The Buckinghams in Concert

It’s hard to fathom that it’s been 40 years since The Buckinghams’ leader, drummer John Poulos, passed away at the too-young age of 32. Travel back in time for a few minutes as we remember John through the eyes and memories of his bandmate and friend, Carl Giammarese. First, Carl's video message, especially for friends and fans of The Buckinghams, who’d journeyed with them from their earliest days. John’s legacy of love lives on, and his many gifts and talents are remembered by those who loved him dearly, especially his widow, Dale Fahey, and their daughter, Polly, a talented creative in her own right. And now, flashback to the very beginning. From the band photo (above) the year was 1965 and The Pulsations won a battle of the bands in Chicago, chosen to perform on Chicago’s WGN-TV for 13 weeks on the show, “All Time Hits.” Band members on the show by the 4th week were: [L to R]: Nick Fortuna, Dennis Miccolis, John Poulos (seated), Dennis Tufano, and Carl Giammarese (seated)].

"Living in the Moment" is the latest solo CD from Carl Giammarese, and it represents a year of composing songs that reflect a present-day look back at the past and focus on the future. For those not on Facebook, here's "What People Are Saying--Reviews of 'Living in the Moment'" shared here: Have you had a chance to hear Carl’s new CD yet? Did you have preconceived notions about what you might hear? Were you right? One thing you can say for certain is that Carl’s talent in songwriting has never been clearer than in this new CD. The diversity of the musical offerings, the styles in which he can sing (reggae, country, soft rock, Christian rock, and of course, classic rock) go far beyond what you hear at a beloved Buckinghams’ concert. Carl is a modest man, and when he released the music, he didn’t know what to expect in terms of feedback. Recently he shared that he’s receiving so many e-mails with your reactions to his work, after people have ordered an

One of the nice things about two Chicago guys getting together to talk is that it usually involves good food, to go along with the good conversation. Chicagoland boasts one of the best food groups in the world, the group being "hot dogs." A Chicago dog may involve a lot of things. Here's a periodic table that helps you with the condiments of what goes into a 'real' Chicago dog:                                                        Courtesy of Vienna Beef So when Ron Onesti and Carl Giammarese got together, where else would be a great spot for a Sunday afternoon than Gene & Jude's, located at 2720 River Road, River Grove, IL 60171 ( www.geneandjudes.com ). Now check out all the restaurant reviews online and see where Gene & Jude's uses the natural casing Vienna Beef dog, and then follow the instructions on the table above when you live out of state, or make sure to put this place on your list the next time you're in Chicagoland for a visi