ETown recognized as cultural contributor
Since the early ’90s, eTown has kept the songs and conversations going.
Stretching far beyond the Front Range, the internationally syndicated radio show and solarpowered concert hall has not only served as a thriving source of entertainment, but through its programing it has aimed to make a difference environmentally and socially.
A pillar of the Front Range community, eTown will join the ranks of influential musicians and a myriad of live entertainment industry workers, with an induction into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame this spring.
“The first show featured Maura O’Connell, Sonny Landreth, David Wilcox and The Subdudes,” said eTown founder and host Nick Forster. “Plus, I interviewed two guests, one from the EPA and one from the governor’s office here in Colorado. While it had some great music, I was definitely trying to figure things out. That show never made it to the radio, but we did use pieces of it in a demo tape that got us signed to NPR.”
It was on that day that the Forsters got a taste of the good life — quite literally.
“I also remember that Maura (O’Connell) was, at that time, signed to Warner Brothers Records,” Nick Forster said. “Record companies were notorious for spending their artists’ money on expensive dinners, so the label took us all out to dinner at the Flagstaff House the night before the first show. Helen and I ate rich food and drank expensive wine — and, not being used to that, we were up all night.”
A learn-as-you-go beginning eventually resulted in a highly popular broadcast, podcast and the founding of eTown Hall — a multifunctional creative space that opened in 2012 after undergoing a serious renovation.
In addition to serving as the headquarters for the Forsters’ radio show, the historic former church, which dates back to 1922, has established itself as one of the most beloved venues in the region. It’s also a place where a multitude of musicians — such as Yonder Mountain String Band — plug in and record.
“You know, we really didn’t think about the long term or the phenomenal growth eTown has seen when we began eTown,” said Helen Forster, co-founder. “In 1991, very little, if any media, was covering sustainability issues or environmental challenges. Those that did were doing so in a rather academic or negative way. We simply recognized the need to create something to address that. So, we jumped right in.”
Prior to the pandemic, the
Forsters hosted a bevy of artists, activists and leaders.
With performances by Ani Difranco and thousands of others, the venue — with stellar acoustics — has become a destination for out-of-town concertgoers.
“It doesn’t feel like we’ve been doing eTown for 30 years, but when we see the list of all of the musicians and interview guests who’ve been on the show, it is both impressive and a little exhausting,” Nick Forster said. “We worked hard.”
Connecting local, global communities
On April 22, eTown is hosting a virtual concert to celebrate its 30-year anniversary, with an impressive lineup of all new performances.
“It will include our induction into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, plus performances from many of our friends,” Nick Forster said. “Los Lobos, Sam Bush, Lyle Lovett, City and Colour and Bob Weir are among our special guests for that evening. I’m also going to visit with former Colorado Senator Tim Wirth and the legendary Jane Goodall. It’s going to be an amazing evening of music and remembrances.”
Other musicians on the roster include The War and Treaty and Raquel Garcia.
The amount of diverse and notable guests to be featured in the streamed celebration is a true reflection of just what eTown has built and embraced over a plentiful and productive three decades.
“eTown is among the state’s most influential cultural contributors,” said Karen Radman, executive director of the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. “Launched in Boulder 30 years ago, eTown has grown into a widely successful internationally syndicated radio broadcast, podcast and multimediaand events-production organization. Its unique format of pairing musical and environmental broadcasting makes it a natural selection as a Colorado Music Hall of Fame inductee.”
The reach of The Forsters’ grassroots initiative-turnedmini-empire is what prompted CMHOF to bestow the honor.
“eTown is a master at connecting our local and global communities,” Radman said. “One week you can see one of Colorado’s local favorites, like Nathaniel Rateliff
or the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band perform, and the next week, Ramy Essam, an Egyptian rocker.”
The 2019 Colorado Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held at Mission Ballroom — a concert venue in Denver’s RiNo Art District.
With the Hall closed for nearly a year due to the pandemic, the Forsters have continued to turn out intriguing content.
In May 2020, Nick Forster launched “Teach Me One Thing,” a Zoom series where he had a number of guests — from banjoist and comedy icon Steve Martin to bluegrass phenom Billy Strings — share a skill while sheltering in place. Even Phish bassist Mike Gordon made an appearance.
This year, Helen Forster started the new podcast “Looking Back, Looking Forward: The eChievement Award” that shines a light on previous eChievement award recipients working for the greater good.
“I really love all our winners and I thought, during this time of sheltering in place and the isolating difficulty of dealing with COVID, this could be a perfect time to share some good news with our listeners,” Helen Forster said. “To re-air the original interviews, then speak to each winner today to see how they’re doing now, seemed like an inspiring and rewarding project. It’s been really joyful for me to reconnect so far. The project is on hold right now as we prepare for the 30th anniversary activities, but I hope to resurrect it this summer.”
The Forsters anticipate by the fall they will welcome guests back for in-person events, with possibly some restrictions still in place.
“Every show we produced was rewarding in its time,” Nick Forster said. “Every broadcast we released made connections around the country or overseas. Every record that’s been recorded in the studio at eTown Hall is infused with some of the building’s energy and purpose.”
Additional event details for April’s virtual concert and induction ceremony, including how to watch the livestream, will be announced later this month.
“We believe in making things happen,” Nick Forster said. “With the help of our community of donors, our staff and crew and volunteers and all of those musicians and guests, we feel as if we’ve given a lot to our hometown and we’re not done yet.”