My apologies for the way the Buyer Beware letter came through last week. I simply copied & pasted it. Regardless, the idea was to let you know the filth that “some people” will go to in order to extort money from innocent victims, which includes music people. I hope you didn’t fall for it. If we get another one of these blackmail letters, I’ll do a “test” send before sending out as a WARNING to you not to heed its directions.
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There will be a Celebration of Life for Richard Dean Treptow tomorrow Friday, June 27, 2025, at 1:00 pm at the Horan & McConaty Family Chapel. Details in article below. All are invited.
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Our judges have finished up their judging in our Songwriting Contest! These songwriters had the top songs and we’ll be contacting them soon about ways for further promotion (in alpha order): Michael Abbass, Nathan Archer, Joe Black, Jeremy Dion, Matt Gray, Ross Gresham, Douglas Jessop, Jamie Lammers, Marisa Nikole, and Joe Rubino. More to come!
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Talking about past Songwriting Contests led me to wonder whatever happened to Caitlin & Sidney Powell (f/k/a Facing West), both of whom scored very high with their entries back in 2013. They have since moved to Nashville, changed their name to Neoni, and have sold several songs, most notably to the CW (various series)! Their new album, The Death of Daisies, is out now and they just completed a tour in support of that album, including a stop in Denver (which, unfortunately, we didn’t know about!) https://www.facebook.com/WeAreNeoni
Jerry Deall tells us that the 2025 the 62nd SPAH Convention will be held in San Antonio TX August 12-16, 2025 at the Hilton Palacio del Rio. We’ll put more details in next week’s letter.
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COMBO is about the LOVE of Music and the musicians who create and play songs. We do our best to educate and offer an exchange of information, guidance and advice to help musicians advance their careers no matter what genre they play. Our articles and programs represent some phase of the music business that could affect musicians – all musicians, all genres – everywhere. Our motto: Elevate Your Musical State! (Courtesy of Andy Ard!)
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http://www.Facebook.com/ColoradoMusicBusinessOrganization
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CALENDAR
SUMMER CONCERT SERIES ANNOUNCED: We won’t list all of their shows here but here are their websites if you want to go:
Botanic Gardens (two locations): https://www.botanicgardens.org
Castle Rock Concerts: https://www.meadowscastlerock.com/blog/summer-concert-series/
City Park Jazz: https://www.cityparkjazz.org
Denver Arts Complex events: https://www.artscomplex.com
Downtown Denver Concerts: https://www.denver.org/events/concerts-live-music/bands-musicians-and-artists/
First Friday Jazz Hop in Five Points: https://www.milehighfestivals.com
Film on the Rocks: https://www.axs.com/events … film-on-the-rocks
Levitt Pavillion: https://www.levittpavillion.com
Old Town Arvada fests – Third Saturdays of the Month
Red Rocks: https://www.redrocksonline.com
Sofar Sounds (“house” / small venue concerts): https://www.sofarsounds.com
The Tank’s Summer Fests (Rangely, Colorado): https://www.tanksounds.org
Undreground Music Showcases: July 25-27: https://www.undergroundmusicshowcases.com
Events That Repeat Each Month:
First Friday Jazz Hops: Honor the roots and enjoy the fruits! Our partners at the Five Points Business Improvement District are hosting First Friday Jazz Hops! Enjoy a night of live jazz featuring local musicians and artists performing at venues along Welton Street in Denver’s historic jazz district. Check out their schedule at https://www.milehighfestivals.com
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Denver’s NSAI Chapter: 2nd Monday of the month. Contact Lauren Brombert for details on the next meeting! https://www.facebook.com/groups/denvernsai/ | If you’d like to present a song to the group for feedback, please click on the link to the Denver NSAI submission page below, and follow the instructions BEFORE the meeting:
https://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/form/song-submission-consent-denver-co
Please make sure to upload both the mp3 and the lyric sheet!
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Black Rose Arts Society sponsors an Open Mic on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month in CO Springs. Check it out at https://www.blackroseacoustic.org/openmic
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The TBRAS (The Black Rose Arts Society) offers twice-monthly shows on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month at the Black Forest Community Center, 12530 Black Forest Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80908. Doors at 6:15; All ages. Tickets at https://www.tbras.org
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Front Range Songwriters – Colorado Springs: 1st Wednesday of the month. 7:00 p.m. John Nelson, contact. Location: Covenant Church, 4965 Barnes Road. This is at the SW corner of Barnes Rd. and Iron Horse Trail – one block East of Barnes Rd and Oro Blanco.
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Southern Colorado NSAI – Castle Rock: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. – Meeting via Zoom | Call
Wayne Hanson to be added to the Zoom call and for more info: 720-989-5185
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Western Colorado Songwriter Alliance Facebook Group – Grand Junction area: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1122384432992979/
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June 2025
Fr, 27th – 1:00 p.m. – Services for Richard “Rick” Dean Treptow at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S Wadsworth Blvd, Lakewood, CO 80227 | Open to all friends.
Fr, 27th – Su, 29th – Various Times – Blues from the Top Music Festival at Rendezvous Event Center (78821 US Hwy 40, Winter Park, CO 80482) in downtown Winter Park | Check out their great lineup! —tickets on sale at https://www.bluesfromthetop.org
Fr, 27th – 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. – Young Heart Dance Band at the Lakewood Elks Club, 1455 Newland Street, Lakewood | $10
Fr, 27th – 6:30 p.m. – Rachel Alena Band at Oskar Blues | https://www.rachelalenamusic.com
Sa, 28th – 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. – Laurie D. at the Lavender Festival, Maison La Belle Vie, 3575 “G” Road, Palisade, CO 81526
Sa, 28th – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. – Jenn Cleary at Zeal, 3101 Pearl Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301 | 720- 940-3640 | Indoor seating & a patio | https://www.zealfood.com/
Su, 29th – 9:00 a.m. – Laurie & Lorrie at Highlands Square Market, West 32nd Ave & Lowell Blvd, Denver, CO 80211
Su, 29th – 5:00 p.m. – Celebrity Sidekick finale at the Buffalo Rose, 1116 Washington Street, Golden, CO
Su, 29th – 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. – Laurie & Lorrie at Gold Hill Inn, 401 Main St., Gold Hill 80302 (Gold Hill is up Sunshine Canyon or 4 Mile Canyon, in the mountains above Boulder) https://www.facebook.com/share/1CSriruSw2/
Su, 29th – 6:00 p.m. – Grey Rails Trio, Little Man Ice Cream, 10195 E 29th Dr, Denver, CO 80238-3956, United States (Central Park) https://www.littlemancentralpark.com/
Su, 29th – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. – Buckner Funken Jazz at City Park Jazz! City Park, Denver, CO
17th Avenue, York to Colorado Boulevard | https://www.cityparkjazz.com
Lead by respected jazz musician (and former COMBO VP) Rod Buckner, BFJ has earned a reputation for blazing club, theater, and festival shows that bring old-school funk and bebop crashing together. The smiling faces in the crowd usually also like to party to the sounds of Maceo Parker, Karl Denson, Miles Davis, Parliament Funkadelic, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Parker, The Funky Meters, Eddie Harris, and anything else that flat-out GROOVES!
Mo, 30th – 6:30 – ‘Hazelpalooza’ with Hazel Miller & the Collective, Josh Blackburn, Chris Daniels, Jack Hadley, and Alice & Dave of Soda Blue at the Arvada Elks Lodge, 5700 Yukon St., Arvada. Hazel’s birthday party is raising money for Inner City Health!
July 2025
Fr, 4th – 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. – Cass Clayton Band at Thornton Fest, Carpenter Park Fields, 108th Avenue & Colorado Blvd., Thornton (Northglenn).
Fr, 4th – 10:00 p.m. – Cass Clayton Band (double-duty today!) at The Woodcellar, 1552 Bergen Parkway, Evergreen, CO | Post fireworks show! Free Show. Family Friendly.
Fr, 5th – 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. – Downtown Denver Artist on the Rise Concert, Dairy Block Alley, 16th Street | Artist Wrenn Van | Free; Seating first-come, first served or RSVP (above)
Su, 6th – 2:45 to 4:15 p.m. – Cass Clayton Band at Cherry Creeks Arts Festival, 2 Steele Street, Denver, CO | Come and plan on checking out all the art work at the fest, too.
Th, 10th – 7:30 p.m. – Julie Geller with David Ross & Ben Cohen at Kohelet, 428 South Forest Street, Denver | $18 | Tickets at https://www.JulieGeller.com | Julie’s coming home for a visit!
Fr, 11th – 6:30 p.m. – Cass Clayton Band at Arts Night Out, Festival Place, 311 South Public Road, Lafayette, CO. With Lit Society + special guest Datrian Johnson
Fr, 11th – 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. – Young Heart Dance Band at the Aurora Eagles
Sa, 12th – All day! Black Arts Festival: The Adam Hawley Unstoppable 2025 Tour is bringing him to the festival Saturday, July 12 at 7 p.m. in Denver City Park!! Grab your lawn chairs, blankets, family, and friends and come enjoy this free concert in the park with us! Denver, let’s show Adam a great time!
Check out https://www.adamhawley.com/ to learn more!
We, 16th – 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. – Young Heart Dance Band at Rendezvous Restaurant’s patio
Fr, 18th – 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. – Revenant at Sovereign Bar, 5425 Landmark Place, Unit 101, Greenwood Villiage | We’re a Veteran & Woman Owned Bar & Our Specialty is Music & Dancing on our 500 Square Foot Dance floor | Hosted by COMBO member Steve Pavey
Sa, 19th – 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. – Young Heart Dance Band at Windsor Gardens Aud | $10
August 2025
Fr, 2nd – 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. – Downtown Denver Artist on the Rise Concert, Dairy Block Alley, 16th Street | Artist TBA | Free; Seating first-come, first served or RSVP (above)
Tu-Sa, 12th – 16th – Various times – The 2025 SPAH Convention, San Antonio. TX at the Hilton Palacio del Rio | Celebrating 62 years of harmonicas, music and friends. | https://spah.org/
SPAH: Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica —is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
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TALENT NEEDED:
New venue in Pagosa Springs needs musical acts:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577373673561
The 2025 American Songwriter Road Ready Talent Contest is Open Now https://bit.ly/41f1JHv | Deadline: August 25, 2025
Texas Troubadour Songwriter Classic | Read more at https://BosqueArtsCenter.org
Deadline to enter is August 21st!
Photo: Young Heart Dance Band 6-27-25