Business & Brand Stories
We Build Montana
After more than forty years of friendship, I wrote "We Build Montana" for master craftsman and builder Shannon Tope. More than a business anthem, this is the story of a man whose handshake, integrity, and workmanship have earned trust across Montana for decades. Built on gritty classic rock with the spirit of the 1970s, the song celebrates the people who quietly build communities one beam, one family, and one promise at a time.
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Lean as the lodgepole, strong as the pine Forty years of Montana, every nail in line Sun clears the Rockies, he's already gone Boot on the timber before the dawn Won't sell you a dream he can't deliver straight Shows up every morning, never shows up late Wood and beam and rafter, straight-cut, true and square Walk a Shannon Tope build, you can feel it there No shortcuts taken, not a corner ever cut Says exactly what he means No if, no and, no but Montana in his blood Montana in his bones The hardest working man Who ever built a home Every single day Every single time Forty years of Montana On the line Wood and sweat and timber Beneath a big sky sun We build Montana Until the work is done Put him up against anyone Anywhere in this state From the Hi-Line to Yellowstone Nobody carries that weight We build Montana That's what matters most January hits the Rockies Cold enough to break He's already on the job site Already wide awake Frost on every nail head Steam rising from the ground Put him up against anyone Anywhere to be found Look him in the eye You'll know it right then This is the last builder You'll ever need again He don't talk much About what he's done Just points to the timber Points to the sun Says I built that Then picks up his tools No certificate needed No need to prove Every single day Every single time Forty years of Montana On the line Wood and sweat and timber Beneath a big sky sun We build Montana Until the work is done Put him up against anyone Anywhere in this state From the Hi-Line to Yellowstone Nobody carries that weight We build Montana That's what matters most This ain't just lumber This ain't just a trade This is a man who decided What kind of life gets made Work your ass into the ground Do it all again Every Single Day Every Single Time Put him up against anyone He'll still be standing there That's not a job brother That's Montana That's integrity That's Shannon Tope Right there Every single day Every single time Forty years of Montana On the line Wood and sweat and timber Beneath that big sky sun We build Montana Until the work is done Put him up against ANYONE ANYWHERE in this state From the Hi-Line to Yellowstone NOBODY carries that weight We build Montana We BUILD Montana WE BUILD MONTANA SLT Construction Belgrade, Montana Est. 1986 We build Montana
Behind the story
Why this song exists
“We Build Montana” exists because I wanted Shannon Tope to feel seen. I've known Shannon for more than 40 years, and I've watched the way he works, the standards he holds himself to, and what he has built across Montana. He isn't someone who spends a lot of time telling people how good he is at what he does. His work speaks for him. I wanted the song to say out loud what the people who know him can already see: his work ethic, craftsmanship, integrity, and the life he has built deserve to be recognized. The sound was just as personal as the words. Shannon and I are old rock-and-rollers. That's the music we used to jam to when we hung out, and it's still what he loves today. I knew his story needed great guitar riffs and the kind of rock-and-roll energy that would actually feel like him. The song also marks a new chapter. Shannon spent more than four decades building without needing much of a digital presence. Now we're bringing that reputation into the digital world with We Build Montana so the rest of the world can see what people around him have known for years. The song isn't about turning Shannon into something new. It's about finally putting him out front where he belongs.
- Collection
- Business Storytelling
- Mood
- Authentic, hardworking, proud, gritty, loyal, inspiring
- Audience
- Construction companies, contractors, tradespeople, business owners, Montana families, clients, employees, entrepreneurs
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