2024 Rock Garden Concert Series at Fort Collins Nursery

By Matt Dierlam | North Forty News

On Friday night, September 13th, Fort Collins Nursery will transform from a retail space to a stunning and unique concert venue appropriately dubbed “The Rock Garden.” The concert is a fundraising event benefiting The Matthews House and funds raised will support their mission to empower youth and families by building trusting relationships and providing resources to disrupt the cycles of poverty and abuse. If you haven’t been to one of these outdoor shows, you’re missing one of the best concerts in Northern Colorado.

Tony Furtado has performed throughout the world at top venues and appeared at such prestigious music festivals as the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, Jazz Aspen, Kerrville Folk Festival, Strawberry Music Festival, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Sisters Folk Festival, San Jose Jazz Festival and countless others.

Beginning in the late 1990s – influenced by such musical heroes as Ry Cooder, David Lind-ley, and Taj Mahal – Tony added slide guitar, singing, and songwriting to his musical toolbox and began leading his own band. He is a tireless road musician who performs in a dizzying variety of formats: solo, in a duo or trio, or with his full five-person band. He especially values the opportunities he has had to tour with such legendary musicians as Gregg Allman and with such esteemed slide guitarists as David Lindley, Derek Trucks, and Sonny Landreth.

“I love playing live,” Tony says. “All my energy is focused on the love of playing music and rolling with the moment. It’s a give-and-take from the audience to the stage and back. And the music that is created is something that otherwise might not occur without that flow.”

Tony Furtado is an evocative and soulful singer, a wide-ranging songwriter and a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist adept on banjo, cello-banjo, slide guitar and baritone ukulele who mixes and matches sounds and styles with the flair of a master chef (he’s also an accomplished sculptor, but that’s another story).

When we asked Tony about performing at the Fort Collins Nursery again this year, he said he’s been looking forward to this tour and feels honored to have John Reischman and Eric Thorin perform with him.

“John Reischman is not only one of the most tasteful, tone-full, and influential mandolinists on the planet, but he’s also an old friend who I’ve known since I was a teenager sneaking away to see his old band ‘The Good Old Persons’ perform around the SF Bay Area. I’m always in awe when I get to stand next to him on stage…if the teenage version of me only knew,” said Tony.

“Eric Thorin and I used to tour together quite a bit when I lived in Colorado years ago. Back then, he was playing electric bass, but since those days, Eric has become quite renowned for his beautiful and “on-point” acoustic bass playing, as well as for his production and composing; oh, and he’s one of the nicest guys on the planet.”

All of America’s music is in Tony’s music. “I’m really excited to bring this trio to The Ft. Collins Nursery. I really had a great time playing there last year; the crowd was so receptive and energetic, and the folks at the nursery couldn’t be more hospitable! Also, what a great idea to have live music to entertain all those beautiful plants and trees!”

This summer marks the 9th season of Fort Collins Nursery’s Rock Garden Concert Series. Audience members can relax under the evening sky, nestled along the banks of Dry Creek and the Cache la Poudre River, surrounded by beautiful plants, trees, and wildlife.

For more information visit fortcollinsnursery.com.