Firefall - Colorado Music Experience

Within the 1970s country-rock genre, Firefall’s hit records carried the torch for the “Colorado sound.”
colomusic.org/video/firefall-2/

[@dougkauble4707]

Loved their sound

[@davidbee8793]

I drove a taxi in Boulder CO in the late 90s, early 2000s and I frequently had the pleasure of providing Rick with a ride from his North Boulder apartment. Although he was obviously in some personal turmoil he treated me very respectfully and kindly and I really liked the guy. He even showed me his gold records. I'm glad he's still around, a very nice fellow.

[@ronmounts8075]

Wowwww that's Really Kooooooool!!!!

[@troydouglas4193]

I auditioned for Firefall as a drummer/vocalist and obviously didn't make it. The band I formed afterward, Wolfcreek, knew them well. They used our rehearsal space a few times and our lead player shared a house with Larry Burnett. He knew the girl Cinderella was about. Loved what they did and what they are doing currently.

[@geraldlavelle3337]

I was in a sauna at a spa in Boulder on Spruce or Pine Street back in the day -- it was owned by a guy named Howard. Several people were in the sauna baking away. Anyway, two guys came into the sauna and I recognized one guy was Chris Hillman. He introduced the other guy as Rick Roberts from a start up band named Firefall. He was getting Rick cleaned up to fly to New York the next day to audition for a record deal. Chris was having Rick snort and drink herbal concoctions to clear his lungs and sinuses out from too much 'marching powder.' I remember one funny but wise thing Chris said to Rick. "Party after you get the contract not before." This therapy must've done the trick because I heard they got the contract.

[@WysteriaGuitar]

As a semi-professional singer, Rick Roberts was one of my main influences, as we are both high tenors. Love ya Rick, and thanks!

[@JEEPDadXJ]

As a TBI survivor, it's always good to see other stories about brain injury getting exposure. Sorry Rick had to go through but then none of us expected it to happen to us. I've got to get a copy of his book now.

[@buddylobos5277]

Today I'm in Santa Fe, NM and I had no idea there were so many bands & writers from Colorado. POCO, Dan Fogelberg & John Denver of course but, Firefall, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sugarloaf. I thought they were all LA Studio bands. I'm from Minnesota and heard them on the radio but, I'm amazed.

[@valeriepickens2533]

Just the beginning my friend! Because of Poco, you have the background of at least two Eagles players! Joe Walsh started in Cleveland, but went to Boulder to record everything from Rocky Mountain Way, to Average ordinary Guy. While recording those, he produced Dan Folgerberg's first three albums, and nobody has to tell you the history of John Denver

[@troydouglas4193]

The Boulder music scene in the '70 was incredible and I was part of it in a very small way. Some of the best times in my life.@@valeriepickens2533

[@dianacrow7509]

Great bunch of Artists... Studio attendance was extraordinary, professionals. Great dudes! (pssst...a blast to dance to) Much love all...❣

[@lobo81865]

My favorite 70's band.

[@sabrinan4792]

Rick Roberts has a way with writing a love song and a great voice with which to sing it.

[@Jp-hv9zj]

It doesn't matter and Mexico two great tunes from these guys

[@troydouglas4193]

I totally agree. Mexico is a killer song.

[@everythinganything888]

The "Unknown" in the Gram Parson b&w appears to be John McEuen from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, who was also in Boulder area. He was a great banjo Player but excelled in several instruments!

[@bryanfindley1438]

..great stuff, thanx for the Colorado Music Experience stuff

[@seaturtledog]

Every summer in the 80s the band played in Lonagan's Saloon in Estes Park Colorado. That bar was pretty small maybe 200 seats. They played two shows in one night and i would pay for both. The best part is some of the band members had a side band that played the night before and i still remember a great version of Steve Miller's living in the USA

[@tomcooley3778]

Lonnie’s is still there in Estes Park and still cool !

[@stillastillsfan]

A few points worth mentioning. I believe Stephen Stills was tied in with Rick Roberts and Firefall in some form or fashion. Firefall later modified and recorded “It Doesn’t Matter,” a wonderful melodic tune from Stephen Stills’ band Manassas.

[@davec3901]

Actually Chris Hillman modified Roberts' song and went ahead and gave himself credit and tried to exclude Roberts from the credit. I read this and Rick's book "Song Stories."

[@troydouglas4193]

I had heard this too. @@davec3901

[@raybassman7536]

Another good firefall song-"So Long"

[@jennifershanahan7343]

Ray bassman that’s my favorite song of theirs, loved it as a kid and I play it all the time here in CO, it just fits.

[@raybassman7536]

@@jennifershanahan7343 A Band that I had years ago "So Long" was on our songlist, we had two good singers, one with an acoustic 12 string that sounded great on that song, We had a great electric lead guitar player, It was fun playing that song and I wish I had a tape of us playing that for an archive of that band. the cassettes were all lost over time of course.

[@jennifershanahan7343]

Ray bassman I love the sound of a good 12-string. Sorry you don’t have any recordings but I’m sure you have some great memories. Aside from playing in school band and jamming with various ppl, I would’ve loved to have played in a formal rock band. Now I’m lucky if I can play more than an hour, but I’ll keep playing until I can play no more. 😀

[@mrgreenjeans1794]

Colorado sound may have more to do with James William Geurcio's Caribou Ranch. If he built his recording studio in Wyoming instead of Colorado, I suspect we would be talking about the "Wyoming sound."

[@squeakeththewheel]

Joe Walsh and James Gang lived nearby and recorded there.

[@robertbishop5357]

All this does is to turn me onto some other great bands like POCO, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Zephyr, Spirit, Firefall. Yes I believe Zeppelin took the intro to Stairway from one of Spirits songs.

[@taimeuppe6174]

bought that Firefall album when it came out

[@pacoreguenga]

Great Documentary on a Great Band! New suscriber here! Thanks for sharing!

[@bigwille11]

I guess they had a lot of great tunes⛰

[@JavaJohnVideo]

need to redo! lol. they are back w Mark!

[@RustyTonesJr]

I jammed/drummed with Burnett in my Dad's basement. All he did was brag about Steve Gadd recording Firefall stuff. And he would play a fast tempo folky blues thing with bars of 9/8 randomly thrown in, expecting me to know the shit before hearing it. And the bassist was supposedly with Anthrax in the early days. Good times.

[@chriswoosley3883]

of course ,Mark Andes went to Heart /82-92

[@raybassman7536]

and during that time Heart also had Montrose Drummer Denny C.

[@raybassman7536]

And Denny C. -Drummer from Montrose also went to Heart at that time.

[@c.s.mcleod7383]

'Colorado' wasn't on Last of The Red Hot Burittos album.

[@squeakeththewheel]

Big fan of Gram Parsons here. I lived in Boulder 74-79 and saw one of Firefall's early shows in a small theater there. At that time they had a great (country) rock sound and Bartley was a monster guitar player with pretty heavy licks. (I think Chris Hillman played with them or at least introduced them.) A year or two later I saw them open for Fleetwood Mac at the Folsom stadium concert mentioned in the video. As time went on, they added flute and softened their sound until it became like elevator music to me, sorry to say. They had all the ingredients, but for my taste they made poor musical choices later on. (That's just my taste.)

[@geraldlavelle3337]

Way, way back in the day I was listening to the local Boulder radio station one day and the dj introduced two folks who were going to play live in the studio -- Gram and Emily Lou. I'd never heard their music before but I sure did become a fan right then and there.

[@troydouglas4193]

I was at that Folsom Field concert as well. What a wonderful time!

[@gramparsons1354]

😎

[@seanmurphy26]

you suck! Over-rated

[@RonSchirmer]

74 boulder saw Navarro early firefall members good time

[@davidmontgomery5047]

There Should be a Segment about Zephyr , They were easily as Good as These Bands and Also Tommy Bolin...Too much emphasis on Record sales

[@michaelcraig9449]

SO.. They all went to Colorado, got lonely, got real high, and got good!

[@valeriepickens2533]

They should have done a better job, explaining why they made "Cinderella". Colorado is a very heavy Republican State, and they stepped away to close to picking sides, with that song!

[@seanmurphy26]

Oh wow! The Flying Burrito Brothers! That band did absolutely nothing for me!

[@robj8862]

You country rock blasphemer

[@seanmurphy26]

Yeah country rock is terrible

[@squeakeththewheel]

Your loss. I loved them from day one when they and the Byrds created that 'hippy' country rock sound. The albums after GP left the band were boring though.