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WTTW Chicago to tape CORNERSTONES OF ROCK™: AMERICAN GARAGE

A star-studded group of legendary Chicago area “garage bands” of the 1960s and ’70s reunite for a landmark public television special.

Taping at WTTW’s Grainger Studio on Friday, October 16 at 7:30 pm.

For immediate release
Chicago, IL - September 23, 2015

WTTW Chicago and HDReady will bring together some of the Chicago area’s iconic rock groups of the 1960s and ’70s for a once-in-a-lifetime concert special to air on public television stations nationwide (check local listings). CORNERSTONES OF ROCK: AMERICAN GARAGE, from the producers of Soundstage®, is a nostalgic celebration of the local “garage bands” that rose to national prominence will be taped on Friday, October 16 at 7:30 pm at WTTW’s Grainger Studio in Chicago where the groundbreaking music series began more than 40 years ago.

Jim Peterik of The Ides of March (the “house band” for the evening, playing their chart-topping hit “Vehicle” and more) and WGN-AM personality Wendy Snyder will host this historic reunion, as many original members of these popular bands return to the concert stage to play their greatest hits, including:

  • The Buckinghams – Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna with special guest and original singer Dennis Tufano (“Kind of a Drag”)
  • The Cryan Shames – Tom Doody, James Fairs, and Jim “J.C. Hooke” Pilster (“Sugar and Spice”)
  • The New Colony Six – Ray Graffia and Ronnie Rice (“I Will Always Think About You”)
  • The Shadows of Knight – Jimy Sohns with Dennis Tufano and Ted Aliota (“Gloria”)
  • The McCoys – Rick Derringer (“Hang On Sloopy”)
  • The American Breed – Gary Loizzo, Al Ciner, Chuck Colbert, Jr., and Lee Graziano (“Bend Me Shape Me”)
  • A tribute to the jazz/rock fusion band Chase (“Get it On”) performed by The Ides of March, powered by four trumpets and an historic appearance by Chase member Dartanyan Brown
  • A tribute to the late Mitch Aliota (Aliota Haynes Jeremiah) featuring The Ides of March, Ted Aliota, and all of the groups, who convene for the grand finale to perform the legendary Chicago anthem “Lake Shore Drive.”

“The Chicago rock scene from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s belongs in the same category as the fertile hubs of Liverpool, San Francisco, Seattle, and Nashville through the years,” said Peterik. “This special shines a spotlight on the local groups from the suburban Chicago area who defined that era as they rose through the teen clubs all the way to national prominence. We are thrilled to bring them all together on the same stage.”

For more information, please visit wttw.com/cornerstones.

CORNERSTONES OF ROCK: AMERICAN GARAGE is produced and directed by Joe Thomas and produced by Kim Mattes. Production coordination and sound: Frank Pappalardo. Video: John Anderson.

About WTTW Chicago
WTTW Chicago is a premier producer and presenter of original, high-quality television programs for both public and commercial television broadcast. WTTW Chicago is a division of Window to the World Communications, Inc., the parent company of WTTW Chicago. For almost 60 years, WTTW and WTTW National Productions have introduced a wide array of groundbreaking television programming – reflecting the world’s rich and diverse arts and entertainment scene as well as education, politics, public affairs, business, and religion – to a national audience. For more information, please visit wttw.com/national.