Ask local vocal Chris Daniels how he’s doing three years after his bone marrow transplant, and he channels legendary soul singer James Brown: “I feel good,” Daniels told me last week during an interview before his Nov. 8 induction into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.

“Do you ever say cured? No, but I say that’s OK,” Daniels adds.

Daniels was diagnosed with a fierce form of leukemia in 2010. After receiving a “perfect match” bone marrow transplant from his sister, Jane Moffett, he set his sights on getting back on stage to perform with The Kings, his band of nearly 30 years.

Daniels, along with other Colorado musicians — legendary folk singer Judy Collins, the Serendipity Singers and Bob Lind — was inducted during a concert at the Paramount Theatre.

“Judy was a hero to me and a lot of other musicians because she was not as operatic a singer as Joan (Baez),” Daniels said about his famous fellow inductee. “She had soul and grit in her beautiful voice and she was a great guitar and piano player. My mother’s favorite song was Judy’s version of `Both Sides Now’ by Joni Mitchell. It’s an amazing honor to go into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame with her.”

In between writing music and performing, Daniels teaches music business at the University of Colorado-Denver as an assistant professor for the College of Arts and Media.

“I really wanted to get back into teaching,” Daniels said about his post-transplant days. “It really refocused me. I was grading papers and working with substitute teachers when I was in the hospital. One time I was doing lectures by Skype. (The students) are 19- or 20-year-old wise apples ... I really have great hope and enthusiasm for this generation coming out.”

For the kidneys

Through Nov. 17, DaVita, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. and a leading provider of kidney care services, partners with three Denver-area restaurants to build awareness for kidney disease with kidney-friendly and diabetes-friendly menus in honor of November as National Diabetes Awareness Month. Each restaurant will offer at least one appetizer, entrée and dessert that are kidney- or diabetes-friendly.

Participating restaurants for dinner service are: Table 6, 609 Corona St., (www.table6denver.com); beast + bottle, 719 E. 17th Ave., (www.beastandbottle.com) and YaYa’s Euro Bistro, 8310 E. Belleview Ave., Greenwood Village, (www.yayasdenver.com).

Denver-area residents can assess their risk at www.davita.com/kidneyaware.

Overheard

Eavesdropping on a man to a woman playing cards at an adult day care center in south Denver: “She beats me all the time. Even when I cheat, she beats me.”

Penny Parker’s “Mile High Life” column gives insights into the best events, restaurants, businesses, parties and people throughout the metro area. Parker also writes for Blacktie-Colorado.com. You can subscribe and read her columns (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at www.pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com. She can be reached at penny@blacktie-llc.com or at 303-619-5209.