In the rugged high country of Durango, Colorado, singer-songwriter Thom Chacon moves between two rhythms: the quiet pull of a fly line over water and the steady strum of his guitar. Both have become storytelling tools—one reflecting the pace of nature, the other the pulse of human experience.
Born in Chula Vista, California, near the border with Tijuana, Chacon grew up surrounded by voices that shaped him. His father was a newsman, his mother a teacher, and he was one of six siblings in a household rich with stories. “At three years old, I heard Glen Campbell’s ‘Rhinestone Cowboy’ on the radio,” Chacon recalls. “I learned every word. That was my gateway.”
Later, in the Sacramento Valley, he picked up a guitar and started writing. “A friend taught me ‘Wish You Were Here’ in high school theater class, and something just clicked,” he says. Influenced by the lyrical honesty of Neil Diamond, Springsteen, John Prine, and Lucinda Williams, Chacon developed a sound rooted in Americana grit and poetic storytelling.
But songwriting isn’t his only calling. Chacon is also a fly-fishing guide on the legendary San Juan River in northern New Mexico, where ancient mesas tower overhead and every ripple of water seems to whisper something sacred. “You spend enough time around 70-million-year-old rock formations, and you start to think a little differently,” he says. “It gives you perspective. It shows you what’s worth writing about.”
Closer to home in Durango, Chacon finds peace on the Animas River, where he’s floated for years. One of his songs, “Easy Heart,” was inspired by time spent drifting through its bends. “That song came from many moments of stillness,” he says. “Just me, the river, and that deep breath that nature invites.”
Though Chacon doesn’t write much on the water—“I’m either focused on the fish or trying not to fall off a horse,” he laughs—the outdoors permeates his music. He used to pack a guitar on mule-supported overnights, serenading clients around campfires beneath open skies.
His music occasionally crosses into his other creative frontier—film and television. He’s written original songs and acted in projects like The Outlaws (Apple TV) and Wild West Chronicles (Amazon Prime). “It’s all storytelling,” Chacon says. “Just a different lens.”
He’s now developing a docuseries that blends fly-fishing and music—a natural fusion of his two worlds. And Chacon shows no signs of slowing down, with another album and a European tour planned for 2026.
Whether he’s on the San Juan, the Animas, or in his home studio, Thom Chacon remains a guide—through rivers, stories, and songs that echo long after the line settles.
Thom’s River Kit: Tales, Trout, & Twang
Want to fish like a singer-songwriter? Or at least look good doing it? Here’s what Durango’s own musical guide brings along when he hits the water:
A Beater Guitar
Yep, he used to strap it to a mule. These days, it might live in the truck, but the campfire still gets a tune or two when the fish stop biting.
Hat with a Story
Worn, dusty, and probably older than some of his clients. It’s less “gear” and more “personality,” but no day on the San Juan or Animas is complete without it.
Pocket Notebook
Not always used, but always there. Lyrics sneak in when he’s not looking. “Sometimes a trout gives me a line,” he jokes.
River Wisdom
“Keep it simple. With fish and with songs. If you try too hard, you spook ’em.”
Explore more:
Stream: Thom Chacon on Spotify and Apple Music
Watch: Wild West Chronicles (Amazon Prime), The Outlaws (Apple TV)
Follow: @ThomChacon on Instagram and Facebook
“I move between two rhythms: the pull of a fly line and the strum of a guitar.”
*Want to connect with your own creative current? Try spending an afternoon near water. Studies show proximity to rivers or lakes improves focus, mood, and imagination.