The past 20 months have been such a whirlwind of sickness, grief, political madness, and worldwide protests for causes either righteous and necessary or selfish and deranged—it hasn’t been easy for music fans to do justice to the lives and memories of all the amazing artists who’ve passed away during this chaotic period. Famous folk […]
Tag: Steve Goodman
Posted inMusic
Dennis J. Leise grows his own
Dennis J. Leise’s Indiana farm doesn’t just produce food—it’s also the wellspring for his smart, witty country and rockabilly tunes.
Posted inMusic
Goodbye to songwriter Michael Smith
With “The Dutchman” and other widely recorded songs, Michael Smith created emotional realities that let you feel along with his characters.
Posted inMusic
Did John Prine die for Donald Trump’s sins?
The cruelty, ignorance, and incompetence of the federal pandemic response have cost the life of beloved singer-songwriter John Prine, who stood against all those things.
Posted inMusic
‘Go, Cubs, Go’ is a lame, deflated stab at a sports anthem
Hey, Chicago, what do you say? Right, this song sucks.
Posted inNews & Politics
Towing companies can be a real drag
Decades after Royko started writing about the “Lincoln Park Pirates,” the company still racks up complaints from consumers claiming they were illegally towed.
Posted inMusic
Decades after Stumpwater put out their only single, the Aurora folk-pop group ride again
Dan Berg, Dan Haligas, and Joe Gloor released two songs in 1975 and split up in ’80, but now they’re back to writing, recording, and gigging.
Posted inMusic
DJ Rashad is gone, but his influence on footwork lives on
The Chicago producer died before the music he helped define could break out, but he’s still inspiring his Teklife crew—which is releasing a compilation to benefit his young son.
Posted inBlogs
Lemurs, elephant birds, and bats: The Field Museum resurrects Madagascar
Two scientists and an artist re-create what Madagascar must have looked like 2,000 years ago.
Posted inArts & Culture
The migration of the hipster
The migration of the hipster: A Chicago history, 1898-present
Posted inBlogs
Jukebox update: Koko Taylor, Vybz Kartel, Mikal Cronin, and more
Our latest round of staff picks for the Reader‘s Interactive Jukebox (jukebox.chicagoreader.com)
Posted inBlogs
The Home of the Brave, the Land of the Free, and the Doormat of the National League*
Kyle Beachy on the life of a Cardinals fan in Chicago.