Hey Bill, Did you say musical instruments? Do the Letterheads have a jam session? What kind of music are we talking about? I'm a keyboard player and would love to jam. Will their be power available or is this a "acoustic guitars only" type of thing? In St. Louis I fill in for the keyboardist for the "Smashband" when he needs a break. They play alot of classic rock, party music, etc.
And don't say you will be playing both kinds of music... Country AND Western!! Ha! If you really want to do the band thing, let me know and I'll bring my keyboard rig. Sounds like fun.
Sign-cerely, Steve
Posted by Bill Diaz (Member # 2549) on :
Hey, Steve, the city has a bunch of music lined up -- I'm told on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I'm going to see if Jane can get a list of the entertainment. But if you want to do some jammin', I'm sure we can see about that too.
I would like to myself, but I'm sure I will be a slave during the event, just as a was the other times I hosted a bigger event. The downtown area might be too loud with constant entertainment.
If there are any dogs wanting to jam, let it be known now so we can figure on electricity and what have you. A bunch of us have jammed before down at the Dixie Letterheads and also the Atlanta, IL walldog extravaganza.
Last year we gathered at Carole Bersin's home and listened to Bob Parsons and Steve Lane play acoustic whilst we provided enthusiasm. We could do something like that too as we gather at night. Pontiac has reserved an alley parking lot near the Rt 66 mural for us dogs to bond at night. So that would be a good place for that as well as maybe some "Letterhead Squares" hosted by none other than Dan Kearfott provided we don't get drowned out by the other music.
Jane .............
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
The press release says: Thurs. Evening: "Route 66" with Vermillion Players. This is our local theater group who has a play they perform based on the Rt. 66 theme. Fri. evening: The city band performed EVERY friday night in the warm month on the downtown square. It IS a slice of Americana with the Sousa marches and they really DO have some very accomplished musicians. They are first and then "Coffee House with Dave Rudolph" http://www.daverudolf.com/ and "Libido Funk Circus" http://www.lfcentertainment.com/index.html Saturday: There will be music all day I believe. There will also be Heritage Days which is kind of old time crafts like blacksmithing, weaving, chair-caning and quilting, etc. all around the square. There are TWO car shows combining together so there should be some great eye candy if you like old cars! Jack Lindenberger should be hosting the pinstripers in their booth at the car show if any of you want to bring your striping brushes and jump in there for a bit. The music on Saturday: Chuck Drager, a "vocal impersonator" http://www.chuckdrager.com/ 20 Flight Rocket, Orchestra do Samba, Easy Money http://www.easymoneyband.com/ and Green Thirteen (who are playing the next night at the Taste of Chicago). http://www.greenthirteenmusic.com/ It looks to be some DIVERSE music and something for everyone. Sunday: the Heritage days will still be going on and the Dance Center Dancers (local dance studio) and the local churches choruses and bands. Our tourism directors and Main Street organization have been working VERY hard to line all this up AND trying to include locals and some big name (in our area) groups! You can't please everyone, but I think there is going to be lots to see and do.
[ April 07, 2009, 12:53 PM: Message edited by: Jane Diaz ]
Posted by John Byrd (Member # 825) on :
I hope I can find a way to get there. The state is full of wonderful people.
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
THAT would be awesome John! Bring that gE-tar!!
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
if I can make it, I'd love to jam on some drums if a Letterhead jam band idea comes together!
Posted by Don Hulsey (Member # 128) on :
I can't play any kind of musical instrument, and those that have heard me try, know that I CAN NOT SING, but I am REAL GOOD at listening to music.
I hope all of you come, and bring your instruments, and make music so's I can listen all night long.
Posted by Bill Diaz (Member # 2549) on :
I've jammed with Doug Allan and am hear to tell you -- he can play those drums. We may have to get a trap set ready for him.
Posted by Steve Shortreed (Member # 436) on :
If we can pull this off, I'd love to do some live jamming. Will I need the Strat or an accoustic? BTW...I play anything made before the Beatles broke up.
Last time I came down to visit the Diaz and Draper Clan, some SOB made off with my prized Martin. Serves me right for leaving it in the van at the hotel parking lot.
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
Maybe you should tell them Steve, that you weren't in PONTIAC when your guitar was stolen. Most days when we go to work, we don't even lock our doors at home. We don't want anyone to think this town is "dangerous"!
Posted by Steve Luck (Member # 5292) on :
IF Doug can make it from Hawaii, I'll make sure he has a drum set to play. My son has a white marine pearl Tama 5 piece set that will fit in my van with my keyboards. (Stow-n-Go seats!)
All the real fancy mid-life Chryslers have them! Hey maybe we can play "Signs" by 5 Man Electrical Band. That song was before the Beatles broke up!
Sign-cerely, Steve
Posted by Sonny Franks (Member # 588) on :
That's all the incentive Doug needs to make it to Pontiac - and if we can talk Bill into picking up a guitar with Steve, we get a package deal with Jane on vocals. I think we got a BAND.......
don't forget to bring the Kona coffee Doug......
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
wow... just checked back to see this thread... I know I need to get my sales numbers up here at the shop... but if the cosmos will let me do that, I do need to see my mom again pretty soon, & she's around Chicago, so I am quite serious about trying to make this meet!
Posted by Steve Shortreed (Member # 436) on :
I'm sorry Jane. I never even thought of that when I mentioned the guitar.
We were actually staying at a Motel just off the Highway several miles South. I've always considered it my own fault for leaving it in the camper. You should always be cautious when parking anywhere next to a major highway. Freeway Motel and Truck Stop parking lots are especially popular with Highway Bandits.
Let me take this opportunity to urge everyone to get off the fence and attend this meet. There's all sorts of older Letterheads from the 70's & 80's that have not been seen in years. Us youngsters need to meet you and hear your stories.
There are also several Letterheads here in Letterville that have never attended a live meet. That's like a Kamakazie pilot with 50 missions! You will never really get a handle on this Letterhead thing until you attend a live meet! It's time we meet in person. Posted by Steve Luck (Member # 5292) on :
Music and art go together. That's probably why Dale plays his boombox while he paints. I think it has something to do with our creative side even if we don't play an istrument, we still enjoy music a little more than others.
I still get a rush playing music as much as designing a logo or sign and having the customer excited about how it turned out.
Maybe we can squeeze another mural in at Pontiac as a salute to music from Illinois: REO Speedwagon, Chicago, Styx, Richard Marx,....I know there is more... Help someone....
Sign-cerely, Steve.. drawing a blank
Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
My friend and I are bringing a harp. Posted by Brent Logan (Member # 6587) on :
Music from Illinois? How about Chess Records. Muddy Waters, Willie Mabon, Little Walter, J.B. Lenoir, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, etc., etc, etc.
Posted by Bill Diaz (Member # 2549) on :
Other Illinois musicians = Miles Davis, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, Son Seals, Koko Taylor, Benny Goodman, Herbie Hancock, Bo Diddley, Alison Krauss, Suzy Boguss, Gretshen Wilson, John Prine, Steve Goodman, the Cryan Shames, the Buckinghams, the Ides of March, the New Colony Six, the Shadows of Knight, Mason Profit, Cheap Trick, David Lee Murphy, Head East, Liz Phair, the Smashing Pumpkins, R. Kelly, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, and the list goes on...
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
And MY personal favorites....Bill & Ben on guitar & Joe on bass with joe's friend, Jason Sear on drums!!
[ April 15, 2009, 10:41 AM: Message edited by: Jane Diaz ]
Posted by Mark Yearwood (Member # 2723) on :
If I can swing this trip, I'll bring one of my hand drums. I have a new Pearl Travel Conga that got pinstriped at Fred's that would fit right in. Posted by Brent Logan (Member # 6587) on :
Bill, that list brings back memories. Remember Illinois Speedpress with Kal David? Later on he had another band with Marty Greb from the Buckinghams.
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
Bill... Bo Diddly lived down here for a long time...first outside of Hawthorne, FL, then later, in Archer FL. I never knew he was born in IL.
He lived here for 30 years that I know of. He had a reputation locally for supporting anti=drug programs for youth. Also he did MANY free concerts here, there, and everywhere around here, in support of various community activities.
Often, this was with a full band. His daughter played with him on many occasions, with her band "Offspring".
He always said that he was done wrong by the music establishment...never got royalties, etc., but aside from that pet peeve, he totally gave as much as he could, back to the community.
I used to see him in Lowes, buying nuts and bolts, with his trademark hat on. I'd say Bo, whatcha up to, and he'd tell me about something that needed fixin' and we'd talk all the way through the checkout line.
Later, I thought...wow...that was Bo himself....but to me he was just a good human being, who enjoyed life. That's what made him good.
Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
just lost another good one; family friend for many years...the Colonel, David Leis.
Thurs. nite has now been designated as jam nite for letterheads and I'm looking into having Dan Kearfott do his "Letterhead Squares". So bring them geeters, bongas, mouth harps and such and we'll make some noise. We'll need singers of course -- especially those who know the words. With my gravely voice, I have been permanently benched, but Jane is and always has been the one. We need to request that she sing "Fever" or any Aretha Franklin tune.
We will have an awesome stage to strut our stuff. I saw a pix of it last nite at our meeting. Very kewl..........
Posted by John Byrd (Member # 825) on :
If by some miracle I can get there, I'll bring my new little rig for you to try out Bill.
Posted by Bill Diaz (Member # 2549) on :
John -- SWEET -- hope you can come, it would be an honor to jam with you again. You got the music in ya -- that's for sure!
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
I've been working to get myself up to warp speed here at the shop, to start tieing up loose ends & making plans for some responsibilities when I return... but I've had my tickets lined up for a week now, & been finding little bits of time here & there to begin getting excited about this event.
I would love to jam & I will be rolling in to Pontiac Wednesday night most likely... so I am down with the Thursday night jam, and more than willing to put in some practice time if anyone wants to put a little polish on some of the spontaneous riffs we might share before rolling them out for a larger bunch when the sun sets & the paint stops flowing (you guys do take a break at night, right?)
Bill, I've been meaning to try to call you, but haven't caught you yet, when you weren't leading another town meeting to lay all the groundwork for this big event... anyway, Mark Yearwood mentioned some drums a time or two, but steve & his sons 5 pc. Tama sounds available too...
...do you want me to call those guys and offer any help organizing things?
I'm not sure where Godfrey IL is at, but I'll be driving a rental car from the Schaumburg area where I'll be spending the 20th- 24th with my mom and sister... so if Mark's drums are a full kit, arriving on time, or your other arrangements are already in place... then maybe no help is needed... but otherwise let me know if I can be of any help calling Steve.
Part of how I'm making do with the economic challenges is living off the fat from better times, so I've sold off some excess tools, and just pulled together a $300 drum set, so I can try to sell over $2K worth of top notch Drum gearI've decided I could live without.
Here's a cute pic on my niece on my Premier Maple kit now for sale:
My other drum set is now in my living room & I'm adapting to it quite nicely... I picked it up without any rack toms, but the 3 pc configuration sounds great & I've got so many cymbals, I'm selling a nice matched set of Paiste's with the Premier, hanging on to my best Zildjians I've traveled with from NYC, to Santa Fe, to Maui over the last 20 years... but I also got some Sonar cymbals made by Paiste that sound amazingly nice, & I could easily bring those to Pontiac if needed! (I'll just pad them with 20 lbs of Kona coffee, & they should make the trip just fine )
I just ran into a guy who has a patent for some quiet drumsticks that are superior to most brushes & "blasticks" for loud drummers like me to play the same style, with the same body mechanics.. but get a very nice, yet muted sound out of the kit. His patent even included a substitute bass drum beater to tone that down to match. I talked him into a half price set, in exchange for a quick video he could use for his website.
The other interesting thing is that anyone who checks out the video will notice the empty space where rack mounted toms usually go. I've had over 10 drum sets in my life & I always have some tom toms over the bass drum, so, I found some Roto-Toms real cheap on eBay, AND, they offered free freight!... but, as is so often the case, only to 48 states... SO, I sent 'em to my mom & she got 'em today! ...so that could be the basis of a secondary percussion kit for when Mark & other drummers wish to try out playing at the same time!
Posted by Mark Baty (Member # 9776) on :
Bill You better send an invite to Wade Swormstedt at Signs of the Times, because he knows the words to every song. Mark Baty
Posted by Dan Kearfott (Member # 3756) on :
A Jam Session for Wall Dogs! who'd a thunk it!!!
whaddya want for nothin' . . . Ruuuubbbberrrr Biiiiiizzzzkkiiiit!!!!!!
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
quote:Originally posted by Steve Shortreed: If we can pull this off, I'd love to do some live jamming. Will I need the Strat or an accoustic?
You NEED the Strat for sure! ...looking forward to jammin' with ya Steve!
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