Middle Class Rock Star

BIG NEWS FOR MIDDLE CLASS ROCK STAR! We're now reaching 25 FM frequencies throughout Colorado via Chris K's radio show, The Colorado Playlist. This is a very special episode. The big number 50! A special thanks to all our listeners, all the guests, and Patrick Badgley at PQ Mastering for putting this all together with me. My guest this week is Sarah Slaton. Since she moved to Colorado over a decad...

BIG NEWS FOR MIDDLE CLASS ROCK STAR! We're now reaching 25 FM frequencies throughout Colorado via Chris K's radio show, The Colorado Playlist. My guest this week is Whitewater Ramble founder and front person, Patrick Sites. He grew up in Idaho in a very americana friendly family. His father is a 9 time National Fiddle Champion. (NOTE: I misspoke in the monologue of the show. I misunderstood and sa...

BIG NEWS FOR MIDDLE CLASS ROCK STAR! We're now reaching 25 FM frequencies throughout Colorado. More info in the episode! This week I'm welcoming back 45 year Colorado radio vet, Chris K., who has lots of interesting tidbits in the midst of this pandemic. If you'd like to hear our first conversation, check out episode 7: King of Colorado Music Radio, Chris K (Goat). Chris K, who also goes by the na...

Alex Rhodes is my guest today on the pod. We first met up for coffee (tea for me, I hate coffee) about a year and a half ago. He had a collection of songs recorded and wanted to bounce ideas back and forth about what to do next. The songs are great. The lyrics are great. The vibe is there. Now what? I ask myself this same question every time I do anything. To top it off, Alex is working on growing...

Julia Mendiolea is my guest today to start off what some might call, "Season 3." I don't technically divide this show up into seasons, but I do take a break every summer. Julia and I go back. Wayyy back. About as far back as a musician in their twenties can go. We met the very first day of college as aspiring music majors at the University of Colorado at Denver. She moved to Denver from the small...

It was great catching up with my old friend, Megan Burtt. I first became aware of her music when she was a guest speaker at CU Denver's weekly convocation (a required class for all music performance majors) back in.... 2010? Over the last decade, she has established herself as one of the best songwriters in Denver and around the country. She has won lots of awards for her performances and writing...

My guest this week is Boulder-based singer/songwriter and performer, Shanna In A Dress. The first paragraph of her bio is a perfect introduction: "Shanna in a Dress is your quirky best friend who refuses to wear pants. She says what everyone is thinking but no one else will say and you'll get an uncensored journey of clever humor and heartbreak with a hefty side of entertainment at her shows. This...

If you're looking for a wholesome average rock concert, don't go see Andy Frasco & The U.N. The first time we met, I sat in with his band at Globe Hall in Denver. I was the opening act and during his set, his keyboard broke. He didn't seem to dwell on it too much. Instead, he kindly asked me if I would set mine up and hop on stage with the U.N. The show didn't stop or anything to set up my keyboar...

This episode has something for music lovers and musicians/songwriters alike. I chat with Fran Snyder, founder of Concerts In Your Home and the Listening Room Network. Both are sites dedicated to bringing quality listening room concerts to fans. If you're a music lover, you can sign up on the site to host house concerts. If you're a musician, you can fill out an application to become a part of the...

To start the podcast, I share a few brief thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement and also share a passage from previous podcast guest, Anthony Farrell of Austin-based band, The Greyhounds. This episode was originally supposed to air on June 4, but we decided to push it back one airing date to June 11 to join with our brothers and sisters in the music industry in support of Black Out Tuesday....

A long overdue conversation with my buddy, A.J. Fullerton. We met several years ago at a Colorado Blues Society function at the Buffalo Rose in Golden, CO. He wasn't yet old enough to hold a beer and I barely was (and likely taking full advantage of the opportunity). I don't recall thinking I'd see him around much, but we kept bumping into each other around town and at various shows/gigs. Since we...

I can't believe I finally got invited on my own show. It only took almost two years! Singer/Songwriter and MCRS alum Patrick Armould (also knows as American Field Day) approached me a few months ago about interviewing me for my own show. I was flattered and we had a lot of fun with it! Patrick does the opening monologue and sets it all up. Then I come on and we BS about music for an hour. I timed...

In this episode, I chat with Nashville-based songwriter/artist/producer, Randall Kent. I was fascinated throughout our entire conversation because Randall in large part comes from the licensing side of the industry. He has collaborated with countless artists and his music has received over 60 film and TV placements to date including a track on NCIS and the official trailer for Berlin, I Love You....

In this episode, I interview Submit Hub Founder and CEO, Jason Grishkoff. We talk all about submit hub and why blogs are still relevant in todays music industry. Plus (for those watching on YouTube) Jason helps me submit one of my songs on the site. This is an extremely informative episode for musicians, bloggers, instagram influencers and entrepreneurs. Because we screen share and Jason shows us...

**This episode features the premiere of "Sunday Afternoon" at the end of the interview** Float Like A Buffalo is quickly becoming a household name in Denver and beyond. The 7-piece funk/rock outfit put out their rookie full-length in 2019, and since then has performed on pretty much every major stage in Denver metro including: Red Rocks, Levitt Pavilion, and The Gothic Theater. They were also crow...

In a world where quarantine has become the new normal, Sarah Shuel and Alyssa Montaño have successfully launched a large scale "virtual music festival." I know... eight weeks ago the very mention of this sort of thing would have been laughed out of the room by music industry professionals. Yet, it has become our reality for the present and who knows for how much of our future. Just hours after the...

This is a long overdue conversation with my good friend, Dan Cable. He's the host of a weekly music podcast based out of Portland, OR called, Dan Cable Presents. He also co-hosts a new podcast called, Bible Buds with past MCRS guest, Andrew Harrison. Along with his podcast (which has played host to the likes of KT Tunstall and Noah Gundersen) Dan has worked as a promoter, consultant and a writer f...

The Movers & Shakers are a high energy rock & soul band out of Denver, CO. They've been making noise (not just literally) both in the local scene, as well as on the national stage. They've won the right to represent the Colorado Blues Society in the International Blues Competition in Memphis, TN the last two years. During their most recent visit in January of this year, they made it all the way to...

I've known Tony Mason for quite some time. He was one of, if not the first person to put me in a real venue as a college student at CU Denver. A lot of local musicians can say that about Tony. He started off by putting together shows under his promotion company name, Tone Dynamix, and ended up as the senior talent buyer for Larimer Lounge, Lost Lake and Globe Hall. Recently, Tony informed the Denv...

Fair warning, this is probably my longest monologue yet. I try to keep 'em short and sweet, but I had a lot to say this week. If it's not your thing, skip ahead to about the 10 minute mark. Nic Clark is my first repeat guest on MCRS. His first appearance was in episode 5. We tired not to repeat too much, so feel free to go back and check out that interview as well. Nic was also a co-host when I in...

Cass Clayton's latest release, Play Nice spent several weeks atop the Roots Music Report Top 50 R&B Album Charts and is receiving rave reviews from press outlets all over the world. Perhaps Onstage Magazine gives the best elevator pitch: "[her] singing oozes of smoke and honey while her slide guitar playing is simply badass." Cass grew up mostly in western Nebraska before ending up on a spiritual...

Chase Wessel's musical journey will keep you on the edge of your seat. From a trumpeter on scholarship at UNC, to a sound person, to a Music Business Major at CU Denver, to a couch surfer, to doing backlines on Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel.... did you catch all that? That's just some of what Chase did before joining The Levitt Foundation in California and eventually moving to Denver to help open...

Since I started this podcast in August of 2018, I've had an ongoing list of people I want to interview. Ryan Chrys was one of the first people I wrote on that list, and we finally made it happen! I have a lot of respect for Ryan as he's someone who after years of performing in different bands, is still pounding the pavement and touring heavily as if he is to be forever 22 years old. It's hard to b...

This is a sit down with my old friend, Andrew Harrison. Andrew and I met in middle school. He moved to our Colorado suburb in 7th grade and brought his wavy California hair, long board, checkered shoes and electric guitar with him. We'd never seem anything like it. We became fast friends and through the years have more or less stayed in touch through our mutual pursuit of music. He currently lives...

In this episode, I chat with Denver country music mainstay, Buckstein. We chat about his time as an American Idol contestant, his long standing run at the Grizzly Rose, and what it's like to be a bandleader with your own name on the cover. Things got personal as we laughed and shared mimosas all morning. He even fixed my toilet after the interview! What a guy! This is a must listen for country mus...