Author - The Durango Herald

Austin bluegrass musician credits his cool parents

Kids sometimes have to admit that their parents have good taste in music. It doesn’t happen everywhere. I’ve seen some of the record collections of people my age, the 40-somethin...

DATE: Jul 30, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Drag the River brings country rock to Durango

In 1985, the Los Angeles punk band X startled fans when they released an LP of country music under the name The Knitters. While they may not have been the first punk band to dabbl...

DATE: Jul 23, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Worldly Todo Mundo links humanity through music

Santiago Orozco had an organic vision for what became Todo Mundo. When he arrived in San Diego from his native Columbia, he had ambitions of building a music career, but he had no...

DATE: Jul 16, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Carcosa’s roots rock defies a simple definition

Bob Wills was on to something that pre-dated rock ’n’ roll. When the King of Swing was asked about the forthcoming musical revolution, his response defied a definintion for the music he had ...

DATE: Jul 2, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

The Badly Bent brings bluegrass to Brew Train

Durango’s historic steam train continues to find ways to entice riders on board. Saturday’s Brew Train is the first of the 2015 series of rolling beer-tastings with music. The bl...

DATE: Jun 25, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Unique sound of Papa Otis blends old with the new

The sound of Papa Otis hasn’t stayed still long enough to be pigeonholed. The band, whose mainstay has been drummer Steve Mendias, has evolved from a three-piece celebrating rock ...

DATE: Jun 18, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

High Rollers bring country to Strater, fresh off a hit in France

The High Rollers’ 20-year plan did not include shows overseas. Nor did it include bandmates reared on anything but country, or an original song that resulted in statewide radio play and its ...

DATE: Jun 11, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Rebecca Frazier to front Hit and Run in Pagosa

Bluegrass always has had a strong female presence in band-leaders and vocalists. Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent and Alison Brown all have led successful bands and forged successfu...

DATE: Jun 4, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Dragondeer to play psych blues on train

The importance and contribution of the blues to all other art and music cannot be overstated. It is Americana, influencing rock, jazz, country, punk, hip-hop, folk and more, inspi...

DATE: May 28, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Elle Carpenter’s new album is a return to folk

Elle Carpenter’s music career is an exercise in diversity. A Vermont native, one-time Los Angeles resident, actress, musician and now Durango local, Carpenter has been writing so...

DATE: May 21, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Farmington Hill to play benefit for River Days

Farmington Hill has new blood. The local country rock quintet that released the critically acclaimed “Bridge to Nowhere” in 2012 has been in a holding pattern, putting finishing ...

DATE: May 14, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown

Ralph Dinosaur and his mom will light up the dance floor

Despite at times lacking a national music scene, Durango is home to some musical institutions. The Bar D Wranglers, the Blue Moon Ramblers, the Lawn Chair Kings and Ralph Dinosau...

DATE: May 7, 2015 | CATEGORY: Downtown Lowdown