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Colorado's Popular Music History
Caribou Ranch
Caribou Ranch was a legendary 1970’s recording complex near the town of Nederland, Colorado, some 17 miles west of Boulder. Before it gained fame as a destination studio, Caribou Ranch, in its idyllic setting nearly 9,000 feet up in the Rocky Mountains, was the largest privately owned Arabian stud farm in the country. The 3,000 plus acre site also served as a dude ranch and a motion picture set. Owner Jim Guercio bought Caribou Ranch for a reported $1 million in 1971 and installed the studio in 1973. Then he transformed the ranch into an opulent retreat for pop music’s aristocracy.
The life in the fast lane ambience that usually accompanies a recording session disappeared at Caribou. During the ranch’s glory days, an entourage got full use of the facilities for a basic rate of $1,500 a day. The studio was the main lure, but the lodging was equally seductive. The cabins, which slept up to 36 people, featured brass beds, lace curtains, leather upholstered furniture, huge rock fireplaces, hardwood floors, dark cedar walls, and massive stereo systems. Steinway baby grand pianos were located in the corners of several cabins. To pass away the off-hours, the ranch hosted a comprehensive library of movies and games to chose from, an antique pool table, horseback riding, or snowmobiling. One of the favorite pastimes also was eating. A staff of friendly cooks remained on call 24 hours a day to prepare any snack or meal that came to mind. And every evening there was a sit-down dinner with candlelight and wine.
What appealed to most to Caribou Ranch clientele was the insulation from the usual rock ‘n roll circus. There wasn’t a nightclub down the street, and artists didn’t have to send for food or commute back and forth from a hotel or even worry about the laundry. Record companies were only too willing to shell out the money during the mid-1970’s boom years.
In 1973, the year Caribou Ranch opened, Chicago filmed a network television special there “Chicago: High in the Rockies”. A second TV special “Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch”, was broadcast in 1974.
Caribou Ranch gained additional prominence when Elton John recorded his album “Caribou” there in 1974. Elton John recorded several other classic albums at Caribou Ranch, including “Captain Fantastic & the Brown Dirt Cowboy” and “Rock of the Westies”. He also recorded the Beatles’ song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” with John Lennon there.
A veritable who’s who of rock music’s elite passed through Caribou Ranch’s gates during its golden years--America, Badfinger, Jeff Beck, Chicago, Rick Derringer, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sheena Easton, Dan Fogelberg, Billy Joel, Michael Murphey, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Eddie Rabbitt, Souther, Hillman & Furay, Rod Stewart, Stephen Stills, Supertramp, Joe Walsh, War, Frank Zappa, and more.
Ultimately, other studios cropped up around the world that offered similarly exotic atmospheres--refurbished medieval castles in Europe, complexes in the middle of the Caribbean--and the “in” place to record among top bands shifted. Caribou Ranch stayed busy, but when the late-1970’s recession turned the boom to bust, record labels scaled back their recording budgets and expensive destination studios like the Caribou Ranch fell out of favor.
Caribou Ranch was finally shut down after a 1985 fire destroyed the control room, causing about $3 million worth of damage. Jim Guercio donated the remaining equipment to the University of Colorado-Denver in 1986.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a geologically-formed, open-air amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, nestled in the Rocky Mountain foothills some 15 miles west of Denver that is not duplicated anywhere in the world. There is a large, tilted, Frisbee-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large boulders angled outwards from stage left--each taller than Niagara Falls, and seating area for up to 9,450 people in between. The acoustic perfection of the amphitheatre, the majestic setting of Red Rocks, along with the panoramic view of Denver, makes for a breathtaking scene.
One of the notable performances given at Red Rocks was by rock group U2, who released 2 tracks from a Red Rocks concert on their 1983 live album “Under a Blood Red Sky”, and a full concert-length video of the same appearance, segments of which were frequently shown on MTV. A steady rain, the large lighted torches surrounding the stage, and the natural wonder of the Red Rocks setting all provided for a dramatic backdrop for U2's music, and the video helped expand U2's American following.
Other Red Rocks material on CD and DVD include The Dave Matthews Band's albums “Live at Red Rocks 8.15.95” and “Weekend On The Rocks”, John Tesh's “Live at Red Rocks” and “Worship at Red Rocks”, the Incubus DVD “Alive at Red Rocks”, and Steve Martin's comedy album “A Wild and Crazy Guy”.
Songs Inspired in Colorado
“Sweet Little Sixteen”, one of Chuck Berry’s highest-charting hits, was inspired after one of his concerts at the Denver Coliseum.
“Rocky Mountain Way” was big hit for Joe Walsh who lived in Colorado for many years.
“Ridin’ the Storm Out” by REO Speedwagon resulted from a near-death mishap after the band got lost hiking in the Flatirons west of Boulder, Colorado between their gigs at Tulagi’s.
Other Notable Colorado Music Tidbits
Bob Dylan arrived in Denver in 1960 and played Woody Guthrie songs at the Satire Lounge at 1920 East Colfax Avenue in Denver. Dylan lived for a brief time at 1736 East 17th Avenue in a tiny wood house near Williams Street.
Later Dylan was offered his first job as a professional entertainer at the Guilded Garter, a honky-tonk saloon in Central City, Colorado. Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue concert in 1976 at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado resulted in his “Hard Rain” album.
Famed folk singer Judy Collins also did some of her earliest performances at the Satire Lounge. She was a student at East High School just a few blocks away.
The Satire Lounge was also the beginning of two very famous comedy careers, those of Tommy and Dick Smothers, better known as The Smothers Brothers who hit their peak in the late 1960’s. The Smothers Brothers were spotted clowning around the bar and the billiards table when a talent manager suggested they make it a career. The brothers also lived in the only apartment above the Satire.
The Eagles’ first-ever concerts were in Colorado. In Aspen, they played 4 sets a night at the Gallery. Later at Tulagi’s in Boulder, the band was paid $500 for 5 nights. The band auditioned for legendary producer Glyn Johns, who had agreed to fly over from England to listen to them play. It was a horrible, cold, snowy night, and nobody was at the concert since it was also school finals week which resulted in attendance of 15-50 a night. The band was nervous and not very good, and Glyn Johns passed. Later, he came to Los Angeles on a more casual scale and listened to the band rehearse, ended up signing them and producing their debut hit album.
Paul McCartney played Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado in 1993 and put 8 songs from that show on his 24-track album, “Paul is Live”.
The Dave Matthews Band’s CD “Live at Folsom Field (2002)” was recorded and filmed in July 2001 in Boulder at the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field.
The most recent new national artist to come out of Denver is The Fray. The Fray is possibly the biggest band ever to come out of Colorado. Its record sales recently passed those of Big Head Todd & the Monsters' "Sister Sweetly", and while Firefall had 2 platinum records (more than a million sold) in "Elan" and "Firefall", The Fray’s debut album “How to Save a Life” went double platinum. That same album started 2007 as not only the #1 digital album of 2006, but also of all-time. In fact, The Fray officially eclipsed Coldplay’s “X&Y” to become the best-selling digital album since SoundScan began tracking digital albums. The Fray’s debut album also was the biggest selling album of 2006 on the iTunes Store.
The Fray also were nominated for 2 Grammys in 2006--best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal for "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and best rock performance by a duo or group with vocal for "How to Save a Life". Its competitors included U2, Green Day, Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Raconteurs, the Pussycat Dolls, the Black Eyed Peas, Death Cab For Cutie, and Keane. Earlier in 2006 at the Billboard Music Awards, The Fray picked up 3 awards. The industry magazine ceremony honored artists who have performed well on its radio, retail and digital charts, and The Fray swept the digital categories for "How to Save a Life"’s performance on iTunes and other carriers of MP3s. The album's first 2 singles, "Over My Head" and the title track, are certified platinum digital singles by the Recording Industry Association of America.
In 2004 the band signed with Epic Records, and in 2005 "How to Save a Life" was released in September, and the single "Over My Head (Cable Car)" caught on throughout the country. The band toured with Weezer and Ben Folds. In 2006 the band's meteoric rise hit full steam this year with sold-out tours and the live release "Live at the Electric Factory: Bootleg No. 1". Its studio record crossed the 1.5 million sales mark, and the group's music was licensed for TV shows such as "Grey's Anatomy", "Scrubs", "NCIS", and "Bones".