Songscapes Podcast: Rozzi

Ep. 13: Rozzi - The Adam Levine Catapult and Climate Change Songs

This week on Songscapes, we are joined by rising pop star Rozzi! Raised in San Francisco and based out of Los Angeles, she’s no stranger to climate change and its manifestations such as raging wildfires and smoke-filled air. True to the artist’s way, she expresses the intimacy of climate change events through her song, “Orange Skies”. Tune in to hear about the many turns her life has taken to make her the musician she is today, from fasting for three days in the desert in Joshua tree, to being picked out personally by Adam Levine to begin her career, to gaining the confidence to write an album based off of her own truth and intuition, rather than anyone else’s. She deeply values the connection brought forth by music, and how it allows us to know each other even if we’ve never met.

You can find Rozzi on her Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/thisisrozzi/ or on her website at https://www.thisisrozzi.com/

Songscapes Podcast Season 2! Betsy & Harrison

Ep. 12: Betsy Mortensen and Harrison Goodale - Meet the Co-Founders of Sustain

Welcome back to Songscapes! This week, meet Betsy and Harrison, the husband-and-wife team who co-founded Sustain. Their backgrounds are from opposite ends of the nonprofit’s driving forces -- music and nature -- which allows them to support each other’s strengths to build up Sustain. Listen in to hear about Betsy’s work in Tanzania with chimpanzees, Harrison’s time in the band Parsonsfield, and how that led them to where they are today. They also reveal their favorite public lands moments, and how they’re trying to reframe the common gloomy approach of the environmental movement. Make sure to tune in and meet the duo that is making music a force for nature! 

  • Host: Charles Coplin

  • Producer: Sustain Music & Nature

  • Editor: Harrison Goodale

  • Media Researcher: Lindsay Johnson

  • Theme Music: Harrison Goodale

Trail Session: Silt River Preserve with Aspen Valley Land Trust Sept 12

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Press Release–Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT) is partnering with Fort Collin’s Sustain Music and Nature to host an outdoor acoustic concert, as part of their Trail Sessions series, September 12 from 1-3pm featuring Colorado bands Sugar Britches and Tree-O at the Silt River Preserve.

This event will bring together AVLT, Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers (RFOV), Highwater Farm, and the Town of Silt to help celebrate the community-driven successes of the preserve. Guests can enjoy a tree-top strings performance and honky-tonk duo as well as a tour of the preserve and of Highwater Farm. Tickets are a suggested donation of $10 for adults and free for kids under 12. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets, and coolers but leave glass and pets at home.

“Silt River Preserve is a great example of what is possible when a community comes together to take care of a special place,” said Suzanne Stephens, executive director of AVLT. “This special place will welcome everyone and serve as an example of the best of community-driven conservation. People care for the places they love and through this concert, new community members will be getting outside and connecting to the land, one another, and conservation.”

The Silt River Preserve, 130-acres of open land and wildlife habitat along the Colorado River, was conserved through AVLT in 2009. The Town of Silt now owns the preserve, and with AVLT, and these partners, is committed to ongoing restoration and improvements. In 2019, AVLT introduced the town to Sara Tymczyszyn, director of Highwater Farm, who established five acres of the preserve as the home for the community farm. Currently operating under the fiscal sponsorship of AVLT, the farm is dedicated to transforming the lives of young people and increasing access to healthy food in Garfield County through sustainable agriculture.

“Music and public lands are our two favorite things at Sustain Music and Nature, and we can’t wait to see the Silt River Preserve and enjoy some top-notch Colorado musicians this weekend,” shares Betsy Mortensen, Sustain co-founder. “This will be our first Trail Session on the Colorado River since we started back in 2019, and I can guarantee it will be a memorable experience.” Sustain Music and Nature’s Trails Sessions are a series of educational hikes and concerts on conserved lands across Colorado to support both local bands and conservation.

Mini-Festival Celebrates Music Activism for the Environment on August 29

Nonprofit Sustain Music & Nature to host Summit: Music & Nature conference and concert in Fort Collins on August 29.

FORT COLLINS, CO - The environmental movement is enjoying a new approach thanks to local nonprofit Sustain Music & Nature. Sustain takes a celebratory approach to conservation through music. They tap into the emotional hook of music and the cultural sway of bands to generate new supporters for nature. They’ve partnered with federal land agencies, universities, musicians, record labels and conservation organizations to deliver unique concert experiences in the outdoors, and music videos featuring national parks.

How do they do it? Join Sustain at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery on August 29 for an afternoon conference on music activism for the environment. Featuring panels, workshops and dedicated networking, this is an unmissable event for people interested in conservation, community building, and the music industry. Running from 1p-4:30p, the event includes:

  • Otterbox Digital Dome Theater screenings of national parks music videos filmed by National Geographic videographers

  • A panel and workshops surrounding music activism for the environment, community building through music, and cause marketing for musicians. Guests include Susan Cistone, former SONY records marketing specialist, with clients like Backstreet Boys and Santana.

  • A performance by LA’s Dante Elephante

  • Appetizers and networking on the rooftop

After the conference, head over to The Aggie for a concert featuring Slow Caves and Special Guests. Concert proceeds directly support Sustain’s mission to make music a force for nature. Doors open at 6p with a silent auction featuring premier outdoor gear. Miguel Avina (iZCALLi) kicks off the music at 7p, followed by a co-bill show with Slow Caves and another act to be announced on August 16!

Tickets are $10 for the conference at the Museum of Discovery and $15 for the concert at The Aggie. Visit www.sustainmusicandnature.org/summit to find tickets and learn more. 

Songscapes Podcast: Summer Camp

Ep. 11: Summer Camp Hikes & Tunes

Summer is our busy season at Sustain. As a special treat, we wanted to share some extra content from some of our summer programs. This week we are featuring music highlights from our hike and concert series, Trail Sessions, that happen at public lands in Colorado. This year we are expanding the program to New York State, so check out our website to get all the details. 

This episode features music from Courtney Hartman and Covenhoven at Lory State Park in Fort Collins Colorado. The second half has Kid Astronaut and Brent Cowles at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife refuge just outside of Denver. 

Songscapes Podcast: Daniel Rodriguez

Ep. 10: Daniel Rodriguez - Letting the Moment Create the Music

This week on Songscapes, join host Charles Coplin as he interviews Daniel Rodriguez live from Telluride, CO, after his performance for Sustain’s Trail Session. The former Elephant Revival band member is continuing to learn and grow his musical style and range as an individual as he explores all genres from indie/folk to hip hop. He discusses the change in energy he feels in the return to live shows after a year-plus long pandemic, and how this time has given him more freedom in his creative flow. Rodriguez has an inherent appreciation of the simple act of creating and sharing art, and looks to nature as an inspiration and teacher as he continues to make music. To hear his thoughts on how the natural world affects the human condition, as well as the latest news on his upcoming projects, make sure to tune into this week’s Songscape! 

You can find Daniel at @drodriguezmusic on Instagram and his website, drodriguezmusic.com

Thanks for listening and don’t forget to review, share and subscribe to the podcast!

  • Host: Charles Coplin

  • Producer: Sustain Music & Nature

  • Editor: Harrison Goodale

  • Media Researcher: Lindsay Johnson

  • Theme Music: Harrison Goodale

  • Daniel Rodriguez’s Featured Music: “Static Splash”, “Colorado”, and “ Steal the Night Away”

Want a postcard from the Songscape? Donate!

We’ve just launched a crowdfunder for the upcoming Songscape: Green River with Liz Beebe. You can help make this project successful!

  • $25 - Behind the scenes newsletter & exclusive content

  • $50 - A postcard from UT signed by the crew

  • $100 - Trip experience audio - field recordings of the river and our trip!

  • $500 - A personal Thank You video from the field!

  • $1000 - Your name included in the credits

Songscape Announcement: Liz Beebe at Green River

New Songscape retreat announced! Liz Beebe will be headed to the Green River on the CO/UT border to explore the public lands that protect this important place. We’ll be visiting Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, John Jarvie Ranch (BLM), Brown’s Park National Wildlife Refuge and Dinosaur National Monument. The adventure starts on July 5, 2021. Learn more about the project and support HERE.

August 14 Trail Session: The Brother Brothers, Caleb & Sterling with Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust in Osceola, NY

Music and nature come together in this Trail Session. Join us on Saturday, August 14 with Americana band, The Brother Brothers. Opening fiddle act by Caleb & Sterling. Concert at the North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame. Afterwards, join Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, leading a hike through old growth forest a short distance away.

Sliding scale donation tickets and details on our page: https://www.sustainmusicandnature.org/august142021