The local PBS stations (we’re fortunate enough to have two here) have been showing “Great Performances – A Tribute to James Taylor.” Several well known artists, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Sheryl Crow, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Carole King to name a few, perform some of JT’s songs before a crowd of about 2000 people. At the end of the evening JT himself gets up and performs. It is great television, if there is such a thing.
The songs reminded me of summer concerts at Red Rocks, the natural outdoor amphitheater west of Denver.
http://www.redrocksonline.com/index.asp
If you have never been to a concert Red Rocks you should go, if have you have been to a concert Red Rocks it is probably time to go again. I have seen James Taylor there three or four times as well as a host of other artists including, The Eagles, Dan Fogelberg, Greg Allman, Poco, America, Charlie Daniels, Dave Mason, The Beach Boys, The Doobie Brothers… Mrs. R and I saw The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band at Red Rocks on our first date, in August of 1979.
Red Rocks is a magical place, a tremendous outdoor setting, near perfect acoustics, the cool Colorado climate, the moon coming up over the horizon… There is, quite simply, no better way to spend a summer evening…
Mrs. R and I are heading to points west later this week, ending up in the City by the Bay. San Francisco and the Bay Area also have a rich musical legacy - check out this 1999 list from the San Francisco Chronicle:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/12/19/PKBB101.DTL&type=music
Santana, The Doobies, Huey Lewis, and Credence are among my favorites...
Any special Red Rocks or other music memories from our vast readership?
