Pianist Danny Wright includes three Breckenridge-inspired songs in his concert
By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
When Danny Wright came to Breckenridge this past weekend, his piano concert set list included not only the expected Christmas songs and classic tunes, but there were also three musical numbers inspired by Breckenridge and some of the people who live here.
The Anderson family — Will, Rebecca, Naomi and Elijah — arrive at the National Theatre on Saturday night for Danny Wright’s piano concert. Click here to see more photos from the concert. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Not long into his performance on Saturday night, Dec. 16, Wright explained to the crowd of about 100 gathered in the National Theatre that Breckenridge is like a second home to him now, and he introduced a song he wrote titled “Breckenridge: My Heart.”
“I just love it here,” Wright said. He performed in Breckenridge last year at Bailey Auditorium while the National Theatre was still being repaired following the May 2022 hail storm that caused extensive damage to the renovated historic theater.
This year’s concert was titled “A Spark of Christmas,” and Wright said that the title song was inspired by Breckenridge resident JB Sparks, who is the production coordinator for Friends of Historic Breckenridge, the local organization that owns the National Theatre. Wright has known Sparks for more than 30 years and said that the name Sparks inspired the holiday song.
Additionally, Wright played his song “Worlds of Love,” which he said he wrote for local couple Jim and Carol Copelin. In a coincidence, just before the concert’s intermission, Wright was asked to draw a name from the entries into a fundraising giveaway the theater held this Fall, and he drew Carol Copelin’s name from the bowl of entry forms. She won a vacation package to Branson, Missouri.
At one point in the concert’s first half, Wright explained to those in the theater that he travels with his little dog, Easton, who would join him on stage for the second half of the concert. During the first half, Easton was in the dressing room with Wright’s assistant. Although Wright said he turned on his Pandora music channel for Easton, the dog could still hear Wright playing on stage. If the audience listened carefully, in the quiet between songs, they could faintly hear Easton barking, back in the dressing room, eliciting some chuckles from the crowd, once they knew the story.
Debbie and Eric Brennan chat with pianist Danny Wright after his concert at the National Theatre of Breckenridge on Saturday, Dec. 16, while Easton, Wright’s dog, smiles for the camera. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
After the intermission, Wright brought Easton on stage with him, where the little dog in a pink and red checkered sweater sat happily on the piano bench. Wright said that Easton sits on the bench beside him every day as Wright practices the piano.
From Fort Worth, Wright has been playing the piano since he was 4 years old and started playing the theme from “Dr. Zhivago,” after listening to the album his parents bought. Once they heard their young son playing the family’s piano, Wright’s parents arranged for him to take piano lessons.
In his career, Wright has released 58 albums and is working on his 59th. Next Spring, he will perform at the Kentucky Derby’s 150th anniversary celebration, performing a song he wrote for the Kentucky Derby, “Keys to the Roses.”
Wright’s Breckenridge concert was the third in the National Theatre’s 2023-24 Performance Series. Next on the schedule will be the Jan. 13 Singer/Songwriter Swap, featuring Kyle Fambro, Jared McLane, Ransom Rhodes and Finis Smith. The final two concerts will be Jarrod Morris on March 8 and Brett Taylor & Friends on April 26. For more information, visit the Friends of Historic Breckenridge’s website.
Danny Wright and his dog, Easton, say good-night to the audience in the National Theatre of Breckenridge on Saturday night. Easton joined Wright on stage for the second half of the piano concert. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Pianist Danny Wright performed “A Spark of Christmas” concert in Breckenridge’s historic National Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 16. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Cutline, top photo: In his Breckenridge piano concert on Saturday night, Danny Wright included three songs inspired by Breckenridge and some of the local residents. He has released 58 albums in his career and is working on the 59th. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
