Listen to the Music Songwriter Series debuts in Vail Village
Colorado Music Foundation supports local musicians at Shakedown Bar Vail
Colorado Music Foundation/Courtesy photo
Live music is a huge part of the Vail Valley experience. Whether it’s a country duo at the 10th Mountain Whiskey Tasting Room on Bridge Street, a jam band at Shakedown Bar Vail or a solo act performing sing-a-longs at Powder 8 Kitchen & Tap in Beaver Creek, the melodies help create the memories that last. To help support the artists and their craft, the Colorado Music Foundation has been formed to help boost this valuable resource.
The Colorado Music Foundation was founded by Zach Gilliam who came here by way of two music meccas, Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. Gilliam was the bass player for The Runaway Grooms, touring the country for the past few years. Gilliam left the band in the fall of 2023 and decided to blend his passion for music and networking together in order to make a positive impact on the community.
“As a working musician in Colorado, I am extremely conscious of a wide variety of challenges that musicians face including finding quality performance opportunities, building sustainable careers, and securing resources for music education to develop as an artist,” Gilliam said.
“The Colorado Music Foundation helps artists find quality performance opportunities, build sustainable careers, and secure resources for music education for those who want to develop as an artist,” Gilliam said.
On Tuesday, you can support this mission by attending the Listen to the Music Songwriter Series at Shakedown Bar Vail. The series is an intimate musical experience where Colorado-based songwriters share the stories and inspiration behind their music in an interactive setting with a small audience.
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“There will be four Colorado-based singer-songwriters at this event including Sam E. Bee, Al Maul, Eric Halborg and Jacob Stanley. Each writer has a completely different style and sound that will make this event feel like a musical journey,” Gilliam said.
Gilliam said the foundation has hosted events at the Bachelor Gulch Club, Moe’s Original BBQ in Eagle and now Shakedown Bar Vail, owned and operated by fellow musician Scott Rednor.
“When I started planning out the event for March, I immediately thought of Scott and Shakedown. Scott has done an incredible job at creating a music venue that is focused on bringing quality music to Vail on a consistent basis. Everything from the lighting and sound to the size and staff makes Shakedown the perfect venue for such an intimate experience,” Gilliam said.
For more information and tickets, go to ColoradoMusicFoundation.org. Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m. All proceeds benefit the featured songwriters and the Colorado Music Foundation.
