Season's Greetings!

Season's Greetings! I trust you are enjoying your holidays in a fun and meaningful way with family and friends. We are excited to have Myles back from Europe and NYC and here with us till early January, and to have Emma back from Italy as well, so we can be together for the holidays and make plenty of music! We had a beautiful (SRO!) Christmas Eve concert at Paths of Heart and now we've got a gig together TONIGHT in the Sunset Lounge of the Elizabeth Hotel from 7-11 pm. It's been mighty busy since their opening a few weeks ago and sometimes the wait to get in is a bit long, but if you plan ahead, you can get your name on the list and come hear us without too much fuss. While you wait, you can have a drink downstairs in The Magic Rat, or have a look around the stately hotel! We'll all be there again on New Year's Eve, along with Eva Bacmeister/vocals and Riley Williams/drums. Expect plenty of fine harmonies with 3 singers! The Sunset will be taking a limited number of reservations for 2 hour time blocks. Call (970) 999-3494. They'll also have walk-in seating on a first come/first serve basis. Come ring in the New Year with us! See detailed schedule below. I will be adding some other dates at the Elizabeth next week as the schedule is formalized.

In other news, I invite you to check out my new "Songbird Celebrations" page on my website http://www.colleencrosson.com/songbird-celebrations.html. There you'll find info on my wedding/life celebration services. I was blessed to officiate several events this year and look forward to more in the new year, celebrating life with others in its many forms!

Light and peace to you this holiday season,
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.pathsofheart.org

Hello friends and fans!

We've just returned from a fabulous 2 weeks in Italy (and a bit of Slovenia), visiting our daughter Emma who's been there for the past few months. What tales we have to tell of wonderful sights, new friends, and good eats - just ask....but the story of the day is that The Elizabeth Hotel is now open in downtown Fort Collins and Mark Sloniker will be taking up "residence" in the 5th floor rooftop "Sunset Lounge" Wednesdays through Saturdays, offering our community his eclectic jazz stylings in this classy new venue! I am pleased to be a part of this opening week on both Wednesday (tonight) and Saturday night, singing with the band. So excited! Detailed schedule is below.

In other news, I invite you to check out my new "Songbird Celebrations" page on my website http://www.colleencrosson.com/songbird-celebrations.html. Here you'll find info on my wedding and other life celebration services. I was blessed to officiate several events this year and look forward to more in the new year, celebrating life with others in its many blessed forms!

I'd also like to remind folks that I can provide gift certificates for voice, guitar, or ukulele lessons if giving the gift of music might fit in with your holiday plans! All my CDs are on sale, too - 1 for $10, or 3 for $20! Email me directly if you want to take advantage of this deal or to order gift certificates - colleencrosson@gmail.com. Thanks!

Coming up (mark your calendars) - A multi-cultural holiday concert celebration on Christmas Eve, December 24th, at 7 pm presented by "Paths of Heart" at our Heartquarters, 117 Evans Dr. in Fort Collins. Myles and Emma Sloniker will both be back in town to join us in music and song, with other special guests TBA. Donations to "Paths of Heart" (our Human Services/Educational/Arts non-profit) will be gratefully accepted at the door. More details below.

Light and peace to you this holiday season,
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

Just wanted to give you all one last reminder about the "Paths of Heart Presents..." House Concert at Paths of Heart "Heartquarters"! On Saturday, November 4th at 7:30 pm, Teresa Funke and I will again join forces for our third concert together where we invoke our creative souls (and yours!) by pairing selected blog posts of Teresa's "Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life" with music choices from my eclectic repertoire of songs. Each reading/song covers a different topic and the combination of prose and song allows the listener to experience and respond more deeply to our shared human creativity. Our past collaborations have been quite profound for us and all who've attended. We hope you'll join us for this round! We will provide light appetizers, some beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. You are invited to bring finger foods/favorite beverages to share as well. A $20 donation at the door is suggested, though it's always your choice what you'd like to contribute for the evening. RSVPs are appreciated, as space is limited and it also helps with food/beverage planning.

Detailed schedule is below. Hope to see you at the concert!

In peace,
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

What fun I've been having these last few weeks, being involved with so many diverse musical collaborations! My next event with Teresa Funke on Saturday, November 4th at 7:30 pm promises to deliver on that front as well! This is our third concert together where we invoke our creative souls (and yours!) by pairing selected blog posts of Teresa's with music choices from my vast repertoire of songs. Each reading/song covers a different topic and the combination of prose and song allows the listener to experience and respond more deeply to our shared human condition. Our past experiences with this collaboration have been quite profound for us and all who've attended. We hope you'll join us for this round! We will provide light appetizers, some beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks during our intermission. You are invited to bring finger foods/favorite beverages to share as well. A $20 donation at the door is suggested, though it's always your choice what you'd like to contribute for the evening. RSVPs are appreciated, as space is limited and it also helps with food/beverage planning.

Detailed schedule is below. Thanks for hanging out with me!

In peace,
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

I'm delighted and honored to be included in a unique musical celebration to benefit Her Legacy: Women of Fort Collins - a public art exhibit of the Zonta Club of Fort Collins, designed to recognize women with ties to Fort Collins who have contributed to the fabric of our community. RISE, A Women's Singer-Songwriter Celebration, will take place this Friday night at Everyday Joe's, 144 S. Mason St., Fort Collins, starting at 6:00 pm. See details below and hope to see you at this show!

Next week, we're excited to have bassist Myles Sloniker back in town with "The Frontera Project", a collaboration with saxophonist Abel Mireles. "Paths of Heart Presents..." will host a house concert featuring these 2 fine NYC musicians, along with Mark Sloniker on piano and other special guests on Tuesday, October 24th at 7 pm! Please join us!

Coming up in November: Teresa Funke and I will again collaborate in a unique house concert, featuring Teresa's creative blog posts paired with my music selections. Save the date! November 4th, 7:30 pm

Detailed schedule is below. Thanks for hanging out with me!

In peace,
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

I haven't been singing a full night at Jay's as much as I used to, and it's rarely on a Friday night, so I hope you can come down THIS Friday night for a rare appearance! Join Mark Sloniker/piano, Max Williams/bass, Chuck Landgraf/drums, and me for a swingin' evening. I hear Jim Franzen/sax will be joining in on the early side, too...

I'll also be at Ace Gillett's this Sunday night, as usual. We've got a couple of exciting house concerts coming up in October and November as well. Check the full schedule below.

Thanks for your support of live music!
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

Just wanted to send out a quick reminder about our house concert THIS Saturday night, September 23rd, 7 pm with Megan Bee, a wonderful singer/songwriter hailing from Athens, OH. She'll also be the featured guest at our Paths of Heart Sunday gathering on the 24th. Check out her music here: http://www.meganbeemusic.com

All the details are below, and we hope you'll consider joining us on Saturday and/or Sunday for this musical treat!

In peace, Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

I'm just back from a (totally unexpected and unplanned) trip to NYC! My travels were supposed to take me to Oregon, where I'd planned to attend the Sisters Folk Festival (and celebrate my sister Holly's 60th birthday!), but due to the fires and extremely unhealthy smoke levels, the festival had to be cancelled. I was already at the airport when I got the news and was (sadly) thinking of just returning home, when my daughter, Emma (who was catching a plane to NY to see her brother before heading to Italy), said, "You could come to NY with me..." so a few frantic phone calls and website clicks later, I was on my way! I don't think I've ever done anything that spontaneous before, and I have to say, it was quite exhilarating! We had a great time taking in some new sites (I'd never been to Brighton Beach...) and catching one of Myles' jazz gigs (never been to Queens...). I treasured those few more precious days with Emma before she left for Europe, and I also happened to be in the city on 9/11, so headed down to the memorial, which was very moving...

I flew back home with Myles and his girlfriend, Eva the next day and we're now immersed in a week of musical mischief in Fort Collins. But what I really wanted to remind you of is this house concert we've got coming up real soon! Megan Bee, hailing from Athens, OH will be with us next week for a house concert on the 23rd and as our featured guest at "Paths of Heart" on the 24th! All the details are below, and we hope you'll consider joining us on Saturday and/or Sunday for this musical treat! Let us know if you can make it by emailing me at colleencrosson@gmail.com or calling 970-484-9600. It helps with our planning. We'll have an intermission with potluck snacks and beverages and I'll be opening the show with a few tunes (might even debut a song I wrote at Camp Ned!)

My latest detailed schedule is below, including recently added events in Oct. and Nov. Thanks for hanging out with me!

In peace, Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

Hard to believe it's been over 2 months since I last sent out a music newsletter! June was full with music gigs in Fort Collins, July was full with travel, and here we are in mid August! I hope you all have been enjoying summer to its fullest. Our family had a short respite in Steamboat Springs over the 4th of July holiday (and came home to realize our house had been struck by lightning while gone, but that's another story...). Emma and I took off the next week for the "Our Mothers' Daughters" reunion gigs in upstate NY and a nice vacation with my Dad on the Jersey Shore (where I also attended my 40th high school reunion!). What fun our OMD reunion was, and we've decided to continue our "national tour", performing one or two concerts a year in the states where former members now live. Next stop - Minneapolis/St. Paul in 2018 (Erin's stomping grounds)! I'll keep ya posted....

I gotta say, music has helped me immensely through these trying times in our country (both playing AND listening). Fort Collins is privileged to be the home of Bohemian Nights at New West Fest every August, and we just had another fine 3 day festival of totally free music from 80+ bands this past weekend. I was able to attend parts of all three days and the closing concert with Brandi Carlile was especially awesome and inspiring!! The healing continues next week, when Emma and I are off to Camp Ned, a 4 day songwriting retreat in the mountains of Nederland, CO, and a couple weeks later, when I meet my sister in Oregon for the 3 day Sisters Folks Festival. Music....music....music - it opens my heart, fills my soul with goodness, and fortifies me to face the challenges in our country (and in my personal life) with strength, resolve, and love.

Now, back to the present! I'm excited to be celebrating my sweetie's birthday with him this Saturday night at Jay's Bistro! Emma and I will join Mark from 8-11 pm. It'd be especially cool if you could stop by and wish him another happy and successful trip around the sun.

My latest detailed schedule is below. Thanks for hanging out with me,

In peace, Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

The first 2 outdoor gigs of the season last week went "swimmingly" - especially the one at Miramont Lifestyle Fitness where I played poolside! I'll be doing that again THIS Friday (and every Friday in June) and hope you'll be able to stop by. It's at the SOUTH location, 901 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins from 6-8 pm. You don't need to be a member to enjoy these casual performances - just check in at the front desk as my guest and be so kind as to buy a drink or a bite to eat from the cafe' while you are there. Their skinny margaritas are the best! I'm really looking forward to playing again in this festive and family friendly environment.

Saturday, June 17th, I'll be at the French Nest Open-Air Market in Civic Center Park, Fort Collins to serenade shoppers (and vendors!) as they peruse the booths filled with hand-made treasures and antiques. I've been playing at this annual market for 4 years now, and it's really one of my favorite venues - a really classy market experience! Performance time is 11:15 am - 2 pm.

Check out my calendar below for all details and other performance dates.

Thanks and Happy Summer!
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

Summertime is HERE (though not quite "officially"), and the calendar is loaded with all kinds of fun outdoor gigs, starting with The Crosson/Soniker Trio kicking off the Noontime Notes Concert Series on Oak Street Plaza in downtown Fort Collins TOMORROW, Tuesday, June 6th, 11:30 am - 1 pm! Pack a lunch or grab something to go from one of the many fine restaurants around and hang out with us in the great outdoors!

Next up, every Friday in June I'll be playing solo, poolside, at Miramont Lifestyle Fitness (SOUTH location, 901 Oakridge Drive., Fort Collins) from 6-8 pm. You don't need to be a member to enjoy these casual performances - just check in at the front desk as my guest and kindly buy a drink or a bite to eat from the cafe' while you are there! I'm really looking forward to playing some tunes by the outdoor pool!

Saturday, June 17th, I'll be at the French Nest Open Air Market in Civic Center Park, Fort Collins to serenade shoppers as they peruse the booths filled with hand-made treasures and antiques. One of my favorites of the season! Performance time is 11:15 am - 2 pm.

Check out my calendar below for all details and other performance dates.

Happy Summer!
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Hello friends and fans!

We are SO looking forward to our "Paths of Heart Presents..." House Concert this Friday, May 5th, with the oh, so talented Hana Zara, from Lincoln, Nebraska (pictured above). Emma Sloniker and I will open the show, and it's Emma's birthday that night, so come celebrate with us!! It's Cinco de Mayo, too, so we're planning a Mexican themed appetizer potluck. Bring a dish or beverage of choice if you can. We'll accept donations at the door for our featured artist ($20 suggested/pay what you're able). RSVPs are appreciated.
Get swept away by Hana's music here: https://hanazaramusic.bandcamp.com
Or be mesmerized by her video here: https://youtu.be/4VNozFxEnuk

Check out my calendar below for all details and other performance dates.

Thank you so much for supporting live and local music,
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Howdy all!

The picture above is of author, Sandy Scott and her son Zachary. I am honored to be playing music for Sandy's "author talk" event this Friday night at Wolverine Farm Press and Publick House, where she'll present her book, "Lessons from Zachary - Turning Disability into Possibility". You are invited to join us for an intimate evening where you'll meet both of these amazing souls, hear passages from her book, participate in a Q&A, and listen to music while you enjoy complimentary appetizers. A cash bar will be available (beer and wine). The event is from 6-8 pm and is free and open to the public.

On Saturday night, I'll be singing with my sweetie, Mark Sloniker at Jay's Bistro from 8-11 pm. It's been a couple of months since I did a full night with the band, so I'm really looking forward to this!

Next weekend, I will again participate in Bas Bleu's premiere production of Blue Kitchen - a one woman play, written and directed by CSU's award winning Eric Prince and featuring Bas Bleu's Wendy Ishii. Each performance is introduced by a brief pub-like session, an Irish craic, where music and poetry will be shared by local musicians and lovers of poetry. April 28th I'll share the stage with Barbara Clark, and on the 29th, Emma Sloniker will join us. What makes this especially fun for me is that Ava, the character in the play, is from Donegal, Ireland, where my paternal ancestors are also from and where I traveled to with my Dad and Mark a couple of years ago so Dad could see his "homeland" for the first time!

On May 5th, we are looking forward to another "Paths of Heart Presents..." House Concert with the talented Hana Zara, from Lincoln, Nebraska. Emma Sloniker and I will open the show, and it's Emma's birthday that night, so come celebrate with us! We always appreciate RSVPs, so let us know if you can make it.

I've added several other events in May and into the summer, so check out the calendar below for all details and dates.

Thank you so much for supporting live and local music,
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Happy Spring everyone!

My last newsletter said "Happy New Year!" and was written way back in January, so it certainly has been a while since you last heard from me! In between, we've taken a couple of short trips to Mexico and the AZ desert (craving warmth I guess, even though CO has been unusually mild this winter!) and I have been dropping in at Jay's and Ace Gillett's to sing with Mark, but other than that, it's been relatively quiet for me on the music performance front.

Our new non-profit "Paths of Heart" has been keeping me quite busy, not only preparing for each Sunday gathering, but creating and maintaining a new website (big thanks to Mike Barry of Fort Collins Web Works for donating a big chunk of his time to get me started!), a new Facebook Page, and all the other record-keeping that goes with a non-profit venture. We've actually been hosting these gatherings for 3 years now, but evolving to non-profit status takes it to another level of responsibility! If you're curious about "Paths", as we affectionately call it, please visit www.pathsofheart.org to see what we're all about!

Now, there ARE some fun music events on the horizon I'm delighted to share with you! I am honored to be participating in Bas Bleu's premiere production of Blue Kitchen - a one woman play, written and directed by CSU's award winning Eric Prince and featuring Bas Bleu's Wendy Ishii - from April 1- April 30. Each performance is introduced by a brief pub-like session, an Irish craic, where music and poetry will be shared by local musicians and lovers of poetry. I will be participating several times in this craic, along with my daughter, Emma Sloniker, and my long time musical pals Krisann Meyer-Corcoran and Barbara Clark. The first one is March 31st, when Bas Bleu offers a preview "pay what you can" performance before the official run of the show. What makes this especially fun for me is that Ava, the character in the play, is from Donegal, Ireland, where my paternal ancestors are also from and where I traveled to with my Dad and Mark a couple of years ago so Dad could see his "homeland" for the first time! If you want to come on the 31st, just show up - no reservations needed for this one. I'll do 2 others in April (details below).

Another event I'm especially looking forward to is on April 21st when I'll provide music for my good friend and author, Sandy Scott, as she discusses her newly published book, "Lessons from Zachary" - Turning Disability into Possibility, at the Wolverine Farm Letterpress and Publick House. There'll be appetizers, a cash bar, and a chance to visit with Sandy and hear about her powerful story and message, all interspersed with themed music I'm selecting specifically for this inspirational night.

I've added several other events in May and into the summer, so check out the calendar below for details and dates.

On another "note", I wanted to spread the word about 2 other "branches" of my business: I've been officiating weddings for several years now and am very passionate about helping couples create their special day! My wedding business is called "Songbird Celebrations", a reference to my unique niche of also providing music during the ceremony, if desired. "Songbird Celebrations" is actually available for ANY kind of celebration where a facilitator might be needed - baby blessings, celebrations of life, house blessings, and other rites of passage. I also teach guitar and voice, and have some spots open for new students if you or someone you know is looking for a guitar or vocal teacher. I so appreciate your referrals for both of these endeavors!

Thank you so much for supporting live and local music,
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm looking forward to immersing myself in lots of music this year, as that's the best way I know of to spread love and lift the spirits in these uncertain times! I'm singing jazz with Mark Sloniker at Jay's this Saturday night, and also have a wonderful house concert coming up in February with David Roth (no, not David Lee Roth!!) that I'm excited to share with you! That's him, showing his exuberance for life, to the left there....The concert is on Wednesday, February 8th at 7 pm. There's a suggested donation of $20, but no one will be turned away! Here are some things about David you might enjoy knowing: His songs have found their way to Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, the Kennedy Center, and NASA's Space Shuttle "Atlantis"! He has released 13 CDs and has played all over the world (and now OTHER WORLDS!). Poignant to improbable, holistic to hilarious, this Chicago native (now hailing from Mass.) returns to Fort Collins for the first time since 2009 (and I think that was at our house, too!). Join us for a night to remember! RSVPs are appreciated. You can learn a lot more about David and hear his music at http://www.davidrothmusic.com. Details for this and all my other events are below.

I also wanted to spread the word that I've got some spots open for new students if you or anyone else you know of is looking for a guitar or vocal teacher. I appreciate the referrals!

Thank you for supporting live music!
Colleen

www.colleencrosson.com
www.facebook.com/colleencrossonmusic
www.reverbnation.com/colleencrosson