Soundstage (TV series)

*Soundstage*
Soundstage
	Logo
Country of origin	United States
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Original release
Network	PBS
Release	1974 – 1985; 2003 – 2010; 2016 – 2018;

Soundstage is an American live concert television series produced by WTTW Chicago and HD Ready. The original series aired for 13 seasons between 1974 and 1985; a new series of seasons began in 2003, with the latest (Season 11) starting in April 2018, each presented in high-definition with surround sound. Some performances have been made available on DVD. The performances are taped on stage at the WTTW television studio in Chicago, as well as large venues throughout the United States.

Airing nationally on PBS, MTV Live, CMT, Rave HD, and GAC, as well as internationally in over 20 countries, the program features intimate performances by well-established as well as up-and-coming artists.

Initial series

The series originated in 1972 as Made in Chicago, and was taped and broadcast by WTTW. It presented a dramatic contrast to the way music had been televised until that point; variety shows (such as The Ed Sullivan Show) and lip-synched cabaret shows (such as The Andy Williams Show) were the norm. Made in Chicago (originated by Ken Ehrlich, who had previously produced The Marty Faye Show) foregrounded the music and emphasized live performance and, at times, improvisation.

In 1974, the show's name was changed to Soundstage, and it became more widely distributed by PBS.^[1] Artists who appeared in the early years of the show included figures from rock (Bob Dylan, Tom Waits), pop (the Bee Gees), blues (Bonnie Raitt and Muddy Waters), jazz (Professor Longhair, Dizzy Gillespie, and Benny Goodman, as well as specials dedicated to the Down Beat Readers Poll Award winners), folk (Jim Croce, Janis Ian, Arlo Guthrie, and Harry Chapin), and gospel/soul/R&B (Al Green and Aretha Franklin). The 1980 appearance by John Prine is "the only archival concert of Prine available on DVD".^[2] One of the most unusual episodes, broadcast in 1983, was devoted to Andy Kaufman, who hosted it in a (somewhat bizarre) variety show format; it was his last major television appearance.

Artists

Original series

Season 7: 1980/1981

"An Evening with Dionne Warwick", 1980
Victor Borge - "Comedy in Music", 1980
The Manhattan Transfer, 1980
Little River Band, 1980
Don Williams, 1981
Lacy J. Dalton and Con Hunley, 1981
"Just Folk" with Odetta, Tom Paxton, Bob Gibson, Josh White Jr., 1981
"An Evening with Roberta Flack" with guest Dwight Watkins, 1981
The Oak Ridge Boys, 1981

Season 8: 1981/1982

Chicago Jazz Festival, with Herbie Hancock, Carmen McRae, Sun Ra and His Arkestra, 1981
Doc Severinsen and Xebron, with Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago, 1981
Cheap Trick at ChicagoFest, 1981
Roger Miller, 1982
The Blasters, with Carl Perkins, Willie Dixon, 1982
Ronnie Milsap, 1982
"Full Swing" with Charlotte Crosley, Lorraine Feather, Steve March, 1982
The Marshall Tucker Band, Micheal Smotherman, 1982
"Doo Wop!" with The Capris, The Harptones, The Jive Five, The Mystics, Randy & The Rainbows, 1982
Etta James, with Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, 1982

Season 9: 1983

Loverboy, 1983
The Roches, 1983
Tina Turner, 1983
Joe Cocker, 1983
V.S.O.P., with Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, 1983
Peabo Bryson and Angela Bofill, 1983
Marshall Crenshaw, 1983
"The Andy Kaufman Show", 1983
"The Chicago Bluegrass Festival" with John McEuen, Jimmy Ibbotson, Doc Watson, Merle Watson, Peter Rowan, David Bromberg, 1983
Greg Kihn, 1983

Season 10: 1985

Chicago Jazz Festival with The Buddy Rich Big Band, Bud Freeman Sextet, Doc Cheatham, A Tribute to Count Basie, with Clark Terry, Buddy DeFranco, Gus Johnson, Charlie Rouse, Nat Pierce, Milton Hinton, 1985
Chicago Jazz Festival, A Tribute to Charlie Parker, with Lou Donaldson, James Moody, Ira Sullivan, Duke Jordan, Mongo Santamaria, 1985
Aretha Franklin, 1985
"Tenth Anniversary Special" with host Dionne Warwick, 1985

New series

Season 1: 2003

Lyle Lovett, Randy Newman, and Mark Isham, March 2003
Chicago, live in concert, June 2003^[11]
Michael McDonald, July 2003
Alison Krauss and Union Station, July 2003
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, July 2003
Lucinda Williams and Kasey Chambers, July 2003
Chris Isaak and Raul Malo, August 2003
Trace Adkins and Travis Tritt, August 2003
Tori Amos, August 2003 Taped May 2, 2003
Wilco and Sonic Youth, September 2003
John Hiatt and the Goners, Dar Williams, Robinella and the CCString Band, September 2003
Peter Cetera and Amy Grant, October 2003
Farm Aid 2003 at Germain Amphitheater, Columbus, Ohio, featuring Willie Nelson, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Sheryl Crow, Brooks & Dunn, Emmylou Harris, Los Lonely Boys, Hootie & the Blowfish, Billy Bob Thornton and Trick Pony, November 2003

Season 2: 2004

Fleetwood Mac at the FleetCenter in West End Boston, June 2004 taped September 24, 2003^[12]
Sheryl Crow, June 2004
Ronald Isley and Burt Bacharach, July 2004
Alanis Morissette, July 2004
Lisa Marie Presley and Peter Wolf, July 2004
Cyndi Lauper, August 2004
Joan Baez, Gillian Welch, and Nickel Creek, August 2004
Counting Crows and Shelby Lynne, August 2004
Dan Fogelberg, September 2004
Steve Winwood, September 2004
30 Odd Foot of Grunts and Kris Kristofferson, September 2004
Yes at Tsongas Arena, Lowell, Massachusetts, Taped May 15, 2004. Premiered September 2004
Chris Isaak Christmas album Special, with guests Michael Bublé, Brian McKnight and Stevie Nicks, Taped September 23–24, 2004 Premiered December 2, 2004

Season 3: 2005

Michael McDonald with guests Billy Preston, Toni Braxton, Take 6 and India.Arie in Tennessee, June 2005
John Mayer with Buddy Guy, July 2005
The Wallflowers, July 2005
Heart, July 2005
America with guest Christopher Cross, August 2005
Ringo Starr & the Roundheads with guest Colin Hay at Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois, August 2005
Lindsey Buckingham with Stevie Nicks, September 2005
Chris Isaak, September 2005
Trisha Yearwood with guests Billy Currington and Sugarland, September 2005
Joss Stone with guest Mavis Staples, October 2005
Martina McBride at Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois, October 2005
Dave Matthews Band with guests Robert Randolph, Rashawn Ross and David Cast at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, November 2005

Season 4: 2006–2007

Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, June 2006
Garbage, July 2006
Bill Laswell, AXIOM SOUND SYSTEM, and Musical Freezone featuring Tabla Beat Science, Pharoah Sanders backed by Material, and two Praxis members Buckethead and Bootsy Collins, July 2006
The All American Rejects and Fountains of Wayne, July 2006
KT Tunstall, July 2006
Train, August
Tom Petty Live from Gainesville 30th Anniversary Concert, November 2006
Peter Frampton, January 2007
New York Dolls, February 2007
Lee Ann Womack with Julie Roberts, February 2007
Jewel at Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas, February 2007
Rickie Lee Jones, February 2007
Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris at Gibson Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, March 2007

Season 5: 2007

Rob Thomas, January 2007
NY Dolls, February 2007
Rickie Lee Jones, February 2007
Mark Knoffler & EmmyLou Harris, February 2007
Rob Thomas at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, June 2007
Macy Gray, July 2007
Dashboard Confessional at Madison Square Garden, July 2007
Jewel at Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, Illinois, July 2007 Taped November 28, 2006
George Jones 50 Years Special, with guests Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Wynonna, Martina McBride, Aaron Neville, Harry Connick Jr., Randy Travis, Lorrie Morgan, Vince Gill, Trick Pony, Amy Grant, Sammy Kershaw, Trace Adkins, Uncle Kracker, Connie Smith, Emmylou Harris, Joe Diffie, Kris Kristofferson, Shelby Lynne and Tanya Tucker, November 2007

Season 6: 2008

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, January 2008
Lifehouse, January 2008
Daughtry, January 2008
John Fogerty, February 2008
Josh Groban at EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, June 2008 taped August 28, 2007
REO Speedwagon, July 2008
Bon Jovi, July 2008
Stevie Nicks, July 2008
Matchbox Twenty, July 2008
Kenny Chesney, August 2008
Faith Hill, Joy to the World, A Soundstage Special Event at Sears Centre Arena, November 2008 Taped September 10, 2008

Season 7: 2009

Counting Crows, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, January 2009
Idina Menzel with special guests Josh Groban and Ravi Coltrane at Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York, January 2009
Foreigner, January 2009
B.B. King with special guests Terrence Howard, Richie Sambora, and Solange Knowles, January 2009
Umphrey's McGee, February 2009
Seal, February 2009
Jackson Browne, June 2009
OneRepublic, June 2009
Sugarland, July 2009
Death Cab for Cutie, July 2009
Billy Idol at the Congress Theater, July 2009
Fall Out Boy, July 2009
Josh Groban: An Evening in New York City, July 2009
Michael McDonald: This Christmas

Season 8: 2010

Tim McGraw, January 2010
The Fray, January 2010
3 Girls and Their Buddy featuring Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller, January 2010 Taped October 29, 2009
Lynyrd Skynyrd, January 2010
Willie Nelson, January 2010

Season 9: 2016

Toby Keith, April 2016
GeorgeFest, celebrating the music of George Harrison featuring performances by Brian Wilson, Norah Jones, Dhani Harrison, Ann Wilson of Heart, and more. May 2016
Jason Isbell, May 2016
Jake Owen, May 2016
Regina Spektor, October 2016

Season 10: 2017

Bad Company, January 2017
Jon Secada, January 2017
Blondie, January 2017
Old Dominion, February 2017
Tom Jones, March 2017

Season 11: 2018

Chicago, April 2018
Katharine McPhee, April 2018
The Manhattan Transfer/Take 6, April 2018
Michael McDonald, April 2018
RSO (Richie Sambora and Orianthi), May 2018

References

^ personal interview with Ken Ehrlich, January 2008
^ Robert Hilburn, Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2007.
^ "Muddy Waters and Friends Soundstage: Blues Summit In Chicago, 1974 DVD". Amazon. April 21, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
^ Billboard Magazine 11/30/1974
^ Palmer, Robert (October 23, 1975). "Bob Dylan, Jazz Stars Salute Label Pioneer John Hammond". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
^ 11db11 (4 June 2013). "Jean-Luc Ponty Live 1976". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Larry Musicman (29 May 2017). "Emmylou Harris, The Hotband & The Whites live in concert 1978". Archived from the original on 2020-12-06. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.
^ Ronja´s Dr Hook Channel (20 September 2011). "Shel Silverstein - "Show It At The Beach"". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.
^ "Soundstage 1978". Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.
^ pandoval13 (3 August 2011). "Tom Johnston". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^ Soundstage Presents: Chicago DVD, Shoppbs.org
^ Press Release, September 10, 2005, Fleetwoodmac-uk.com

External links

[1] rsonal interview with Ken Ehrlich, January 2008

[2] Robert Hilburn, Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2007.

[3] "Muddy Waters and Friends Soundstage: Blues Summit In Chicago, 1974 DVD". Amazon. April 21, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2019.

[4] Billboard Magazine 11/30/1974

[5] Palmer, Robert (October 23, 1975). "Bob Dylan, Jazz Stars Salute Label Pioneer John Hammond". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 4, 2018.

[6] 11db11 (4 June 2013). "Jean-Luc Ponty Live 1976". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[7] Larry Musicman (29 May 2017). "Emmylou Harris, The Hotband & The Whites live in concert 1978". Archived from the original on 2020-12-06. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.

[8] Ronja´s Dr Hook Channel (20 September 2011). "Shel Silverstein - "Show It At The Beach"". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.

[9] "Soundstage 1978". Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.

[10] val13 (3 August 2011). "Tom Johnston". Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[11] Soundstage Presents: Chicago DVD, Shoppbs.org

[12] Press Release, September 10, 2005, Fleetwoodmac-uk.com

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