Swamp boys gonna do swamp things, even when you take ‘em to a city one thousand miles from home and a mile in the sky. So it goes with Rootbeer Richie, born in the bayou then uprooted to the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Backed by the Reveille, six of the hardest hitters in Denver’s diamond-in-the-rough music scene, they form the most soulful rhythm & blues band this side of the Mississippi. Inspired by but never derivative of legends like Fats Domino, Ray Charles, and Sam Cooke, Rootbeer Richie & the Reveille pull from a variety of influences to create their long, tall drink of soul-infused swamp pop. On stage, the band has quickly gained a reputation as one of the most life-affirming live acts in Denver. “The point of the music is to help you feel whatever it is you need to feel,” says Rootbeer. Those who’ve been converted, though, know he’s being modest. After just one spiritual awakening at a Reveille live show, it’s damn near impossible to feel anything other than the unbridled joy of being alive.