Curt Frederick Setzer II was born on Christmas Day 1947 in Sacramento, California, the son of Cal and JoAnn Setzer with older sister Cinders and younger brother Jeff. Curt enjoyed an idyllic childhood of ranches and beaches and mountains, skiing near Lake Tahoe. Before he had graduated from high school, Curt had found his love of music. He leaves a scrap of paper with the autographs of both Joan Baez and Janis Joplin. When asked to sign her name, Joplin said, “I’ll tell you something about Joan Baez you don’t know” and wrote “Joan Baez loves Janis Joplin.”
A misunderstanding with his mother brought Curt to Salt Lake. Hoping to get him away from bad influences in California, his mother asked him where he’d like to go to school. ”Any place but Utah,” he said, having driven through the state going to Colorado with friends. “Only Utah will do,” she understood.
Once in Utah, however, Curt soon became a star of the local anti-war, hippy, counterculture scene. And of course there was the music. He was part owner of alternative Round Records in the community of Ninth and Ninth. He played anything from guitar to piano to saxophone to the Turkish cümbüş in many bands including The Nameless Uncarved Block and Lucky Thinks, but especially The Jordan River Uptown Band, a weekend regular at the Pub in Trolley Square, with his signature bright red afro and beard. He played Persian music, DJ’d a late-night show on KRCL, and brought Sun Ra and his Arkestra to perform, of all places, on the UofU campus.
Curt and Ann Chamberlin met Irish dancing in the old Sherman School in East Millcreek and were married on September 14, 1978. They have two sons, Eliot in Elko, Nevada and Harris in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Harris is married to Serena Y. Li-Setzer, and they presented Curt with a precocious granddaughter Evelyn.
Curt was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1976. He loved to watch the B-cowboy movies and Turner Classics from his bed, and would take a keen interest in the fact that actress and fellow MS sufferer Teri Garr died just a matter of hours before him. “It must mean something.”
Curt died October 30, 2024 in Murray, Utah listening to Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, Django Reinhardt, the Boswell Sisters, Bach and Irish folk. Heartfelt thanks go out to the long-suffering staff in the Monument Health Center, Amanda with hospice, friends Reverend Willis, Rod, Fran, and Diane.
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Guestbook/Condolences
Curt was my philosophical lodestar in the early days of our musical pursuits. Always pleasant, always ready to see the best in people. Truly a kind and gentle soul.
Curt I always loved talking with you, you had the best attitude. I regret our families weren’t closer and spent more time together. Lucky for me I started calling you and Cinders in the last five years. Wonderful talking with both you and Cinders.. I was thinking of calling you the day Jeff called me with the news that you moved on. I hope you and Cinders are reunited. Take care Cuz, RIP…I’ll miss you…..
Curt was a gentle soul. We will all miss Curt.
Curt was a mentor in my college years in both literature and music. Curt had a knack for matching a person's temperament with what he had to share. Sometimes, I felt he knew me better than I did.
Curt taught me everything l know about music . I have albums large very large collection of vinyl , heavily influenced by Curt , my cousin . So sorry to see him go even if l’m a year late . Peter of Carson City Nevada