John Farris

On December 3, 2019, the Colorado Music Hall of Fame presented by Comfort Dental will host the inductions of '70s rock/fusion guitarist Tommy Bolin; award-winning blues pioneer Otis Taylor; Zephyr and its dynamic lead singer, Candy Givens; Colorado legends Freddi & Henchi, a?oeThe Crown Princes of Funk;a?? legendary concert promoter Tony Spicola; and Colorado music journalist Wendy a?oeRock & Rolla?? Kale.

Tommy Bolin was born to Barb and Rich Bolin in Sioux City, Iowa, August 3 1951. At age five (!) Rich, took him to see Elvis Presley LIVE and Tommy's path, as it turns out, was set. The very blue collar Bolin family did all they could for Tommy, including buying him his first guitar, the obligatory Sears Silver-tone. His first Sioux City teen band was The Miserlous, followed in 1964 at age 13, by Denny and The Triumphs, which morphed into Patch of Blue. In 1999, they were was inducted in the Iowa Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. After leaving Patch of Blue, Tommy gigged with The Chateaux, based in Vermillion, South Dakota, where he met their drummer, Bobby Berge. It was at a gig with them there they he met John Tesar, who wrote lyrics for Tommy throughout his career. But Tommy wasn't "fitting in" at school. After being suspended from Central High School for his hair being too long, then cutting it short, and still being suspended, Barb and Rich supported 16 year old Tommy in leaving Sioux City. A one way bus ticket to Denver, Colorado was all he needed to start his new musical career.