Band Spotlight | Thursday, January 20,2011

Joe Cooke Band

From a stint at Berklee College of Music, where he hung with fellow student and future legendary guitarist Al DiMeola, to years as Springfield’s reigning rock guitarist in the ’70s, and fr

Band Spotlight | Thursday, January 13,2011

Pete Sander

By Tom Irwin

Here’s the idea: take four singer-songwriters, set them on stage then let them sing their songs and talk about the inspiration behind the tunes. Springfield songwriter Pete Sander participated i

Band Spotlight | Thursday, January 6,2011

Cabin Fever

By Tom Irwin

With a heartfelt love of music and a strong desire to entertain, Cabin Fever boasts an enthusiastic lineup of extraordinary musicians. Formed in 2006, the band plays regularly at local nightclubs and

Band Spotlight | Wednesday, December 29,2010

Cowboy Randy Erwin

By Tom Irwin

An accomplished musician on many levels, Randy Skalicky a.k.a. Cowboy Randy Erwin, found his niche several years ago as a yodeler of American western swing music. By learning tricky rope tricks (like

Band Spotlight | Wednesday, December 22,2010

Ben Bedford

By Tom Irwin

In the last five years Ben Bedford went from being a guy playing open mics around town to a nationally known and highly respected folk singer of original music. He did it the old-fashioned way, by wri

Band Spotlight | Thursday, December 16,2010

The Ramblin Blues Band

By Tom Irwin

For over a year and half now The Ramblin Blues Band has traveled around the local music scene roaming through venues all over central Illinois. The quartet of Keeli Zerrusen (lead vocals), Matt Combs

Band Spotlight | Thursday, December 9,2010

Hipbone Sam Band

By Tom Irwin

About two years ago Kevin Hawkins decided to make a living playing music and that’s exactly what he’s done. Now known all over central Illinois as the fun lovin’, music makin’,

Band Spotlight | Thursday, December 2,2010

Tommy and the High Pilots

By Tom Irwin

When his band Holden unexpectedly folded in 2007, Tom Cantillon – the Tommy of the High Pilots – took off from his native Santa Barbara, Calif., for a year in New York City using the inspi

Band Spotlight | Thursday, November 18,2010

Dale Armstrong with Ronnie Engel

By Tom Irwin

In honor of National Drum Month, Prairie Drum presents two world-class drummers with roots in central Illinois in an evening of entertainment and education. Dale Armstrong, a Bloomington native, moved

Band Spotlight | Thursday, November 11,2010

Closing Time

By Tom Irwin

Longtime friends and musicians Aaron Stanley and Robert Reynolds kicked around the idea of a cool 90s cover band for a few years until putting the notion into motion last summer. The pals agree they d