There are some who have questioned me about including such bands as Poco and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in the show. However, it is worth pointing out that Poco was put together by Richie Furay who has lived here since forming Poco, along with Rusty Young on pedal steel and drummer George Grantham from the band Boenzee Cryque … and Randy Meisner, originally from Nebraska, but who played in a local band called the Poor. We get to claim Poco as our own.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band moved here from California in 1970 as well, after not quite making it since forming in 1965. After any number of changes in personnel, the band’s move to Colorado was the exact catalyst the band needed to produce the still amazing “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” Jimmy Ibbotson is the sole remaining member of the band living in Colorado to this day. You’ll find his name on recordings with other acts from Colorado as well, including one of the sweetest country-folk records of the past decade – “Howling At the Moon” by Runaway Express.
There was one new cut I just could not get into the show this week, so I’m including the video here … expect this cut and others from the new Joe Sampson album to get some love on the show this year. It’s really good to see Nathaniel Rateliff on this cut
THE PLAYLIST FOR EP17
(D) = album debut on show (N) = new track from previously debuted album
Poco “A Good Feeling To Know” from A Good Feeling to Know (1972)
Todd Adelman & the Love Handles “Sorry” from Todd Adelman & the Love Handles (2009)
Katie Herzig “Free My Mind” from Free My Mind (2011)
Bad Weather California “I’ll Reach Out My Hand” from Sunkissed (2012)
The Apples in Stereo “Dance Floor” from Travellers in Space and Time (2010)
(D) Flashbulb Fires “Dark Ghost (I’ve Got Arms)” from Gasconader (2012)
The Epilogues “The Fallout” from The Fallout (2010)
Flobots “White Flag Warrior” from Survival Story (2010)
Tennis “Origins” from Young and Old (2012)
Swing Hero “Basement” from Swing Hero (2012)
(N) Leftover Salmon “Walkin Shoes” from Aquatic Hitchhiker (2012)
The Blue Canyon Boys “I Want You To Want Me” from House Full Of Sorrows (2009)
Lindsay & the Lost Caravan “You Don’t Know Me” from You Don’t Know Me (2012)
Jim Stranahan “I’ve Got No Rhythm In My Feet” from Free For All (2010)
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” from Will The Circle Be Unbroken (1972)
(D) Danielle Ate the Sandwich “Faith In a Man” from {like a king} (2012)
(N) Achille Lauro “Hard Pressed” from Flight or Flight (2012)
(N) Instant Empire “Without Wires” from Instant Empire (2011)
El Toro de la Muerte “Things In My Head” from Dancer These Days (2011)
Katie Glassman “Bye Bye Boise” from Snapshot (2012)
Acoustic Junction “Goodbye World” from Strange Days (2000)
Dave Sonner “Come Clean” from The American Campus (2011)
Longest Day Of The Year “Change Our Ways” from Turn Into the Ground (2012)
(D) Rob Drabkin “You Can Call Me Al” from Rob Drabkin Live {1-19-12 Bluebird Theater} (2012)
Coles Whalen “Go Child” from The Whistle Stop Road Record (2009)
Brad Goode “Tight Like This” from Tight Like This (2010)
If you can’t get excited about a new Leftover Salmon record, you’re just not not a true Colorado music lover. So, HELL YEAH I’m excited to get Aquatic Hitchhiker. Vince Herman messaged me this week … record’s on the way. I’m stoked. It’s the first new album of all original tunes in like 8 years! Hope to have it in time for EP16 next week. Here’s a taste of what we can expect on the new album, courtesy of eTown. If you can’t tell I’m excited, you don’t this old goat too well 😉 
Megan Redmond – Dreamland — a tasty bit of crossover pop country/americana from this young lady who is playing damn near every festival event of the summer from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins in 2012. Not since Katie Moffatt in the early 70s has there been, to the best of my knowledge, a top female pop country artist break out of Colorado. Her 6 song debut ep is full of songs she wrote or co-wrote, and was produced in Nashville with some top session players. The first single, “Falling,” was placed on industry news leader ALLACCESS.COM’s “Cool New Country” highlight list… then landed on Clear Channel Media’s show on hot new country propelling “Falling” onto the Top 100 Country charts on both Mediabase and Nielsen BDS. 
Rebel Tongue – Movin On … several years ago now I got hipped to U.S. Pipe – a band that featured lead MC Azma Holiday. That band broke up. Azma and some of the members of the Pipe moved on – to REBEL TONGUE. I knew Azma as a rapper – NOW I know him as a soulful singer and rapper with a group of funk masters backing him up. Give me a band with a wickedly tight and groovin rhythm section, a couple of horns, and a front guy who OWNS an audience and I’m a sucka for love like this anytime. Here’s the official teaser they came up with. 
Mosey West – Merica — Hmmmm …. over the past two years this band, originally called Merica before changing their name to Mosey West, has reaped more praise and more accomplishments here locally than just about any band I can name outside of those who have gained national attention — i.e. The Lumineers or Tennis. Expect even greater praise and accomplishments in 2012. I expect this record is going to be listed on many critics lists as a “best of 2012.” 
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 