Premier Autoharpist, singer and Colorado folk legend Roz Brown has built a mighty impressive career as a captivating entertainer. He is also a recording artist performing and recording classic and contemporary folk music on his own terms for over forty-five years.
Born in Madison Wisconsin Roz started his musical career in the 5th grade when he first started to learn and play Cornet in his grade school band. His dad bought him his own trumpet in 1952 and he played in concert bands all through his high school years. He continued playing the trumpet in U.S. Navy base bands wherever he was stationed.
After receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy Roz went to work in Research and Development laboratories at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota. He moved to Colorado in 1972. “The folk music of ’60’s had always stirred something deep in my soul says Roz. I started following the folk music scene in Denver and attended many concerts and festivals every week. I happened to catch a life-changing performance by Autoharp Master Bryan Bowers at the Oxford Hotel Cruise Room. I ended hanging out with Bryan and friends after his concert and playing music until the wee hours of the morning. Shortly afterward I bought my first two very used Autoharps from Bryan and taught myself to play them. I found out I could connect with a lot of the folk songs I loved on those two Autoharps.”
Roz has recorded five CD’s of his favorite folk songs which are available on line and at his performances. His latest release is a CD produced by his son, Nashville keyboardist and producer Paul Brown titled; A Cowboy and his Sweetheart inspired by his sweetheart Barbara. A Cowboy and his Sweetheart is a stellar collection of romantic love songs, many of which were originally recorded by Country legend Don Williams.
He has been an active Colorado mountain rescue volunteer with the Alpine Rescue Team, since 1972, based in Evergreen Colorado.
“Not long after I bought those two Autoharps from Bryan, explains Roz, I ended up in the hospital with a total knee replacement. Seeing how boring and lonely a place like that could be I told myself that once I recovered I’d go back and entertain folks in hospitals and nursing homes. My goal was to take their mind off whatever pains, illness, or lonely times they may be going through.” Roz still performs a staggering 200+ dates a year and tirelessly gives back through his music by making retirement and nursing homes part of his regular touring schedule.
As significant part of Roz’s’ regular touring schedule is his weekly performances at Denver’s Historic Buckhorn Exchange Restaurant in Denver where where Roz has been entertaining in evenings for over 38 years.
