I’m approached daily by musicians seeking answers to the mysteries of our industry. I’m proud to say we live in a state where information and resources are bountiful.
I attended four events in the past month that served no other purpose than to educate, develop, and promote all that is Colorado music, those who make it, and those who work on advancing it; the Denver Music Summit, FOCOMX, the Colorado Blues Society IBC finals, and the induction of six new bands into Spokesbuzz. Of course they’re not the only organizations or events designed for these purposes, but I was fortunate to attend events put on by all four.
Ultimately it is the fan, the audience, the listener, who is the deciding factor when it comes to how well we in the “business” are doing our jobs – and therefore it is important to have that perspective at the table when we’re talking about making music and getting it “out there.” Audience participation is appreciated. Please go visit those organizations online and find out what we have going on regionally.
Congratulations to new Spokebuzz bands: American Blackout, The Burroughs, Chemistry Club, Grim & Darling, Red Fox Run and Slow Caves. They join Eldren, Gasoline Lollipops, iZCALLi, Pandas & People, Qbala, and Wiredogs, who are all in the second year of the two year incubation program. Grant Farm, Maxwell Hughes, Shatterproof, Wasteland Hop, Winchester Holiday and The Yawpers all completed their program and have graduated.
Check out the current #6 Colorado album title SpokesBuzz Vol 5
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Congratulations to Randall Dubis & Dan Treanor who will represent Colorado at the IBC in Memphis next winter in the solo/duo category and to Rex People’s and X-Factor who will represent in the band category. Good luck in Memphis next winter to all.
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NEW MUSIC in APRIL
Cracker has been added and identified as (CC) for the purposes of tracking Colorado music. Band co-founder Johnny Hickman is a local guy and has been for many years now. In a conversation with his wife recently I learned that she used to listen to me on the air at 96.1 K-SKY in the late 80s when she was in high school. I totally cracked up.
Also, I’ve added and tracked other artists who I’ve identified with a (CC) tag, namely Sara Cahoone, John Oates, Bill Frissel, Tia Fuller and others so I have no idea why it’s taken me so long to put Cracker in the mix. Cracker’s latest Berkeley To Bakersfield came out last fall. The band itself seems to be picking up some love among other local music supporters around the state … Cracker is making a few appearances locally this summer for you to keep your eyes open for.
John Common, Wendy Woo Band, Esme Patterson, The Railsplitters, Natalie Walker, The Raven and the Writing Desk, Michael Kirkpatrick, Ragged Union, and Clouds & Mountains all cracked the TOP 40 for the first time in April.
I suspect that we’ll see Wendy Woo, the Railsplitters, and Ragged Union stick around on the charts the longest. Wendy is broadly known around the state, and does a great job of getting her work to interested djs. The Railsplitters and Ragged Union are bluegrass bands of note in the state, and there is no shortage of independent djs who do favor Colorado bluegrass and Americana releases.
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VIDEO PICKS OF THE MONTH
11 videos wound up in the video playlist for May … from Dearling, Esme Patterson, Strange Americans, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Nightsweats, Leftover Salmon, Ivory Circle, Instant Empire, Sound of Ceres, Tennis, Megan Burtt, Todd Adelman
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JOIN ME THIS SUMMER AT:
June 6 – For Locals x Locals Presented by The Colorado Sound and Scene Magazine featuring Cracker, Post Paradise, Branded Bandits, Red Fox Run, Shaley Scott Band and Winchester Holiday. A music festival to celebrate and honor local musicians and local music industry vendors. The goal of this festival is to create a space for our musical community to thrive. If you are a local musician, we would like to offer you free admission and a beer. If you’re a fan, please be honest and support your local music scene with your ticket purchase. Treat this as an opportunity to meet new musicians, find out about local music industry and catch up with old friends.
June 12 & 13 The Greeley Blues Jam in Greeley with Austin Young– featuring Michaela Rae and friends + Maynard Mills Blues Band + George Whitesell and His All Stars featuring Jill Watkins + The Frails – all female review featuring Erica Brown, MJ, G’Jai, Michaela Rae, Miss Audrey, Susan Phelan & national headliners Delbert McClinton, Elvin Bishop and more.
August 1 – 8th Annual Carbon Valley Music & Spirits Festival in Dacono. Lineup TBA. The region’s first Spirits Competition event, started four years ago now. Previous headliners have included Richie Furay, Lionel Young, Drew Emmitt (Leftover Salmon) and others.
August 9 – The Colorado Sound Presents Hazel Miller, Chris Daniels & the Kings, Goatz!, and William’s Reserve on Aug 9 at the Mishawaka
THE COLORADO SOUND IS SUPPORTED BY
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TOP 40 Spins MARCH 2015
185 titles tracked
Titles tracked = released between Nov 1 2013 and April 27 2015
105 (57%) titles identified as played at least once in the reporting period
Stations/shows surveyed: 15
(CC) = Colorado Connection
(D) = album/ep/single debut on chart
(R) = re-enter
[date] = Date added to reporting list
(4) 1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free (Thirty Tigers) Bluegrass [Sept 15, 2014]
(2) 2. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky To the Bone (Moon Voyage) Blues/funk [Jan 15, 2015]
(3) 3. Jeff Austin – The Simple Truth (Yep Roc) Rock/AAA, bluegrass [Jan 2, 2015]
(8) 4. Ark Life– The Dream of You & Me (Greater Than Collective) Rock/AAA [June 28, 2014]
(R) 5. Reed Foehl – Lost In the West (NeverFoehl Records) Pop/singer-songwriter [Sept 13, 2014]
(7) 6. Various – SpokesBUZZ Compilation V (SpokesBUZZ) Various [Dec 20, 2014]
(28) 7. Big Head Todd & the Monsters –Black Beehive (Shout! Factory) Rock/blues-rock [Jan 25, 2014]
(R) 8. Plum – Behind Your Man [single] (self) Rock [Feb 1, 2015]
(D) 9. John Common – The River Is Moving [single] (Immersive) Rock [April 1, 2015]
(D) 9. Wendy Woo Band – Tipping Point (Woo Music) Pop/Adult Contemporary [April 13, 2015]
(D) 10. Esme Patterson – What Do You Call A Woman EP (Greater Than Collective) Indie/New Alternative [April
1, 2015]
(18) 10. Todd Adelman – Highways & Lowways (Porch Lantern Music) Americana/alt-country-rock [Jan 8, 2015]
(D) 11. The Railsplitters – The Faster It Goes (self) Bluegrass (April 20, 2015)
(1) 12. Bill Frisell –Guitar In the Space Age (Okeh Records) Jazz/Instrumental [Nov 18, 2014] (CC)
(6) 13. Richie Furay – Hand In Hand (ENT ONE Music) Americana/country-rock [March 1, 2015]
(R) 14. You Me & Apollo – Sweet Honey (self) Indie/New Alternative [April 26, 2014]
(30) 15. Trout Steak Revival – Brighter Every Day (self) Bluegrass [March 20. 2015]
(16) 16. The String Cheese Incident – Song in My Head (SCI Fidelity) Rock/AAA [April 14, 2014]
(D) 17. Natalie Walker – Strange Bird (Dorado Records) Pop/Adult Contemporary (April 1, 2015)
(15) 18. Tennis – Ritual in Repeat (Communion Records) Indie/New Alternative [Aug 14, 2014]
(R) 19. Musketeer Gripweed – Floods and Fires (self) Rock/jamband [March 29, 2014]
(R) 20. Calder’s Revovlers – Sunday Morning (self) Rock/rhythm & blues [June 13, 2014]
(R) 21. Euforquestra – Fire (self) Funk/reggae [Feb 22, 2014]
(22) 21. Taarka – Making Tracks Home (self) Folk [March 9, 2015]
(12) 22. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake –Totem (self) Indie/New Alternative [Nov 8, 2014]
(D) 23. Cracker – Berkeley To Bakersfield (SLG) Rock [Nov 8, 2014] (CC)
(R) 24. The River Arkansas – The River Arkansas (Blank Tape Records) Alt-country-rock [Feb 1, 2015]
(R) 25. Montropo – Follow Me (self) Pop/singer-songwriter (Nov 14, 2014]
(9) 26. Leftover Salmon –High Country (LoS) Rock/bluegrass [Nov 8, 2014]
(D) 27. The Raven and the Writing Desk – Some Get Started EP (self) Indie/new alternative [April 1, 2015]
(R) 28. The Motet – The Motet (self) Funk [Jan 4, 2014]
(D) 29. Michael Kirkpatrick – Honey Rider (self) Country/Folk [March 1, 2015]
(28) 30. Rob Drabkin – Little Steps EP (self) Rock/AAA [Jan 1, 2014]
(29) 31. Safe Boating Is No Accident –Bonus Features (self) Indie/New Alternative [Feb 20, 2014]
(R) 31. Strange Americans – That Kind of Luster (self) Rock [Aug 23, 2014]
(27) 32. Young Ancients – Y/A (self) Americana [Feb 11, 2014]
(D) 33. Ragged Union – Hard Row to Hoe (Shining Castle Music) Bluegrass [March 21, 2015]
(19) 34. Blake Brown & American Dust Choir –“3” (self) Rock/AAA [Aug 13, 2014]
(13) 35. John Statz – Tulsa (self) Americana/country-folk [March 1, 2015]
(D) 36. Clouds & Mountains – Slumber (self) Folk [Feb 1, 2015]
DROPPED OUT OF TOP 40 IN APRIL
5. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
10. Brothers Keeper – Todd Meadows
14. Rose Quartz – Axis of Love [EP]
17. John Oates – Good Road to Follow
20. Cary Morin – Tiny Town
21. Jayme Stone – Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project
23. Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Love Runner
24. Dana Landry Quartet – Standard Elevation
25. Moors and McCumber – Pandemonium
26. Esme Patterson – Woman to Woman
29. Danielle Ate the Sandwich – The Drawing Back of Curtains
31. Analog Son – Stomp and Shout!
32. Richard Dean – Accidental Human
33. SHEL – The Lab Sessions
33. Toad In the Hole – Wallflower
34. Land Lines – The Natural World
35. Grant Farm – Plowin’ Time
35. In The Whale – Nate & Eric
36. H2 Big Band – It Could Happen
ADDED TO TRACKING APRIL 2015
Chuck Pyle – Cover Stories
Cracker – Berkeley To Bakersfield
Dearling – Landslide [single]
Elin Palmer – Elin and Friends
Elise Wunder – In the Darkness of My Light
Esme Patterson – What Do You Call A Woman EP
Fox St. – Ain’t Easy [single]
Inner Oceans – 8 Cousins / Everything’s Alright [single]
Instant Empire – Lamplight Lost
Ivory Circle – Isoceles
John Common – The River Is Moving [single]
Kenny Knight – Crossroads
The Knew – Schmew
Medic – If I Could Stay [single]
Motion Trap – Palebluedot
Natalie Walker – Strange Bird
The Navigators – All About the Ride
Racing On the Sun – Self Destruct [single]
The Railsplitters – The Faster It Goes
The Raven and the Writing Desk – Some Get Started EP
Steve Kovalcheck Trio – Stomping Ground
Tim Ostdiek – Temporary Home EP
Wendy Woo Band – Tipping Point
STATION BY STATION
[XX] = number of reported current year (Nov 2013-April 2015) titles
Stations monitored for spins = KAFM, KBUT, KDUR, KGNU, KOTO, KRCC, KRFC, KRZA, KSJD, KSUT, KUNC, KVNF, OPENAIR 1340, Radio 94.9 Colorado, The Colorado Sound radio show and The Colorado Sound LIVE365. Stations with minimum 10 “currents” featured in breakout.
KAFM (Grand Junction) [13]
1. Richie Furay – Hand In Hand
2. Bill Frisell – Guitar In the Space Age
2. Dana Landry Quartet – Standard Elevation
3. Hot Rize – When I’m Free
3. Slopeside – One Lane Town
KDUR (Durango) [12]
1. Chain Station – Dancin With the Law
1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free
1. Leftover Salmon – High Country
2. Montropo – Follow Me
3. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky to the Bone
KGNU (Boulder) [10]
1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free
2. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky to the Bone
3. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Totem
4. Taarka – Making Tracks Home
5. Ark Life – The Dream of You and Me
KRFC (Fort Collins) [75]
1. Michael Kirkpatrick – Honey Rider
2. Cary Morin – Tiny Town
3. Trout Steak Revival – Brighter Every Day
4. Taarka – Making Tracks Home
5. Deadwood Saints – 6th Street and Trinity
KUNC (Greeley) [15]
1. Jeff Austin – The Simple Truth
2. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky to the Bone
3. Hot Rize – When I’m Free
4. Reed Foehl – Lost In the West
4. Various – SpokesBUZZ Compilation V
OPEN AIR 102.3 (Denver) [25]
1. Plum – Behind Your Man [single]
2. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Totem
3. Inner Oceans – 8 Cousins / Everything’s Alright [single]
4. John Common – The River Is Moving [single]
5. Land Lines – The Natural World
The Colorado Sound [38]
1. Natalie Walker – Strange Bird
2. Esme Patterson – What Do You Call A Woman EP
2. John Common – The River Is Moving [single]
2. Plum – Behind Your Man [single]
2. The Railsplitters – The Faster It Goes
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 