R&B, blues and rain: June 22 Rock & Rails

The usual Thursday modus operandi of "rain, rain, and more rain" certainly held true on Thursday, June 22. But Mother Nature also seems to be a fan of Rock & Rails, and the weather only temporarily halted the fun at last week's Rock & Rails where it was all about the blues.

Deborah Stafford and the Night Stalkers got the evening started at 5:00 p.m. Stafford has been a staple of the Colorado blues scene for several years but put the band together in its current form in 2021. Deborah Stafford and the Night Stalkers have won the Colorado Blues Society's Blues Challenge for the second year running (2022 and 2023) and made it as far as the semi-finals at the International Blues Challenge in 2022. The horn-driven band plays largely original R&B, blues, soul, funk and roots rock. This was their first appearance at Rock & Rails.

Perennial favorite, Mojomama, was the headliner for the stormy evening. The popular foursome was joined by blues vocalist and friend Cass Clayton. The group, made up of vocalist Jessica Rogalski, guitarist Bob Murnahan, bassist Paul Rogalski, and drummer Chris Spears, recently released the album "We Are One." Jessica Rogalski was named Favorite Female Vocalist in 2015 and 2018 by the Colorado Blues Society and the group won Best Band in 2019. The band has upcoming shows in Longmont at Oskar Blues and Bootstrap Brewing.

The Left Hand Grange and the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center (CTRC) shared a tip jar that rounded out at $1,277.00. Most Niwotians are familiar with The Left Hand Grange, located on 2nd Avenue in Niwot. The Grange, which helps to preserve the agricultural heritage of the Niwot area, is the oldest operating Grange in Colorado. The building itself has two large spaces and an on-site kitchen which can be rented for meetings, concerts, family events and dances. The Left Hand Grange also organizes numerous events throughout the year. Upcoming events include cowboy poet/singer George Ray Russell, the Bondi Art Show and The World Puppetry Conference.

The CTRC, which is located east of Niwot on Highway 52, was founded in 1980 and serves children and adults with disabilities. It is one of the oldest therapeutic riding centers in Colorado and one of the largest in the U.S. The organization aims to change the lives of people with disabilities by promoting their physical, psychological and social well-being through equine assisted activities. CTRC has 15 employees, 25 horses and over 1,000 volunteers, who have logged over 40,000 hours of volunteer service since its inception.

Next up June 29 at Rock & Rails: Teresa Storch Duo opens for Los Cheesies. For a full schedule and more information visit https://niwot.com/rock-rails/.