60 Million Buffalo - Nevada Jukebox
While Zephyr made their mark first, this band was easily as popular in Colorado during the '70s. In fact, these two bands shared the stage on more than one occasion, with a friendly competition between Judy Roderick and Candy Givens, the two lead vocalists. 60,000,000 Buffalo were known for their original material, arrangements and Don Debacker's guitar work. They completed one of two contracted albums for Atco, Nevada Jukebox, then broke up. They epitomize loose, funky Rocky Mountain rock & roll in the '70s.
Bill Ashford
Bill Ashford is a radio veteran of over four decades, starting in his high school years in North Carolina. He made a giant leap from there to Denver, Co., after experimenting with underground radio in late 1966-1967. He became one of the pioneers to help build one of the first five full time underground/freeform FM stations in Denver, along with others in L.A., S.F., N.Y.C., and Detroit. He went on to work in several other major markets and is currently living in Florida with his wife and grown children, operating a 24 hour a day full time freeform stream called The Rock Garden, and hearable at freeformrock.com.
He is also a songwriter, having co-written many titles, recorded by several artists including his own band in the early 1970's, "60,000,000 Buffalo", whose album has just been digitally remastered and released by Collectors' Choice Music at collectorschoicemusic.com. One of his co-writings, "Floods of South Dakota", recorded by Tim & Mollie O'Brien, was nominated for a Grammy in 1992. He has also reviewed artists and their work for All Music Guide.
Ashford is currently filling out his days writing a book about his days in the wildly experimental days of FM radio between 1966 - 1978. Working with collaborator Malcolm Gault-Williams, he expects to finish it in 2009.
Image courtesy of Hamilton Agnew