White Buffalo: Voices of the West begins streaming on January 26th
Known for his ability to transport people to the West by way of his sawing fiddle and coyote cries, Wyoming native Ian Munsick’s sophomore album White Buffalo painted a vivid lyrical picture of his homeland and its unique cast of characters. Now, Munsick is expanding on those depictions with his documentary White Buffalo: Voices of the West, arriving on streaming platforms on Friday, January 26th.
The documentary will initially be available on Apple iTunes, Apple, Google Play, Kanopy (Libraries), Microsoft, Vudu, YouTube Rentals and Amazon TVOD. After 60-90 days, it will become available on Freevee, The Roku Channel, and Tubi.
“Some of the best-kept secrets are out there, thriving, where the prairie meets the mountains,” Munsick reflects. “I was lucky enough to be born and raised in the heart of cowboy country, mostly untouched by the outside world. It’s a culture where Cowboys and Native Americans are one in the same. I’ve always wanted to use my platform to help shed light on what’s been hidden for decades, and Voices of the West was a great way to convey an important message, while artistically collaborating with people who rarely get the opportunity to have their voices heard.”
Spanning nearly an hour, the film expands on the concept of Munsick’s sophomore album White Buffalo, with the white buffalo representing a sacred symbol for the plains tribes of Native America, its return signaling prosperity and rebirth. Delving into conversations with Pro Buckin’ Horse producer and entrepreneur from the Blackfoot Tribe, Dougie Hall; rancher, horse trainer and actor from the Crow Tribe, Stephen Yellowtail; and cowgirl from the Blackfeet Nation, Sammy Jo Bird; Munsick explores the modern-day relationship between cowboys, ranchers and Native American tribes, and how they often rely on each other to live off the land out west.
Munsick first premiered the documentary to an intimate crowd of 150 attendees last month during NFR in Las Vegas. Following the screening, the cast was joined by Cam Mackey, director/cinematographer from the Tohono O’Odham Nation and executive producer Caroline Munsick, for a panel discussion moderated by film, television actor and enrolled member of the Lakota Nations, Mo Brings Plenty. The 30-minute conversation highlighted the importance of sharing Native and Western experiences from those who live them to shed an authentic light on the culture.
Munsick released his full-length sophomore album White Buffalo last year. The first release from the project, standout duet “Long Live Cowgirls” with Cody Johnson, hit No. 1 on SiriusXM’s The Highway Hot 30 Countdown, was named one of Amazon Music’s Best Country Songs of 2022 and recently received RIAA gold-certification alongside “Long Haul” off his debut album Coyote Cry; while Munsick’s solo version of “Long Live Cowgirls” impacted country radio last fall.
