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Chris Collins will play the music of John Denver.
Courtesy photoA
Aspen’s Wheeler Opera House to host 2 John Denver tribute concerts
NewsNews | Sep 28, 2026
Jennika Ingram Follow
Two nights of John Denver’s music will light up the Wheeler Opera House this week as part of Aspen’s annual celebration of the iconic singer-songwriter — with tribute artist Chris Collins producing both.
Collins and his band, Boulder Canyon, will present “Poems, Prayers & Promises: The Songs of John Denver” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 and “Rhymes & Reasons: The Music of John Denver” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3. Frontman Collins will lead the band alongside Alex Mitchell on fiddle and guitar and Nigel Newton on keyboard and piano (both Berklee College of Music graduates), in addition to Grammy-nominated Ralph Gordon on bass.
“No two shows are ever alike,” Collins said.
Both programs will draw from Denver’s 1970s and 1980s catalog, mixing enduring classics like “Rocky Mountain High,” “Annie’s Song” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” with deeper finds. Each night features different artists and different set lists.
For Collins, the tribute lands differently this year.
“What’s different about this year is the state of America. Things have really changed,” he said. “I wonder what John Denver might have thought about what’s happening. He spent so many of his early years trying to be an agent for the natural world. He worked with a bunch of different protective agencies.”
He pointed to Denver’s conservation efforts, including a collaboration with conservationist Mardy Murie and his role as a voice for the Arbor Day Foundation’s “Plant Trees for America” campaign.
“I think he would be really disappointed to see our national forests and our national monuments being opened up for mining and drilling,” Collins said. “John always stood up for things. He spoke in front of Congress about freedom of speech. I believe it was back in the 1980s. I think he always had that civic aspect to his personality.
Chris Collins will play the music of John Denver.
Courtesy photo
Collins said he still remembers when he first heard John Denver on the radio.
“I remember being with my dad in the car in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We were driving home from his work and needed some bread and milk, so he pulled into a garage, threw the keys on the seat and said, ‘Listen to some music for a while,'” he recalled. “So, I turned on the radio to WOKY and ‘Rocky Mountain High’ was playing, and it was just like magic to me.”
“It was just like magic to me.” Chris Collins
He added that his favorite Denver song, “Poems, Prayers and Promises,” was also allegedly Denver’s favorite of his own.
“I can remember the first time I saw the Rockies and felt this welling up of spirit, and I think John Denver kind of felt that same way,” Collins said. “He saw the Maroon Bells and the beautiful surrounding mountains, and I think his soul was just on fire when he saw it.”
The night “Poems, Prayers & Promises: The Songs of John Denver” features Aspen resident Mack Bailey and Chris Nole — Bailey is a singer-songwriter and former member of The Limeliters, known for his expressive tenor voice and engaging presence, who has also shared the stage with Denver; Nashville-based Nole, Denver’s longtime keyboard and piano player, toured and recorded with Denver in the 1990s.
“I love going to the mountains, especially around this time of year. It’s gorgeous,” Nole said. “The leaves are starting to turn yellow. (I love) the scenery and, of course, celebrating John Denver and his music with friends and fans and the people that just love what John was all about. They show up. Some travel long, long distances to be there and sing the music and attend our shows. It’s a special thing.”
For more information, visit wheeleroperahouse.com/event/chris-collins-productions-poems-prayers-promises-the-songs-of-john-denver.
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