Zephyr’s Candy Givens, Otis Taylor, David Givens and Michael Wooten on the Norlin Quad, 1971.
The year is 1970 and you’re a young CU student. You’re strolling across the Norlin Quad on a gorgeous day, your bellbottoms flapping in the wind, and you wonder what the sun-soaked crowd of people could be doing. They’re watching a Zephyr concert, right on the front steps of Norlin Library.
Zephyr, a Boulder-based band, was formed in 1969 and was known for its blues-rock prowess. At the time, Boulder was a mecca for talented musicians, drawing legends like Joe Walsh and Rick Roberts, and the music scene was studded with incredible acts. Now considered one of the most influential Colorado bands of the 20th century, Zephyr played a number of iconic Boulder locations, including The Sink, Macky Auditorium, and the Boulder Bandshell. Although many believe the group never got the level of fame it deserved, they were inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2019.
This photo is a part of the Dan Fong: Music and Counterculture in Colorado collection, which is currently housed in CU Boulder Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives. Dan Fong’s photographs are the cornerstone of the archives’ new initiative to document music, counterculture and social change in the Rocky Mountain region.
Learn more about the Dan Fong: Music and Counterculture in Colorado collection.
