“Before the band Colors, there were three guys who loved to write and perform music,” said Ryan Merrill of Colors. “Colors was the name we took on when we were destined for stardom. ... The whole ‘break up/get back together’ thing sounds like a bad relationship. It has never been like that.”
Unlike some bands that get together and break up, the music of Colors simply evolves as their lives change.
Colors recently released a brand new CD, “Beautiful Motion.”
“The new collection of songs is a reflection of our new course,” Merrill said.
The journey that led to their new course has taken them down many exciting roads. It all started at Davis High School in 1992 when Merrill, Russ Dixon and Brian Tibbets met in concert choir and became good friends.
“During our junior year, Ryan came to Brian and I with lyrics to a poem he had written," Dixon said. "Brian and I put the few chords we knew at the time to his lyric not knowing that it would become our first song, ‘Rain.’”
They named their group Colors after a band Dixon’s mother used to sing in back in the ’70s (Colours).
They recorded their first CD in 10 hours, printed 500 copies, booked the local Kaysville movie theater for two release concerts, and soon sold all 500 CDs.
After graduating from high school, they performed often at Utah State University and Especially For Youth events and recorded their second album, “Standing in the Sun.”
In 1996, Dixon, Merrill and Tibbets left the stage to serve full-time Mormon missions. They kept in touch with each other on their missions through letters.
“When we returned, we got right back to it," Dixon said. "I remember getting off the plane and Ryan standing there to greet me. He said, ‘We've got a gig at SUU this weekend bro, so we better get rehearsing!’”
They toured college campuses all over the West Coast and recorded their third album, “Falling In.” In 2000, they released their fourth album, “Outside the Lines.” The following year, they received five Pearl Awards, including performing group of the year and album of the year.
“After selling just over 100,000 albums and sailing on what was, at the time, the ride of our lives, we decided to put a bow on the Colors memories in 2004," Dixon said. "We played a final concert for 7,000 fans at the McKay Events Center in Orem, Utah."
All three went on to pursue separate careers and raise families. But in spite of busy schedules, they’ve maintained their friendships and still put on yearly reunion shows. This year, in conjunction with their reunion concert at the Sandy Amphitheater, they released their fifth album, “Beautiful Motion.”
What’s the biggest lesson learned from this journey?
“Life is good and good music makes it better,” Tibbets said.
Their journey together has significantly changed — from high school friends to performing group of the year to running their own companies, raising their families and performing on the side. Even with all the changes life has brought, their love for music keeps them and their fans coming back for more.
To listen to their new CD, visit their website.