Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Springs Music


Springs Music is a 1981 Colorado Springs local artists compilation, designed to unite the two dominant music genres prevalent around the Pikes Peak region.

Interestingly, the producers of this recording decided it would be best to segregate the bands - rock on one side, country on the other. 

The "rock" side:


Falling in Love Again - Lightkraft
Tony Davich, Jamie Townsend, Rocky Porter,
Tiny Barge, and Tim Wall




Stay with Me - Acee Acee
Acee Acee and Rob Perks






Weekend Warrior - The Heroes
Scott Harrison, Larry Larson,
Ken St. Germain, and Skip Turnbaugh





I Remember You - Pete Howard Band
Pete Howard, Randy Norris, Doug Van Dette,
Randy Block, and Bruce Bandy





Mixed Feelings - Alliance
Rob Lawe, Greg Normand, Roni Ziemba, and
Glen Ziemba





Apple Pie - Uptown
Becky Higgins, Steve King, Rob Lewis, Guy
Duford, and Dave Hemersbach









Obvious observation, according to the liner notes, only half of the rock bands including Acee Acee, Uptown, and The Heroes are actual Springs bands - the other three are from elsewhere (Lightkraft - Indiana and Minnesota; Pete Howard Band - New York and Kansas; Alliance - Los Angeles).

Lots of milquetoast here. Coming from someone who lived in the area in 1981, I know there had to have been harder rock coming out of the Springs.

Alas, Lightkraft is breezy saxophone yacht rock, Acee Acee has a mellow Michael McDonald vibe, same thing with Pete Howard, and Alliance has a smidge of rock, but mellow vocals.

Only two songs on the "rock" side hold true to the descriptive - but just barely. 

The "country" side:

Sleepin' With My Pride - Mountain Flyer
Joe Bevans, Lewis Mock, Steve Cormey,
Dan Williams, and Gary Hotchkiss





Give Me a Chance - Cindy Wheeler
Cindy Wheeler (Johnny O'Brien, piano;
Tom Gregor, drums; Rob Perks, synths;
Dan Williams, guitar; and Steve Davidson, pedal steel)








Sycamore Street - Loco Pony
Jerry Williams, Steve "Houndog" Hoke,
Todd Jarrell, and Tom Cook





Two Mules and 100 Miles - The Glenda Roberts Band
Glenda Roberts, Timm Meyers, and Tom Bryan










It's Snowing - Stewart Miller
Stewart Miller (Cindy Wheeler on backing vocals)










Utah Sky - Potlach
Greg Smith, Ron Land, Ron Lyman, Dan Mahnke,
and Rick Starkey





Minus Poltlach (from Kansas), all of the country performers are Springs folk.

Lots of stand-out selections on this side.

Cindy Wheeler is more sweet folk than country,  I can't help but compare Glenda Roberts' "Two Mules" to "Ghost Riders in the Sky," Stewart Miller had to have been a jingle singer (I mean that as a compliment), and Potlach has the bar band sound down pat.

All of the songs were recorded October-November 1981, at Startsong Studios in Colorado Springs.
A portion of the sales went to the Pikes Peak Humane Society.

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