Colorado State University President Amy Parsons is no stranger to music on campus, but going live on-air on CSU’s student-run radio station, 90.5 KCSU, is a first for the presidential bucket list.

On Wednesday, March 6th, Parsons sat down with KCSU DJs Erin Fuller and Riley Hilbert to talk about her mission to bring live music back to CSU and take a nostalgia trip into her favorite campus classics.

Visitors to CSU President Amy Parsons’ office can frequently hear the echoes of her spinning vinyl from her record collection, including modern artists like Jon Batiste and Leon Bridges and classics like Amy Winehouse and Fleetwood Mac.

Music has been an instrumental part of Parsons’ life since childhood and remains a staple pastime when she’s not busy leading the CSU administration. She credits much of her music taste to her family and friends’ influence. “My older brother bought me a subscription to Rolling Stone Magazine, and I still have it today,” Parsons said.

Amy Parsons was instrumental in bringing music back to the CSU campus in a big way– her administration officially revived the CSU fall concert tradition with Connecticut-borne jam band Goose in October 2023.

In the 1970s, CSU regularly hosted world-class acts at the old Hughes Stadium, including Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. Parsons recounted one of the most outlandish stunts in which Mick Jagger dropped on stage from a helicopter.

Unfortunately, these live events stopped after noise and nuisance complaints by Fort Collins residents became too overwhelming.

This April 20th, Grammy-nominated DJ Steve Aoki will perform at Moby Arena after the CSU spring football game.

To hear more highlights from Parsons’ interview, check out the full broadcast from March 6th-20th on the KCSU app or listen to our KCSU podcast episode above this article.

On records in her office:
“Bad Bad News” – Leon Bridges
“Back to Black” – Amy Winehouse
“Freedom” – Jon Batiste
“Tears Dry on Their Own” – Amy Winehouse
“I Need You” – Jon Batiste
“The Chain” – Fleetwood Mac

Songs she listened to in college:
“Blaze of Glory” – Jon Bon Jovi
“Praying for Time” – George Michael
“(Everything I Do) I Do it for You” – Bryan Adams
“I’ll Be Missing You” – Puff Daddy and Faith Evans
“Gettin’ Jiggy With It” – Will Smith
“No Scrubs” – TLC