Why I'm So Thankful for the Colorado Music Scene

Photo by Brandon Thrift

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! While the holiday this year may look a lot different from those in years past, there is so much to be grateful for in 2020. Yes, the year has had its downs… lots of them… but there have been some silver linings, and there has been ample time for reflection on these little sparks of light in the dark.

One of the things I am most thankful for is the opportunity to be a part of the Colorado Music Scene. A little over a year ago, I finally got up the courage to quit my full-time corporate job and go after my dreams - my dreams of working for myself in music as my career. It was a huge leap… I didn’t have a fully thought-out plan; I didn’t even really know how I was going to make ends meet. I just knew I had to do it then or never. When I leapt, the Colorado Music Scene caught me; It welcomed me with open arms and told me, “yes, you can.” It hasn’t always been easy, but it has been the greatest choice I have ever made.

At the beginning of 2020, I was flying high. I started with two of my local bands, who sold out two different shows two nights in a row at The Bluebird Theater. Shows were going great, I was making connections and meeting lots of people in the industry, and the future was so bright and so exciting. I had planned this huge, month-long national tour for Float Like a Buffalo from March through April. We were going across the U.S., south through New Mexico to Texas for SXSW, east through New Orleans and Pensacola, then north and back through the Midwest - Nashville, St. Louis, Omaha - and many cities and towns in between… this was the biggest and best thing I had felt that I had ever done. This is what I was meant for… music, day in and day out, a new city each day, roadside hotels along the way with vintage neon signs, living, eating and breathing music. Then, two days in, our worst fears were confirmed. That snowy morning, sitting in a gas station restaurant in South Fork, CO, we made the decision we had to make: Cancel tour; Come Home; Keep Everyone Safe. I knew it had to be done, and it broke my heart.

At that point, we didn’t understand how bad it would be. I thought, “Oh… it’ll all be over within a week and we can head back out,” and, “Worst case, one month - we’ll just push the whole thing back to fall.” NOPE. There were a few dark days after that… days I stayed in bed, days I didn’t change clothes or shower. I spent a lot of time looking myself in the mirror trying to convince my reflection that this was still the right course for me - that being in music is what I am meant to do, through the good and the bad. I know deep down this is what I am meant to do. I have found my passion.

And then… the Colorado music scene said, “No, I will not lay down and give up. Music is just too important, especially right now.” The musicians, bands, industry workers, producers, lighting designers, festivals, promoters, VJs, sound engineers, venue owners, and recording studios all realized we had to do something to save this precious ecosystem and to give the music a chance. And then, this is the most important part, the Colorado music scene came together. Musicians and bands helped each other. Recording studios, radio hosts, venues, and all of the others in the scene reached out with the knowledge that we are all better together - and together, we continue to rise even in the face of adversity.

This is not a new phenomenon. The Colorado music community has always been different. We have so much talent here, but we also have a different attitude than many of the major music cities in the U.S. We are not cutthroat… we’re a famly. Over the past 3-5 years, there has been no room in the music scene for bad attitudes or negative outlooks. Because of the explosion of musical talent in our state, there’s always someone just as good with a good attitude, a humble personality, and a good dose of gratitude. The fact that there’s always someone just as good also pushes all of us to be better at our given craft in the scene.- and to be better humans overall when it comes to things like social justice. When something bad happens to one of our own in Colorado, we show up in force - whether its a stolen instrument or a global pandemic. We call each other; We send food and surprises to the doors of those who need it; We play fundraisers so that relief funds can give back to musicians, so firefighters can continue to keep our state beautiful, and so that kids, animals, or others in need can find a little peace in their lives. We do it all because we are united by the belief that music is one of the most important things in the world, with the power to heal, inspire, and save. The fact that I get to be a part of this community blows my mind every day - I couldn’t be more thankful to be on this journey with all of you.

Add that sense of community to our insanely diverse pool of musical genres, our continually developing group of independent venues, local radio stations’ commitment to play local, an influx of top-notch recording studios, lighting designers, VJs, and sound engineers, and the fact that we have some of the greatest world-class venues in the world (think Red Rocks), and you’ve got a music scene that will continue to grow in greatness each day. Thank you to each and every one of you who helps make this scene so incredible. We’re all in this hustle together. Happy Thanksgiving!