Keeping it Loose in Riverside

The best way to describe the Colorado-based band Loose Change—which performed at the BearTrap in Riverside on Saturday night—might be from the popular song by Donny and Marie Osmond, “A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock n’ Roll.”

Maureen Dailey and her husband, Lee, came from different musical backgrounds before helping to found Loose Change, which plays covers of popular 90s country songs such as Dwight Yokum.

“It kind of morphed into a band. [With the] National Western Stockshow, my dad was on the auction committee and he felt that, in order to get people in to purchase animals, we needed some kind of pre-show,” said Maureen. “My dad was a producer [and] director at a musical theater there and brought in pre-show entertainment. My husband was one of those, for a while.”

Maureen’s father produced and directed for the Country Dinner Playhouse, which operated up until 2007 when it closed its doors. Prior to closing, it was the second-largest theater in Colorado.

“With my father being a producer and director at a dinner theater, I started singing probably before I started speaking,” said Maureen. “I’m one of five and I’m the only one who got into the business.”

Along with performing at the Country Dinner Playhouse, Maureen’s family played at other locations such as Clarksville, Indiana and Scottsdale, Arizona. She grew up performing classic showtunes from Rodgers and Hammerstein, “Oklahoma” and “The Music Man.” While Lee had some background in showtunes, he had formed a band around his high school and college years which played Top 40 hits of the time such as George Michael and other pop-rock performers.

“We kind of introduced him to country,” said Maureen. “My dad was born and raised in Chicago but a cowboy at heart. He saw the mountains of Colorado and moved us all out, got a horse and just really loved that background. He was never really into country music but, growing up like that, my siblings and I got involved in country music.”

Since their beginnings at the National Western Stockshow in the 90s, Loose Change has seen members come and go but have kept the three original founders: Maureen and Lee Dailey and drummer Tag Worley. One alumni of Loose Change is Zach Top, who plays music similar to Ian Munsic and Lainey Wilson. Now, the band is a little more family oriented with the inclusion of Mikaela Dailey and Spencer Dailey, Maureen and Lee’s daughter and son, respectively. Ken Dearth, the pedal steel player, joined Loose Change about two years ago. Steve Klein, who was unable to make it to the performance in Riverside, plays bass for the band.

For Maureen, playing in Riverside was a little full circle for her. Growing up, her father brought the family to the Encampment and Riverside area where they enjoyed the outdoors and were able to fish the Encampment River.

“Somehow, he discovered this,” said Maureen. “He started coming here in ‘63. So it’s kind of a full-circle thing being able to come back here and perform a few times.”

“We love coming up here because it’s fun, we love the area and if I get a chance to fish the Encampment [River] it’s even better,” said Lee.

Along with playing together for 26 years, Maureen and Lee have been married for 30 years. The two said they’ve been able to stay married and play together as they don’t perform music as their livelihood but consider it a hobby.

“Being married 30 years this July, we’ve been doing this most of our married life. And we’re still married,” said Maureen. “And our kids enjoy being with us, too, which has been a lot of fun.”

“It’s a hobby, it’s not something that’s our livelihood,” said Lee. “That’s why it’s fun.”