(Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
All you need is love… and Chicago’s longest running and most popular Beatles show! Terri Hemmert, named “Chicago’s #1 Beatles Fan and foremost authority on the Fab Four.
Hall Of Fame 2010
Mother superior jumped the gun? Not exactly mother’s day material, but the fab 4 did have mothers on their minds. George and Ringo were very close to their Mums, and Paul and John losing their precious mothers at an early age affected them both deeply, and was one of the early connections they made in their friendship. So for all the Moms…from me to you. Happy Mother’s day. You are all precious.Watch Lots Of Video
ALS, Amyothotropic Lateral Scherosis, also known as Lou Gehirg’s disease, is a terrible disease that takes away a person’s ability to move, speak, swallow and breathe. It eventually takes their life. If you’ve ever known and loved someone with ALS you know how horrible it is. It is a death sentence. People only live three to five years after the diagnosis. There is no cure….yet. This is where you come in. The Les Turner ALS Foundation is a local group that works to provide a variety of services for people and families dealing with this disease. They also raise funds to support research to develop new treatments and hopefully someday a cure. Read More, Watch Video
Copyright © Columbia College Chicago
Doctor Mavis Staples [Photos]Yesterday, my dream came true. I have been an instructor at Columbia College Chicago for over 30 years. The college of rock and roll knowledge. For the past few years I’ve been begging everyone with a title I’ve met to see if they could help me get an honorary doctorate degree for Mavis Staples. Finally I met Michelle Passarelli from Alumni Relations and she connected me with Mark Kelly, Vice President of Student Affairs, and on Sunday at the Chicago Theatre it happened. And I got to do the honors of introducing Mavis. Mavis spoke to the graduates and led us all in a rousing version of I’ll Take You There. No one in that theatre will ever forget that magical moment. Congratulations to Dr. Staples and all of the graduates! Mavis and I were impressed by some of the shoes the grads wore, but as they filed by with their diplomas, Mavis and I were moved by each individual that walked by. All these young men and women who had worked so hard to get these degrees, going off to begin their careers and adult life. Mavis made a difference. Now it’s the class of 2012′s turn. Get busy and good luck.
Here’s my introduction for Dr. Staples (love the sound of that…Dr. Staples!)Read More From Terri Hemmert
(Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
All you need is love… and Chicago’s longest running and most popular Beatles show! Terri Hemmert, named “Chicago’s #1 Beatles Fan and foremost authority on the Fab Four.
Last call for fun. Here’s another one to print and pack.
Sunday at the Acura Stage will feature Galactic, and fantastic New Orleans band that combines lots of New Orleans influences and makes it all sound brand new. A couple of the guys will be interviewed at 4:00 in the grandstand. They play at 1:25, followed at 3:10 by The Foo Fighters. And if you plan to camp out there all day, good call because the Neville Brothers wrap up the fest 2012 at 5:45. One of the things I love about the fest is that it ends at 7:00. That gives you time for a quick power nap and shower before you find a fantastic meal and maybe more music at a club. It breaks up the mob before dark, and spreads it out all over the city. Read More & Watch Video
If you’re at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest this Saturday, you may want to invest in a jet pack so you can get around the fairgrounds to see everything you want to. But you could use that technology any day of the fest because there is so much to choose from. That’s some problem…too much great music…too little time.
I don’t spend a lot of time at the Acura Stage. That’s usually packed for the big name, mainstream acts, and I tend to avoid people that I can see in Chicago. People that love The Boss said standing in that sea of humanity to see Bruce last week was worth it. I guess if Sir Paul ever played the fest…. But the advantage of a big draw at Acura is that it alleviates space problems in other tents and stages. That’s going to happen Saturday because the Eagles are headlining at 5:00. If you’re an Eagles fan, you have to be there. If not, you’ll be glad for the smaller crowds in the Gospel Tent. Eagles fan or not, you should be there at 3:10 to see the soul queen of New Orleans…Irma Thomas. I have seen her a million times here, there, and other states of the union. She is simply the best when it comes to soul music. Great band. Her voice and interpretation are as good as it gets. DO NOT MISS IRMA. You’ll thank me for yelling. And before Irma at 1:35 is Allen Toussaint. He is always amazing. A walking history book of New Orleans R&B. One of the original songwriters and producers of the genre, he always puts on a great set. Back to back top quality New Orleans artists. You don’t want to miss them. Trust me.more
OMG. I need a book to tell you how much fun I had in NOLA last weekend and relate all my stories. You can do a lot of livin’ in a weekend. But I need a nap, so let me share a few recommendations for those of you going down this weekend. Today we’ll look at Friday’s lineup.
Acura Stage is a big hole in the ground after accommodating a gazillion Bruce Springstein fans last Sunday. But the one I’d check out Friday is long, tall Marcia Ball. You may have seen here in Chicago, but this wonderful Texas singer and pianist has a lot of friends in New Orleans, so you never know who’ll join her. She’s always a good time. 1:55. more
(Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
All you need is love… and Chicago’s longest running and most popular Beatles show! Terri Hemmert, named “Chicago’s #1 Beatles Fan and foremost authority on the Fab Four.
I’m not only a fan of the man and his music, but I had the honor of interacting with him and his mates in a very significant way.
It was 1983, and the Peace Museum here in Chicago was about to present the largest exhibit of it’s history, Give Peace A Chance. As you can guess by the title, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were going to be well represented in this exhibit on folk and rock music and the peace movement. So the museum staff contacted this Beatle fan about helping to curate the exhibit.
Of course I enjoyed working on the John and Yoko items. Yoko was very generous. I also lent the museum my certificate for the tree planted in my sister Joni’s memory at the John Lennon Peace Forrest in Israel. Solicited pictures of XRT listeners for the Imagine room.
Here’s what I’ll be doing on my Birthday (!!!), and if you’re in NOLA this weekend, here’s where we can hook up. In other words, my recommendations for Saturday at the Fest.
The Acura Stage will be a good place to hang at 3:15 for Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars featuring Tab Benoit, Dr. John, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, and others. Tab got this band together in 2004 to raise awareness and education about the Wetlands. It’s a major environmental issue in New Orleans. The wetlands are disappearing every day, and it’s one of nature’s buffers of the storm winds that hit the city. It was discussed a lot, along with the failed levees, when Katrina devastated the city. They are playing for a good cause, and what a line up! They are followed at 5:10 by Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers. Tom’s a Florida guy, so it’s almost a home game. Plus he got his stolen guitars back so he’s in a great mood. Read More & Watch Video
Time for that magical mystery tour to the Crescent City to eat, drink and hear amazing music. Lots of Chicagoans go, so if you see me, don’t be shy. We’re there to have a great time together!!! Here are Friday’s fest recommendations from your humble D.J. Print and pack.
The Acura Stage will feature the Beach Boys 50th Anniversary tour as their headliner at 5:30. To get you into that golden top 40 mood, don’t miss The Classic New Orleans Review with three guys who put out 45′s that made it into my high school record collection. I’ve seen them all in concert and they do a great job putting you in a New Orleans Mood. Frankie Ford will take you on a Sea Cruise, Al Johnson will give the day a Carnival Time feel, and Robert Parker will have everyone Barefootin’. Really. I mean it. People will shake of their sandals and dance barefoot like there’s no tomorrow. What fun.
Paul McCartney is living a marvelous life, and he doesn’t take it for granted for a minute. He’s been involved in his ever present past by working on the Beatles Anthology and the Beatles Love show in Las Vegas. He’s supported the remaster series, Let It Be Naked and the Beatles Rock Band game. And to cover the history of his solo career, he has been releasing some marvelous remasters of McCartney, McCartney II and Band On the Run, with extra cuts, videos, and in some cases, beautiful photo books capturing the period of the album. The next LP to get this treatment will be Ram. The critics trashed it in 1971, but we fans loved it, and decades later it has loomed larger in his legend. It will be released in the USA May 22nd. The deluxe edition box set will include a book (these are beautiful, by the way), four CD’s and a DVD with documentary material. It will include the Mono remastered album, the complete Thrillington album (Paul’s instrumental versions of every track), and other jems. Ram will also be released on vinyl. This should build the anticipation….Read More, Watch Video
