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Now that President Obama has chosen a Supreme Count nominee the process advances
to the next level, the swimsuit competition. Musically
Eminem's new cd has sold more copies in its first week of release than any other
cd in the United States this year. This happened thanks in
large part to the profanity-laced duet he did with Susan Boyle from "Britian's
Got Talent". I am pretty excited because tonight I am going
to see my favorite American band of all time, "Chicago". I loved that
group since discovering them in June of '69 with their album getting in
store air play at Davidson's in downtown Atlanta. Their first album was called
"Chicago Transit Authority" but they were made by the mayor of
the city to change their name because I guess they couldn't come up with the
bucks to bribe the City of Chicago 20 political machine of theday. I am
sure that corruption has changed as much as Jimmy Thrower will conduct the
Atlanta Symphony in Fruithurst on July 4th. I first got to see the group live in
Birmingham the in February of 1970. Having horns and a killer rhythm section is
what attracted me to this wonderful group with roots in the Windy City. They
sang songs that
I could identify with and if you got in the car with me, you would have to pop
in the 8-track tape of their music. Their music is timeless.
They sing happy tunes like "Saturday In The 20 Park", "Just You 'n Me", "Call On
Me" and "Feeling Stronger Everyday". They sing songs to fall in
love to like "Color My World", "Wishing You Were Here", "Happy Man", "Will
You Still Love Me", and "You're The Inspiration". Songs of nostalgia like
"Take Me Back To Chicago" and a song that reminds me of Tallapoosa every time I
hear it, "Old Days". In 1995 they released a big band project that had songs
like Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" and one of my all time favorite
songs, Cole Porter's "Night And Day". They can play anything.
Their last studio album was produced by Jay DeMarcus of "RascalFlatts". I don't
hear any new groups that have moved me quite like
"Chicago" always has. When I was in a disc jockey in Columbus in rock radio I
got to interview James Pankow the group's trombonist, arranger
and writer of many of their number one songs. Meeting most of the group on my
44th birthday was something I can never forget. On stage with
them at the Verizon Amphitheater in Alpharetta is another great group that
will rock the house, "Earth, Wind, And Fire". I first heard of
them from jazz great Ramsey Lewis while driving Ramsey to the airport after a
cancelled concert in Columbus. He was right that they would
blow us away. Songs like "September", and "Serpantine Fire" are timeless
classics. I am excited about seeing them again too. They will
rock the house as their fellow Windy City group. I think tonight will mark the
20th time I have ever seen "Chicago" perform live. I probably
will be the first one in and the last to leave tonight. Isn't it funny how music
can give you a zest for the good things in life?
Rhubarb Jones is a Tallapoosa native and a member of the administrative
faculty at Kennesaw State University. He can be reached at P.O. Box
1001, Tallapoosa, GA 30176 or via email at
Rhubarbjones@aol.com
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