Barry Fey's Remains Will Not Rest Near Red Rocks
DENVER (CBS4)- Although he was instrumental in bringing some of music's biggest acts to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Barry Fey's final wish of being buried next door in a small Morrison cemetery has been denied.
Red Rocks was the place Fey loved and everyone knew it. As intent as he was about booking concerts with big-name groups like The Who, U2 and Bruce Springsteen, he was just as focused on booking Red Rocks as his final resting place.
"His request to be there and to rest eternal while that music played at Red Rocks is a great tribute and an appropriate request," said Fey's friend Andrew Hudson.
Fey took his own life earlier this week.
It was 15 years ago that Fey apparently made a special agreement with Morrison to be buried in the Morrison Cemetery located just below the amphitheatre at the south entrance to Red Rocks. The cemetery typically only honors requests from those citizens of Morrison.
No record of that alleged agreement with Fey can be found. At a meeting Wednesday night the cemetery's commissioners voted to deny Fey's final request.
"A poll of the cemetery commission last night said they would deny the request for him to be buried there saying their hands are tied by the by-laws and that there was nothing they could do," said Hudson.
The cemetery commissioners didn't return calls to CBS4 for comment.
Morrison's mayor did make Fey an honorary citizen but that wasn't good enough.
Fey's family is trying to find another location for his final resting place.
"They are certainly disappointed because they knew this was Barry's wish," said Hudson.
There is no denying that Red Rocks wouldn't be the same without Fey. He turned the natural amphitheatre in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains into a global icon for artists who performed there.
Red Rocks said they will work with Fey's family to make an appropriate tribute to the legendary concert promoter.
