Archive for December, 2025
Cover Story: Kenny Wayne Shepherd • 30 Years of Ledbetter Heights
Growing up, blues-rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd was privy to a wealth of musical knowledge, as his father, Ken, was a local radio personality, a part-time concert promoter, and an avid music collector. These behind-the-scenes experiences led the youngster on the path to a future in the music business. “I would say yes, although I […]
Media: January 2026 • In Remembrance
2025 was an especially cruel year for this media writer because I lost two personal friends, Harry Teinowitz and Tony Fitzpatrick. Harry passed away in July, and Tony died in October. If the crowd you draw at your memorial is any indication, both men had a significant impact on the people who knew them. Harry’s […]
Stage Buzz: Local H, LSDREAM, Umphree’s McGee, Dru Hill
Want to spend New Year’s Eve vibing to ‘90s R&B? Dru Hill’s got you covered. Join the group as they ring in 2026 performing their biggest hits, like “Tell Me”, “5 Steps”, “In My Bed”, “Never Make a Promise”, and “How Deep Is Your Love.” The celebration goes down with two shows at City Winery […]
Spins: Jason Sinay • The Mountain
Jason Sinay The Mountain (Next Revolution) Veteran guitarist and singer Jason Sinay expanded his recognition and audience by holding his own alongside revered Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell in The Dirty Knobs. Other notable sessions have ranged from work with pop legend Neil Diamond to alt-country singer-songwriter Tift Merritt. Sinay departed […]
Spins: Christopher Cross • All Right: The Worldwide Singles 1980-1988
Christopher Cross All Right: The Worldwide Singles 1980-1988 (Omnivore) Call it yacht rock if that gets you in the door, but don’t write off Christopher Cross. Possessing a supple and immediately identifiable tenor, Cross’s songs also reveal an inventive melodist, meticulous and thoughtful songwriter, and formidable musician. All Right collects 20 singles from Cross’ heyday […]
Spins • Roland Gift “Everybody Knows it’s Christmas” 7″ vinyl single
Roland Gift “Everybody Knows it’s Christmas” 7″ vinyl single (London) Just in time for the holidays comes the first Christmas single from Roland Gift. The singular voice heard on ’80s favorites by Fine Young Cannibals, including “She Drives Me Crazy,” “Good Thing,” and “Johnny Come Home,” remains unmistakably recognizable in this cheerful seasonal offering. The […]
Spins: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats •. Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats 10th anniversary expanded 2xLP
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats Self-titled debut 10th anniversary expanded 2xLP (Stax) Following Nathaniel Rateliff’s restless career has been a rewarding journey. Clued-in fans from Rateliff’s earliest days have witnessed the Denver-based artist’s growth as a captivating songwriter and his transition from intimate folk to the technicolor variety of soulful R&B now featured […]
Gear: Gift Guide: D’Addario Tour-Grade String Change Kit
Gear: Gift Guide Tour-Grade String Change Kit (D’Addario) Here’s a practical, high-quality, and reasonably affordable gift for the musician or instrument tech in your life. D’Addario’s Tour-Grade String Change Kit offers a premium upgrade to three everyday tools. A tuning peg winder with smooth ball-bearing action speeds the process for bringing new strings to concert […]
Spins: Miles Davis Sketches of Spain • 65th Anniversary Ultradisc One-Step LP
Miles Davis Sketches of Spain 65th Anniversary Ultradisc One-Step LP (Mobile Fidelity) The potent partnership between iconoclastic jazz trumpeter/bandleader Miles Davis and arranger/conductor Gil Evans was proven on tracks like “Boplicity” and “Moon Dreams” from the 1957 compilation Birth of the Cool and albums including 1957’s Miles Ahead. The pair’s work reimagining Gershwin on 1959’s […]
Spins: Spinal Tap • The End Continues
Spinal Tap The End Continues (Interscope/Universal) Fictitious metal icons Spinal Tap transcend genre. Practically any band covered in Illinois Entertainer likely has a tale of a “Spinal Tap mishap,” and most readers of a specific age range can surely quote the 1984 mockumentary’s satirical script, whether they prefer Taylor Swift, Deltron 3030, or AC/DC. […]
Spins: Various Artists • Stax Revue: Live in ’65
Various Artists Stax Revue: Live in ’65 (Stax/Craft) Stax Revue: Live in ’65 expands the content of the 1991 CD Live at the 5/4 Ballroom, documenting the potent music and influential presence of Memphis soul & R&B label Stax Records in the mid-1960s. The eight artists on the original release were not only dynamite entertainers […]
Spins: Wings • Wings 3xLP Limited Edition
Wings Wings 3xLP Limited Edition (Capitol/MPL/UMe) At the time of writing this, Paul McCartney has just packed up and left Chicago following the two-night stand at United Center that concluded his Got Back tour of North America. There were certainly people at the final show who were pining for more than just the Beatles […]
Spins: The Autumn Defense • Here and Nowhere
The Autumn Defense Here and Nowhere (Yep Roc) Given the well-known regular gigs of Pat Sansone and John Stirratt as bandmates in Wilco, it’s understandable that their own band has always existed in the shadow of the more famous group. The Autumn Defense’s sonic identity is entirely distinct, though, and the pair have produced […]
Spins: Marty Willson-Piper • Archeological Dig, Vol. 1 • In Reflection LP reissue
Marty Willson-Piper Archeological Dig, Vol. 1 In Reflection LP reissue (Schoolkids) With Archeological Dig, Vol. 1, Marty Willson-Piper (MWP) reclaims his dispersed legacy of songs by reinventing bygone solo and Church tracks. The production aesthetic spotlights lush acoustic guitars and Olivia Elektra’s stirring violin accompaniment. MWP’s 12-string arpeggios twirl around Elektra’s bowed melody as the […]
Spins: Tom Petty • Wildflowers One-Step LP
Tom Petty Wildflowers One-Step LP (Because Sound Matters/Warner Bros.) This review focuses on the quality of a new prestige-format vinyl pressing of Wildflowers. For this writer’s retrospective assessment of the songs on the album, search illinoisentertainer.com for the feature-length November 1, 2020, review of Wildflowers & All the Rest. Wildflowers is a special album in […]
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