I really enjoy reading all these amazing concert experiences. Thanks, folks. Allow me to recall a few favorites, though it pains me not to mention dozens of others:
I'll never forget my first concert experience, Three Dog Night, warmed up by Blues Image. And my second concert experience a year later, Three Dog Night, warmed up by the relatively unknown band, The Doobie Brothers.
I'm so thankful I got to hear Chicago with Terry Kath when they were a kick-ass rock band.
Dylan and the Rolling Thunder Revue in Ft. Collins, Colo, a show that became the Hard Rain album.
And it was pretty special singing backup to the Flaming Lips at Red Rocks when they did the entire Soft Bulletin (though I don't love the resulting album).
And singing Mahler's Symphony #2, Resurrection, under the baton of Gilbert Kaplan (twice, once at Red Rocks)
And any of the great shows I saw from Steve Goodman. After seeing him at the Rainbow Music Hall in Denver, he asked me what I wanted him to write on the album I was buying. I said, "To my good friend Tom, without whom my career never would have taken off". He laughed and said, "well, I won't do that, but I'll do this". And he wrote, "Thanks for a great evening!! Steve" on my album.
And a solo performance by Jesse Winchester at an old boarded up movie theater, with about 15 other fans.
And a great show headlined by Delbert McClinton, warmed up by Jerry Jeff Walker.
And an unforgettable show capped by a phenomenal harmonica solo by Pat Bergeson in "Georgia On My Mind" with Richard Smith on guitar.
And Kurt Elling and Branford Marsalis at DU in Denver.
And, last but not least, the wonderful Jim Hurst, sitting in my kitchen, playing an all-request set while I cooked the chicken cacciatore.
