wildlife.

About Outlaw Partners
Outlaw Partners is an award-winning marketing, media and events company based in Big Sky and Bozeman, Montana.  Formed around the pioneering principles of the Code of the West, Outlaw Partners builds brands that live to challenge the status quo. Founded in 2009, Outlaw Partners' award-winning media publications include Mountain Outlaw magazine, Explore Big Sky newspaper and Yellowstone magazine. In addition, we produce hand-curated events in Southwest Montana, such as Wildlands and Big Sky Professional Bull Riding. With multiple awards for content, events and graphic design, Outlaw Partners is driven to make an impact in the world by creating meaningful connections, supporting local community organizations, inspiring action in service, and producing quality content that represents a unique demographic and fosters a global kinship to the spirit of the Mountain West. For more information, please visit www.outlawpartners.com.

About Wildlands
Produced by Outlaw Partners, Wildlands takes place at the Big Sky Events Arena in Big Sky, Montana, with the 11,166-foot iconic Lone Peak as the backdrop. This exciting and inspiring music event brings people together who have a mutual love for wild and scenic rivers, outdoor recreation, parks, trails and the enjoyment of what makes the Greater Yellowstone region special. Previous Wildlands Festival artists include: Dave Matthews, Foo Fighters, Lord Huron, Dierks Bentley, Maren Morris, Brandi Carlile, Indigo Girls, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Robert Earl Keen and Madeline Hawthorne, among others.

About PERC (The Property and Environment Research Center) 
PERC (The Property and Environment Research Center) is the national leader in market solutions for conservation. Headquartered in Bozeman, Montana, PERC harnesses incentives to deliver practical conservation solutions that improve stewardship across both private and public lands—from working ranches and wildlife corridors to national parks, forests, and other treasured landscapes of the American West. Working alongside ranch families, public land managers, and local communities in places like Montana's Paradise Valley and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, PERC helps make conservation a win for wildlife, people, and the lands they depend on by aligning economics with ecology. Through programs such as Elk Rent, the Brucellosis Compensation Fund, and the Virtual Fence Conservation Fund, as well as partnerships that support innovative funding for parks and forest restoration to reduce wildfire risk, PERC delivers real solutions that improve habitat, reduce conflict, and keep landscapes healthy, productive, and open for future generations. Learn more at perc.org.

SOURCE Outlaw Partners