Chris Daniels Will Head Colorado Music Hall of Fame

Chris Daniels, iconic musician, assistant professor at the College of Arts & Media at the University of Colorado Denver and 2013 inductee in the Colorado Music Hall of Fame Presented by Comfort Dental, has been appointed the executive director of that organization.

“The Hall is delighted to welcome Chris as our new executive director," said founding boardmember Chuck Morris in a statement announcing the appointment. "We look forward to working with our multi-talented friend on community outreach efforts, music-related matters, and the day-to-day operations that keep the Hall running successfully. … I’ve been working with Chris since 1970, beginning with his groundbreaking band, Magic Music, at The Sink and Tulagi. From day one I’ve been a huge fan of Chris, both as a talented musician and an extraordinary person."

“I’m anxious to tackle the many challenges going forward — finding more space to accommodate our rapid growth, expanding our funding base, and celebrating all the incredible artists, individuals, institutions and fans that contribute to making Colorado one of the best music scenes in the country," Daniels says. "What the Hall has accomplished thus far is amazing, and I’m honored to be part of it! Colorado is home to so many music genres — from cowboy songwriters like Chuck Pyle to jam bands and bluegrass like Hot Rize and String Cheese, to the hip-hop of the Flobots, EDM powerhouse Pretty Lights, rockers like Big Head Todd, plus the recent jazz class inductees honoring Dianne Reeves and Phillip Bailey. It’s our job to preserve, honor, and celebrate it all.”

Born in Minnesota, Daniels found his love for roots music, gospel and blues when he spent time on his his grandfather’s farm in South Carolina. He moved to Colorado in 1970, joining his first acoustic folk band, Rosewood Canyon, and then working with Magic Music, the state's first jam band.

Chris Daniels joined the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2013, the same year that Judy Collins was inducted. He and his band, Chris Daniels & the Kings, are in their 34th year of recording and touring; their fifteenth album, Blues With Horns, was released in  2017.

Founded in 2011, the Colorado Music Hall of Fame Presented by Comfort Dental is a nonprofit organization that preserves, celebrates and educates the public on everything that makes Colorado music great. Since its inception, inductees have included John Denver, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Harry Tuft of the Denver Folklore Center, promoter Barry Fey, and Denver’s East High School Music Program. The Hall is located in the Trading Post at Red Rocks; to find out more, including visiting hours, visit the Colorado Music Hall of Fame website.