It may be almost Easter, but Sopro Music is belatedly celebrating another holiday with its 38th annual Thanksgiving Blues Revue.
Postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show is finally set for April 16 at Beverly Arts Center in Chicago and also serves as a tribute memorial concert for the late Tommy Biondo; William Finchum, who was known in musical circles as Billy King; and Dave Kavanagh.
“We used to do Easter Parade shows with our Blues Revue,” said Bud Monaco, executive producer of Sopro Music, Sopro Concerts and Sopro Records.
“Ten years ago we stopped doing them. My partner, Red Rose, and I decided we’re backing out of the biz. We’re both 70 years old-plus. We had a good run but we’re not completely out. We’re not going to give up the original Blues Revue, which started in the 1980s.”
A bassist and vocalist, Tommy Biondo of Alsip was married to Monaco’s sister Anita Biondo and was a longtime employee of the Cook County Sheriff’s Department. He died on Sept. 23, 2020.
Tommy Biondo’s bands included The Ants circa 1976-1978, The Theatre Band circa 1978-1982 and The Wrong Boys with Joe Izzo (vocals and guitar), Steve Staszak (guitar) and Rob Martin (drums) for the past 30 years.
“The show is going to be opened up with Joey Miroballi on guitar. He plays with the Mötley Crüe tribute band Motley II and the Bon Jovi tribute band Bad Medicine. He has become a Sopro Music executive producer for recording projects. He’s a genius guitarist, arranger and writer,” Monaco said.
“He is going to do one song with my niece Shannon Freer, who is Tommy’s niece. She’s going to sing Bette Midler’s ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ to honor her uncle Tommy Biondo.”
Other openers for Sopro Music’s Thanksgiving Blues Revue include Tony Wilson and Nobody’s Business.
“Tony Wilson played on my first show ever at The Kinetic Playground in Chicago,” said Monaco of Chicago Ridge.
More Top Picks Best Budget E Readers For Kids
“His band is now called Nobody’s Business, which Tommy Biondo played in on and off. Tony’s the guitar player and we did shows back in the 1970s at Veterans of Foreign Wars halls and church auditoriums all over the South Side.”
The Wrong Boys, who will be joined by Tommy Biondo’s nephews AJ Biondo of Orland Park on bass and Max Sagan of Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood on guitar for three songs, also open the show.
Sopro Music’s Thanksgiving Blues Revue celebrates not only Tommy Biondo’s life but also the lives of Homer Glen resident King, who died on Dec. 20; and Dan Kavanagh, who died on March 12.
“Billy King was a well-known veteran blues guitarist. He was in our Blues Revue for two and a half going on three decades. He was very popular and a great guy. He got along with everybody. He was a real crowd pleaser,” said Monaco about the namesake and frontman of the Billy King Band.
“Dan Kavanagh broke into music as a booking agent in the ’70s and was also a drummer,” said Monaco about the musician whose bands included Rocky with brothers Al Raci and Paul Raci, Target with vocalist Brandy Alberti and The Long Time Friends Blues Band with Brian Sarna, Ray Sarna and Chuck Neuberger.
Featured performers for Thanksgiving Blues Revue include Sopro Records artist The Chicago Horns consisting of Bill McFarland on trombone, Kenny Anderson on trumpet, Hank Ford on saxophone and Tony Ferraro on saxophone performing a horns blues melody and “Next Time You See Me.”
Other acts include France Marie and Victoria Talerico on lead vocals for “Further on Up the Road,” Sopro Music’s Thanksgiving Blues Revue band director Joey Drada (guitar, vocals) and Doug Lee (harmonica, vocals) on “Messin’ With the Kid,” Chainsaw Dupont (guitar) and Doug Lee & The Blues Family.
“We started from grassroots, doing Thanksgiving shows every Wednesday before Thanksgiving and it just became a staple. We’ve been doing it ever since and loving it,” Monaco said.
“It’s been one of the highlights of my career. I’ve had some pretty good highlights and I’m honored to be with them and be around them.”
Thanksgiving Blues Revue also includes John Falstrom (bass), Grant Niebergall (drums), Frank Anastos (guitar, vocals), Harry Zirbes (keyboards), Greg “Wolfman” Schleitwiler (keyboards), Eddie Neese (guitar), Bob Stroger (bass), Mike McCune (bass), Rob Davis (drums) and Willie Shackford (keyboards).
Sopro Music’s Thanksgiving Blues Revue
When: 5:30 p.m. April 16
Where: Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St., Chicago
Tickets: $25
Information: 773-445-3838; thebeverlyartscenter.com
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.