Reader says the last few weeks have been like an “obituary” news paper. Very sad observation and comment but he’s correct. Sadly, our well-known musicians, especially the older ones are marching on by the droves. And it doesn’t help that four of our own have decided to leave us this past week. We’ll definitely miss them as they were friends and “family.”
Don’t forget! Registration for the Durango Songwriters Expo is now open! It will be held in BROOMFIELD at the Omni Interlocken Hotel & Resort October 2nd thru 4th. Get signed up now as it fills up quickly! Https://www.durango-songwriters-expo.com And get that hotel room, too, as there is some stupid football game event going on in Boulder that weekend!!! 😉
Regarding my note on sneaky ways drug dealers can kill you with Fentanyl: Lookout for counterfeit Xanax – another drug that may contain fentanyl. Sorry. Don’t want to see anyone else leave us “accidently.” || UGH. Here’s another one for you: Mothers speak out after sons killed by nitazene | Grey McCallister and Ruthi Clement join ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss losing their sons to the dangerous drug nitazene and issue a warning to other parents. Nitazene???
Need professional sound for your event? High-quality music sound equipment rentals and expert live sound engineering services are provided to make your event sound amazing. TLooP Artist Entertainment has you covered! Rates that won’t break the bank! See Pricing here: https://tloopartist.com/rentals/ Questions /Bookings or call/text Tony @ 310.889.4673
Songs & Stories starts Tuesday, August 19th on NBC with host Kelly Clarkson. Four shows only but should be interesting and informative and might give you an idea on writing a song! (Probably on opposite ABC’s America’s Got Talent! Stupid programmers. Splitting their audience in half).
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!)
Please “Like” us on Facebook! Helps our “standing” in the web world!
http://www.Facebook.com/ColoradoMusicBusinessOrganization
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CALENDAR
TALENT NEEDED:
TOMORROW! Friday, August 15th – Deadline to enter CO Blues Society’s Int’l Blues Challenge contest.
Go here to enter the contest; you must be a member to enter: https://www.coblues.org
Thursday, August 21st – Deadline to enter the Texas Troubadour Songwriter Classic | Read more at https://BosqueArtsCenter.org
Monday, August 25th – Deadline to enter the 2025 American Songwriter Road Ready Talent Contest
Go here to sign up: https://bit.ly/41f1JHv
Thursday, November 20th – Deadline to enter the Howard Rosen Talent Contest
E-mail contests@howiewood.com for more info.
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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/
Central City Opera: https://www.centralcityopera.org
City Park Jazz: https://www.cityparkjazz.org (Done for the year) (Boo-hoo!)
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 (Done for the year. Darn.)
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
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! Some are held “live” and others are held via Zoom. 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!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/denvernsai/
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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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August 2025
Th, 14th – Noon to 1:00 p.m. – Laurie & Lorrie at Picnic on the Plaza, 311 South Public Road, Lafayette 80026 | https://www.facebook.com/share/1BkBMNVPXD/
Th, 14th – 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. – JJ Fraser at The Blackbird Cafe, 25940 CO 74, Kittredge/Evergreen, CO 80439 (between Morrison & Evergreen) | Great food and drink and fresh air!
Fr, 15th – 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. (Special price time slot) – Rudy Grant’s Birthday & Food Bash Party, Golden Corral Buffet & Grill, 11090 East Mississippi, Aurora, CO | Live Music with Peggy Malone, Karen Osboun, Rocky Hoery, and the Windsor Ladies of Country Music! (If you miss Rudy here, go to his dance party at Piper’s Inn at 7:00 – info below!)
Fr, 15th – 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. – Rudy Grant’s Birthday & Dance Party! Piper’s Inn, Iliff & Parker Road – Come help Rudy celebrate his 29th Birthday! Rudy & Branded will be playing your favorite dance tunes!
Su, 17th – 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. – Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame Annual Awards Show at the Wild Goose Saloon, Parker, CO | $10
Su, 17th – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. – Laurie & Lorrie at The Old Mine, 500 Briggs Street, Erie, CO 80516
The Old Mine has homemade hard ciders, great appetizers, sandwiches, tacos, salads and pizza! Also Cider Donuts! The duo will be playing folk, blues and jazz originals and covers!
https://www.facebook.com/share/1BoaLar41C/
We, 20th – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. – Laurie D. at Ironwood Bar & Grill, Flatirons Golf Course, 5706 Arapahoe Avenue, Boulder, CO 80303
We, 20th – Doors at 7:00: Show starts at 8:00 – Metalachi: The World’s First and Only Heavy Metal Mariachi Band at HQ Broadway, 60 South Broadway Street, Denver 80209 with honeybunches Of DEATH + Worth The Weight | Tickets: https://tickets.holdmyticket.com/tickets/447005
Fr, 22nd – 4:30 p.m. – Laurie & Lorrie at 6th Annual Edwards Art Battle, 280 Main Street, Unit C-10, Edwards, CO 81632 | A fun and fabulous event where artists compete for best art work!
Sa, 23rd – 8:00 p.m. – Cass Clayton Band at The Vic (Victorian Tavern), Salida, CO
https://www.cassclayton.com
Su, 24th – 2:00 p.m. – Cass Clayton Band at Veterans Fundraising Festival, Beckwith Ranch, Westcliffe, CO | 5th Annual American Legion Brews, Blues & BBQs | https://www.cassclayton.com
Fr, 29th – 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. – Cass Clayton Band, Downtown Greeley, between 8th & 9th streets | UNC Back to College Fest! It’s gonna be a party, y’all! | https://www.cassclayton.com
September 2025
Fr, 5th – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. – Laurie Dameron at Ironwood Bar & Grille, 5706 Arapahoe Avenue (Flatiron Golf Course), Boulder, CO | Featuring light jazz, blues, and requested music!
Sa & Su, 6th & 7th – Colorado Dragon Boat Festival at Sloan’s Lake, Denver. Schedule at:
https://www.denver.org/things-to-do/festivals-events/colorado-dragon-boat-festival/
Sa, 6th – 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. – Artist on the Rise Concert, Dairy Block, 1800 Wazee, Denver | Presented by Downtown Denver | https://www.denver.org/event/artist-on-the-rise-concert/
We, 17th – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. – Nevan Castaneda as Elvis at Waldo’s Chicken, 24153 East Prospect Ave., Aurora
Fr, 19th – 7:00 p.m. – Rachel Alena Band at Oskar Blues, Longmont | https://www.rachelalenamusic.com/
Sa, 20th – 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Revenant (band) at Full Throttle Distillery & Grill, 231 Moraine Avenue, Estes Park, CO | Food, drinks and great music! What more could you ask for?
Su, 21st – (no time listed) – Colorado Blues Society’s International Blues Challenge at Nissi’s, Lafayette Deadline to enter is August 15th | https://www.coblues.org
Mo, 22nd – 7:00 p.m. – COMBO Specialty Meeting – Guest speaker TBA – stay tuned for details but put the date & time on your calendar now!
We-Su, 24th to 28th – Southwest Regional Folk Alliance Conference in Austin | Folk, Blues, Americana & Country genres| For more info: https://swfolkalliance.org/register-for-the-2025-conference
Th-Sa, 25th to 27th – Colorado Elvis Festival at the Embassy Suites by Hilton, Denver Tech Center – more details TBA | We’ll be celebrating the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in style!
Fr, 26th – 8:00 p.m. – Cass Clayton Band at the Little Bear, 28075 CO Hwy 74, Evergreen, CO
https://www.cassclayton.com
Sa, 27th – 10:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Blues on the Mesa, CO Springs, CO |https://www.bluesonthemesa.com
October 2025
Th, 2nd thru Sa, 4th – Durango Songwriters Expo | https://www.durango-songwiters-expo.com
Sa, 4th – All day! Lafayette Music Festival | https://www.lafayettemusicfest.com/
Sa, 4th – 7:00 p.m. – Nevan Castaneda as Elvis at LaHabra Depot Theatre, 311 South Euclid Street, LaHabra, CA | Tickets and more info available soon
Sa, 4th – 8:00 to midnight – Revenant at In The Zone, 15600 West 44th Avenue, Golden (West of I-70)
Mo, 20th – 7:00 p.m. – COMBO Special Meeting – Guest speaker TBA – But put this on your calendar now!
Photo: Jeff Fornier & Laurie Dameron