‘Just keep trying:’ 16-year-old and 72-year-old discuss music-making in rural Yuma County

Story by Adam Rayes | KUNC

Rural Northeast Colorado has fewer employed artists than any other region in the state, according to a 2020 report. While musicians, dancers and fashion designers may sell a lot less out there, they are still creating.

Robert Anderson was born, raised and now lives in the small city of Yuma. The 72-year-old has made music professionally for most of his adult life. He’s composed jingles, fronted bluegrass bands, co-wrote a billboard chart topping hit and more.

And he’s not the only one creating melodic sounds out here. Sixteen-year-old Joey Uyemura of Wray, the county’s other, even smaller city, hopes to join the region’s small ranks of career artists. While he’s still figuring out his musical future, Uyemura writes and produces songs using an electronic keyboard and computer.

The pair met at Northeast Junior College in Yuma to discuss rural music making at their different ages. 

Read and listen to the full story on KUNC.org.