Both of Brad Fitch’s parents were musicians as he grew up. His mom would sit him down and let him listen to kids’ records, and he adored them. He loved analyzing what instruments made which sounds on the records, and he realized early on he had a knack for memorizing lyrics.

At the age of six, he was introduced to the treble and bass clefs for the first time during piano lessons. In fifth grade, when he was eligible to join the school band, he decided to play the trombone, inspired by the song “Seventy-Six Trombones” from the classic 1962 movie adaptation of the Broadway show The Music Man.

Eventually, his parents gave him a radio for a birthday present, where he would listen to musicians who would ultimately inspire his direction in guitar-based music: John Prine, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, and early Jimmy Buffett. When he was 13, his parents bought him a guitar, and he was encouraged to take lessons for a year on the condition that he learn classical guitar.

He spent a year doing this before he was eventually able to play music that he actually wanted to play, buying sheet music and chord charts and eventually teaching himself other stringed instruments like mandolin, ukulele, mountain dulcimer, and banjo. Ultimately, despite learning these instruments, as well as the harmonica and hand drums, he loves the range and portability of the guitar, and thus, that is his instrument of choice.

Fitch loves performing covers, but to him, the ultimate musician experience is performing the songs he has worked so hard to write. He wrote his first song, fittingly titled “Writing a Song,” around the time he first started playing guitar, ultimately recording it for his debut studio album in 2000, Take Me Away.

He loves greeting people at the top of his shows to help form a relationship with them, and he loves being able to create a conversational feeling for his performances, taking time to talk about the songs he’s about to play (but not so much that he speaks more than he performs). To him, there’s nothing like connecting with an audience through his music, and he hopes that everyone who comes to his shows can simply relax and have fun.

If you want to see Brad Fitch performing live, be sure to check him out at the Old Gallery at Allenspark, located at 14863 Highway 7 in Allenspark, on Friday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m. If you’re interested in purchasing/listening to his music, be sure to head to his website at cowboybrad.com.

Music Events

Busey Brews

Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m. - Pineytops Trio

Sunday, May 26 at 2 p.m. - i.O. Underground

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuseyBrews/

Website: https://buseybrews.com/

Location: 70 E. 1st Street, Nederland.

Phone: 1-855-633-2739

Canyon Tavern

Saturday, May 18 at 6 p.m. - Will Whalen

Saturday, May 25 at 6 p.m. - Howard Dlugasch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Coalcreekcanyontavern

Website: https://canyontavern.com/

Location: 32138 Highway 72, Coal Creek Canyon

Phone: 303-642-3180

Diner Bar Ned

Wednesdays at 8 p.m. - Karaoke

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dinerbarned/

Location: 121 N. Jefferson Street, Nederland.

Gold Hill Inn

Friday, May 17 at 8 p.m. - The River Arkansas

Sunday, May 19 at 6 p.m. - Fly in the Ointment

Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. - Meadow Mountain

Friday, May 24 at 8 p.m. - Magoo

Saturday, May 25 at 6 p.m. - Montana Sand

Sunday, May 26 at 6 p.m. - Danny Shafer

Monday, May 27 at noon - Memorial Day Mountain Festival and Barbecue 2024

Friday, May 31 at 8 p.m. - High Lonesome

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoldHillInn/

Website: goldhillinn.com

Location: 401 Main Street, Gold Hill.

Phone: 303-443-6461

Gold Hill Store

Saturday, May 18 at 7 p.m. - Lauren King

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gold-Hill-General-Store/

Website: https://www.goldhillstore.com/

Location: 531 Main Street, Gold Hill.

Howlin Wind Brewing

Saturday, May 18 at 5 p.m. - Fastfloyd

Saturday, May 25 at 5 p.m. - Stellar Jays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howlinwindbrewing

Website: https://www.howlinwindbrewing.com/

Location: 51 A Main Street, Rollinsville.

Phone: 309-825-5245

Jamestown Mercantile

Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m. - Violet Breeze

Friday, May 17 at 7 p.m. - Jeremy Mohney Band

Sunday, May 19 at 12:15 p.m. - John Shepherd and the Front Porch Posse

Thursday, May 23 at noon - Dead-Phish Duo

Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m. - Tyron Benoit

Sunday, May 26 at 12:15 p.m. - Circus Mutt

Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. - Jay Stott

Friday, May 31 at 7 p.m. - The Alcapones

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestown.mercantile/

Website: https://www.jamestownmercantile.com/

Location: 108 Main Street, Jamestown.

Phone: 303-442-5847

Knotted Root Brewing

Sundays at 5 p.m. - Jazz Sundays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knottedrootbrewing/

Website: https://www.knottedrootbrewing.com/home

Location: 250 N. Caribou Street, Nederland.

Phone: 720-248-7129

Nederland Farmers Market

Sunday, May 26 at 10:30 a.m. - Jon “Blackdog” Ridnell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NederlandFarmersMarket/

Website: https://www.nederlandfarmersmarket.org/

Email: nederlandfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Location: 85 E. 1st Street, Nederland.

Old Gallery at Allenspark

Friday, May 17 at 6 p.m. - Open Mic with Tim Merkle

Friday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m. - Brad Fitch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAPOldGallery

Website: https://www.theoldgallery.org/

Location: 14863 Highway 7, Allenspark.

Phone: 303-747-2906

The Train Cars

Thursday, May 16 at 4 p.m. - Train Jam

Saturday, May 25 at 9 p.m. - Bulas and Beats with Dr. Bent, Guaro, and Glipish

Monday, May 27 at noon - Lucas Wolf and Kylie Brock

Thursday, May 30 at 5 p.m. - Train Jam

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thetraincars

Website: https://www.traincarscoffeeandkava.com/

Location: 101 Peak to Peak Highway, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-0440

Very Nice Brewing Co.

Friday, May 17 at 6 p.m. - Blue Moose Jazz

Saturday, May 18 at 5 p.m. - Windy Pines

Thursday, May 23 at 6 p.m. - The Gael (Farewell Party)

Friday, May 24 at 6 p.m. - Reservoir Fog

Saturday, May 25 at 5 p.m. - Mountain ReVerb

Sunday, May 26 at 4 p.m. - The CBDs

Friday, May 31 at 6 p.m. - Paul Dyer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verynicebeer

Website: https://www.verynicebrewing.com/

Location: 20 E. Lakeview Drive, #112, Nederland.

Phone: 303-258-3770

Did we miss you? Want to submit your music listing in the Peak to Peak area? Do you have updates to your business? Please call 303-810-5409 or email info@themountainear.com to be included in the next edition.