I’ve been participating in the 5280 Archive podcasts put on by Ty McIntosh-Campbell and John Bollack which intend to chronicle the music scene in Denver in the 1980s and ‘90s. One thing that came up was how much the “music business” has changed over the last 40+ years. When I started, recording on vinyl and cassette was it. Then along came 8-tracks, CDs, MP3s, and iPods. Now you send music to “the Cloud” (wherever that is!), and you put your songs on streaming formats for people to find and listen to. This doesn’t even include where to play live or the size of the venue, or do you even do that and just skip playing out? And what about rules and laws and from which format to collect your royalties & residuals (and what’s the difference)? The whole point of COMBO is to help you keep up on the business of music so that YOU don’t lose out!
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Tom Overmann: Lost Saxophone – please help! Last seen 3/29 in Broomfield-Boulder area. Rocky Mountain Equality in Boulder and Harvest Station Apartments in Broomfield are the two locations. Cannonball big bell stone series tenor sax. Local musician absolutely devastated by this loss. Please reach out with any info! Contact me at 720-775-7731
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Our new membership person has been catching up on dues reminder notices! Lots of work and time involved but it should be easier now! If you get one, please consider re-upping your dues. We do want to thank those who have renewed and continue to support our organization!
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Watching the iHeart Radio Awards show last Thursday night made me realize that banning “DEI” in music will NEVER work!!! Such a variety of people, artists, and music styles. And don’t we – as musicians and their supporters – love that!!! (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)
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WOW! South Korea’s BTS’s new album Arirang went to #1 all over the world (except in North Korea, of course) in less than 48 hours. Congratulations, guys! Wonderful! The album set records as the most-streamed K-pop album in Spotify history in a single day, boasting 110 million streams within its first 24 hours. The first single Swim is right behind it! The album is sung mostly in Korean but has collaborations with many English-speaking artists.
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COMBO member Jeremiah Jordan lets us know that his song, Storybook Epic, has reached #1 on the Radio Indie Alliance site. Jeremiah hails from Golden! Congratulations, Jeremiah!
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The South Denver Guide let us know that a link on our website was broken. We appreciated that notice and fixed it. If you’re looking for FREE information on services, especially on restuarants in the south metro Denver area, check them out at:
https://www.southdenverguide.com/best-restaurants-south-denver-foodie-guide/
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NPR Tiny Desk Update! COMBO member Laurie Dameron writes: One more month to get views and then in early May, NPR will announce winners! I have nearly 1.4 K views so thanks to all of you who have viewed! But I need 98K more! You can help simply by viewing! They have received 6000 entries so I can use all the views I can get! It would REALLY be great to get some thumbs ups or comments, too. Also I hope this song will lift your spirits in these troubled days!
Click on the link here: (Thank you!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&si=PDx87YhzkXmB7tCq&v=6EFNRovx2t0&feature=youtu.be
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Concert tours: The Doobie Brothers; Bob Dylan adds more dates; Willie Nelson announces line-up for his tour; Lou Gramm; Guns N’ Roses announces line-up change; ZZ Top adds Mexico and South America to its tour set; Weezer, Silversun Pickups and the Shins announce tour; Olivia Dean, Charli XCX, and Tate McRae to headline Lollipalooza; Eagles of Death Metal announce dates; Benson Boone; Ziggy & Stephen Marley; Deep Purple & Kansas; Celine Dion going to try Paris; Eric Clapton announces 2026 Crossroads Guitar Festival; and BTS rises!
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Our annual Songwriting Contest started April 1st and ends May 31st – only two months to enter. MP3s are recommended. Reminder: If you are a dues-paying member of COMBO, you get one free entry for an individual membership, two free entries if your band is a member, and 4 free entries as a business member! Also new this year: If you enter the contest, you can count the date and time of your entry as proof of “copyright!” (This does not mean your song has been “registered for copyright”).
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Add this to your calendar now! More info in the article below. Colorado Guitar Show & Custom Luthier Expo, Saturday, May 9th – Legacy Campus, Lone Tree, CO http://guitarshowmagazine.com/coloradoexpo.html
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Go to our website at https://www.coloradomusic.org and hit the “Join COMBO” button. If you’d prefer to not use a credit card, you may send a check for the proper amount to COMBO, PO Box 18186, Denver CO 80218 instead. (Actually this helps us out even more as we don’t have to pay fees to Paypal!)
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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. Our articles and programs represent some phase of the music business that could affect musicians – all musicians, all genres – everywhere.
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Our motto: Elevate Your Musical State! (Courtesy of former COMBO VP Andy Ard!)
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Please “Like” us on Facebook! Helps our “standing” in the web world!
http://www.Facebook.com/ColoradoMusicBusinessOrganization
TALENT NEEDED:
Chris Reidy Looking for Bands for the new Soiled Dove. Contact him at
https://www.facebook.com/chris.reidy.5811
CALENDAR
First Friday Five Points is a monthly cultural activation held along Denver’s historic Welton Street corridor. The event celebrates the legacy of Five Points—known as the “Harlem of the West”—through live music and community engagement. Participating venues host performances, art showcases, food and drink specials and cultural programming designed to drive foot traffic, support neighborhood entrepreneurs and highlight the creative spirit of the district. https://www.artsandvenuesdenver.com/grants-cultural-investments/five-points-jazz
April 2026
Watch for Boulder Arts Week and Celebration for Earth Day!!!
Fr, 3rd – Bandcamp Friday – Full Royalties for Musicians Like Lisa Selle, Mad Dog Friedman, Laurie Dameron, Joy Iwancio, Marty Jones, Rob Roper if you download their songs!
Fr, 3rd – 7:00 p.m. – COMBO’s own Chris Daniels and the Kings with Freddi Gowdy and Firefall at the Paramount Theater, Denver | More: https://www.facebook.com/chrisdanielsdenver
Mo, 6th – 5:30 p.m. – Laurie D with her original program Spaceship Earth: What Can I Do? It’s a Multimedia Presentation with original music. Boulder Arts Week at Junkyard Social Club, 2525 Frontier Avenue, Suite A, Boulder | Come celebrate the 56th Anniversary of Earth Day!
Tu, 7th – 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – FREE Song Circle – Broomfield/Online
https://performancehigh.opus1.io/w/free-events
Tu, 7th – 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. – Roots Music Project – Sober Open Mic, 4747 Pearl Street, Suite V3A, Boulder, CO | FREE! Keep in mind the entrance for the open mic is in the east room so enter through the door to the right of the main entrance.
We, 8th – 7:00 to X – Colorado Music Hall of Fame – Community Awards at the Colorado Convention Center’s CMHOF Display | SOLD OUT. More info here:
https://cmhof.org/events/inaugural-community-impact-awards#
Th, 9th – 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. – Stage Performance Workshop: Bringing It All Together – Denver/Online | You can find our classes at https://performancehigh.opus1.io/w/classes
Th, 9th – 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. – Laurie D Jazz Duo at Wayback Bar, 430 Main Street, Lyons, CO
“Wayback Jazz” April introduces jazz to Lyons, presenting some of Colorado’s finest jazz musicians on a regular, ongoing basis.” Hosted by Ron Legault. Enjoy food and drink!
Fr, 10th – 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. – Laurie D Jazz Duo with Jeff Fournier on bass at the Embassy Suites Denver, Downtown, 1420 Stout Street, Denver 80202 Enjoy live jazz with cocktails and cuisine.
Sa & Su, 11th & 12th – 10:00 a.m. til 4:00 p.m. – Rocky Mountain Record Show at Denver Sports Castle, 1000 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203 | Cost: $10
Fr, 17th – 11:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. – Laurie D Jazz Duo with Jeff Fournier on bass at Dazzle Jazz, El Chapultepec Piano Lounge, 1080 14th Street, Downtown Denver, CO 80202 | FREE!
Fr, 17th – Doors 6:00; Show 7:00 – Crazy Diamonds – Honoring the music of Pink Floyd with the
Colorado Transit Authority (a tribute to the music of Chicago) at the Oriental Theater, 4335 West 44th Avenue, Denver | Tickets: https://theorientaltheater.holdmyticket.com/tickets/458409
Sa, 18th – Doors open at 8:00 a.m. – Wax Trax reminds us this is Record Store Day | Also hit up Twist & Shout and other local record stores!
Sa, 18th – 7:30 – 11:00 p.m. – Pop Divas Masquerade Charity Ball for “I See You”at Pace Center Ballroom, 20000 Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker, CO 80138 | The Pop Divas are Amanda V as Madonna, Marilyn Taylor as P!nk, and Ana Rock as Lady Gaga.
Su, 19th – 10:00 Early Birds; 11:00 to 4:00 p.m. – Vintage Voltage Expo, Toy & Doll Super Show, Colorado Radio Collectors Club at the National Western Complex – Expo Hall, 4655 Humboldt Street, Denver (Centrally located just east of I-25 off Washington) | Cost: $10 gets you into all three shows! Kids under 10 free!
Mo, 20th – 7:00 p.m. via Zoom – COMBO Presents pianist Rob Mullins: Grammy-Nominated Pianist, Composer, and Music Educator on “Relevance Over Time: Longevity, Rediscovery, and the Skills That Sustain a Music Career”!
Tu, 21st – 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. – Music Theory Workshop: Singing Harmonies – Denver/Online
You can find our classes at https://performancehigh.opus1.io/w/classes
Th, 23rd – 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. – Songwriting Workshop: Writing Better Lyrics – Denver/Online
You can find our classes at https://performancehigh.opus1.io/w/classes
Sa, 25th – 4:00 p.m. – Rocky Mountain Brassworks with an afternoon of cinematic sound of iconic Western Music at the Wheat Ridge Center for Music and Arts, 7530 West 38th Avenue, Wheat Ridge | The concert will feature guest trumpeter Ryan Gardner of CU Boulder | Tickets available:
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/rocky-mountain-brassworks-presents-legends-and-landscapes
Mo, 27th – 5:00 p.m. – Laurie D. – Musical Hike with Suzanne Michot,Chautauqua, Boulder, CO | Contact Laurie if you’d like to join them! WindchimeL@aol.com
Tu, 28th – 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. – Artist Development Workshop: How Do Musicians Make Money? – Denver/Online | You can find our classes at https://performancehigh.opus1.io/w/classes
We, 29th – 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. – Songwriting Workshop: Chord Progression Analysis in Popular Music – Denver/Online | You can find our classes at https://performancehigh.opus1.io/w/classes
Th, 30th – 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. – FREE Karaoke Social – Denver | https://performancehigh.opus1.io/w/free-events
May 2026
Fr, 1st – 6:00 p.m. – Jenn Cleary at First Friday Niwot, 255 Murray Street, Niwot, CO 80544
Su, 3rd – 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. – Laurie & Lorrie at Busey Brews, Nederland, CO
Fr, 8th – 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. – Laurie & Lorrie at Snowy Peaks, Estes Park, CO
Fr – Su, 8th – 10th – Nevan Castaneda to perform as Elvis at David Lee’s Clambake Getaway, Guntersville Lodge, Lake Guntersville, AL
Sa, 9th – 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Guitar & Luithier Show at the Legacy Events Center in Lone Tree, CO – more info in the article below! Look for COMBO’s booth there!
Sa, 9th – Fund raiser for Boettcher Concert Hall with special guest Jon Batiste!
We, 13th – 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. – Laurie & Lorrie at The Old Mine
Fr-Su, 15th thru 17th – Wildflower Fest, Richardson, TX – Look for a Colorado winner in the Al Johnson Performing Songwriter Contest!
Sa-Su, 16th & 17th – “Chris Fest” – raising funds for Chris Dellinger, reeling from Stage 4 cancer – at the Oriental Theater, 44th & Tennyson, Denver
Su,17th – 3:00 p.m. – BCAP Annual Candlelight Vigil, Boulder, CO
Mo, 18th – 7:00 p.m. – COMBO Presents – TBA but put the date on your calendar!
June 2026
Fr, 26th – 7:00 p.m. – Laurie & Lorrie open for Taarka at The Black Rose, Black Forest Community Center, 12530 Black Forest Road, Black Forest, CO
Summer Concerts:
Botanic Gardens: https://concerts.botanicgardens.org
City Park Jazz: https://www.facebook.com/cityparkjazz
Levitt Pavillion: https://www.levittdenver.org
Open Mic / Jam Nights:
Tuesday, April 21st – Special Amplified Open Mic from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Doghouse Studios, 525 Courtney Way, Lafayette, CO. Doors open at 6:20 p.m. and first performance begins at 6:30 p.m. We’ll have the bar open to help y’all enjoy your Tuesday evening, and don’t forget to bring along friends and family! Want to keep Open Mic Tuesdays FREE?! Buy drinks at the bar and donate to our nonprofit Rock for the People ($5 is a GREAT donation)! This is an RSVP event:
https://www.rockforthepeople.org/event-details/amplified-open-mic-night-2026-04-21-18-30?
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Songwriters at the Speakeasy (Roxy on Broadway), 554 South Broadway, Denver, CO 80209
This series takes place at 7:00 p.m. on the second & third Tuesday of each month in the listening-room basement at Roxy on Broadway. Shows feature top songwriters – from upstarts to pros – performing solo. Hosted by Baggs Patrick and Marty Jones
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First Tuesdays of the month: 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. – Roots Music Project – Sober Open Mic, 4747 Pearl Street, Suite V3A, Boulder, CO | FREE! Keep in mind the entrance for the open mic is in the east room so enter through the door to the right of the main entrance.
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Acoustic Open Mic Night – 4th Tuesday of the month at the Doghouse Studios, 525 Courtney Way, Lafayette, CO | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Sponsored by Rock for the People | RSVP at
https://www.rockforthepeople.org/events
The Open Jam Night at Mega Music in Sterling is the perfect place for musicians of all ages & levels to get together, hang out, play & learn. Always a good time. Even if you’re not a musician, come hang out & watch. Call 970-521-9020 to sign up. Host: Todd Allen