CAM Records Signs Avenhart

CAM Records, a music business class at MEIS, has announced CU Denver group Avenhart as their musical artist for the school year.

Each year the class, taught by MEIS professor Andy Guerrero, picks a local band to help promote for a record release essentially doing everything a record label would do. It gives MEIS students a hands-on opportunity to learn and experience the inner-workings of a small record label.

Avenhart is a local Denver folk-bluegrass group that consists of current and former CU Denver music students Andrea Pares (guitar, vocals), Alex Drapela (mandolin), Alex Goldberg (bass), Phil Heifferon (vocals, banjo), Olivia Shaw (vocals, fiddle), and Payden Widner (guitar). The harmony-rich folk band have been gaining momentum in the Denver music scene opening for Phox at Lynxapalooza in September.

The band recently finished recording their first EP, making them a prime candidate for the promotional efforts of CAM Records. “So they have a budget, and they kind of decide what would be the best use of the money,” said Pares. “So I think we are going to hire a really dope photographer and graphic designer to help us do new promotional photos, website design, logo, and album art.”

CAM Records is an incredible learning experience for students enrolled in the class, it gives the bands assistance in some of the business aspects of being an artist. “It’s nice to have 30 people helping you get press and working with you,” Pares said. “It really depends on the students who care.”

With CAM Record’s promotional backing, an upcoming EP, and a killer live-set, the future looks promising for Avenhart.