Vintage Commercial of Grand Junction’s Lost Amusement Park
I sure do miss this place. Not that long ago, you could take the family to enjoy all sorts of fascinating rides and games, and never have to leave Grand Junction. Not only did this amusement park feature awesome rides, it also produced one incredibly good commercial jingle.
If you lived in Grand Junction of yesteryear, then you can very well remember a time when 29 Road and North Avenue was to Hell and gone. That was not just the boonies, it was the North 40 just past the boonies.
In the good ol' days, specifically the 1970s, 80s, and part of the 90s, the acreage now occupied by a Del Taco and a liquor store was the home of the best amusement park in the world, Guyton's Fun Junction.
If you had the chance to visit Guyton's Fun Junction, you probably noticed music comparable to that in the commercial could be heard playing over the loudspeakers. The park featured music from past years, specifically Joplinesque Ragtime and cool Jazz.
Check out the commercial above, and you'll no doubt agree the spot features a wicked jingle. How did a small, family-owned local business come up with such an awesome commercial? It may have something to do with the proprietor. Maebeth Guyton was a world class musician in anyone's book.
After graduating college, Maebeth did graduate work at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. She also performed graduate work at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. From there, she went on to become a vocal music teacher for the public school districts. Ultimately, she made her way to Mesa College, staying on board long enough to see it become Mesa State College.
You may be asking, "Did Maebeth write and sing the jingle to the commercial for Guyton's Fun Junction?" The answer is no.
The jingle was recorded at Thunder Productions at 29th and North Avenue in Grand Junction. The jingle was written by Gary R. Smith, and arranged by local composer/arranger Dennis Woodrich. The musicians included local talents Martin Ellrick on trombone, Cherie Slogar on drums, Dennis Woodrich on bass, Walt Smith on piano, Dan Southard on trumpet, and the late Paul Schneider on clarinet. Vocals were provided by Jerri Nadine.
Please take a look at the video. No doubt you'll agree the jingle is pretty catchy. As a matter of fact, it was simply perfect for the time and location. It's hard to imagine a better commercial for this Western Colorado landmark.