by  Vincent Burkardt 

Mary Sue Thompson

Take the guitar teachings of Dave Beegle, the keyboard approach of Hannah Holbrook and the vocal coaching of Cheri Lamperes and Cynthia Vaughn, and you have one confident, yet humble, musician by the name of Mary Sue Thompson.
This Rocky Mountain High School junior is currently signed as both a songwriter and performer with Lyric House Publishing in Denver.  Mary Sue has a blues based style that fits nicely with her highly expressive singing, catching the appreciative ear of some of Fort Collins most established musicians.
“I know it’s a cliche, but it’s real for me.” said Mary Sue. “I would like to make music my life, and I’m open to the path that finds me, whether in teaching, production, writing, performing, or business.  Without a doubt, I enjoy writing and performing the most; one satisfies a deep need, and the other gives me the chance to bring joy to others.”
Follow the path of this rising talent at www.marysuemusic.com
Monday, March 3rd ~ KRFC 88.9, Emerging Artist Showcase, 7 pm
Friday, March 7th ~ Everday Joe’s, Rock For the Cure, 7 pm
 

Savage Cabbage

Savage Cabbage is one of the newer bands in the area, starting out in the Spring of 2013, with a four song EP recorded in May at Parker Recording.
Aspen Hourglass recently chose them to open at their Aggie Theatre show March 8th.  It was evident to AH that this indie rock trio had something very special and were  original in their approach to songwriting, something that AH strives for as a band themselves.  During a recent jam in the KRFC 88.9 Green Studio on a Saturday afternoon, the two bands came together for the first time, and their mutual passion for unexpected rhythms and timings brought smiles all around.
Featuring Keaton Nalezny on vocals and bass, Collin Orr on guitar and Nathan Sonnenberg on percussion, Savage Cabbage has many upcoming explorations with their music, so stay tuned to see what the future holds for this savagely talented trio.
Saturday, March 8th, Aggie Theatre with Aspen Hourglass and Red Room Rendezvous
 

Shannon Fitsimmons

Shannon Fitzsimmons believes in the healing power of music.  Having started public performances at a young age with the guidance of Scott Allen, audiences react to her songs. Whether it’s an original piece telling fellow classmates how to believe in yourself, or a recent collaboration with Jared Janzen of ‘Billie Jean’, she produces pleasing results.
In a Scene interview from last year she was asked if she wanted to become famous; the well grounded reply ~ “Yes, Fort Collins famous”.  There are no wishes for self-glorification here, simply a creativity and willpower to constantly reinvent herself as an artist.
Shannon first visited KRFC 88.9 fm on Live@Lunch as a member of the ‘Emerging Artist Showcase’ over two years ago, and though younger than the other musicians, quickly established herself as an equal in the rising local scene.  She has since played the top local venues, including the Singer/Songwriter stage at Bohemian Nights.
Continuing with her vision to use her gift of music to touch others, Shannon recently met with her principal in forming the ‘Rocky Mountain High School Music Heals Club’, which has the component of reaching out to hospice patients and others in difficult life circumstances.  The first public event through her club is the upcoming ‘Rock for the Cure’, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society taking place March 7 at Everyday Joe’s featuring a diverse lineup including Wendy Woo.
Monday, March 3rd ~ KRFC 88.9, Emerging Artist Showcase, 7 pm
Friday, March 7th ~ Everday Joe’s, Rock For the Cure, 7 pm