Basketball, genealogy, and history are my major interests. I am an avid basketball fan and former season ticket holder for the ABL Colorado Xplosion and the Colorado Chill. My preference is for the women's game because I believe it reflects more of the pure sport and the intensity level is higher.
I am a season ticket holder for Colorado University. After eighteen years I had dropped my season ticket for the Colorado University Buffaloes. Colorado hired a new coach in the fall of 2016, JR Payne. With the new enthusiam, mindset, and coaching style, I have picked up new season tickets for Colorado. CU has now been in the NCAA tournament the past three seasons. The last two, advancing to the sweet sixteen. This fall (2024) CU returns to the Big12. I have yet to decide on my season ticket renewal.I attended several Colorado State University games starting in 1998. I attended the CSU subregional in March, 1999 and the West Regional in Los Angeles also in March, 1999. I attended the 2001 Midwest Regional in Denver. I have attended the past two CU subregionals. In 2002, I attended the West Regional in Boise, Idaho. In the past, I have been a season ticket holder for Colorado State and Denver University.
I dropped my season tickets at Colorado State and Denver University. CSU is not the dominant program it once was in the Moutain West. Denver University has not had a winning season since the departure of coach Jim Turgeon. Turgeon is now the Associate Head Coach at Morehead State University.
I am currently serving on the Board of Trustees of the Sheridan Historical Society, Inc.
Graduated from Sheridan High School in Sheridan, Colorado in 1973.
Graduated from Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado in 1976.
Officially retired October 5, 2022. Now spending some of my time as the Chairman of Denver Republican Party. This is volunteer position to which I was elected in April, 2022.
From July, 2017 through October, 2022 I worked as a Controller for the Integration Divison of Advantage Security, Inc. in the Aurora, Colorado. This gave me the opportunity to get back working with numbers, something I do well. I have learned that surveillance cameras are in more places then you think.
From March, 2014 through June, 2016 I worked for G4S Secure Solutions (USA), Inc. as the Manager of Administration of the Western Region. My primary focus in this position was Human Resources.
From October, 2012 to February, 2014 I worked for U.S. Security Associates.
From August, 2003 to November, 2011 I worked for Securitas Security Services USA, Inc. This is the company that acquired APG Security through their subsidiary Pinkerton. The Pinkerton brand has been dropped and was rolled into Securitas on July 1, 2003.
From April, 2000 to July, 2003 I worked for Tony Pisani in his property and business investment company "Pisani Investments, LLC." The business concentrated on the acquisition of office properties and small businesses.
From 1983 to 2000, I was employed by APG Security, Inc. in Denver, Colorado. The last position I held was Vice President of Finance. On August 2, 2000, APG Security was sold to Pinkerton. Pinkerton is headquartered in Westlake Village, California and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Securitas. Securitas is headquartered in Sweden. I continued to work during the transition from August through October.
I served as the Mayor of the City of Sheridan, Colorado from August, 1983 to January, 1990.
I was selected as the first "Alumni of the Year" for Arapahoe Community College in 1993. An honor which I appreciate.
I started listening to rock bands back in 2012. I had not listened to a live rock band since I was in college. It was a time when I was not working for almost a year and needed something to break up the boredom. A co-worker from APG Security, Inc, Ed Gloor invited me to listen to a band his son "Fast Eddie" Gloor was the bass player. The band was "Cover Me Retro." It also included Nikki Grillo Morrell (vocals), Keith Rudolph (drums), and Paul Henry (lead guitar). Paul Henry is the best guitar player I have ever heard. He can make his guitar "sing." Sadly, this band is no longer together.
Later, I was invited to listen to a band called "Coriander" which later became the "End of Eves." There has always been a Sheridan High School alumnus in this band. There have been several different musicians in this band and it has gone through several transitions. They are no longer performing.
One evening I was listening to "End of Eves" at The Toad Tavern , now Fracos. "Lee & Company" (on Facebook) played the set after "End of Eves." They had just finished an afternoon gig at the Little Bear Saloon in Evergreen. This is a rockabilly and old time rock & roll band, I was hooked. Current members include Lee Craig Hauenstein (lead guitar and lead vocals), Jeff Gat (harmonica, percussion, and vocals), and Bill Garcia (drums and vocals). Their bass play Cole Reeves recently passed away (2024).
I started exploring different music venues and listening to different bands. If liked them I kept coming back to later shows. I heard "Twenty Hands High" at the Platte River Bar and Grill. This is a southern rock and country band led by C.W. Wooten. Other members of the band include Johnny B., Mark Gabert, Matt Feldman, Frank Morgan, and most recently Jennifer Scott (with her fiddle and vocals). This band has one of the busiest schedules I have ever seen. They play two to three times a week all over Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, and little bit of Utah.
More recently has been "Kasual Six." I first heard them at Fracos. This band caught my eye because they have a female drummer Laura Arroyo-Bonney, she can also sing. This is cover rock band that has a unique style and plays with a slower tempo in their songs. Other band members include Darryl Thompson (guitar & vocals), Meghan Cave (guitar and lead vocals), Scott Martinson (bass & vocals), and Tom Malouff (keyboards/synthesizer, & vocals). The sixth member is Kermit, whom is a story unto himself. The last performance for this band was March 6, 2020. It was a planned final performance. If there ever was an irony, within a week there would be no more live performances by any bands. See below.
Coming back full circle, my most recent band is "HeartStoppers." I first heard this band at Wheelz Bar and Grill. A bar in Sheridan, that I originally knew as Pistol Pete's, then Fat Fenders, before becoming Wheelz. HeartStoppers is a rock cover band and features Tany Heart (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica). This is a very eclectic band, with seven members including two doctors. It has been together for just over a year. Members include Dr. Debby Salter (vocals, flute, percussion) and a medical doctor. Andrew Rodriguez (drums), Guy Keith (bass), Geoff Janssen (lead and rhythm guitar), Dr. David Dunbar, (keyboards and vocals) with a doctorate degree in music. And, closing the circle, Michael Shaw (lead and rhythm guitar, band manager). Michael is the brother in law of my former Sheridan High School classmate Frank Dreckman. What a small world.
Another more recent band I started following is Steve and the Cruisers (on Facebook). This band is led by Steven Arrington. Other members include Brenna Crandall-Bohman, Diane Divadi, Tom Bogdan, Kellie McGee, and Cecil Lobato. I had already known Steve and Brenna from when they were part of Lee & Company. The music they play is different from Lee & Company's rockabilly and old time rock & roll style. Steve and the Cruisers play rock classics from the 60's and beyond, but with a pop and dance flavor. They started playing together in September, 2019 and improved very quickly over just of few months.
... the world will never be the same
Live band entertainment was put on hiatus very quickly early in March, 2020. On Wednesday, March 11, 2020 it was announced that NBA player Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for COVID-19. NBA games were immediately suspended. The domino effect was astounding and within a week all sports, on all levels were cancelled across the country. Two days later all Colorado schools were closed with many more across the country. Less than a week later all bars and dine in restaurants were closed in Colorado and across most of the country. It may be months before they reopen. Bands are starting to adapt by performing on line using the Facebook live video platform, but it is just not the same.
... it's about time
After a hiatus of over a year and two Pfizer shots from a special vendor program by Safeway. I was finally able to get back out and listen to live bands again. This was the thing that I missed more than anything else. In late May of 2021, I treked down to Castle Rock to listen to Steve and the Cruisers. It was really nice to see and listen to Steve, Brenna, Diane, and Tom along with a new drummer Gabe Armenta. With Margie filling in for Kellie.
The impact of Covid on bands has been interesting. Part of this is bands or band members reinventing themselves. For instance Twenty Hands High changed with band members leaving and Jodie Woodward and Scotty Rivera joining the band. The change was dramatic as the band has an improved sound and much more energy. CW and group are reaping rewards with these changes.
In another instance, Heartstoppers is no more. Three members of the band: Dr. David Dunbar, Geoff Janssen, and Andrew Rodriguez created a new band "The Racket Club." Other members of their new band include Guillermo Jurado and Stephanie Rogers. Which proves if you love the music, you find a way to make it happen.
... change, change, and more change
Steve and the Cruisers (on Facebook) is another band that has gone through changes. Five original members of that band are gone with just Steve from the original group. Steve hit the jackpot with new drummer Gabe Armenta and bass player Hilliard Scott. Along with newcomer Valerie Vampola on keyboards and vocal. Valerie can belt out those vocals in a way you just can not believe, what a powerful voice. However Steve's work was not complete as the band was doing various tryouts for another female vocalist and still doing keyboards by committee. But the changes are having a positive impact on the band with much richer sounds in their music. Valerie became the regular on keyboards and in another stroke of luck the band has a new lead singer in Wendy Almroth. The band now has just five members and is starting to settle in and polish their song sets.
The longer a band exists the more likely its members will change and adapt or the band will break up and end. More changes have occurred for the Cruisers as Valerie Vampola has left the band and Wendy Almroth will soon be leaving . Valerie has gone out on her own solo career, although she will occasionally sit it with a band. You can find Valerie's schedule at valerievampola.com. Wendy will stepping away from the music scene to reenergize and focus on family. Meanwhile the band plays on with Holly Fay Holverson on keyboards and Kim Bond on vocals. Gabe Armenta and Hilliard Scott remain as key members of the band.
And there are band members that move on and reinvent themselves. Meghan Clarisse Cave previously with Kasual Six has done just that. Prompted by the Covid restrictions, which gave Meghan the time and opportunity to express her country side in a big way. In 2024 Meghan was nominated for female vocalist of the year by the Colorardo Country Music Hall of Fame. Meghan does solo performances, a duo "Meghan and the Old Man" (Stephen Jourdan), and her full band "Meghan and Her Cavemen" which includes Dave MacGregor (bass), Steve Jourdan (lead guitar), Joe Oeser (pedal steel and dobro), Scott Patzer (drums), Mark Mars (keys), and Richard Reeder (harp). Meghan has surrounded herself with some very talented people. Not to forget, Meghan and her all female band. With her versatility and experience Meghan now crosses many genres includuing country, rock, pop, blues, and several of her own original songs.
And still more change. I saw Jodie Woodward the other day when she was the guest bass player with Meghan Cave at Fracos. Learned that CW Wooten from Twenty Hands High is moving to Texas. This was very disappointing for the members of the Colorado version of the band. But CW has remade his Twenty Hands High band a couple of times before. He should have no difficulty doing it again in Texas.
about genealogy or basketball send me an my email.
Copyright © 2024 by Roger B. Rowland.
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