Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-09-17
David Lawrence & the Spoonful will release “Song for Bonnie” on October 9, bringing together acclaimed Colorado roots musicians to honor the late Bonnie Lea Culpepper while supporting music education for young people.
The tribute single features musicians connected to Yonder Mountain String Band, Rapidgrass, The Blind Pigs, Heavy Diamond Ring and Dollhouse Thieves. The song will help raise awareness of the Bonnie Lea Culpepper Music Scholarship, established by Coletrain Music Academy in collaboration with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chaffee County.
Culpepper was a musician, music educator and first responder who died in a car accident in October 2023. Her musical and personal impact remained with Lawrence, who previously performed with her in the Colorado roots band The Blind Pigs.
“‘Bonnie’s gone, David,’ my bandmate Coleman told me through muffled tears. ‘We are still trying to figure out what happened,’” Lawrence recalls. “I collapsed on the sidewalk in front of my house. I remember the texture of the pavement, the hot tears streaming down my face and the feeling of utter devastation. It was October 17, 2023. Bonnie Culpepper, an incredible musician, life-saving EMT and music educator, was gone.”
“Years have passed, but her impact is still woven into my music,” he continues. “In tribute to Bonnie, I wrote a song that reminds me of late-night gigs with our band The Blind Pigs, singing songs on dark sidewalks at 2 a.m. I’m left screaming into the void, wondering how a star so bright could simply leave us.”
The closing section of “Song for Bonnie” offers an instrumental homage to Culpepper’s final composition, “Yesterday’s Fire.” Twirling mandolin and fiddle lines eventually solidify into a four-part harmony repeating the song’s main melodic motif before ending musically and emotionally unresolved.
The track was recorded with Colorado producer Mark Anderson, whose credits include Paper Bird, Nathaniel Rateliff, Big Richard and Heavy Diamond Ring, at his ranch home in Evergreen.
The session reunited members of The Blind Pigs, including Coleman Smith of Yonder Mountain String Band, Alex Johnstone of Rapidgrass and Gary Sloan. They were joined by members of Lawrence’s current project, David Lawrence & the Spoonful, including Mike Lang of Heavy Diamond Ring and Niki Tredinnick of Dollhouse Thieves.
The Bonnie Lea Culpepper Music Scholarship was created on behalf of Culpepper’s family to honor her work as a singer-songwriter, first responder and music educator. The program provides eligible young musicians with free tuition, instruments and a customized music curriculum.
“We are hoping that this song can help bring awareness to the music scholarship,” Lawrence says.
“Song for Bonnie” will be released October 9, 2026.
Learn more about or donate to the Bonnie Lea Culpepper Music Scholarship
