Haxtun resident Jim LaJudes finds Open Mic to showcase talent

Jim LaJudes' life on the High Plains of Colorado, where his is surrounded by prairie grass and farm ground, could be likened to his being "a fish out of water." In Jim's case, however, he is a surfer without an ocean and a musician with limited venues.

Still, Jim says he loves the small town of Haxtun where he and his wife Janene now live. And, although he may find surfing a difficult sport to participate in without an ocean, he always brings his music with him.

Jim's music comes through a harmonica, the playing of which he admits is a "lost art." It requires a certain amount of commitment to...