Dick Kroeckel, Ragtime Pianist (September 6, 1945 – October 11, 2020)

Hey all. I received late word that Colorado ragtime pianist Dick Kroeckel passed away, back in October.  

Dick was a well-known entertainer, mentioned in the same breath as Max Morath and Danny Griffith. Born in Indiana, at the age of six, his family moved to Colorado. His piano playing was influenced by musical family members, along with Little Richard. He started playing professionally, at the age of 16 years old, at the Screwball Bar, in Kittredge. He soon became part of the Central City Colorado Summer Fun, playing at the historic Tollgate and Glory Hole Bars. 

After completing his military service, he moved to Georgetown, where he was hired as a bartender at the Silver Queen, where he spent the next five years. In the 1970s he moved to the Cherry Creek Inn, Red Slipper Room in Denver.  He soon took to the road, performing in the southwest and Midwest states.

 

The New Mexican (Santa Fe) - March 20, 1974

 

La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, Wisconsin) - September 5, 1975

In 1976, Dick was asked to perform on an episode of ‘On The Road’ with Charles Kuralt on the CBS Evening News. That same year, he appeared in Estes Park with the Al Fike Show. 

In 1977 he released his album Echoes From Lulu White's Mahogany Hall. The album also features drummer Steve Ashton, who was a music teacher for Denver Public Schools (he now performs in the polka trio, The Rhinelanders).

I have another copy of this record, showing a little girl on the cover.

In his later years Kroeckel performed nightly at the Diamond Belle Saloon, at the Strater Hotel, in Durango.  

During the 1980s, he took a job as a brakeman on the Durango & Silverton narrow gauge railroad. He soon returned to Central City, and in 1987, was back to entertaining audiences again.

In the 1990s he was found playing for audiences at the Phenix Club, in Cripple Creek.

Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph - October 4, 1991

According to the liner notes of his album, Dick would end each show with the song "Three O'clock in the Morning," signaling that the show was coming to an end. "I hope this record will be your ticket to happy listening," he writes.

Listen to "Three O'clock in the Morning"

Danny Griffith

 Listen to a sample of "Cripple Creek"

Steve Mackin interview conducted March 2012.

Anyone who ever visited Cripple Creek from the mid 1960s to mid 1980s, specifically the Gold Bar Room at the Imperial Hotel, were entertained by the “King of Melodrama Pianists,” Danny Griffith.

“Danny grew up in Glenwood Springs. His father was part of a big band, and my folks heard him perform at the Oxford Hotel in Denver,” said Steve Mackin, who spent many years at the Imperial, which was owned by his family. “This was about 1966. They invited him to come work for us, at the Imperial – which he did, for 18 years.”

It’s estimated that Griffth performed in 3,000 melodramas, while at the hotel.

Danny Griffith passed away in 1993, in Tucson, where he had been the regular performer at the Gaslight Theatre. He was 50 years old. He is buried in Cripple Creek.

Listen To "Who's Going To Play This Piano"

(Partial) Danny Griffith LP discography:

Cripple Creek Gold 

Danny Griffith and Jim Tracy - Sounds of the Gold Bar Room 

The Glad Rags Volume One 

The Glad Rags Volume Two 

Sounds of the Gold Bar Room - featuring the Glad Rags

Danny Griffith in Cripple Creek

Imperial Rag Time

Imperial Treasures

Sounds of the Gold Bar Room #12

Gold Bar Room 30th Anniversary Album

The Gold Bar Room has recently remastered a few of Griffith's recordings, which are available for purchase here.

Norbie Larsen

Interview with Paul “Norbie” Larsen conducted June 2010.

Paul Norbert ("Norbie") Larsen was born and raised in the mining town of Cripple Creek. The year of his birth, in 1936, miners had extracted over half a billion dollars in gold from the nearby Cresson Mines (now known as the Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mine).

"Dad was a miner, and I worked in the mines when I was in high school," Larsen said. "It was pretty wild back then, but we didn’t think anything was out of the ordinary - miners would get drunk and fight every night. They used to throw silver dollars, and kids would be out there collecting them."

While in high school Larsen would dabble in music, playing with friends, and serenading the cattle on his grandparents' homestead. "It was just something to do, before I joined the Navy."

While serving, he continued to sing, and looked forward to returning home to Cripple Creek, which he eventually did in 1961.

"I got married, had kids, and hit the road playing."

Larsen went on to appear on the last season on Red Foley’s Ozark Jubilee weekly television show. He also added professional rodeo star to his resume. As a Brahma bull and bareback rider, he became a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

In 1962 he saw a help wanted advertisement in the Colorado Springs Gazette. The ad was for The Grand Ole Opry show. Seeing an opportunity to be heard by a national audience, he took his guitar and applied in person.

"The job was actually for a telephone salesman."

Refusing to be denied a chance to play, he told the interviewer that he came with his guitar and wanted to show them his talents.

"He told me to play him a tune - and I got hired on the spot to play at the Colorado Springs stop of the Opry's traveling show."

After the gig, Larsen was invited to stay on, performing with the likes of Loretta Lynn, Marty Robbins, and Sonny James.

Returning home, Larsen booked time at KCMS (later KIIQ) radio, outside of Colorado Springs, to record his first single - a record he envisioned while serving in the Navy.

"I wanted to sing about what I knew - and what I knew about was Cripple Creek," he said.

Listen to "The Legend of Cripple Creek"

Listen to "Prospecting Cowboy"

Larsen said he recorded a number of singles (unfortunately details were unavailable) throughout his music career, and even dabbled in the movie business.

"I knew this woman, who was a friend of a friend, and they were hiring folks to be in this moving filming in Cañon City," he said.

The movie was Cat Ballou, staring Lee Marvin and Jane Fonda.

Scenes were being filmed at Buckskin Joe's Frontier Town, and Larsen fit the bill as an extra.

"I'm the guy who is milking the cow, and I also appear in some street scenes - I didn't have any lines."

In the early 1980s Larsen was elected mayor of Cripple Creek.

In 1983 Larsen released I'd Rather Be in Colorado, a nine song LP, produced by Jay Angelo (formerly of The Impacs and Lobo). The album was released on the Florida-based Aanco record label.

After spending the next 20 years performing the nightclub circuit, he moved to Cañon City where he works at a nearby rock quarry.

In 2003, he released the CD Colorado Cowboy, also on the Aanco label.

COMING NEXT POST: Lou Amella