Peter Nalty was born on Christmas Eve, 1963, and passed away 59 years later on July, 26, 2023. In the last years of his life, Peter grew in his Faith and never complained about his lot. Some might call it heroic. (Pete battled cancer in the last few months).
Peter was the beloved ninth, and last child born to Donald and Doris Nalty. Early in childhood he showed a gift for music which his mother encouraged. Peter was instructed in piano in addition to his school curriculum. By the time Peter was in high school, he had surpassed his piano teacher and was an accomplished and versatile pianist, facile with everything from classical to ragtime. It was a joy to see his long fingers dance across a keyboard.
Peter fell in love with Roots Rock & its innovators: Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Eddie Cochran and many others. It wasn’t long before he and brother Brian Nalty started their first band and re-introduced Roots Rock to the Rocky Mountain area, becoming Denver’s most popular original rock band. The Nalty brothers wrote original music & lyrics; their band “The Jinns” was sponsored by Miller Highlife and Peter snagged a writing contract with Warner Brothers. They traveled the US & played many hundreds of gigs, even doing the opening set for Billy Idol at Red Rocks Amphitheater. In the past few years, Peter had turned to writing Gospel music. Sadly, much of it went unrecorded.
Peter married his high school sweetheart Sheila, who was the love of his life, and they had a son, Clifford Eugene, who survives him. Sadly, Sheila lost her life to complications from childhood diabetes when Cliff was only nine years old.
Peter is also survived by siblings Stephen Nalty, Helen Kish, Michael Nalty, Patrick Nalty, Anna Currey, Daniel Nalty, Brian Nalty and many, many friends within the music business and without, including in his last parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, in Littleton, Colorado
Rest in the peace of the Lord, Peter. We will miss you dearly.
In honor of Peter please send donations to the Archdiocesan Housing Charity.
https://obits.cfcscolorado.org/obituary/peter-nalty
Thanks to COMBO member Steve “Steve Son” Wilson for alerting us to Mr. Nalty’s passing.
Photo: Pete Nalty (from his Obituary)
Gifted Pianist Pete Nalty of The Jinns Dies Aged 59
