Legendary Concert Promoter Barry Fey Dies
DENVER (CBS4) - Rock concert promoter Barry Fey, a fixture of the Denver music scene for decades, has died.
AEG Live promoter Chuck Morris confirmed the death to CBS4, and CBS sources told CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass Fey took his own life.
"He meant everything to music in Colorado," Morris said. "I worked with him for 25 years, and believe me, at his peak, there was nobody better. Nobody else came close. He sold tickets like nobody else. When he was in his prime, he was the greatest rock promoter in the world."
Fey, a Chicago native, was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame last year. He was known for being shrewd and sometimes intimidating in his business dealings. He worked with the Rolling Stones during one of their top-grossing tours, and also worked with The Who, one of Fey's favorite bands.
His "Summer of Stars" at Red Rocks Amphitheatre became his signature concert series.
As noted in a video on the Hall of Fame Facebook page, one of the many coups Fey orchestrated during his career was to book Bruce Springsteen for a show at Red Rocks, which surprised many because of Springsteen's dislike of playing outdoors. It wound up raining for the show.
Another memorable moment in his career was booking mostly-unknown Irish rockers U2 at the Rainbow Music Hall. He was also involved in booking them at Red Rocks later on for the also-wet concert that was recorded and became the band's famed "Under a Blood Red Sky" album.
Fey's "Sunday concerts" at Folsom Field in Boulder and Mile High Stadium in Denver were also a big deal for Colorado music fans.
Fey's influence on the music scene in Denver was gigantic. Bands touring around the country nowadays know Denver is must-book on the tour schedule, and a lot of that has to do with his work.
DOMINIC DEZZUTTI'S BLOG: Barry Fey - A Colorado Pioneer
