Category: Music
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Mighty Pranksters Were a Musical Treat
“We weren’t the kind of band that lived together and saw each other every day,” Bill “Griz” Stevens said. “But when we could get together every couple of weeks, get together and go play a gig somewhere, we had great camaraderie. And when we stepped on the stage, magic happened. But then we all went…
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Songs Go On for Keith Harden Fans
Meet Keith Harden, a longtime Champaign-Urbana resident who played in the Keith Harden Band, a three-piece electric-blues outfit that jammed together for 15 years, sometimes adding a harmonica player and keyboardist on stage.
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The M’s Give Pop a Wake-up Call
Guided by the musical integrity that classic indie bands such as Guided by Voices and Sonic Youth have displayed over the years, The M’s make records that please them, which is thankfully splendid stuff.
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Getting It Right: A Look at the Jupiter String Quartet
The Jupiter String Quartet has hit many high notes since arriving in C-U ten years ago. And when the Jupiters don’t get it exactly right, they keep plugging away.
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Music a Tradition in Monticello’s King Family Band
It’s not every day you see nine family members playing inspirational bluegrass-gospel music together onstage, but the King Family Band does just that.
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Recollections of the Champaign Music Scene from Gregg Philbin, Class of ’69
Things were going well for the entire year, when I was approached by Terry Luttrell, the lead singer of a band I liked very much called REO Speedwagon, who told me their bass player was graduating and would I be interested in joining REO. It was a difficult decision, but I decided to make the…
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A Good Soul: My Q&A with the Incomparable Lucinda Williams
Musician Lucinda Williams, who has released fourteen albums and won three Grammy Awards, talked with me over the phone about what inspires her to write music. She also discussed how independent record labels in the 1990s improved things for artists, and how the stroke she suffered in 2020 forced her to learn how to walk…
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Kevin Elliott: A Soldier of the ‘Blues’
Kevin Elliott was a musical trooper when he took the stage at WEFT radio station on this night, ailing a little and not as primed to play as usual because of a lingering cold. But there was a writer around (me), a good number of people in attendance, and the event was part of the…
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Eclectic ORDER NOW! by Bad Columbus Offers Tunes for All
“We had a lot of fun making this album in bedrooms, basements, and backseats of cars. I hope people enjoy the tunes and humor!! I look forward to the future of Bad Columbus (est. 2008) and the possibility of dedicating a lot more time to songwriting and performing post-college.”
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Daryl’s House Feels Like Home
Less than a month ago I was unfamiliar with the work of Butch Walker, Jason Mraz, the Neon Trees and Allen Stone; now these artists are on my Spotify rotation frequently, courtesy of Mr. Daryl Hall.