A Golden crown for Colorado’s Music Queen

Hazel Miller performs at The Bu alo Rose ahead of Hall of Fame induction

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

During the biggest weekend of her career, music icon Hazel Miller said she was going to “party until the paint peels o ” in downtown Golden.

On June 9, Hazel Miller and the Collective played their annual show at e Bu alo Rose, performing a mix of R&B, funk, dance, blues and more.

e following night, Miller performed at Red Rocks Amphitheatre with her longtime collaborator Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Both artists were inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame during their sold-out June 10 show. (Editor’s note: For a full story on Hazel Miller’s career, visit ArvadaPress.com.)

Big Head Todd and the Monsters perform annually at Red Rocks, and Miller often performs with them.

us, playing e Bu alo Rose has become her “night before Red Rocks” tradition, she described, as many of her fans stay in Golden and go to both shows.

And the June 9-10 weekend was no exception.

Hundreds of self-described “Hazel Nuts” celebrated Miller’s Hall of Fame induction with her on June 9, surprising her with tequila, owers, cake and more.

Golden’s Cindy Willard has been following Miller’s career for 16 years, since seeing her at City Park Jazz. Willard had tickets for the June 10 Red Rocks show, saying she was thrilled to see Miller inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“We love Hazel,” she said. “She’s such a loving spirit.”

Sisters Traci Wilson and Tina

After Refacing ey rst encountered her through Big Head Todd, as Miller has been the group’s back-up singer intermittently since 1996. Wilson said her family and friends have been following Miller’s career since then, even going on a cruise where she performed.

Romero drove up from Albuquerque for their annual “girls’ trip” to see Miller perform at e Bu alo Rose and Red Rocks.

Overall, Wilson described how Miller’s a gracious and humble person who has a kind heart. She’s also a contagious performer — something Wheat Ridge’s Eryn Adams noticed, even as a Miller novice. Adams explained how she’d heard about Miller for years, but had