We had the good fortune of connecting with Josh Winters and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Josh, what makes you happy? Why?
Traveling, enjoying delicious food, and having a drink with my wife while we discuss the events of the day and share ideas about the state of the world. The older I get the more I have found I have to be intentional with my appreciation of experiences. Every day goes by faster than the last. If we’re not careful to take the time to enjoy the good moments we’ll miss them all.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I found a broken old acoustic that belonged to my Dad when I was probably 15 at the house where he grew up in Bertrand, MO. It only had five strings and wouldn’t stay in tune, but that was the start of a long but sporadic love of making music. I’ve played in bands some over the years, but only ever as a hobby. During the pandemic my wife, Lia, encouraged me to pick up the acoustic guitar she bought me and try crafting some actual songs. She gave me the name “Gloom” because of my love of somber music, and I’ve been performing at open mics and a few shows around town for the last couple years under that name.

The biggest hurdle by far is trying to maintain interest and inspiration to create. Life is always ready to get in the way, and between that and my tendency towards self-doubt it can be difficult to stay motivated to write and perform music. There isn’t a huge market for my brand of sad music, and I have modest aspirations anyway, but I’d love to get and stay in the habit of writing and performing around town for the foreseeable future. Probably the greatest thing I could hope for is if the music I put out into the world manages to inspire someone else to pursue their own creative endeavor.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Denver is easy to love, but probably my favorite part of the city is the ease with which you escape and get lost in nature. A hike in Golden Gate Canyon State Park followed by dinner and drinks at one of the many great restaurants around town (La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal is getting a lot of good press lately). We’d definitely spend an afternoon enjoying City Park, and get some dinner and drinks on nearby Colfax. Since it’s Fall we’d have to do a haunted Denver walking tour which includes a walk through Cheeseman Park and tales of it’s fascinating and spooky history.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife, Lia Winters. She is easily the number one reason I have spent the last (nearly) ten years trying every day to be better than I was the day before. Professionally, musically, and morally she is my compass and the engine behind my motivation to be the best human I can be.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jwgloom/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-winters-3607285/

Other: Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/joshua-winters-749804074

Image Credits
Image of me taken by Andy Piper

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