Chicagoland Music Fave, Mike Bruccoleri, to Set Sail with The Buckinghams for Concerts at Sea 2022 Cruise

Recently, The Buckinghams were invited to fill in an opening on one of their favorite cruises, the Concerts at Sea, coordinated by longtime fan favorite producer, Tammy Selee, for Harmon Travel. When invited, Carl and Nick were delighted to return to see longtime cruise fans and friends who make these journeys extra special.

However, as it turns out, guitarist Dave Zane had a conflict during that week at sea and would not be able to join the group for this event. Fortunately, music professional and friend well known to The Buckinghams, Mike Bruccoleri, was available and will be joining The Buckinghams for this event.

Many of you already know Mike from his tour days with Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, or as the bass player for Sonny Geraci's band, The Outsiders, whose band Dave Zane also played with for five years. Mike is also longtime friends with Bruce Soboroff and Rocky Penn, so he’s no stranger to The Buckinghams or their music.

In addition, Mike and his wife, Traci, sing as a duo, plus they have their own Good Clean Fun Band, featuring music from decades you know and love.

In fact, if you check out this video, you’ll find Mike on vocals and look who else you know—Rocky Penn playing drums for the Good Clean Fun Band:

Mike is an outstanding musician in his own right, playing bass, mandolin, and guitar, and he's a vocalist.

Here he is singing Buddy Holly’s “Well, All Right”:

For Buckinghams fans who ask, rest assured you’ll be able to see Dave with the band again on Saturday, December 4, 2021, as the Arcada Theatre presents the super-popular Cornerstones of Rock show.

As you know The Cornerstones of Rock feature The Buckinghams, The Ides of March, The New Colony Six, The Cryan’ Shames, and The Shadows of Knight.

This concert always sells out, so check the website early to grab your seats before they are gone.

You can also find Dave playing regularly with Jay and the Americans as lead guitarist and vocalist as well as his own Zanesway and The Bigger Picture Bands. Coming up, he has a Halloween show with the band, Left Side of the Dial, at the Mishawaka VFW in Indiana.

Meantime, please help us welcome our friend Mike Bruccoleri and you’ll get to meet him and his wife Traci, onboard the beautiful Sky Princess. It’s not too early to mark your calendars, but you’re just in time to get the few cabins remaining for the exciting Concerts at Sea 2022 “Where the Action Is” Caribbean Cruise, setting sail Jan. 15–22, 2022, from Ft. Lauderdale.

For more details on the cruise and all the bands performing, visit www.ConcertsAtSea.com and read the previous story about the fun you'll have on the cruise:

Where there is great music, there are always great musicians. And where there are great musicians, there is always fun and fellowship. Happy Sailing!

Set Sail for The Caribbean with The Buckinghams Concerts at Sea, January 15-22, 2022

It's official! Great news for all fans of The Buckinghams who love being part of Concerts at Sea!

In just 3 short months, the 2022 Concerts at Sea lineup is going to be nothing short of spectacular, with The Buckinghams now rejoining the “Where the Action Is” cruise lineup originated by Paul Revere in his lifetime. The traditions carry forward today by Paul Revere’s Raiders.

The cruise comes in the middle of winter, January 15-22, 2022, and it’s the perfect time to get out of your snow, sleet, and otherwise dull weather and get out to the best in Caribbean locales for a week of the best in unforgettable music, memories, and good times with your fellow cruisers.

The 5th Dimension, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, the amazing Brian Hyland, longtime favorite Peter Rivera (original drummer for Rare Earth/lead singer), with Jay Michaels as emcee, Jackson Haney, former member of Bill Haley’s Original Comets, and the fun house band, J.R. & The Stingrays. Original ports of call begin from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel, before back to Ft. Lauderdale. But, this time instead of Grand Cayman, the ship will dock in gorgeous Belize for the day.

One tour update was issued by Tour Producer Tammy Selee:

2022 Cruise Itinerary Update We’ve been informed that Grand Cayman will not be a port of call for cruise ships until further notice, so rather than include a day at sea, the Sky Princess will be calling on Belize on January 17, 2022 from 7am – 6pm. Your headliner show will start in the Princess theater at 3:30pm with doors opening at 3:00pm for our VIP guests and 3:10pm for general admission. Just like Grand Cayman, Belize is a port of call with tender service, so plan your day accordingly to be back on the ship by 3:30pm.

On January 18, 2022 we will be docking in Roatan at 10am and departing at 7:00pm. We will have a headliner show in the Princess Theater at 10am and the show will be over by 11:30am, so you can plan your day accordingly.

With only two full days at sea, and a port intensified itinerary, unfortunately it is unavoidable to arrange our headliner shows for any other time. But there will be ample time for sun, fun, beach time and excursions on all the islands.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Keep Rockin’

Tammy Selee (208) 388-3000 866 3OLDIES (365-3437)

If you’re still on the fence, here’s a video to enjoy that might help you make up your mind. It was also the final cruise that The Monkees’ Davy Jones performed on, for those who remember that voyage. It was an unforgettable experience. You are able to mix and mingle, safely, with musicians you’ve loved all your life, and they are there to entertain you and to hear how you appreciate what they’ve devoted their life to doing.

There is LIMITED SPACE, however, so don’t delay if you plan on going. Call 1-866-3OLDIES to reach out to Harmon Travel, who leads the Concerts at Sea tours.

Chicago Music Favorites Tapped to Celebrate Columbus Day

To those in Chicago who look forward to attending the annual Columbus Day Parade, it is especially memorable for those of Italian heritage, thanks to Christopher Columbus for discovering America. The year 2021 Parade marked the 69th annual parade, held on State Street.

[L to R: Carl Bonafede, Rocky Penn, Carl Giammarese, Carlo Isabelli, Nick Fortuna, Bruce Soboroff. Photo by Susan Rakis.]

Pride in one’s family heritage runs strong, in Chicago and in every city across the country, but in the case of the Columbus Day annual celebration, one need only look to the JCCIA, which stands for the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. [Photo courtesy of San Filippo Foundation, Facebook page.]

When JCCIA current president Ron Onesti, CEO of Onesti Entertainment (The Arcada, Des Plaines Theatre, and several other venues), was planning for the 2021 Columbus Day Parade, he reached out to the Sanfilippo family (Jasper Sr.’s widow, Marian, and their five children continue to be involved in the success of the business today—John, Jim, Jeffrey, Lisa, and Jasper).

Jasper Sr. had instilled his personal pride and passion in his family and his employees to work your hardest and best to help your community. The family gave Onesti their permission to dedicate this year's parade to Jasper Sr., who died Jan. 28, 2020. COVID-19 safety precluded a 2020 Columbus Day Parade from taking place.

The 2021 parade took a little over an hour and was covered in its entirely on ABC7-TV with hosts Ryan Chiaverini, Val Warner, and Anthony Rago. The result was an unforgettable parade, which can be replayed in full (click here). Of greatest excitement to The Buckinghams’ fans, though, is the very end; click below to see The Buckinghams' specific segment of the parade:

Looking closely, you’ll spot Carl Bonafede, aka The Screamin’ Wildman, of Chicago radio fame in the 1960s and beyond.

Bonafede was also the first manager of The Buckinghams in the early 1960s before they broke out into either local or national prominence. The fans still love Bonafede, an icon in his own right, a contemporary of legendary radio DJ Dick Biondi.

Bonafede and The Buckinghams remain close today. As recently as this past summer, before a recent Chicago concert, Bonafede came to introduce The Buckinghams to a very appreciative crowd.

Carl and Nick always remember the hard-working enthusiast who brought them from the garage into the living rooms around the country in a friendship that has endured over 65 years now.

That’s just a little more Chicago history from the world of rock music and local civic pride of individuals who love living and being based in Chicago.

Thanks to the JCCIA, Chicago residents will long remember the Screamin' Wildman, Carl Bonafede, and of course the band they've loved for over 50 years, The Buckinghams.

As the end of 2021 approaches, and we look back on every kindness that has been shown to those we regard, it's really so uplifting to see, particularly in the case of Carl Bonafede, no matter how far you go in you career and how many accomplishments you have, remembering who brought you to national prominence in the beginning and keeping them close in your heart, is most important.

Carl Bonafede continues to be the vital and enthusiastic supporter of The Buckinghams that he was from Day One, the days of the Holiday Ballroom record hops.

If you are looking for a nice Christmas gift for your music lover, check out his biography, "The Screaming Wildman: Vibrations from the Dawn of Chicago Rock," by Carl Bonafede, edited by Joel Bierig.