Skokie Radio Host Organizing Top Names In Blues for Charity Concert

As a music producer, radio host and publicist, Lynn Orman Weiss of Skokie has a front seat to the world of Chicago blues.

She believes strongly in chronicling the history of that world, especially because the first generation of bluesmen to bring the music from Mississippi to Chicago--like Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater-- are growing old.

"These blues men and women changed the course of my life," Orman Weiss said. "They give us a foundation for history."

Their music forms an archive of the Great Migration from Mississippi to Chicago around the 1960s, she added.

So Orman Weiss saw a terrific opportunity to gather some great blues musicians to perform at Shedfest July 20 at The Shed, a private musicians' club in Highland Park.

Proceeds from Shedfest will benefit Rebecca's Dream, a non-profit organization which provides support to people living with depression and bipolar disorder, and also works in suicide prevention. It is named for a local woman, Rebecca Cutler, who died in 2005 at age 30.

For the July 20 concert, the lineup of musicians includes Harvey Mandel, Corky Siegel, Nick Gravenites, Barry Goldberg, vocalist Marcella Detroit, Big Bill Morganfield and Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater. Clearwater, who is getting on in years, hailed from Macon, Mississippi and now lives in Skokie with his wife, Orman Weiss said.

She described it as "three generations of blues men and women' coming together.

Orman Weiss wrote that she " is so excited to bring the Chicago Blues Reunion back home... When I met with Jim and Kim Shiffman, founders of The Shed & ShedFest, they told me of their desire to expand Shedfest for a second night and feature the Blues. They had already booked Blues legend Eddy ‘The Chief’ Clearwater as the headliner, www.eddyclearwater.com. 

"Jim and Kim loved the idea of featuring three generations of the Blues, creating the largest outdoor Blues music festival on the North Shore. Bringing in Big Bill Morganfield brings this concert full circle. The Chicago Blues Reunion band respected and honored their mentor, Muddy Waters. He was the tree that gave root to Chicago Blues and now CBR will be sharing the stage with one of Muddy’s branches, Big Bill, an international touring artist and Chicago Blues Hall of Fame recording artist and singer/songwriter with four CD’s out on Blind Pig Records and his own label, Black Shuck Records. His critically acclaimed new CD, Blues With A Mood just hit number one of Sirius XM Radio’s, BB King’s Bluesville, www.bigbillmorganfield.net."

More information and tickets are available at http://www.theshedfest.com/about.html. The concert will take place at 1480 Old Deerfield Road #11 in Highland Park. 

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