Among the cool things I received for my birthday:
- Beatles Gear (Andy Babiuk)
- White Knight (Todd Rundgren)
- An Evening with Todd Rundgren
Singer-Songwriter, Novelist
Among the cool things I received for my birthday:
Check out the new promo video for The Wind Cries Jerrys, the 6-song EP to be released by The Jerrys later this year. Here’s the track listing:
Get ready for new music by The Jerrys!
Howling little tune from 1966: “Li’l Red Riding Hood.” I used to wait by the radio for this one.
It’s official: The Wind Cries Jerrys, a 6-song EP containing new original songs by Jerry Schwartz, will be released by The Jerrys in 2017. Recording is well under way and expected to be completed by spring, with mixing and mastering to follow. A new single, “Chicago USA,” which the band previewed live on WZRD Chicago in 2016, will be released ahead of the EP.
The new release also features Robert Porche’ (drums), Jim Losby (bass guitar), and a surprise guest. Stay tuned for new music by the Jerrys!
(Image is a photo of original print by ScottyRocks.)
You don’t see a lot of Sears Silvertone amplifiers out in the wild anymore, but there are actually two in this photo from 40 years ago. To the right is the amp I’m playing through, and to the left is a guitar case with a built-in amplifier and speaker. I received the latter for Christmas when I was in the fourth grade.
It’s Johnny Rivers on Hullabaloo! My dad and I used to watch Hullabaloo, which ran on NBC from January 1965 through April 1966. Repeat episodes aired in summer 1966.
Here’s “Space Cadet” from The Jerrys’ first album, Pop Go The Jerrys, performed at a Chicago rehearsal studio.
Many songs about Chicago and songs that mention Chicago have been written and recorded over the years, and as one might expect, there’s a huge list of Chicago songs on Wikipedia. Among those about Chicago, here are the ones that stand out to me:
As a songwriter, I’ve always wanted to add to the list, and I’ve done just that with my upcoming single by The Jerrys, “Chicago USA.” Not just another Chicago song, the tune is also a tribute to two of my favorite childhood songs, “Downtown” and “I Know a Place”—both written by Tony Hatch and made popular by Petula Clark. Stay tuned.
The first prerecorded tape I ever owned was Time Peace: The Rascals’ Greatest Hits. I wore it out on my Radio Shack mono cassette player.
My daughter made this one-stringed instrument when she was 9 years old. I still treasure it.