About Ironwood Rain
Described by a Colorado promoter as "the bastard yet comely lovechild of Counting Crows, Iron &Wine and Jethro Tull," this guitar/vocal harmony-driven acoustic rock band writes and performs music born of their varied life experience and musical ventures through progressive rock, blues, jazz and hard rock. Longtime Coloradoans, the band shares with their audience strong mountain states sensibilities: a pioneering spirit and history, commitment to family, community, charity and a loving connection to the natural beauty that surrounds them. Frontman and founder, Scotte Burns says, “Music moves us through life from birth to death and accompanies us to all events in-between. We write about love, loss, hope, release and empathy. Along with successful recordings and live shows, our vision of ‘making it’ is really about folks sharing our music at the times that matter: weddings, holidays, memorials and sung as lullabies.”

Ironwood Rain began its evolution in the Spring of 2008 as Ironwood Shores when Colorado Composer's Classic and Billboard Song Contest Honorable Mention recipient, teacher, father and husband, Scotte Burns formed an acoustic rock trio to cover favorites such as ELP's “Lucky Man,” and Ritchie Blackmore’s “Temple of the King.” When the other two original members moved on, Scotte approached childhood friend, Colorado native, and longtime musical collaborator, Mike Kloepfer about leaving his Florida gig as pirate Nigel in the performing troupe Pyrates of the Coast to join the project. Mike returned to Colorado, bringing decades of live music experience and classical training in jazz, blues and rock to the band, as well as his ethereal and mythic graphic designs to their album covers.

“JJ came to us serendipitously through Craigslist. His voice, suggestive of Ritchie Havens or The Guess Who’s Chad Allen spoke to me and when he played his originals, I was stunned! He has a talent for melodic hook and having just come though a heartbreaking divorce, his songs expressed passion, desperation and vulnerability. Mike and I pulled out a few of our songs and JJ slid right into them. By audition’s end my cover project had changed course and Ironwood Rain was born, ” explains Burns.

By the summer of 2009, Maestas, Kloepfer and Burns had played forty-plus clubs, festivals and events and recorded their first CD, Trio. Following this mellow and acoustic album that features guitars and lush, tightly woven vocal harmonies, the band moved toward a more dynamic and percussive sound. Scotte called in drummer and Boston native, Gary Saint Germain, who they’d met at a local charity gig. “Gary’s energy, camaraderie and ability to capture our ideas and work his magic transformed our pieces into more powerful and focused songs,” says Burns, “…it was an important step in the band's development and was just what the music called for at the time.” Saint Germain moved on in early 2011 to handle family matters back on the east coast, and the band brought in former Rockefellers and Shakedown Street drummer Phil Regas to continue adding the percussive flair to the music. Phil's easy demeanor, sense of humor and background in jam bands and jazz added and even deeper dimension to the IR sound as it continued to evolve. Sadly, Phil retired from the band in the summer of 2011 following a pair of unfortunate accidents, from which he continues to recover.
A new drummer will be coming on board this winter as Phil pursues music production endeavors with his PRP Studios.