Interview with Amy Whitesell, founder “Blues On The Mesa”

“Keeping Music Alive!”

In every city, there are those who are active in hosting live music and those who help keep entertainment for the community alive. Since 2006, Amy and George Whitesell have been among those in Colorado Springs, CO who have been pillars in the music

scene with their independent booking company A Music Company Inc.

For over two decades Amy and George have brought both local and national acts to various venues, festivals as well as creating thier own legendary festival Blues on the Mesa at Gold Hills Mesa on the westside of Colorado Springs, that has gained much recognition and success throughout the years.

Recently I had the honor to receive an invite from Amy for this 719 Magazine On The Spot Interview, as she gave me a tour of her impressive office and space filled with a history of the entertainment acts she and her husband George have worked with, in the last twenty plus years. Her office alone speaks volumes and tales of entertainment history.

Amy also helped found the Pikes Peak Blues Community in 2003 along with the current blues players, and supporters, who remain active with its board for a decade before moving more into her own productions and promotions with A Music Company Inc, which has partnered with many of the city non-profits and several long standing sponsorships,

A more detailed history is listed on their website. www.amusiccompanyinc.com

Some notable venues and events Amy has promoted and worked with, are The Crystola Roadhouse, located in Woodland Park along route 24, when under the ownership of Darryl Maggs (2009), national act Johnny Winters which set a pace for many touring and popular local acts seeking to play the venue. Also, several blues, R&B, and Americana genred bookings at Stargazers Theater , with Tab Beniot, and Tommy Castro along with helping The Pikes Peak Blues Community do a blues jam 4 times a year in its earlier years.

Amy has also planned and assisted with such events as, Blues under the Bridge and Meadowgrass Music Festival, along with other events at the Pikes Peak Art Center, Armstrong Hall, The Ancient Mariner, The MAC Foundation, The Broadmoor World Arena, and Junteeneth festivals with hosts such as James Tucker from The African American Voice.

Amy has also worked with The Colorado Blues Society in Denver working on several events and festivals over the years.

Amy's office walls and ceiling are covered with posters, photos, passes, thank you letters, memoriam pieces, and a signed T shirts and bag by a plethora of different performers and acts she has worked with. As she shared with me these wonderful stories on some of these events, the meeting of venues, and entertainers full of memories created by so many years of hard work and consistency, I came to understand how Amy contirbuted in so many ways to building a strong foundation and legacy in the Colorado Spring’s music scene!

Her husband, George, is also an established guitar player and song writer who does a yearly music show as Santa Claus at The Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort and will be there this 2025 holiday season, as usual. His own music career, aside from working in several bands, has a body of recorded music, and George has helped bridge connections along with Amy's business savvy and successful contacts, with local businesses and non profit organizations.

A power couple indeed!

Amy is always active and attending many of the current acts and entertainment playing in the local area, as also does bookings for various venues in Colorado Springs as well as surrounding areas, along with the summer Gold Hills Mesa Concert series which are free community events that have brought in impressive crowds from all over the city.

A Music Company Inc. is also active in working with youth in schools and music groups theoughout the area with hosting youth artists and musicians on stage, along with sponsored education programs for School of Rock youth programs.

In asking a few questions with Amy Whitesell the focus was on the Blues on the Mesa Festival which was a wonderful success and planning has begun for year number four.

Teri Senior: “Amy, how did Blues on the Mesa become a festival?”

Amy Whitesell: “Everything had been shut down with Covid and thus indoor venue settings for live music halted, as places were slowly coming back open, the concern for indoor shows might not be ready to be attended, so the idea of having an outdoor based festival with enough space for vendors, food, drinks, patrons, performers and a decent sized stage, in the local city area where the community could easily find and have space to enjoy live music with minimal concerns.

I pitched the idea to Gold Hills Mesa with Stephanie Edwards thier comunity events coordinator. It was worked out to do the first festival last Saturday in June 2021. It was a good success and has continued to grow."

Teri: “When do you begin planning for the next Blues on the Mesa?”

Amy " I'm working on that now with getting the contracts together and then we do the event process from crew, to music line up, sponsors and more."

Teri: “Why do you book, promote, live music?”

Amy: “Well, saw it as something l could do to contribute with networking with musicians, music production groups, venues thus help them coordinate having good live entertainment for the community of Colorado Springs and surrounding areas to enjoy. "

As Amy shared so many wonderful events that are worthy of a lifetime of achievement, with bringing good live entertainment to the community of Colorado Springs area, I couldn’t help but take in all the images of various artists she’s worked with, some even no longer here but leaving an everlasting imprint in music, I was left with an amazing impression of her ambitions. Names such as John Mayall, Kim Wilson, Otis Rush, Tommy Castrol, Charlie Musselwhite, Magic Dick, Dan Hicks are just some that are on Amy's office walls and ceiling.

All the hard work she has done for the music community is beyond worthy of mention and recognition. What a treasure to see Amy's memories from all those years of connecting wonderful live entertainment, provided by all kinds of musicians!

Amy and George Whitesell continue to book and host exceptional live music showcases and various events that help ignite the community also bringing organizations and businesses together to network and connect. Amy expressed that, as much as she loves her occupation running A Music Company Inc, there will come a day where she will sell the business, yet wishes to continue the tradition and legacy of providing great live music to the people of Colorado Springs and surrounding areas. A huge thank you and show of appreciation to Amy & George Whitesell for everything you do for the southern Colorado music scene!

~ TJ Senior “Momma T”

Manager for Hoodoo Honey

719 Mag Staff | Contributor

On The Spot Interview