The Buckinghams in Concert

In addition to performing with The Buckinghams, in the past few years, Carl Giammarese has enjoyed recording with other performers, which is much easier these days when most musicians have in-home studios. Especially during COVID did Carl find the long-distance projects rewarding and enjoyable, and his songs with Joey Molland, Lisa McClowery, and Dave Mikulskis were all well received. Carl’s latest collaboration is a distance duet with singer/songwriter Kiki Ebsen, on a Joni Mitchell classic: “Circle Game.” Kiki is a native of Los Angeles and longtime music veteran as keyboard player and singer for Grammy-winning and platinum-selling artists including Al Jarreau, Boz Scaggs, Tracy Chapman, Michael McDonald, Belinda Carlisle, Wilson Phillips, and for over a decade with Christopher Cross before the Yacht Rock tours began. Carl said recently, “I don't know any artist that captures the essence and sound of Joni Mitchell more than Kiki Ebsen.” Nine years ago, Kiki decided that th...

"For the first time since Nick and I reformed The Buckinghams in 1982 more than four decades ago, we are not performing at a Chicagoland summer festival or township summer event!" said lead singer Carl Giammarese. "Thank goodness for the Belfry," said Nick Fortuna, "so we're sure to see our longtime, hometown fans at least once this summer." Beyond an annual tradition of performing for their hometown longtime favorite audiences, fans have always been able to count on summer concerts on a perfect evening at Ravinia, at Schaumberg, at Hoffman Estates, Jim Reynolds' famous Northbrook Days, and even former Mayor Roger Claar's annual Bolingbrook concert, held for over 30 years! But this year, at the height of traveling the United States to cities they're just now visiting for the very first time, someone forgot to book the hometown shows! That's okay--the Belfry to the rescue with two perfect summer nights in June! Ticket...

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: Ron Elkman, Published across USA TODAY network] Another musical milestone was reached with news of the passing of extraordinary musician, David Crosby, on January at the age of 81. Audiences know him best as the first-named part of Crosby, Stills & Nash (later Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young), but he actually entered the music scene as a founding member of the Byrds. His clean, clear vocals added a dimension to a song like no other in his time. His youthful indifference to what was best for him in his having a long life was part of his trademark rebel self. On the other edge of his defiance was a heart and soul that went beyond the pale for others. Often at odds with himself, it was the harmony he would create in music that kept his colleagues willing to collaborate and create works that stand forever as “classics” against six decades of possibilities. He brought Joni Mitchell’s talent to light for all of us. He produced and inspired music that is on everyone’s play...

It’s after Thanksgiving. You’ve enjoyed the festivities, the football, and maybe got in some Black Friday shopping deals. Before you go back to work on CyberMonday, you might just need a shot of inspiration. Here it is. Check out the newest effort from two of Chicago’s favorite singers who are also songwriters in their rare moments off from performing. Dave, you know from Hi Infidelity, the tribute band that makes you think you’re in the arena with Journey, Styx, and Foreigner when you hear Dave Mikulskis belt out the best of the 80s power ballads. He’s been voted Best Male Vocalist six times in the SuburbaNites annual “Best of the Burbs” readers poll. Carl, you know well from The Buckinghams, as they have been iconic there since 1965. But, because he’s been behind the microphone so long singing up front, you might forget that he was also a premier Chicago guitarist since the 1960s. This song gave him a chance to play his beloved Paul Reed Smith guitar , a custom brand als...

Chicago music lovers and classic rock devotees mourn the loss of Jimy Sohns, who passed away today at 5:10 p.m. this evening, following a recent stroke. The loss of Jimy, whose performances of classic favorite songs remained 100% as strong as when he first performed them in the 1960s, is still hard to believe. [Photo: Ides of March video screenshot] At age 75, the showman was not only the lead singer of the Shadows of Knight; he was a longtime favorite key player in the preeminent ensemble best known as Chicago’s Cornerstones of Rock. There’s no question that in the 1960s, two national capitals ruled record releases when major labels held court—New York and Los Angeles. Yet, by the mid-1960s, Chicago became an unofficial “third coast,” producing a core group of bands beloved in teen clubs and sock hops first, who eventually made their way to guest appearances on national TV shows as their songs emerged on national charts. The Buckinghams, The Ides of March, The New Colony...

On Wednesday, June 22 and Thursday, June 23, The Buckinghams are pleased to return for their fourth year of performing for fans of the best generation in music at the Belfry Theatre. As anyone who lives or vacations in the Lake Geneva area of Wisconsin knows, one of the best venues to enjoy the best days of summer, is the Belfry Theatre. It’s an historic and delightful theatre with perfect acoustics where every seat is “the best seat in the house.” Located at 3601 State Road 67 in Williams Bay, WI, it’s only a bit over an hour’s drive from Chicago to get there. The theatre has great acoustics and sometimes you’ll even find people dancing in the aisles as they go back to the best days sunshine pop music. Although Carl and Nick have been on the road for most of the month with The Happy Together Tour and going from town to town, these two dates include the full band, including the Buckinghorns, joining them. It promises to be two great nights of singalong...

Are you ready for the most fun in live music? The concert tour of your teenage years returns, and Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna are delighted to announce they'll be performing on 44 of the more than 50 concerts that will take place nationwide this year! Beginning on June 1, The Buckinghams re-join the summer adventures of the rolling extravaganza better known as the Happy Together Tour 2022! Performing their biggest hits of the 1960s and 1970s, The Turtles, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Association, The Buckinghams, The Vogues and The Cowsills return for the Happy Together Tour 2022. Combined, these musicians are responsible for at least 61 Billboard Top 40 smashes. The first Happy Together Tour, produced by Howard Silverman and David Fishof, took place in 1984, and The Buckinghams joined in 1985 for the second HTT, sponsored by Members Only. In 1985 that year the tour was named in the Top 10 highest grossing tours in the United States. After a...

May 1st is an easy date to remember for any fans of The Buckinghams—it’s Nick Fortuna’s Birthday! Last night on 77WABC Radio, during Cousin Brucie’s Saturday Night Rock ‘n’ Roll Party, he was interviewing Carl Giammarese and they were discussing how Carl and Nick had been friends for 60 years now, going all the way back to high school. So, Carl wished Nick a very Happy Birthday coast-to-coast and Cousin Brucie wished "Cousin Nick" a great birthday as well. So, this birthday celebration began a little early this year. A very thoughtful gesture from Cousin Brucie, who's long been an advocate for the music of The Buckinghams. So, we thought it would be fun to look at Nick’s pictures over the years. He is just like fine Italian wine—just gets better with age! Here’s a photo by photo professional Kerry Quinn of the RI Blogger from The Buckinghams’ most recent concert (with The Box Tops) in Woonsocket, Rhode Island at the Stadium Theatre : and another action photo sh...

One of the nicest parts of being a national band is the opportunity to tour the United States each year and see old friends and meet new ones. On April 15th The Buckinghams and good friends The Box Tops performed at the beautiful Stadium Theatre in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. [Photo by Kerry Quinn, RI Blogger] In case you were wondering, Woonsocket is home to the headquarters of CVS Pharmacy, plus the Museum of Work and Culture. Woonsocket is a native American name for “thunder-mist” but the weather was perfect for us. The Stadium Theatre was an exquisite venue to perform in. The Buckinghams were joined by three excellent Rhode Island horn players for the evening. They included Shawn Baptista on trumpet, Greg Washburn on sax, and Josh Kane on trombone. Feedback on the show was so positive and it was great to meet everyone and make so many new friends after the show. Carl and Nick received high praise from an entertainment business professional who attended the...

One of the best things about being a creative artist is that the New Year is a time to look back at the preceding 365 days and assess where you’ve grown and stretched the preceding year. Asking yourself frankly, “So what did you do last year?” “Did you change any lives? “Did you tackle any new challenges?” you must answer honestly. For an established musician or band, almost anytime you take a step away from “home base,” or the thing that audiences and fans know you for, you take a chance. What if, someone decides it’s a little different, or far afield, from what you’ve done before? What if, it showcases you in a brand new light? What happens to the original thing you’ve come to be known for? The answer is: You just made “great” become “greater.” Simply put, it’s like the Grammy-winning Jim Peterik model of music. One day, he cowrites a new song with Brian Wilson for The Beach Boys (“That’s Why God Made the Radio”), or he presents his World Stage Project, or he does a video for his...

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, whom we celebrate for discovering America in 1492. Pride in family heritage runs strong, in Chicago and in every city across the country, but in the case of Chicago's Columbus Day annual celebration, one need only look to the JCCIA , which stands for the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. 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’s widow Marian and their five children who are involved in the success of the business still today—John, Jim, Jeffrey, Lisa, and Jasper). Jasper B. Sanfilippo was one of Chicago’s most respected philanthropists, who founded a company built on nut and snack foods called John B. Sanfilippo & ...