Nick and Danielle Booker are a storybook couple. They met in college at the University of Denver (DU) and both of them majored in music. It was at DU that the story started to form. Nick started the group All Those Who Wander. Danielle joined the band and is currently married to Nick.
“All Those Who Wander started as a project while I was in Denver attending DU with a buddy of mine from Colorado Springs,” said Nick. Forrest Alvarez was that buddy. Alvarez plays his homemade mandolin and writes some of the songs. Danielle started at DU one year later in 2011 and majored in trombone with a minor in criminology. The three formed the group.
Nick and Danielle have been married for a year and a half, and they bought their first house in Brush back in September. “We wanted to live in a small town,” said Nick.
“I am into country living, horseback riding both western and English, and I would love to someday participate in the Brush rodeo,” said Danielle
“I was surprised by the music scene here,” said Nick. People are receptive to the Celtic, bluegrass, and folk style of music that All Those Who Wander perform and create. Nick finds a lot of his musical inspiration from rural Colorado, the small towns and throughout the state. Nick writes a majority of the music.
Much of their songs are written about Colorado, like “Mount of the Holy Cross,” “The Broomfield Hill,” “Home in the Fields,” and include one written by Nick called “Morgan County.”
Alvarez also contributes to writing. “Forrest’s style is more homegrown, self taught and he does not have formal training,” “Forrest provides the group with a fresh and unique outlook which contributes to the band’s success,” said Nick.
Alvarez plays the guitar, piano, and other instruments, and is best known for playing the mandolin.
For the weekly performances at the Lotus Café, Nick and Danielle entertain the audience as a duo. “We would like to have Forrest perform live with us here in Fort Morgan, but we will have find a venue on the weekend so that he can come up from Colorado Springs,” said Nick.
Their Thursday morning performances at the Lotus Café started back in mid-November and was slated to end on December 29. Due to their popularity with the morning breakfast crowd, the Bookers will continue to perform through January 26. The duo plays from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
All Those Who Wander entertains the audience with celtic, bluegrass, and folk music. Most of the songs are original with “Waltzing Matilda” being the only cover song listed on their song sheet. As they are performing on a weekly basis, they try to make each show a little different.
“Music is about communication, speaking and reacting to the audience,” said Nick. In their weekly performances, Nick plays the guitar, flute, piano, penny whistle, and sings.
Danielle plays the bodhran (Irish drum), sings, and plays a native American flute. “I love sharing music,” said Danielle.
The Bookers are both Colorado natives with Nick being born in Colorado Springs, and Danielle being born in Woodland Park. Separately, they have traveled around the world.
Danielle performed with Colorado Springs Youth Symphony, and later was selected as a Colorado Ambassador for Music. Each year students are nominated by their music director and have the opportunity to travel overseas and perform. Some of the countries where Danielle has performed include Japan, England, France Italy, and Australia.
Nick has also traveled to play his music to places like England, Canada, and Mexico. Nick attended the Oxford flute summer school in Cambridge, England. Nick is also a member of the Colorado National Guard and participates in performing with the 101st Army Band based out of Buckley Air Force Base. The army band plays at venues throughout the state.
“I have been invited to teach flute at the School of Performing Arts for this spring’s semester,” said Nick. The school is located in the historic Lincoln School building in Fort Morgan.
When asked about their favorite artist or group, Nick responded with Stan Rogers. Rogers is a Canadian folk singer. Danielle said that she really liked the Chieftains. That motivated her to take lessons for four months with world-renowned bag pipe player and instructor Hayley McInnes.
All Those Who Wander will perform this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at Christ Congregational Church at 730 Ensign St.
More information about the group can be found on www.facebook.com/allthosewhowander/ or on the webpage https://allthosewhowander.bandcamp.com.
Jon A. Yamamoto: 970-441-5103, yamamotoj@fmtimes.com
