Here ya go …you can listen to the TOP 20 recap of the year while you’re reading. I also broke it down into 5 song segments below if you’re prefer that.
I had a hellova year. I hope you did too. Courtesy of KUNC, the Colorado Sound is now on an additional 20 FM frequencies around the state, bringing the total up to 45 hours a week of programming across 33 frequencies. Check out the stations and times page so you know where to tune in on when you’re up skiing.
Thanks to both KUNC and Radio 94.9 Colorado I had the incredible pleasure this year to sit down and have chats with Chris Daniels, Dave Glasser, Eddie Turner, Richie Furay, and Reed Foehl for the new podcast series Offstage …Beyond the Music. Coming up the week of Jan 3-9 to start off the new year, Colorado Music Hall of Fame executive director G Brown will be my guest – talking about the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and his books.
G holds the franchise on Colorado music history. The former Denver Post music journalist is the author of “Colorado Rocks: A Half-Century of Music In Colorado,” and “Telluride Bluegrass Festival – The First Forty 
Years.” His life work, when it’s done, will be his history of Red Rocks. “Colorado Rocks” has been updated for a re-release when the Colorado Music Hall of Fame opens up at the Trading Post at Red Rocks in 2015.
Speaking of …congratulations to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame class of 2014: the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Manassas, Poco, Firefall, Richie Furay, and Steve Martin who will all be inducted on Jan 9, 2015 at the Paramount in Denver.
I started this blog to celebrate Colorado music and the stations that support it. I can’t say enough about the incredible network of stations I track each month. The number of stations airing Colorado music today in any measure is unprecedented. The volume of Colorado music aired each month is pretty mind-blowing. On average, of some 300 titles I track each month, about 45-46% get aired at least once in a month, by at least one station.
When you look below at the STATION BY STATION breakout, one station stands out by the number of titles aired ..not only for the year, but month in and month out, consistently over the past two to three years now. When KRFC music director Scott Foley sent out the station’s most played titles for 2014, 60% were Colorado titles. I have been a part of many discussions throughout the years where someone has said that radio should play “local music.” KRFC is living up to the dream.
One of the greatest joys for me in 2014 was emceeing the 10th Annual Bohemian Nights at New West Fest, and fronting for the likes of Big Head Todd & the Monsters, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Richie Furay, who I also got to host at the 8th Annual Carbon Valley Music & Spirits Festival to go with the Samples. All in all, it was one of my most satisfying concert seasons. Thanks especially to my friends at CHUN (Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods) in Denver for the 10 years I represented them at the annual People’s Fair, and to the Fort Collins Downtown Business Association for the opportunity to host their stages in 2014.
As the year wound down I also received an incredible invitation to join the board of directors for SpokesBUZZ. I am very excited for the opportunity to help so many great acts work towards realizing their own dreams in this crazy music thing we do…
Support Provided By
I owe a huge thank you to some very special people without whom this show, and the accompanying Live365 station, and Offstage …Beyond the Music would not be here today. First, thanks to Steve Law DDS and Denver area musician, for his contribution last winter that kept The Colorado Sound Live365 on the air for the few months I needed some funding.
Thanks to my friend Chuck Grewe, who once shared the stage with me in a band in the 90s, and his brother Bill. They own Colorado Case Company. And a very special thank you to Dani Grant and her husband Matt Hoven, owners of the Mishawaka Amphitheatre and Chippers Lanes, respectively. Dani is also the founder and driving force behind SpokesBUZZ. To each of my incredible friends – thank you.
Colorado Case Company a Fort Collins based, Colorado family owned business specializing in insulated soft cases, gig bags, case covers and rigid cases for most instruments, including hard to fit instruments.
SpokesBUZZ, a Colorado non-profit with a mission to develop the professionalism of artists, promote and connect progressive cultural destinations, amplify music scenes, and grow local economies. See event calendar for Spokesbuzz band shows.
The historic Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Northern Colorado’s Musical Playground, and seriously one of the most badass music venues in the state.
Please visit my friends’ sites. They keep this thing going. Much appreciated.
BEST RE-ISSUE(s) 2014
Before I can even get to the charts I have to acknowledge two records I got my hands on this year that are at the TOP of my THANK YOU list for the year: Zephyr/The Deluxe Edition “box set” that includes both the original 1969 Zephyr album remastered + select live cuts, rehearsals and more
…and as a gift from both Eddie Turner, and subsequently a remastered version from David Givens, I got two copies 
of Zephyr/Heartbeat that came out originally in 1982, and was stuffed into basements when bandleader Candy Givens died in 1984.
Eddie gifted me with original vinyl that I had cleaned up and digitized by Kevin Clock at Colorado Sound Studios. Kevin was the engineer on the record originally. Thanks to David for an advance of a newly remastered version that he suggested may be reissued in 2015.
I believe David has plans to reissue the entire Zephyr collection, including what many think of as the best album from Zephyr, “Sunset Ride.” Personally, I put “Heartbeat” at the top of the list, but to each his own: both albums have considerable charm, shaped less by Candy’s stylistic changes than the two guitarists who shaped the music Candy sang over, Jock Bartley (Firefall) on “Sunset Ride,” and Eddie Turner on “Heartbeat.” “Sunset Ride” is decidedly jazzier, while “Heartbeat” has a bit more of the new-wave sound that was emanating from the early 80s.
One great band – three great guitarists – Tommy Bolin, Jock Bartley, Eddie Turner. No doubt slated for future induction into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.
TOP 20 FAN FAVORITE TITLES 2014
The one thing about fan favorite polls is that an act’s fans really want you to pay attention to what they like – so they rally around their “candidate.” Sometimes, bands don’t know these polls are even taking place, and at other times they don’t care about polls so they don’t tell their fans. Regardless of all of that, these bands’ fans came out and threw down to see their favorite win the Fan Favorite prize of 2014. This year fans voted for 85 unique titles. Here are the top 20.
1. Matt Skinner Band – Native Stranger (country)
2. Kristina Murray – Unravelin’ (country)
3. Dave Perron – Foot to the Pedal (folk)
3. Slopeside – One Land Town (acoustic-rock)
4. Gumbo le Funque – Funky Way (blues, funk)
5. Knocean – Knocean (reggae)
6. Deadwood Saints – 6th and Trinity (rock, alt-country-rock)
7. Bonnie & the Clydes – Music for the People: Part I EP (country)
7. Katie Glassman & Snapshot – Dream A Little Dream (country)
7. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Time (You’re Doing Fine) (rhythm & blues)
8. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Black Beehive (rock/blues)
8. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Living Asleep (rock/pop)
8. Reed Foehl – Lost in the West (rock/singer-songwriter)
9. AdrienneO – Lines EP (rock/alternative)
9. Ark Life – The Dream of You and Me (rock/folk-rock)
9. Euforquestra – Fire (funk/reggae)
9. Hot Rize – When I’m Free (bluegrass)
9. J. Miller – One More High, One More Low (country-folk)
9. The Fray – Helios (rock/pop)
9. You, Me and Apollo – Sweet Honey (rock/blues)
9. Young Ancients – S/T (Americana/blues)
THE TOP 50 2014
I made some changes to how I did the TOP 50 most aired titles this year. Instead of only listing records that came out between Nov 1 2013 and Oct 31 2014, I went back and ran the numbers for titles that were entered into tracking from May 2013 to Oct 31 2014.
#5-1
1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free (Thirty Tigers) Bluegrass [Sept 6, 2014]
2. Euforquestra – Fire (self) Funk/reggae [Feb 22, 2014]
3. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Black Beehive (Shout! Factory) Rock/blues [Jan 25, 2014]
4. The String Cheese Incident – Song in My Head (SCI Fidelity) Rock/jamband [April 12, 2014]
5. The Motet – The Motet (self) Funk [Jan 4, 2014]
#10-6 6. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies (Its Evolving Records) Folk [Aug 1, 2013]
7. Nathaniel Rateliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run (Mod y Vi Records) Folk [Sept 1, 2013]
8. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman (Suitcase Town Music) Folk [June 22, 2013]
9. Tennis – Ritual in Repeat (Communion Records) Pop/Indie [Aug 14, 2014]
10. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the World (8 Minutes 20 Seconds) EDM [July 2, 2013]
#15-11 11. Ark Life – The Dream of You and Me (Greater Than Collective) Rock/folk [June 28, 2014]
12. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters (self) Bluegrass [Oct 1, 2013]
13. Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Love Runner (Remington Road Records) Folk/americana [Dec 21, 2013]
14. You, Me and Apollo – Sweet Honey (self) Rock, blues, alternative [April 26, 2014]
15. Honey Don’t – Heart Like A Wheel (self) Country/americana [Nov 1, 2013]
#20-16 16. Kyle Hollingsworth – Speed of Life (SCI Fidelity) Rock/pop [Sept 6, 2014]
17. Reed Foehl – Lost in the West (NeverFoehl Records) Folk/singer-songwriter [Sept 13, 2014]
18. Musketeer Gripweed – Floods and Fires (self) Rock/blues [March 29, 2014]
19. A Shoreline Dream – The Silent Sunrise (self) Rock/alternative [Sept 6, 2014]
20. Young Ancients – Y/A (self) Americana [Feby 22, 2014]
21. Katie Glassman & Snapshot – Dream A Little Dream (self) Americana/western swing [Nov 30, 2013]
22. Mosey West – Bermuda (self) Rock/alt-country-rock [Nov 2, 2013]
23. 3 Twins – De Nada (Sleeping Elephant Music) Americana [June 20, 2013]
24. Chimney Choir – (compass) (self) Folk/alternative folk-rock [June 1, 2013]
25. Monocle Band – S/T (self) Folk/pop [Sept 1, 2013]
26. Rob Drabkin – Little Steps EP (self) Rock/pop/AAA [Aug 1, 2013]
27. Finnders & Youngberg – I Don’t Want Love You Won’t Give Until I Cry (Swingfingers Records) Americana/bluegrass [Aug 1, 2013]
28. Various – SpokesBUZZ Vol. IV: Band Together (SpokesBUZZ) Various [Dec 14, 2013]
29. Esme Patterson – Woman to Woman (Greater Than Collective) Indie/New Alternative [April 5, 2014]
30. The Patti Fiasco – Small Town Lights (self) Rock/country-rock [July 23, 2013]
31. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Rocky Mountain Honky Tonk (self) Americana/alt-country-rock [July 7, 2013]
32. Tallgrass – Better Than Medicine (self) Rock/Americana [March 1, 2014]
33. Cassie Taylor – Out of My Mind (Yellow Dog) Blues/rhythm and blues [May 18, 2013]
34. Josh Dillard – The Bright Light of Shipwreck (self) Folk/folk-rock [June 1, 2013]
35. Katie Herzig – Walk Through Walls (Marion-Lorraine) Pop/adult contemporary [April 26, 2014]
36. Dragondeer – Don’t That Feel Good EP (self) Rock [March 14, 2014]
37. Grant Farm – Plowin’ Time (self) Rock/country-rock [May 10, 2014]
38. Head for the Hills – Blue Ruin (self) Bluegrass [June 1, 2013]
39. Dianne Reeves – Beautiful Life (Concord) Urban Contemporary/jazz/soul [Feb 11, 2014]
40. Drag The River – Drag the River (Xtra Mile Records) Rock/alt-country-rock [Oct 1, 2013]
41. Jeff Scroggins & Colorado – Western Branches (self) Americana/bluegrass [June 1, 2013]
42. The Wild After – Lesson Learned EP (self) Rock/pop [Jan 4, 2014]
43. John Oates – Good Road to Follow (PS Records) Pop/AAA/Americana [Sept 13, 2014]
44. Matt Skinner Band – Native Stranger (Tapedero Productions) Ameicana/country [Nov 9, 2013]
45. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Time (You’re Doing Fine) (self) Blues/rhythm and blues [Dec 7, 2013]
46. Megan Burtt – In Good Company: Vol I: The Colorado Sessions (self) Various [Nov 1, 2013]
47. Joe Johnson – New West Sound (Blank Tape) Americana/country-folk [Aug 1, 2013]
48. Yonder Mountain String Band – EP13 (Frog Pad) Americana/bluegrass [Sept 1, 2013]
49. Kristina Murray – Unravelin’ (self) Americana/country [Nov 2, 2013]
50. Five Iron Frenzy – Engine of A Million Plots (self) Rock/alternative [March 1, 2014]
TOP 5 STATION BY STATION 2014
KAFM (Grand Junction) [65]
1. The String Cheese Incident – Song in my Head
2. Euforquestra – Fire
3. Big Head Todd & The Monsters – Black Beehive
4. The Williams Brothers Band – Live At The Mesa Theater
5. The Motet – The Motet
KBUT (Crested Butte) [30]
1. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
2. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head
3. Head for the Hills – Blue Ruin
4. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
5. WhiteWater Ramble – Roots & Groove
KDUR (Durango) [45]
1. Euforquestra – Fire
2. The Motet – The Motet
3. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
4. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head
5. Jeff Scroggins & Colorado – Western Branches
KGNU (Boulder) [70]
1. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
2. Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Love Runner
3. Nathaniel Rateliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run
4. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the Sun
5. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
KRCC (Colorado Springs) [30]
1. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the World
2. Euforquestra – Fire
3. Tennis – Ritual in Repeat
4. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
5. A Shoreline Dream – The Silent Sunrise
KRFC (Fort Collins) [250]
1. Young Ancients – Y/A
2. Euforquestra – Fire
3. Various Artists – Spokesbuzz Vol. 4
4. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Time (You’re Doing Fine)
5. You Me & Apollo – Sweet Honey
KRZA (Alamosa) [20]
1. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
2. You, Me and Apollo – Sweet Honey
3. Finnders & Youngberg – I Don’t Want Love You Won’t Give Until I Cry
3. Gabrielle Louise – The Bird in My Chest
4. Cassie Taylor – Out of My Mind
KSUT (Ignacio) [25]
1. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head
2. The Motet – The Motet
3. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Black Beehive
4. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
5. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
KUNC (Greeley) [25]
1. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Black Beehive
2. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
2. Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Love Runner
3. Nathaniel Rateliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run
4. 3 Twins – De Nada
KVNF (Paonia) [40]
1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free
2. Katie Glassman & Snapshot – Dream A Little Dream
3. Euforquestra – Fire
4. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head
5. Nathaniel Rateliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run
OPEN AIR 1340 (Denver) [85]
1. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
2. Esme Patterson – Woman to Woman
3. Nathaniel Rateliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run
4. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
5. Ark Life – The Dream of You and Me
THE COLORADO SOUND [175]
1. The Wild After – Lesson Learned EP
2. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head
3. The Motet – The Motet
4. Musketeer Gripweed – Floods and Fires
5. Dianne Reeves – Beautiful Life
AN HOUR OF MY FAVORITE VIDEOS
I don’t know about you but I don’t have the time to really sit and watch a lot of music videos. They really are destination viewing. Here’s about an hour’s worth that I’ve assembled from throughout the year that I particularly like. They’re not in any real order, except how I felt like mixing them as a set.
Included in the set: Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Head for the Hills, Gregory Alan Isakov, SHEL, Taarka, Young Ancients, Ark Life, Strange Americans, My Body Sings Electric, Katie Herzig, Rob Drabkin, and Hot Rize.
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 