Donna Herula saw Tony Nardiello “across a crowded room,” or so her story goes. It was 1990 and they were both tutors at Triton College at the time. Herula decided to ask Nardiello to play guitar with her at an English as a Second Language graduation. “That was a good way of getting him to ask me out,” Herula explained.
The longtime married couple is looking forward to performing again on Nov. 30 at Triton for Global Music Series: Artists from Old Town School of Music.
Although Herula has a band and a trio, the two of them will perform alone this time.
“We’ll do a mix of traditional blues and Americana and some original tunes,” Herula said. Some of those will be from her most recent album, “Bang at the Door,” which won Best Acoustic Blues Album at the 2022 Independent Blues Awards.
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Herula wrote 11 of the 14 songs on the album. “Tony sang a couple of songs on the album and did backup vocals and played guitar on some of the songs,” she said.
During the show, “We’ll ask people to sing along at certain call-and-response songs,” Herula said.
There will also be jokes in the show thanks to Nardiello. “He’s pretty funny,” Herula said.
A lot has happened since that fateful day the couple first played together so many years ago. The Chicago-based traditional acoustic blues duo has performed blues, folk, roots, and Americana music, as well as original songs, at blues and folk festivals across the country. They perform regularly at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago.
In 2016, Herula was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame and was featured in an article in Acoustic Guitar magazine. She headlined at the 2014 Durban International Blues Festival in South Africa.
Both performers have a long connection to the blues.
“I’ve liked it since I was a kid,” Nardiello said. “I used to watch B.B. King on Johnny Carson.”
“It was always something that called out to me,” Herula said. “There was a lot of emotion. I was born and raised in Portage Park in Chicago so it seemed like blues was all around me.”
The singers and guitarists believe they are such as successful performing duo because, “People say that our voices fit together really well, “Nardiello explained.
Herula added, “I come from a more blues influence and my husband comes more from a folk singer style. I think we complement each other.”
When we spoke, the couple was at O’Hare Airport waiting to catch a flight to Switzerland because they were scheduled to play at the Lucerne Blues Festival. “I’m playing with my band but Tony’s coming out. He’s going to be a featured performer,” Herula said.
“I love performing with him,” Herula said. “I wish we could do it all the time. He has such a great voice. I started out as a guitar player and he was more of a singer. I’ve developed my voice and he’s developed his guitar playing, so it’s nice to complement each other.”
“Because Donna’s such a good lead guitar player, if I ever forget the words, I can look at her and nod and she’ll play a solo and it looks like It’s part of the show,” Nardiello said.
With all their performing and recording activities you’d think they wouldn’t have time for day jobs but Nardiello is an analyst at a bank and Herula is a mental health counselor at three companies.
“I provide stress management and counseling for the blues,” she said.
Herula said that her husband wants her to get a business card that says on one side, “Got the blues? I treat ’em,” and on the other side, “Got the blues? I play ’em.”
‘Global Music Series: Artists from Old Town School of Folk Music’
When: 7 p.m. Nov. 30
Where: Triton College Performing Arts Center, R Building, Room 218, 2000 Fifth Ave., River Grove
Tickets: Free
Information: triton.edu/global-music-series-artists-from-old-town-school-of-folk-music-161939650/
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Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.