Remembering David 'Honeyboy' Edwards, the last of the Delta bluesman

Sep. 1, 2011
Earlier this week, Chicago said goodbye to a musician some hailed as the last of the Delta bluesmen.

Don Cornelius: 40 years aboard Soul Train

Aug. 31, 2011
 Forty years ago, the hippest trip in America left the station. Soul Train — the little Chicago engine that could – went on to become the longest-running, nationally-syndicated show on television. Before longtime conductor and host Don Cornelius was moving to the

Songs of the summer: Musicians' picks

Aug. 31, 2011
This week on The Record, we're looking at some of the songs that captured our attention (or held us hostage) this summer, and asking what they tell us about our standards, our anxieties and the places we want our music to take us when it's hot out.In the past week and a half we've asked

Remembering Chicago bluesman David 'Honeyboy' Edwards

Aug. 30, 2011
David "Honeyboy" Edwards, considered to be the last of a generation of musicians who brought music from the rural Mississippi Delta to the rest of America, died at his home in Chicago early Monday morning. He was 96 years old.Honeyboy Edwards was born in 1915.

Gary, Indiana prepares for Michael Jackson's birthday with a four-day festival

Aug. 26, 2011
Gary, Indiana is celebrating Michael Jackson this weekend for what would be the King of Pop's 53rd birthday. Gary's four-day party will feature musical performances, a circus and other entertainment in front of Jackson's former home and Roosevelt High School. Fans gathered outside the form

Mentor program links a new generation of aspiring musicians to jazz legends

Aug. 22, 2011
The Jazz Links Ensemble's mission is simple: it connects young, aspiring musicians to some master jazz types. The program is sponsored by the Jazz Institute of Chicago.

Lyric Opera, union reach tentative contract agreement

Aug. 17, 2011
The Lyric Opera of Chicago has reached a tentative contract agreement with its union of singers, dancers, actors and production staff.The Lyric announced Wednesday in a press release that the company and the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) have agreed to contract terms for the upcoming seas

A case for government funding of the arts, part 1

Aug. 16, 2011
Those familiar with my postings may know that I am a proponent of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

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