Why It's Hazel Miller. What an Unexpected Surprise!

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Funny how things turn out sometimes. On a whim, we decided to head to Downtown Colorado Springs this morning, to hang out at America the Beautiful Park. When we got there, we noticed some festival tents set up in the park, which meant that something was going on. I happen to be very good at recon missions, and was even awarded for a two week mission that I performed while in the Army, so they usually fall to me. It was the annual Colorado Springs Arts and Music Festival, a two day event showcasing local artists and musical acts. I beelined to the stage to see the list of the acts that would be performing later in the day, and there it was, 1:30, The Hazel Miller Band. Oh, hell yes, we are staying! Denver blues/jazz/pop/Gospel singer Hazel Miller is, frankly, awesome. The now-defunct Rocky Mountain News once called her "a force of nature," and the vocalist has been named one of The 150 People That Make Denver a Great Place to Live. Hazel Miller's career started in Louisville, Kentucky, where she became known for opening for legendary acts such as Mel Torme, James Brown, and The Temptations. But as a long-time resident of Colorado, she has really won a place in the hearts of music fans in our state. If there's a jazz festival happening, odds are that you are going to see Hazel Miller's name somewhere in the lineup. My favorite Hazel Miller memory? We went to a Colorado Avalanche game a few years back, and for some reason, the team's regular National Anthem singer, Jake Schroeder, couldn't make it that night, so the team got Miller to fill in, and oh, man, was it great! Anyway, the band made sure to make today's show fun, throwing both a Stevie Wonder funk-era medley, and a Sly and the Family Stone medley into the setlist. It's not from today's concert, but I've linked to a live performance of the song, "Home of the Blues," which is the tune that ended today's show. Am I sunburned? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely! (Info verified by Hazel Miller's official website)