From 1985 to 1994, Restless Heart blended country music with a pop sound reminiscent of the Bee Gees and took it to the top of the charts, pioneering contemporary country music.
Contemporary country continues as a major force in Nashville. And Restless Heart, with its trademark harmonies, has reunited to again be part of what it helped start: The original quintet late last year released its first studio album in 14 years, “Still Restless.”
It plays a free concert at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Greeley Stampede.
The Stampede today opens its 83rd edition with its third name in three years. The event runs through July 4.
Organizers last year changed the name to The Rocky Mountain Stampede from the longtime Greeley Independence Stampede. Upset civic leaders persuaded them to get the city’s name back in the title. Hence its current name.
Regardless of what it’s called, the stampede remains a popular event with a carnival, concerts, parades, vendors, demolition derby, plus a big-time rodeo featuring the country’s top professional cowboys and more.
And this year it’s a chance for Restless Heart to enchant old fans and win new ones.
“It was just kind of tentative,” keyboardist Dave Innis said of the reunion. “Frankly, we didn’t know if anybody would be interested in a Restless Heart reunion. Fortunately for us, there are a bunch of people out there who still like Restless Heart and remember our music and are looking to see what we can do in the future.”
The reunion began in 1997. A Restless Heart fan with a terminal illness said he wished he could hear the group one more time.
Four of the five original members gathered in a member’s home recording studio and cut a special CD for the dying fan, lead singer Larry Stewart said. Word got out in Nashville about the reunion. That led to the four spending 1 1/2 years touring with Vince Gill.
Innis, of Colorado Springs, returned to the fold in the spring of 2000.
Restless Heart’s latest CD is contemporary country, but with a bit more of an edge than the band’s earlier incarnation. But it still showcases the sweet harmonies that first took the band onto the charts.
Steward finds it ironic that the band’s sound fits with mainstream country better today than it did during the first go-round.
“They used to say that we stuck out like a sore thumb,” he said. “But boy, when you hear that stuff now and what’s going on today, it sounds more like a classic-type thing. In the new era, it has traditional elements to it. So it is really funny how that changed.”
Other concert highlights include Brooks & Dunn, tonight; ZZ Top and Montgomery Gentry, Saturday; LeAnn Rimes and Dierks Bentley, July 2; Collin Raye, July 3, and Kelly Clarkson, July 4. All shows start at 8 p.m.
Rodeos are scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Monday-July 1 and 1:30 p.m. July 2-4.
For concert and rodeo tickets, call 866-464-2626 or visit ticketswest.com.
Hours for the carnival, fairgrounds and vendors are 4 p.m.-12:30 a.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.-1 a.m. weekends. Admission is free.
The Stampede/9News Independence Day Parade steps off at 9 a.m. July 4 at 10th Avenue and 19th Street and goes down 10th to Fifth Street.
For information on all stampede events, call 800-982-2855.
Ed Will can be reached at 303-820-1694 or ewill@denverpost.com.
Restless Heart
COUNTRY MUSIC |Island Grove Regional Park, 600 N. 14th Ave., Greeley; 6 p.m. Sunday|FREE|800-982-2855 or greeleystampede.org
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