The Buckinghams in Concert

Photo: Courtesy Rock&Roll Hall of Fame, Joliet. The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum has announced another superb milestone in its progress of making Joliet, Illinois, the destination home of the most important and dynamic musicians ever born in the state. On Friday, Jan. 20, at 5:00 p.m., the public is invited to the official lighting ceremony for the Giagantar at the Museum. This wonderful 24-foot sculpture was made specifically for the museum and according to the Joliet News, The “world’s largest hand-made guitar,” called Gigantar, crossed over five states last weekend before its arrival in Joliet. The artist is Shannon McDonald who is known for her entertainment industry artwork (see her website here), has been lauded by many, including Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick (pictured below), Sylvester Stallone, and Diane Sawyer. As part of the museum’s growth and development, President and Founder Ron Romero continues to bring together in Joliet some of the most exciting eve

Photo courtesy of Jack Mongan Today, all of The Buckinghams wish a very special birthday to founding member and original lead singer, Dennis Tufano. From the beginning of the band in 1965, they ultimately celebrated several birthdays together, mostly while on the road. Their schedules were so busy it’s not like they could take their special night off just because it was their birthday. The first performances of The Buckinghams found them in matching suits, mostly acquired from "A Man at Ease" and other Chicago favorite men's stores, with Carl Bonafede working great deals for the band to advertise their couturie: These gold dinner jackets...stylin' and profilin' to be sure, even matched the liner curtains around the stage. At the time, it was true. The matching blue-grey suits were a little more coordinated. At that time, having "the look" was just as important as having a sound. Suits made the man, as they say, and their hair was just abo

Tuesday, August 31, marks the exciting long-awaited opening of musician Ron Romero’s dream: the Illinois Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . It’s located in the heart of Joliet, IL, at 9 W. Cass St. "On behalf of the entire Buckinghams band, original lead singer and founding member Dennis Tufano will be representing in the formal Hall of Fame induction ceremony," announced his friend and longtime fellow Buckingham, Carl Giammarese. "It’s poignant and so important that Dennis be there just as he was in the very beginning. The founding member we all considered the “heart” of The Buckinghams, John Poulos, and early founding member George LeGros as well as final founding member, Marty Grebb, are no longer with us. Dennis will share memories from his heart and will be wonderful in representing all of us from the beginning. He’ll also sing a few songs that evening," said Carl. Two early shots of The Pulsations turned The Buckinghams during the early days of WGN-TV

On August 31, Illinois music fans can be part of an exciting first in classic music history. At 7pm the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet will be the site of the inaugural Annual Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony sponsored by the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66. Twelve inaugural inductees include bands The Buckinghams, the band Chicago, Cheap Trick, The Ides of March, and REO Speedwagon, plus bluesmen Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters. Also to be honored are radio station WLS-AM, popular deejay Larry Lujack and the iconic Dick Biondi (Lifetime Achievement Award) legendary Chess Records, and venue The Thirsty Whale. This is the group originally identified as the Class of 2020, but COVID delayed the opening of the museum and Hall of Fame inauguration. A concert on August 31 will feature live performances by REO Speedwagon, Ides of March, Jimy Sohns (Shadows of Knight), Muddy Waters’ son, Mud Morganfield, New Colony 6, and the Millenials. The band Chicago and The Buckinghams ar

A recent Morris Daily Herald story noted the band, Checkered Past cited contemporary concerts by The Buckinghams as a place where today's college students were familiar with all the music of the popular 60s Chicago band. Event producer Ron Romero decided, after watching audiences at a Buckinghams' concert, that he wanted to form a 60s band. The group Checkered Past performed recently at the Morris Country Club in Grundy County, IL. An excerpt from Jeanne Millsap's Daily Herald story follows: It only makes sense that guitarist/vocalist Ron Romero started up a band that plays 60s classics. Music from that era seems to have grown to appeal to every generation, and Romero’s interest in music spans several generations in his own family. Romero, of Minooka, plays the drums and guitar, and he sings. His older brother is an accomplished guitarist and organist; his father played trumpet in jazz bands; and his grandmother played piano, classical guitar, the mandolin, and other instr