Dressed in jeans, a cowboy hat, and looking like he could be John Denver’s twin brother, local musician Brad Fitch Smith, better known locally as Brad Fitch or Cowboy Brad, is spreading cheer in Estes Park through his Cowboy Sing-Alongs downtown this summer.
Every Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, at 7 p.m., Cowboy Brad performs free concerts in Bond Park sponsored by the Town of Estes Park, local merchants, and individual donors.
A long-time Estes Park resident, Fitch moved to Estes as a kid in the early 1970s. His parents encouraged him to learn music at a young age. When he was six, he took piano lessons, where he learned to read music and developed a foundation for music appreciation.
Fitch learned to play more instruments, starting with the trombone in fourth grade, which he continued to play until high school. He picked up the guitar when he was 13, and after a year of lessons, his understanding of the instrument was good enough for the songs he wanted to play.
His musical career began when he was about 14. He and his sister, Melinda, would play music at weddings. A few years later, he started playing what musicians call a roving guitar at a local restaurant.
He graduated from Estes High in 1978 and went on to earn a degree in broadcast journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder before joining the Coast Guard. He learned to play Jimmy Buffett songs when he joined the Coast Guard. “When I would be on liberty, I got hired by a beach bar, and they said, ‘Well, if you want to play here, you have to know all the Jimmy Buffett songs.’”
After eight years, Fitch left the Coast Guard in 1992 and returned to Estes, where he has pursued his passion as a musician playing the banjo, bass, and mandolin, but he typically sticks to the guitar. “I primarily accompany myself on guitar, just because it lends itself to accompanying a solo vocalist,” said Fitch.
Fitch says businesses initially hired him to entertain tourists and keep them in town longer.
He performs at Bond Park and many area music venues in the summer. On August 23, the Rotary Club of Estes Park Foundation will present the 20th anniversary of Fitch’s John Denver tribute concert along with the TropiCowboy Band at the Ruesch Auditorium at the YMCA of the Rockies.
One of the benefits of performing in a tourist town is connecting with people from around the United States, many of whom have booked Fitch in venues around the United States, including Texas, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. Fitch’s summer calendar is packed. During shoulder season, he travels to other places for gigs.
While many of Fitch’s performances are solo, he often plays with Mark Rashid, another local musician who not only builds custom guitars but is a recognized horse whisperer. Together, Fitch and Rashid have produced three albums.
“I feel extremely blessed to make my living as a musician. I love doing it. A big part of what I get out of it is giving people a pleasant experience,” said Fitch. “And you know, even if it’s just an hour-long program, I can help lighten their loads in life. I’ve seen that people will show up at some of the shows, and their body language says it all.”