Colorado Music Experience

13/08/2025

Today is the birth anniversary of Dan Fogelberg, one of the most popular singer-songwriters of the ’70s and ’80s, with hits such as “Part of the Plan,” “Longer,” “Leader of the Band” and “Same Old Lang Syne.” A longtime Colorado resident, he passed away after a three-year battle with prostate cancer in December 2007.

The singer-songwriter’s biggest hits resulted from time on a Nederland spread and his ranch near Pagosa Springs.

10/08/2025

In 1974, Bob Seger’s “Get Out of Denver” peaked on the 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 Hot 100.
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In 1976, after a decade of being rock’s “Beautiful Loser,” Bob Seger began his overdue breakthrough to stardom when his Live Bullet album went gold. Live Bullet, recorded at two sold-out shows at Cobo Hall in his hometown of Detroit, featured versions of such early Seger classics as “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” “Katmandu,” “Turn the Page” and “Get Out of Denver.” The 1974 single “Get Out of Denver” had peaked at No. 80 on the 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥 chart.

Was the tune based on a real-life experience? In his first-ever Denver gig, at Ebbets Field in July 1974, Seger introduced the song as “…a little story that took place real near here, up near Loveland Pass.”

Read more on the CoME website: https://colomusic.org/blog/bob-segers-get-out-of-denver/

09/08/2025

In 1982, The Clash made its first appearance at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre. Read more about the concert on the CoME blog: https://colomusic.org/blog/the-clashs-colorado-connection/

09/08/2025

Forty years ago today, Huey Lewis & The News began a sold-out run of four shows at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre. Were you there in 1985?

Read more about the concerts on the CoME website: https://colomusic.org/blog/huey-lewis-the-news-colorado-connection/

09/08/2025

In 2008, Flobots’ hit “Handlebars” peaked at #3 on 𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘢𝘳𝘥’s Modern Rock chart. Read more about the Colorado band on the CoME website: https://colomusic.org/profile/flobots/

08/08/2025

Today is the birth anniversary of Michael Johnson, whose hit songs included “Bluer Than Blue,” “Almost Like Being in Love” and “This Night Won’t Last Forever.” The singer-songwriter, who grew up in Denver in a Catholic family, passed away in July 2017. Read more about Johnson on the CoME website: https://colomusic.org/profile/michael-johnson/

08/08/2025

In 1986, David Crosby left prison on parole. A pivotal member of the Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, his well-documented substance-abuse problem and the resultant paranoia had left him a shell of a performer. But Crosby beat his addiction, finally going cold turkey after serving nine months of hard time. In Colorado, Crosby spoke of his transgressions with G. Brown, now CoME’s director, in his first face-to-face interview since his release.

As a member of such seminal bands as the Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash (and occasionally Young), David Crosby was assured a place in rock history. But his legacy was overshadowed by a public decline that began in the mid-’70s, when the arrests piled up—cocaine, he**in, guns, assault and batter...

07/08/2025

50 years ago today, America performed at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre. Were you there in 1975?

06/08/2025

Fifty years ago today, Linda Ronstadt performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre for the first time. Were you there in 1975?

04/08/2025

Forty years ago today, the Power Station performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre for the first and only time. Were you there in 1985?

04/08/2025

In 1968, when Aretha Franklin called off her Red Rocks concert at the last minute because of a dispute with the promoter, about 200 people in the audience rampaged and destroyed equipment. Read more about the incident on the CoME blog: https://colomusic.org/blog/aretha-franklins-colorado-connection/

For several years, shows went smoothly at Red Rocks, with such acts as Bill Cosby, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass and Peter, Paul & Mary providing light-hearted entertainment. But the vibe changed in August 1968, when a planned show by Aretha Franklin got nasty.

04/08/2025

In 1996, during the first of Phish’s four sold-out gigs at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a fracas broke out when an overflow of itinerant fans packed the streets of Morrison.

Phish was the left-field success story of the 1990s. One of the biggest concert draws in America, the determinedly eccentric Vermont quartet—guitarist Trey Anastasio, keyboardist Page McConnell, bass player Mike Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman—was beloved by an army of noodle-dancing, sandal-wear...