Great Memories of The Buckinghams at Bolingbrook Jubilee, August, 2014

One of the biggest highlights for The Buckinghams is to be able to get off the road and perform in their hometown, where fans who've loved them since the beginning drive over, as well as many longtime fans will cross state lines just to get to the great kind of party that Bolingbrook throws. There's not just two generations of fans here; recently a little one-year-old fan was sporting a t-shirt that said, "Future drummer." Why not? Everyone loves the drummer, right, Rocky?

Here's the entertainment lineup from Sunday: Sunday, August 17, 2014

Event & Stage Entertainment Schedule Food and Beer - Noon - 10:00pm Jaycees Carnival - Noon - 10:00pm Jaycees Bingo - Noon - 10:00pm Craft Show - Noon - 6:00pm

On The Performing Arts Stage Efenemcy - 12:00pm - 1:30pm Neighbor John - 2:00pm - 3:30pm The Cover Girls (Violin Show) - 4:00pm - 5:30pm; Glamour Girls with Rockstar Attitude--Fresh, flirty and fun, the CoverGirls Violin Show is a colorful, high-energy musical revue of the greatest pop and rock hits from the Beatles to Beyonce, all performed on the CoverGirls' signature purple electric violins. Bob West (Elvis) - 6:00pm - 7:30pm; A self-admitted “bit of a chameleon, Bob West's Elvis Tribute consists of an energetic combination of songs from the 1950's, 1960's, movie Era. '69 Comeback and Vegas/Touring concert Style Show.

Learn more about Bob West: Website Facebook

The Buckinghams - 8:00pm - 10:00pm The Buckinghams

From Chicago's Holiday Ballroom to America's living room on The Ed Sullivan Show, across the USA and in the White House, The Buckinghams have stayed true to their Chicago roots. Audiences and critics have affirmed the demand for the music of The Buckinghams, proving that success is sweeter the second time around. Original founding members Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna continue to deliver a powerful replay of their hits and solid gold memories.

Thanks to Joni Cohen, we have some great photos from August 17, 2014 when the annual Bolingbrook (IL) Jubilee started on August 15-17. His honor, Mayor Roger Claar came to the stage to introduce The Buckinghams and he came bearing gifts. In fact, Mayor Claar brought out a big birthday cake with some (err, a few) candles to celebrate a little early with Carl Giammarese, lead singer and founding member of The Buckinghams, together with some good-natured ribbing from original member Nick Fortuna, as always.

Dave Zane on guitar and vocals!

(L)The Buckinghams horns, or Buckinghorns, Carlo Isabelli (Trumpet), Charles Morgan (trombone), and Rich Moore (sax), with Nick Fortuna groovin' (R)Here's Carl, Dave and Nick singing "This Boy" issued originally by The Beatles. Bolingbrook, Illinois sure does know how to throw a party! Thanks to everyone who came out (and all of you filled up the hill), as these photos by Susan Rakis shows:

Thanks to Joni and Susan for the photos. If it's a fun summerfest, it's The Buckinghams and their friends getting together.

Remembering Frank Tesinsky, Beloved Chicago Musician, Key to The Buckinghams' Characteristic Sound

Each time the opening notes to “Kind of a Drag” come on the air, whether it’s your car radio, your phone, or choice of streaming media, the first 23 notes you hear inform you immediately that not only are you hearing “Kind of a Drag,” but you are hearing The Buckinghams. That instant recognition, in turn, is thanks to the talent of musician Frank Tesinsky, who arranged the iconic tune for producers Dan Belloc and Carl Bonafede in a 1966 recording session in Chicago’s Chess Studios. The Buckinghams family was greatly saddened to learn of Frank’s passing on November 9. Catherine Johns, his wife of 32 years, was a beloved part of his life and part of Chicago radio as well. In February 1967 "Kind of a Drag" was #1 on the Billboard charts for two weeks, and it forever defined the sound of five young men from the northside of Chicago. Just 27 notes, right? And yet, it defined the magic of what would become known as “the horn sound” that The Buckinghams are b

What Celebrating 50 Years Since Reaching #1 on Billboard Means in the World of The Buckinghams

Everyone who is a fan of the band The Buckinghams can easily name all the songs that were Top 10 hits, Top 20 hits, and Billboard Top 100 chartmakers. You have several songs that have personal, special meaning for you. But the song that took the native Chicagoans out of the basements of the band members' homes was the one USA Records released last, almost as an afterthought. "Kind of a Drag" has the distinction of being the song that took this band to the national level. Many wonderful bands are part of Chicago history, and they are as beloved today as they were in their time. But this one song, "Kind of a Drag" took flight and went to #1 on Billboard 50 years ago today, February 18, 1967. Imagine what it was like for five young men to hold a copy of "Billboard" in their hands. For a few years, Carl and Jon-Jon had gone to the newsstand each week, buying a single copy of "Billboard" and reading it cover to cover. These days you hear about

In Memory of John Poulos, March 31, 1947 - March 26, 1980

Five days before his 33rd birthday, we lost John Poulos, a dear friend who was like a brother to us, as well as The Buckinghams’ drummer. Often described as the heartbeat of our band, he was known to most Buckinghams’ fans of the 60s simply as Jon-Jon. To know John was to love him. With his outgoing personality, he never met a stranger. His talent is remembered best in the style he displayed on drum fills and riffs on our hits, including “Don’t You Care,” “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song,” and “Kind of a Drag.” It’s not surprising that Jon-Jon was included as one of the Top 10 drummers in Modern Drummer Magazine. Contemporary MySpace profiles of aspiring amateur and professional musicians today include the name John Poulos among their musical influences. That’s an honor both fitting and accurate for a musician who was truly one of a kind. Nick and I recall that one of John’s own musical influences was Bobby Elliot, drummer for The Hollies, whose signature beret and tossing of his he

The Buckinghams in Concert

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