Neal sings region’s praises

Most members of the Northern Colorado business community have heard of Bill Neal — you know, longtime Fort Collins developer extraordinaire.

But it was an Eye-opener to learn of his budding music career.

Apparently, Neal has been writing songs for about 30 years under other people’s names. Then, an album he co-released last fall under his own name caught the attention of folks at the national level — the National Park Service, that is.

Now, the ballads of the baritone and his buddy, local record-company owner Steven Wiseman, draw some 300-plus a week to such popular performance venues as Moraine Park Amphitheater and Rocky Mountain National Park Headquarters.

With poetry set to acoustic guitar, Neal and Wiseman take their audiences on a different kind of tour, highlighting the natural and cultural heritage of the park and its backyard — the Front Range.

The lyrics, penned by Neal, trace the journey of the Cache la Poudre River “through the rapids of the canyon…descending to our cities and our towns” and recall the Big Thompson flood of 1976 when “hell itself came crashing by.”

In upcoming concerts at Rocky Mountain National Park, Wiseman will perform alone Friday, July 7, and Neal will join him Thursday, July 13, at a time and location to be determined. Watch the Web for de-tails: www.stevenwiseman.com.

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