JANUARY 13, 2023 @ 8P
SoundTracks of a Generation pays homage to those in the late ’60s & early ’70s who pioneered a new genre of American music fusing Folk, Rock & Country. That includes David Geffen’s amazing lineup of artists on Asylum records. Like Linda Ronstadt, The Eagles, Jackson Browne & Joni Mitchell, and from the Laurel Canyon architects, The Byrds, and Buffalo Springfield and their offshoots like CS&N, Loggins & Messina, Poco & Neil Young. Not to mention the songwriters like Tom Waits, JD Souther, Warren Zevon, Lowell George, and more.
SToaG is thrilled to present another exciting Live Concert Rockumentary, performed with a compelling narrative sharing the stories behind the music & a fresh multimedia Show! Two hours of music history from three original American musical genres that became one. Faithfully recreating from its beginning, that California Country Rock sound called… Desert Rock!
THE BAND
Heather Wood: Linda Ronstadt
A Los Angeles area native, Heather made the BIG move in her late teen years to Chicago and attended Elmhurst College to sing in the world-renown Elmhurst College Jazz Band. As a result, she has performed with some of the greatest jazz musicians in the country and has toured all over the globe. Over the years she’s performed at hundreds of weddings in the Chicago Metropolitan area with The Connexion Band and Just South of Heaven.
Previous SoundTracks Of A Generation Shows include The Mad Dog Tribute Band, The Soul Commitments, and currently The Desert Rock Show and Ladies From The Canyon. To sing Linda Ronstadt was natural for her having grown up not far from Laurel Canyon! But she’s not confined to one genre of music, she can belt out Chaka Khan, or be honey smooth like Nancy Wilson. No matter the style of music, her soul shines through every time in a big way!
When not singing, Heather is an Events Planner Manager for a large corporate entity and resides in a southwest Chicago suburb.
Bob Vasilou/Music Director/Rhythm Guitarist/12 string Rickenbacker/Lead Vocals of Roger McGuinn & Neil Young
Bob already possesses a ton of street cred performing as Tom Petty with his tribute band The Petty Kings. This past year he released his original music group ‘Rolling Numbers’ eponymous first album. Bob is a graduate of SIU Carbondale with degrees in Music Theory & Composition. We’re fortunate to have Bob as our Musical Director for STOAGs Desert Rock Show, where his 12-string electric Rickenbacker guitar and vocal versatility allow him to nail down The Byrds Roger McGuinn. His portrayals of Neil Young and Bob Dylan in our Last Waltz Tribute are dead on as well! With Desert Rock, he is our Rock!
Julie is without a doubt STOAG’s most versatile vocalist! Possessed with an amazing vocal instrument she covers such a wide swath of Rock n’ Roll voices that she is fondly referred to as our “Swiss Army knife”!! She sings Janis Joplin in Summer Of Love 1967, Ann Wilson of Heart in ’70’s FM Radio Rock’, searing backup vocals in SoulBliss, The Woodstock Era, Motor City MeltDown (our Bob Seger Tribute) Irish HeartBeat (Van Morrison Tribute). Her musical background began at Chicago’s prestigious School of the Arts. Plus, her dynamic presence onstage is a testament to her musical theatre training!
The incomparable Larry Beers joins the lineup for the 1/13 Raue Center For The Arts show, Desert Rock. Beers is one of Chicago’s #1 drummers! Don’t believe it? Just ask some of the bands he’s performed with: MuccaPazza and Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra. He’ll be sliding behind the skins to become Don Henley, Rick Lonow, Dewey Martin and maybe sneak in a little Steve Gadd.
Ken McMullen/Piano/Synth/Organ
Ken McMullen is excited to make his Desert Rock premiere! His love of music doesn’t stop with California country rock; he’s the music director and pianist of the popular touring band, Close to You, Music of the Carpenters. He’s also music director and pianist for 80’s Night Out, which also tours all over the country. When not on tour, McMullen has worked as a music director and pianist for more than 200 numerous professional musicals, including Metropolis Performing Arts Center, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Theater at the Center, and various community theatres in the northwest suburb area. He’s also the pianist for the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus and principal pianist for the Lincolnshire Academy of Music. McMullen plays for a church in Chicago and teaches private piano lessons. Catch him tickle some ivories at Desert Rock on 1/13.
Christopher Forte/Lead Guitar
Chris just finished the 2022 Christmas tour with Mannheim Steamroller where he played 5 different string instruments. He also plays in the Buddy Rich Orchestra and has performed all over the world as a first-rate guitarist with too many artists to list here. We’re proud to call Chris our Ops Manager at SoundTracks Of A Generation and he also is the Music Director for SoulBliss the Aretha Franklin Tribute coming to the RAUE Center on February 17th!! He’s performed in almost all of the STOAG shows at one time or another like The Last Waltz, Irish HeartBeat (Van Morrison Tribute coming to the RAUE March 17th) Good Kisser (Lake Street Dive Tribute), and of course The Desert Rock Band. Chris teaches at Columbia College and is a terrific family man to his wife Kristen & two brilliant children!
TC Furlong – Pedal Steel Guitar
TC Furlong joins the lineup for the 1/13 Raue Center For The Arts’ Desert Rock show. Furlong started playing acoustic and electric guitar and by age 14 was building guitar speaker cabinets. He opened TC Furlong and Associates, building and renting state-of-the-art guitar and PA speakers. He took up pedal steel guitar which would become his main instrument. Soon after, TC was hired by the Country rock band Rio Grande. After 2 years, members split off and formed Jump ’N The Saddle Band who not long after, had an international smash hit record with The Curly Shuffle (co-produced by Furlong). He’s very active in recording sessions with more than 1200 TV and Radio “jingles” and album tracks to his credit. Career highlights include playing with Dolly Parton, B-Cow, The Broadway Show – Best Little Whorehouse In Texas.
Fred Brennan/Narrator
Fred has enjoyed a career in and around music since he was a junior in high school when he was first hired by a local record store as an LP buyer. Since then, he spent twenty years working as an on-air personality and Program Director. Since 2001, Fred has had the great fortune to produce hundreds of concerts, festivals, and live events in the Chicago area and around the country. When we first debuted The Desert Rock Show, Fred’s theatrical chops were called into action to play the part of the famous owner of The Troubadour, Doug Weston! His 6’9″ frame played perfectly to the real man’s domineering demeanor. STOAG is thrilled to have Fred narrate the incredible musical story of the Laurel Canyon & Southern California Rock Scene.
Doug James/Executive Producer
This guy has built an amazing career by delivering an impressively wide range of performing talents including Film, Television, Web, Theater and in Music. 54 years in the entertainment industry has served him well, and we’re grateful here at SoundTracks Of A Generation for his undying support of telling great stories through Artist, Album, Concert, Film & Documentary Soundtracks.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tim Paul, board president
John Jacobsen, vice president
Chuck Stevens, treasurer
Luanne Flavin, secretary
John Green
Mike Johnson
Richard Kuranda
Stacey McInerney
Jack Minsley
Rich Naponelli
Michelle Nowland
Sandra Pierce
William Schmiel
Regan Shepley
Steven Szalaj
Jerry Trachsler
RAUE CENTER STAFF
Richard Kuranda, executive director/founding artistic
director (CEO)
Justin Wellington, managing director
Meredith Schaefer, director of marketing & institutional advancement
Robin Irwin, director of education/cultural partnerships
Erick Buckley, associate director of education
Chris Tumblin, technical director
James Knight, economic development manager
Michele V. Knight, marketing manager
Ryan Meadow, technical manager
Maribeth Ling, front of house manager
Jenna Klaproth, operations manager
About Raue Center For The Arts
Raue Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of all through the arts. For 20 years, they have provided quality programming – striving to make it pertinent, available, and affordable to all. As a painstakingly restored, 1920s regional showcase theatre named for its benefactor—Lucile Raue—Raue Center has attracted the finest stars, Broadway shows, musicians and artists. Named on the League of Historic American Theatres, Raue Center is one of the finest examples of restored art and decor in the nation. The 750-seat theatre, located in historic downtown Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a gathering place for our region’s citizens and has become a true destination.
For additional information follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or visit rauecenter.org.
