Author: Nic

Remote, contract postion: 30-40 hours/month

The Bookkeeper/Office Manager is a flexible contract position performing the day-to-day accounting and “virtual” office management functions for Colorado Music Hall of Fame, a nonprofit organization founded in 2011. The Bookkeeper/Office Manager reports to the Executive Director.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

Financial

• Maintains records of financial transactions using QuickBooks Online, conducts monthly reconciliations of bank accounts, balances general ledger for Operating Accounts
• Regularly performs reconciling, reporting, tasks as necessary to close each month and fiscal year; makes internal accounting entries/corrections.  Prepares monthly and annual reports for ED and Board of Directors and as needed reports for grant applications.
• Provides information for preparation of annual budget and cash flow projection reports, makes budget adjustments as requested, updates Chart of Accounts as needed.  
• Processes monthly payroll (one employee) through PayChex, maintains accurate records of quarterly and yearly payroll returns. Checks preparation of federal and state quarterly reports (FICA, federal and state withholding) and unemployment quarterly reports and payments.
• Processes employee expense reports and tracks PTO.
• Tracks and reconciles activity in Board Designated and Restricted Funds; makes monthly transfers between funds.
• Provides invoices, when requested.
• Help establish a grantmaking application and award process to support mental wellness in the music industry (two grant cycles anticipated – May/June, Nov/Dec)
• Manages outgoing grant awards, documents and files all pertinent grant documentation, facilitates and maintains records of bank transfers.
• Maintains GAAP and FASBE accounting practices.  

Regulatory

• Files annual updates with Secretary of State.
• Manages CPA relationship and prepares/compiles documents/reports as needed for fiscal year-end (12/31) financial review/IRS 990.
• Oversees prompt payment of all federal, state and local taxes required.
• Stays abreast of changes in nonprofit accounting practices and regulations and complies with federal, state, and local requirements.  
• Works with Executive Director to prepare annual applications for insurance to meet compliance requirements such as professional liability, directors’ and officers’ liability.  Prepares applications for certificate of event insurance for each Hall-sponsored event.
• Maintains vendor relationship with DRS and manages Hall of Fame’s 401k plan.

Organizational/Governance

• Integrates donor and donation information from PayPal, website and QuickBooks to Past Perfect
• Generates acknowledgment letters to donors, grantors, sponsors, ticket-buyers and in-kind/pro bono donors
• Organizes and maintains organizational records, scans and uploads paper files and manages Hall of Fame’s Google Drive
• Manages external accounts, trouble-shoots issues that arise, oversee payment schedule (ex. Constant Contact, PayPal, Tech Soup, Google, GoDaddy, WordPress, TaxJar, etc.)
• Attends (usually via Zoom) and takes minutes at board meetings (6 times a year- Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept, Nov)
• Tracks board-related activities, terms, donations, etc.
• Pulls and prepares quarterly communication and performance reports from Constant Contact, Google Analytics and social media accounts
• Coordinate access to Hall of Fame storage units (downtown Denver), as needed for volunteers, book deliveries, supplies, etc.
• Regularly backs up QuickBooks files and Google Drive
• Manages info@cmhof.org email account and CMHOF voicemail
• Responsible for overall “checks and balances”
• Other projects as assigned

Job Requirements/Qualifications

The ideal candidate has a passion for the mission of Colorado Music Hall of Fame, a flexible schedule and is equipped with a home office, as well as:

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field preferred
• Knowledge and experience with QuickBooks required; experience with QuickBooks Online for Nonprofits and nonprofit accounting preferred
• Minimum of 3 years bookkeeping experience—nonprofit experience preferred
• Proficiency in relevant programs and platforms including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); and Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides)
• Ability to work within spreadsheets and databases
• Experience preparing monthly financial reports
• Familiar with GAAP and FASBE standards of practice and the unique accounting requirements of a nonprofit
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills
• Proven ability to meet organizational deadlines
• Is an independent, self-starter, problem-solver and critical thinker
• Maintains highest level of confidentiality, accuracy and attention to detail
• Must have computer and home office to conduct contract work (Hall of Fame does not have a physical office).

Contractual, home-based position, flexible hours (though must have availability during normal business hours), approximately 8 hours per week, 30-40 hours per month. $23-$28/hour DOE. Opportunity for growth.

How to Apply:  Send cover letter and resume to karen@cmhof.org with subject line: Bookkeeper.

Position available immediately and open until filled.

Colorado Music Hall of Fame is an equal opportunity employer. Colorado Music Hall of Fame makes its services, facilities and programs available to all persons regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or gender expression, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or national origin, and the corporation shall not in any way discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or gender expression, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or national origin. 

Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Review, May 23^rd 1976

Dylan’s 1975-‘76 tour, dubbed Rolling Thunder Review was an incredible thing to behold. Somewhere between 15-20 musicians participated in varying combinations in an ever-evolving show that veered from straight folk-Dylan and Joan Baez sharing a microphone alone on Blowin’ In The Wind, to the ‘proto punk skronk’ of the full band slogging through a radically rearranged Shelter From The Storm, to the classic rock finale of Dylan and Roger McGuinn taking turns on unreleased verses of Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door. At Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins (the second to last show of the tour), the show sprawled across more than five hours of rain-soaked Colorado spring weather in front of a stadium full of dazed hippies. 

Built in 1968 and torn down in 2018, Hughes Stadium was the home of the Colorado State University Rams football team and only a couple concerts over the years. The only stadium shows I remember ever happening there were Dylan and then the Rolling Stones in 1976. About 60 miles north of Denver, Fort Collins has had a music community for decades thanks to a large state university fostering radio (notably KTCL and KCSU) and an active club scene. Yet both the Hughes Stadium shows represented something of an anomaly for seasoned Colorado concert-goers. Most stadium shows happened in the Denver/Boulder corridor in those days, so it was a welcome adventure to travel to Fort Collins for the chance to see this historical show. 

I was a junior at Denver’s Thomas Jefferson High School then, and I really had to do some fancy convincing to get my parents to agree to let me go during finals week. But I prevailed and set off in the early morning, because the show was scheduled to start at noon. As soon as I arrived at Hughes Stadium, it started raining and didn’t let up until late afternoon when the show was winding down. Being there felt like some sort of biblical trial. Muddy, cold and wet, all was redeemed when Dylan and company hit the stage to give us an incredible show for the ages. 

Both an Album (Hard Rain) and television special were recorded that day, but neither really captured the magic of being there. I’ve talked to many other people who were there, and everyone agrees it was the show of a lifetime. It was one of those rare times when you felt like you were actually inside of history, not just reading about it after the fact. 

Above see a framed ad from Columbia Records promoting the album. If you squint really hard and look above the little red sign across from Dylan, you can see a very wet high schooler who was being transformed as the music played. 

There’s also a shirt and belt buckle from that show that were only given to crew members. 

The confluence of world-class music, weather and that special magic that only Colorado has made this one of my best days.

– Paul Epstein, Co-Chair, Colorado Music Hall of Fame; founder/former owner of Twist & Shout; music historian and archivist

“I moved to Colorado in 1968 and started going to concerts almost immediately. I eagerly grabbed posters, flyers, ticket stubs, advertisements, concert recordings, pretty much any proof I could find that the event happened. In 1988, I started a record store called Twist & Shout, and my collecting of memorabilia went into even higher gear. Over the next 34 years, I had rare access to memorabilia of all types and sizes. Now that I’ve retired, the time seems right to start sharing these things, and the stories that go with them. So, every other Tuesday, I will ask you to Let Me Take You Down (to the basement) to check out some of the good stuff!” – Paul Epstein

Jimi Hendrix at Regis Field House February 14, 1968. This is one of the Holy Grails of Colorado music history. What a legendary night it must have been! When I first moved to Denver in 1968, I remember hearing about this show, how wild Hendrix was, how weird opening act Soft Machine were, and how Hendrix himself went over to the legendary Family Dog venue and sat in after the show. Colorado Music Hall of Fame inductee and blues legend Otis Taylor has confirmed that he was onstage at the same time. 

The Regis University (founded 1877) Field House is a typical campus gym. Built in 1960, it holds just under 2,000 people and was the sight of a number of great concerts in the 1960s and ‘70s. I remember seeing Queen with Mott The Hoople as their opening act in 1976 and being blown away by both bands. It seems as though it does not get used for concerts anymore. 

The Jimi Hendrix Experience was at their zenith at the time of this concert. Hendrix was one of the highest paid musicians in the world and his album, Axis: Bold As Love, was at the top of the charts in the U.S. (No. 3). Denver was not a primary music market yet, but Barry Fey’s Feyline Productions was fast becoming the most important promoter in the middle of the country with Denver a crucial stopping point between the coasts. Within a year, The Experience would play their final concert together at The Denver Pop Festival, but that’s a story for another blog.

Above, you can see a framed display of both the poster and two handbills from this event. In my early days of poster-collecting, this poster was something I burned with desire for. I saw a few of the handbills  throughout the years but never managed to put my hands on one. After many years, I was able to finally get these from various sources, and they hold a great place of pride in my collection. 

Perhaps even more interesting was the tale of the tape. Sometime in the late ‘90s, a guy named Daniel Smith walked into the Alameda Twist And Shout and told me he had something I might be interested in. He looked like the real deal–a leather vest with shells and roach clips hanging from it, sunglasses on indoors, Huarache sandals. When he told me he had recorded Jimi Hendrix at Regis the day after he returned from a hitch in Vietnam, I was incredulous but thought it could be possible. 

As an avid live-tape collector, I knew this show was not out there and it would be a major score if I could surface it. Daniel then pulled a cassette tape out of his backpack and held it just out of reach of my quivering hands. We commenced an hour or so of negotiation, where I finally convinced him that, even if he was the one who taped it, the music on it belonged to the Hendrix family and that there was no way for him to turn this into the giant payday he was envisioning. I told him the best-case scenario was for this to get out there into the Hendrix collecting community. He finally agreed to let me take it home and transfer it to a CD. When I got it home, I was still questioning whether this was real, and, even if it was, how good could the tape be? Well, the tape was actually quite listenable (far below release standards as I suspected though) and, importantly, provided proof of its authenticity. After playing a scorching Purple Haze, Hendrix clearly says, “pleasure playin’ up here, a mile high in Denver, Colorado.” Wow, there it was: proof! 

The set list that night was: Tax Free Jam, Fire, The Wind Cries Mary, Foxy Lady, Spanish Castle Magic, I Don’t Live Today, Jam-> Purple Haze, Wild Thing. Don’t you wish you were there? Maybe you were. Maybe you took pictures. I saw Daniel Smith a few more times as he drifted around the world; I hope he is well and still listening to the CD I made him of the show.

– Paul Epstein, Co-Chair, Colorado Music Hall of Fame; founder/former owner of Twist & Shout; music historian and archivist

“I moved to Colorado in 1968 and started going to concerts almost immediately. I eagerly grabbed posters, flyers, ticket stubs, advertisements, concert recordings, pretty much any proof I could find that the event happened. In 1988, I started a record store called Twist & Shout, and my collecting of memorabilia went into even higher gear. Over the next 34 years, I had rare access to memorabilia of all types and sizes. Now that I’ve retired, the time seems right to start sharing these things, and the stories that go with them. So, every other Tuesday, I will ask you to Let Me Take You Down (to the basement) to check out some of the good stuff!” – Paul Epstein

Colorado rock band Big Head Todd and The Monsters, along with Hazel Miller, the R&B vocalist who’s a frequent collaborator, will be inducted into Colorado Music Hall of Fame at the band’s annual Red Rocks Amphitheatre show on June 10, 2023.

A true Colorado-rooted band, Big Head Todd and The Monsters was formed in 1986 at the University of Colorado Boulder by three friends who had attended Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. The trio — Todd Park Mohr (vocals, guitar), Brian Nevin (drums) and Rob Squires (bass) – found its earliest audience by playing gigs in Boulder, Denver and Fort Collins, but quickly gained a following throughout Colorado and Western states once the act started touring.

“It is an honor to induct Colorado’s very own Big Head Todd and The Monsters along with Hazel Miller into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. Their contribution to the Colorado music scene has been tremendous. Colorado Music Hall of Fame looks forward to celebrating this great achievement with them and all their fans on June 10, 2023 at Red Rocks,” says Brent Fedrizzi, co-president of AEG Presents Rocky Mountains.

The band launched its own record label, Big Records, which released its first two albums, Another Mayberry and Midnight Radio. In 1993, Big Head Todd and The Monsters was signed by Giant Records and released Sister Sweetly, which was recorded at Prince’s Paisley Park Studios. It went platinum, selling over a million copies. To date, the band has released 13 albums. Keyboardist Jeremy Lawton joined the band as a permanent member in 2003.

From its earliest days, the rock band with its influences of blues, funk and soul has collaborated with singer Hazel Miller. She became a regular part of the Big Head Todd and The Monster’s lineup and has toured locally, nationally and internationally with the band. She’s well-known by fans as the soulful blues singer whose back-up vocals explode into the forefront in songs like “It’s Alright” and “Please Don’t Tell Her.” Beyond her collaborations with Big Head Todd and The Monsters, Hazel Miller has had a successful solo musical career since the 1980s and has been performing with her band, Hazel Miller & The Collective, for the past decade.

All regular tickets to the June 10, 2023 concert with Big Head Todd and The Monsters, with Hazel Miller, include the induction, with a presentation by Colorado Music Hall of Fame board member and AEG Presents Rocky Mountains co-president/COO Brent Fedrizzi, as well as The Hall of Fame’s founder, legendary concert promoter Chuck Morris, which will take place during the concert.

A limited ticketed Colorado Music Hall of Fame VIP Experience is also on sale, which includes premium seats to the concert; exclusive access to Big Head Todd and The Monsters’ sound check followed by a reception with the band in the Rock Room at the Red Rocks Visitors Center; dinner provided by Pasta Jay’s; hosted bar; and musical entertainment by the Hazel Miller Trio.

“Big Head Todd and the Monsters grew up both literally and musically in the great state of Colorado. We are honored to be part of the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and really look forward to helping other musicians in Colorado,“ says Todd Park Mohr.

Big Head Todd and The Monsters is donating $1 from every ticket sold to Colorado Music Hall of Fame, and all net proceeds from the VIP experience will benefit The Hall and its new mental wellness program for local musicians and music industry professionals. The Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization with a mission to celebrate, promote and support Colorado’s music community.

Concert tickets for Big Head Todd and The Monsters with opening act, Grace Potter, and for Colorado Music Hall of Fame’s VIP Experience are available for purchase by clicking HERE.

Sponsorships for the Hall of Fame VIP Experience are also available by clicking HERE.

The String Cheese Incident, a genre-bending band commonly included in the jam band community, will be inducted into Colorado Music Hall of Fame on December 29, 2022, at the first of three shows at the Mission Ballroom. Don Strasburg, board member of Colorado Music Hall of Fame and co-president of AEG Presents, along with The Hall’s founder Chuck Morris, will formally induct the band that night.

“Formed in 1993 in Crested Butte, The String Cheese Incident is the ultimate jam band, instrumental in Colorado exploding as the jam-band capital of America. Their eclectic sound combining rock, bluegrass, country and funk is undefinable in the music they play,” says Morris. “One of the great live bands in the musical heritage of our state, The String Cheese Incident has never sat on its laurels, continuing to grow and expand their music for three decades.”

The String Cheese Incident’s nearly 30-year history is packed full of surreal experiences, epic moments, groundbreaking involvement and huge accomplishments. The band has been recognized for its commitment to musical creativity, integrity and community spirit, philanthropic endeavors and innovative approach to the business of music.

With its prolific production and touring schedule, the band has released ten albums, six DVDs and more live recordings than can be counted during its relentless tour schedule. A pioneer in the music business, The String Cheese Incident has built its own record label (SCI Fidelity), ticketing and merchandise companies, and a fan travel agency. Among the first bands to use the internet to market to and share information with fans, The String Cheese Incident was an early adopter of downloadable music and file sharing. Over the years, the band has stayed committed to music as a creative endeavor.

“We are so honored and proud to have The String Cheese Incident inducted into Colorado Music Hall of Fame. From the bandmembers’ early days playing mountain gigs to today, they always bring it! The String Cheese Incident is an iconic band in Colorado music, and continues to inspire both crowds and the acts that have followed it,” says Scott Tobias, Hall of Fame board co-chair and CEO of Voice Media Group.

The String Cheese Incident has a huge following in Colorado and beyond. Colorado fans can count on the band headlining multiple-night shows at major venues throughout the state each year, most notably an annual run at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Holiday shows and destination festivals are a common theme in its touring as well.

The String Cheese Incident is a member of The Flatirons Sessions Hall of Fame induction class of 2021, along with the Fox Theatre, Hot Rize, Leftover Salmon and Yonder Mountain String Band. They join a legendary group of over fifty Colorado Music Hall of Famers to date, including John Denver; Caribou Ranch; members of Earth, Wind & Fire; Judy Collins; Barry Fey and eTown.

The String Cheese Incident’s original members include Michael Kang, Keith Moseley, Bill Nershi and Michael Travis, with Kyle Hollingsworth added to the lineup in 1996 and Jason Hann in 2004. “It is an honor to be inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. From our humble beginnings of playing in lift lines and après-ski gigs, to our annual multi-night runs at Red Rocks, Colorado and its natural beauty continue to be an inspiration to us. We can’t overstate our appreciation to the incredible fan base and fertile live music scene here in Colorado that has enabled us to hone our craft for nearly 30 years. We are thankful to be a part of this vibrant community and encourage you to ‘make a joyful sound’ and pursue your dreams. Thank you!” says Keith Moseley of The String Cheese Incident.

The String Cheese Incident’s induction into Colorado Music Hall of Fame will take place at the band’s December 29, 2022, Mission Ballroom concert with special appearances by Kanika Moore and Antwaun Stanley. Tickets are available by clicking HERE.

Bob Marley And The Wailers

On May 11, 1981 Robert Nesta Marley passed from this existence to the next. It’s safe to say that none of the Coloradans who experienced his concert at the D.U. (University of Denver) Arena on December 5, 1979 had any inkling that this tragic event was on the horizon. In fact, my memories of this magical evening involve Marley, Zeus-like, hurling musical and political lightning bolts from the stage all night as though nothing of this earth could stop him. His Brilliant Survival LP had been released earlier in the year, and it was filled with anthems of social justice and national (African/Jamaican) pride and unity. 

The show itself was a remarkable gathering of slices of Colorado life that we knew existed but had never been seen together under one roof. Hippies, Rastas, Politicos, Mountain People and all stripe of countercultural ‘fringies’ crowded the floor of the large gymnasium under an impossibly thick cloud of pre-legalization pot smoke in anticipation of the prophet-like figure Marley was becoming. 

The show opened with Betty Wright, whose funky 1971 hit Clean Up Woman must have been seen as a possible calling card for Black audiences unfamiliar with Marley’s music. One of the subtexts of Marley’s career was his inability to reach a larger Black audience in America during his lifetime. Betty Wright seemed like a miss to me this night. She put on a good set, but it was rooted in older show-biz traditions and fell flat on an audience looking for transcendence. 

When Marley finally hit the stage, the crowd exploded in joyous revelry. I can remember few shows I’ve seen where there was such an overwhelming sense of happiness in the audience. We had waited a long time for this opportunity, and now here it was in Denver–an artist of true lyrical substance, producing anthems you could actually sing along with. It was truly a great moment. Everyone I knew who went was glowing for weeks afterwards.

The D.U. Arena was the home of Pioneer hockey and basketball for years before the Magness Arena was built. There were sparse concerts held there, and my memories of the place involve more family ice skating than concert-going. It was essentially the field house, the gym, for D.U. Not built for music, it was like a lot of large university athletic facilities that the 1960s and 70s turned into make-shift concert halls to meet the exploding desires of students taken with rock and roll. 

Above see the (full) poster of the show as well as a rare photo of Bob at D.U. Both came from a woman who was an early customer of Twist And Shout. She came in to the Alameda Ave. store one day and told me she was dying of cancer. She also told me she had been photographing Denver concerts for years. She handed me those two items and over the next few weeks brought me many more, including incredible photos of David Bowie and Keith Moon at Denver concerts. I hope she and Bob are both in a safe place.

– Paul Epstein, Co-Chair, Colorado Music Hall of Fame; founder/former owner of Twist & Shout; music historian and archivist

“I moved to Colorado in 1968 and started going to concerts almost immediately. I eagerly grabbed posters, flyers, ticket stubs, advertisements, concert recordings, pretty much any proof I could find that the event happened. In 1988, I started a record store called Twist & Shout, and my collecting of memorabilia went into even higher gear. Over the next 34 years, I had rare access to memorabilia of all types and sizes. Now that I’ve retired, the time seems right to start sharing these things, and the stories that go with them. So, every other Tuesday, I will ask you to Let Me Take You Down (to the basement) to check out some of the good stuff!” – Paul Epstein

The poster above hung in my house and then at Twist & Shout for years.

When I first moved to Denver in 1968, it was not at the forefront of hip and trendy the way it is now. At that time, it was on the back end of being a Cowtown, and while there was a culture counter to the norm, you had to look for it. Beginning in April of 1971, hipsters with their ears to the ground started finding out about KFML radio. A freeform, underground, radical radio station, broadcasting from the University of Denver neighborhood, it is not an exaggeration to say it changed my life and helped form the person I became. I was just a teenager at the time, but KFML seemed to point the way to a cooler, young-adulthood right around the corner. The music they played was sublime—the most cutting of the cutting-edge juxtaposed with unexpected throwbacks. (I remember a Sinatra song being sandwiched between The Chambers Brothers and Frank Zappa in one late-night set). It was surreal comedy, political commentary and lots of hippie ‘wink-wink’ to a knowing and willing listening audience. 

KFML had a show called High Street where they would choose an old movie on local TV and have the listeners turn the sound on the TV down and the sound on KFML up. The deejays would voice-over the movie in what seemed to me at the time to be the most subversive thing ever. I couldn’t believe they were getting away with it. In addition, they broadcast live concerts, which was a gift from the heavens for someone too young to get into clubs. I still have the tapes I made of King Crimson and David Bromberg off KFML broadcasts. 

KFML was one of the formative stepping stones pushing Denver from Hicksville to Happenin’ Town in the 60s and 70s. Having an underground radio station that so accurately reflected the youth community of the times was a tangible sign of Denver changing with the times. Many of the people involved with the station continued to be movers and shakers in local and national media, making KFML an important historical marker in any number of ways. If you’d like to learn more about the history of this great station, check out this website: http://www.kfml.org/.

One person involved with KFML back in the day was James Pagliasotti, who was also the first rock and roll critic for The Denver Post. Today, Jim just launched a new website called Radical Radio (www.radicalradio.media) which delves into the phenomenon of underground radio in general. The site has a big focus on KFML, including lots of samples of radio and music, along with loads of information and interviews, including one with yours-truly about being a listener.

Jim also wrote a book I recommend about growing up in Denver/Boulder and being part of the beautiful scene that he helped create. It’s called What It Was: Growing Up When The Music Mattered. If you spent any time in Denver/Boulder in those years, this book will stir a lot of memories and feelings.

– Paul Epstein, Co-Chair, Colorado Music Hall of Fame; founder/former owner of Twist & Shout; music historian and archivist

“I moved to Colorado in 1968 and started going to concerts almost immediately. I eagerly grabbed posters, flyers, ticket stubs, advertisements, concert recordings, pretty much any proof I could find that the event happened. In 1988, I started a record store called Twist & Shout, and my collecting of memorabilia went into even higher gear. Over the next 34 years, I had rare access to memorabilia of all types and sizes. Now that I’ve retired, the time seems right to start sharing these things, and the stories that go with them. So, every other Tuesday, I will ask you to Let Me Take You Down (to the basement) to check out some of the good stuff!” – Paul Epstein

Paul Epstein, Hall of Fame board co-chair and founder/former owner of Twist & Shout, is an avid music historian and archivist. We are delighted that he has agreed to share some of his collection and Colorado music memories with us every other Tuesday.

“I moved to Colorado in 1968 and started going to concerts almost immediately. I eagerly grabbed posters, flyers, ticket stubs, advertisements, concert recordings, pretty much any proof I could find that the event happened. In 1988, I started a record store called Twist & Shout, and my collecting of memorabilia went into even higher gear. Over the next 34 years, I had rare access to memorabilia of all types and sizes. Now that I’ve retired, the time seems right to start sharing these things, and the stories that go with them. So, every other Tuesday, I will ask you to Let Me Take You Down (to the basement) to check out some of the good stuff!” – Paul Epstein

Let’s kick it off with “The World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band,” The Rolling Stones, during their November 29, 1965 concert at The Denver Coliseum. Built in 1951, the Coliseum was many Denver kids’ first venue for large-scale rock and roll. A who’s who of great bands played there over the next 50 years. There may have been questionable sound, but the original green hallways and concession stand funnel cakes stay with me to this day.

The Stones’ second American tour ran from late October to early December of 1965 and supported their Out Of Our Heads LP and, on most nights, included such classics as Heart Of Stone, Play With Fire, The Last Time, Get Off Of My Cloud and, of course, a show-ending (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction. As far as I can figure, The Stones played 13 times in Colorado. The memorable ones for me were them kicking off their 1969 tour in Fort Collins, a stadium show in 1975 also in Fort Collins where Elton John joined them onstage and then wouldn’t leave, and their most recent show on August 10, 2019 at the Broncos Stadium with local heroes Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats opening the show.

Here is a poster and a photo from that first 1965 show. A couple of things worth noting on the poster: ticket prices are $3.50 and $4.50 (you could add several zeroes for their 2019 show) and Patti La Belle and The Blue Belles are one of the opening acts. In 1971, she started a group called Labelle and in 1974 had a monster disco hit with Lady Marmalade. Her career is still going strong. On the photo, note the background set-up the band played in front of on stage. Last, what about Mick’s pants and the late Charlie Watts’ great, vintage drum set and beatific look on his face?

 

Paul Epstein in his basement

The Fox Theatre in Boulder was inducted into Colorado Music Hall of Fame on November 4, 2022 at one of their 30^th anniversary shows, featuring moe. The Fox is part of the Flatirons Sessions induction class of 2021, which has been delayed being inducted due to the pandemic. In its 30 years, The Fox has hosted world-class artists such as Dave Matthews Band, Willie Nelson, Chance The Rapper, Radiohead, Phil Lesh, Bonnie Raitt, Widespread Panic, as well as its fellow inductees, String Cheese Incident, Leftover Salmon and Yonder Mountain String Band. Rolling Stone magazine named The Fox one of the top live music clubs in the nation! The Fox Theatre is well-deserving to be a Colorado Music Hall of Famer. Congratulations!

 

Photo credits: Lisa Siciliano of Dog Daze Photo

Jamgrass band Leftover Salmon will officially become Hall of Famers at the first of two shows the band is performing at the Boulder Theater on November 25, 2022. Legendary music promoter, founder of Colorado Music Hall of Fame and one-time manager of the band itself, Chuck Morris, along with The Hall’s executive director Karen Radman and board member Jay Elowsky, will formally induct Leftover Salmon into The Hall of Fame. “Leftover Salmon has consistently put on some of the greatest live shows I’ve ever seen,” Morris says. “For a band that never rehearses, that’s even more amazing!”

For three decades, Leftover Salmon has built an audience through exhilarating live shows, musicianship and an eclectic blend of musical genres. Providing a template for a new generation of string bands, Leftover Salmon has been one of Colorado’s most beloved musical exports with its own potent brew of Bluegrass, Rock and Roll, Folk, Cajun, Soul, Zydeco, Jazz and Blues.

The band’s current line-up has been together longer than any other in the band’s history. Built around the core of founding members Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman, Leftover Salmon is powered by Andy Thorn on banjo, Greg Garrison on bass, Alwyn Robinson on drums and Jay Starling on dobro, lap steel and keyboards. Leftover Salmon emerged from the progressive bluegrass world and came of age as one of Colorado’s original jam bands before rising to become the architects of what is now known as Jamgrass.

“Leftover Salmon have consistently straddled the line between masterful reverence for traditional music and defining what we now understand as festival-style rock improvisation. Their music is a wonderful blend of virtuosity, eclecticism and fun. Leftover Salmon illustrates the endless horizons that characterize Colorado music,” says Paul Epstein, co-chair and founding member of Colorado Music Hall of Fame’s board of directors.

The band joins a legendary group of over fifty Hall of Famers to date, including John Denver; Caribou Ranch; members of Earth, Wind & Fire; Judy Collins; Barry Fey and Swallow Hill Music. Leftover Salmon is a member of The Flatirons Sessions Hall of Fame induction class of 2021 along with The Fox Theatre, Hot Rize, The String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band.

“It’s a great honor to be included in this collection of Colorado musicians at The Hall of Fame. Colorado has been so good to us over the years and we look forward to many more years of playing for the greatest audience on earth, a Colorado crowd,” comments Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon.

Leftover Salmon’s induction into Colorado Music Hall of Fame will take place at the band’s November 25, 2022 Boulder Theater concert featuring special guest Sam Bush and opening act Lindsay Lou. Limited tickets are still available by clicking HERE.