Kenny Passarelli (from his website www.KennyPassarelli.com)
LAST NOTICE: COMBO will be presenting Kenny Passarelli speaking on his long and storied music career and his many years of being a bass player and the adventures between.
Kenny was born in Denver, Colorado. His first instrument was the trumpet. In truth, Kenny may very well have gone on to a career in Classical Trumpet, but a meeting with Stephen Stills changed his life forever. Stills took a liking to Kenny, and played him some tracks that Stills had been working on. Stills then played Kenny a rough version of Carry On, and Kenny was simply blown away.
In the summer of 1971, Kenny got his first big break. He received an invitation from Joe Walsh to join Barnstorm. Kenny recalls that Joe was the person responsible for his getting involved with the fretless. Joe received one of the very first fretless P-Basses, and gave it to Kenny. Kenny worked with some of the best … Russ Kunkel, Joe Vitale, Dan Fogelberg and so many others from that memorable period. Things hit a high point when Kenny co-wrote the classic track Rocky Mountain Way with Joe Walsh.
Kenny’s biggest break came when Joe Walsh recommended him to Elton John, who was in need of a new bassist. Elton flew Kenny to Paris, where he auditioned. Kenny remembers, “I really didn’t know a whole lot of Elton’s music. When I auditioned, it was just the two of us. .. but he was impressed by some of the people that I recorded with.”
http://www.kennypassarelli.com
The meeting will be hosted by COMBO Board Member and award-winning sound engineer Clark Hagan. We’ll also provide some refreshments but feel free to bring your own coffee!
What: COMBO’s General Meeting
When: Saturday, March 24th
Where: Denver Music Association offices, 2nd floor, NE corner of Colax & Miller Street [Golden Music Store bldg.], 10395 West Colfax Suite 210, Lakewood, CO 80215 | Phone: 303-573-1717
Time: 1:00 until 3:00 p.m.
Cost: Free!
Age: All ages!
We want to thank the Denver Musicians Association for offering their offices for our meetings. The offices are easy to get to – east off I-70 and Colfax, 10395 West Colfax, Suite 210, Lakewood, CO 80218, telephone 303-573-1717.
The Musical Protective Association of Denver was formed in 1890. In 1897, Local 20 was chartered by the American Federation of Musicians. The name was later changed to Denver Musicians Association.
Today, the 650+ professional musicians of Local 20-623 live and work in parts of Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. Through the combined efforts and resources of our members, the Denver Musicians Association is committed to raising industry standards and positioning professional musicians in the foreground of the cultural landscape.
Every day, the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada helps thousands of musicians just like you. We are the largest organization in the world representing the interests of professional musicians. Whether negotiating fair agreements, protecting ownership of recorded music, securing benefits such as health care and pension, or lobbying our legislators, the AFM is committed to raising industry standards and placing the professional musician in the foreground of the cultural landscape.
http://www.denvermusicians.org
Come early or plan to stay a few more minutes to check out the Music Store’s wares on the ground floor. Beautifully displayed, the store features all of your favorite instruments and accessories. They also offer clinics in drumming, ukelele, and more as well as full classes in piano, guitar, ukelele, strings and percussion.