A classically trained violinist and composer raised in Boulder, George Morrison Sr. pioneered one of Colorado’s first jazz orchestras, achieved international renown by the mid-1920s and was a kingmaker of talent in his music community.
Join Bill on a sonic adventure that includes making the first-ever Caribou Ranch recording and Hotel California.
birthdays
A symposium at Fiske Planetarium convened members of Spontanuity, whose psychedelic light show provided visual background for the Dead’s 1969 concert in Boulder.
The enormous impact of MTV’s revolutionary all-video format of the early 1980s transformed a slew of artists into iconic acts. Brian Brainerd’s portrait photography cemented the golden age of their appearances in Colorado.
David Clayton-Thomas, the husky-voiced lead singer for Blood, Sweat & Tears, passed away in Toronto on June 24, 2026. He was 84.
Named after the popular learn-to-dress kiddie doll, Dressy Bessy’s sugary 1960s retro-pop style—fuzzed-out twin guitars, delicious melodies and jangling tambourines—built a sizable cult following in the U.S. and internationally. Tammy Ealom had the perfect voice for the Denver group’s cartoonish charm, and her playful sense of fashion and love of bold-colored vintage outfits (high-mod miniskirts, Day-Glo tights, go-go boots) saturated the act’s art.
John Oates
John Oates, one half of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo Hall & Oates, and his family made their home in Aspen for over 25 years; he listed his four-acre ranch for sale in 2017. “I was born in New York,” Oates wrote in his book Change of Seasons. “But one day, I would be reborn in Colorado.”
On Record book series
Each volume of the award-winning On Record series gathers over 200 limited and extraordinary images and 100 interview-based profiles spotlighting an array of musical artists.
merchandise
Explore the Colorado Music Experience’s store, stocked with stylish products and gifts for music fans.
hosted by g. brown
A non-profit organization established to preserve the legacies of Colorado music, CoME serves as a repository for informational and archival resources.
