George’s musical journey began at age seven, and by twelve, he was playing drums in his junior high school jazz ensemble. Throughout high school, he continued honing his craft in local bands with friends. Upon graduating, George spent the next three decades performing with a variety of talented groups, while also earning his Master’s Degree in Music in 1983. 

With a performing career spanning over 30 years, I’ve had the good fortune of playing with three successful and dynamic bands. In the early 1970s, I toured the western country music circuit with Kate Bennet and Sleeping Under the Stars. That was followed by a decade-long tenure recording and performing with the Medicine Bow Quartet. I capped off my career with another 10 years of touring and recording three albums as a member of Pete Wernick and The Live Five.

Career highlights include performances at the Winter Park Jazz Festival and the Telluride Bluegrass and Jazz Festivals. A definitive standout was the Merle Watson Festival in North Carolina, where I performed with The Live Five and had the unforgettable honor of sitting in with Doc Watson.

In 1996, he transitioned from full-time performing to a rewarding 26-year career teaching music at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS). Since retiring from teaching in 2022, George enjoys spending time outdoors and continues to play music casually with his wife, Lynn Pulford.

George Weber Tribute
By Scout Engbring ‘16

It was early in my time at CRMS that I formed a very meaningful connection with George. I had never taken a proper music class before, and while I was excited to give it a try, I was also intimidated. Being at a new school, knowing practically nobody, and starting all new classes seemed a surprisingly daunting task in my mind at that point. It was, of course, a very pleasant surprise when I showed up to my first music class to find that George was actually nothing like J.K. Simmons in the movie Whiplash. Instead, he turned out to be one of the most positive and supportive figures in my life. He created an environment that was incredibly welcoming from day one. There was a culture of authenticity in his classes, and I think everyone felt as though they could be themselves, make mistakes, and grow together. Despite coming from distinctly different musical backgrounds, George accepted me for who I was, and gave me countless opportunities to express myself honestly. One of the biggest challenges with music in a classroom setting is that there must be a balance between making it fun, and taking it seriously enough to actually learn and improve. When I look back at my time in George’s class, it was his ability to walk that line between the two that I am most impressed by, and the most thankful for. It’s been 13 years since I walked into my first music class with George, but his patience, compassion, and his unwavering love for the craft are as clear in my mind as they were back then. It is because of those things that George served as a highly competent music teacher, a profoundly solid mentor, and a genuine lifelong friend.

Read more about George’s impact on Colorado Rock and Mountain School: https://www.crms.org/magazine/#crms-magazine-summer-2022/4/