Light spills through the balcony doors of Archipelago’s idyllic attic, bathing Orange Peel in a warm golden glow that complements his fuzzy, fluorescent-orange jumpsuit and Orange Crush beanie. He places an orange net bag cradling several ripened navel and blood oranges on the floor, waves to a few friends and settles into his chair, perfectly at home in the cavernous space.
Peel, who is also known by his musical moniker Orange Peel Moses, asked to meet at Archipelago, a social health club, for a reason. He first learned of music’s health benefits at a 2021 Music as Medicine workshop guided by Touch Copple and held at the historic mansion. Since then, that knowledge has grown into a philosophy that shapes how he views his health, his happiness and his career as a singing telegram.
READ STORY
Styling: Shannon Ryan
Image: Ryan Fila
“Orange Peel is a professional singing ‘telegram’ who is hired to go to locations and sing songs for unsuspecting people, usually for things like Valentine’s Day or birthdays. Upon learning that I wrote for the Westword, he informed me of the time that he came into our offices and serenaded two pregnant employees with ‘Push It’ by Salt N Pepa; the only appropriate song to sing in this situation.”
READ FULL STORY
Over the past fifteen years, George Peele, who goes by Orange peel moses, has delivered over 3,000 singing telegrams.
Valentine’s Day’s usually the biggest day of the year for his business, but he’s also performed for a guy getting a vasectomy and a person celebrating the last day of chemo; anniversaries, proposals and going-away parties also keep him employed.
READ STORY
Custom Singing Telegrams gives a multitude of costume options for its messengers, including a naughty nurse, Harry Potter, Jesus, a unicorn, “Cock Rocker,” “Crosstitute,” a vampire and more. The gorilla in a tutu is the most popular costume request, but Hammerberg says David Bowie is his favorite costume. Or, rather, it used to be. Image courtesy Mark Cafiero.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Artopia 2015 brought together some of Denver's top fashion designers and artists at City Hall in a celebration of all things creative in the Mile High City. Orange peel's boutique talent agency Citric Acid curated Alice in Wonderland-themed entertainment for the WhiteOut fashion show. Then Peel performed the opening number "Dress Up" and co-emceed with Brandi Shigley of Fashion Denver. Image courtesy D.J. Dierker.
WATCH THE RECAP VIDEO HERE
If there's a technique to conquering this formidable evening, it's to carefully plot out a schedule of acts you want to see, then after making it to the first one or two, forget the list exists and simply abandon yourself to the universe. There will be surprises along the way: You never know when you're going to need to pause for a photo opportunity with a unicorn on stilts.
...READ MORE
