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.personal interview with Ken Ehrlich, January 2008 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".Robert Hilburn, Los Angeles Times, March 21, 2007. 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 1: 1974 "Blues Summit in Chicago" with Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor, Junior Wells, Pinetop Perkins, Mike Bloomfield, Buddy Miles, Johnny Winter, Dr. John, and Nick Gravenites. Band members: Rollow Radford, Bob Margolin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Calvin "Fuzz" Jones, Luther "Georgia Boy" Johnson, Jerry Portnoy. July 1974 José Feliciano, 1974 Randy Newman, 1974 "The Book of Chapin" with Harry Chapin, 1974 "Arlo's Gang" with Arlo Guthrie, Steve Goodman and Hoyt Axton with David P. Jackson Jr. and John Pilla. This episode is sometimes referred to as "Arlo and Friends" Nov. 11 1974 "Yes, We Can Can" with The Pointer Sisters, Dec. 1974 "Bonnie Raitt & Friends" w/ Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. Dec 14 1974 "New Jazz" with Return To Forever featuring Chick Corea; Herbie Hancock with The Headhunters; Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock in duet, 1974 "New Orleans Swamp" with Professor Longhair, Earl King, The Meters, and Dr. John and the Night Trippers, 1974 "Paradise Club of '58" with Jackie Wilson, Della Reese, George Kirby, and Red Saunders Orchestra, 1974 John Sebastian, David Bromberg, 1974 Tom Rush, Tom T. Hall, 1974 Seals and Crofts with England Dan & John Ford Coley and Walter Heath Donovan, Dave Mason, 1974Billboard Magazine 11/30/1974 Don McLean, The Persuasions, 1974 Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, Larry Gatlin, Bill Swan, 1974
Season 2: 1975/1976 "The World of John Hammond, Part One" with hosts Goddard Lieberson, Jerry Wexler, performers Marion Williams, Jessy Nixon, Milt Hinton, Benny Carter, Benny Morton, Red Norvo, George Benson, Teddy Wilson, Jo Jones, Helen Humes, Benny Goodman, Dec. 13 "The World of John Hammond, Part Two" with hosts Goddard Lieberson, Jerry Wexler, performers Benny Goodman, George Benson, Teddy Wilson, Milt Hinton, Leonard Feather, Sonny Terry, Mitch Miller, John P. Hammond, Bob Dylan, Dec. 14 Barry Manilow, 1975 Blood, Sweat & Tears, Janis Ian, 1975 Tom Waits, Mose Allison Dec. 22 Three Dog Night Waylon Jennings, Jessie Colter, Johnny Rodriguez, 1975 Bee Gees, Yvonne Elliman, 1975 "Sixty Minutes to Kill" with Martin Mull and His Fabulous Furniture and Flo & Eddie Phil Everly and Dion DiMucci aka "Dion" Anne Murray, Dobie Gray, 1975 "Downbeat Jazz Awards" with Chick Corea, Quincy Jones, George Benson, Stanley Clarke, Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Bill Watrous, Lenny White, Airto Moreira, Roland Kirk, Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, 1975 Stan Kenton, The Four Freshmen, Anita O'Day, 1976 Judy Collins, Leonard Cohen, 1976 Asleep at the Wheel, Leon Redbone, 1976
Season 3: 1976/1977 Jean-Luc Ponty, Doug Kershaw, and Itzhak Perlman - "Fiddlers Three", 1976 "Sing Me a Jazz Song" with Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, Leon Thomas, Eddie Jefferson, 1976 "Woodie Guthrie's America" with host Studs Terkel, performers Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Fred Hellerman, 1976 The Spinners, 1976 "Dizzy Gillespie's Bebop Reunion" with Dizzy Gillespie, Al Haig, James Moody, Milt Jackson, Kenny Clarke, Ray Brown, Sarah Vaughan, Joseph Carroll, 1976 "Downbeat Jazz Awards" with George Benson, Gary Burton, Ron Carter, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Jean-Luc Ponty, Bill Watrous, Sonny Fortune, Thad Jones, Chick Corea, 1976 Loudon Wainwright III, 1977 "An Evening with Jackson Browne", 1977 B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland, 1977 The Charlie Daniels Band, with special guest Leo Kottke, 1977 "A Santana Festival" with Carlos Santana, Gato Barbieri, Tower of Power, 1977
Season 4: 1977/1978 Kenny Loggins, Jesse Winchester, Michael Murphey, Live at Red Rocks, 1977 Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman, 1977 Hank Williams Jr., Vassar Clements, Katy Moffatt, 1977 Phoebe Snow, David Bromberg, 1977 Graham Parker and The Rumour, Rick Danko, 1977 The Doobie Brothers "Dave Brubeck and Sons", Darius Brubeck, Chris Brubeck, Dan Brubeck, The Murray Louis Dance Company, 1977 "David Amram and Friends", Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Goodman, Jethro Burns, Bonnie Koloc, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, 1978 Al Green, 1978 The Crusaders, Roy Ayers, Ubiquity Starbooty, 1978 Peter Allen, Patti LaBelle, 1978 "The World of Proctor and Bergman", Philip Proctor, Peter Bergman, Hirth Martinez, 1978
Season 5: 1978/1979 Leo Sayer, 1978 Emmylou Harris, Buck White, The Hot Band, The Whites 1978 Journey, with Albert King, Luther Allison, Pinetop Perkins, Jerry Portnoy, 7/9/1978 Pablo Cruise, 1978 Ry Cooder, with The Golden Gate Quartet, 1978 "Fifth Anniversary Show" with host Harry Chapin, 1978 "George Benson, Chet Atkins and Earl Klugh" 1978 Garland Jeffreys, Carmen McRae, Sonny Rollins, 1979 "Shel Silverstein and Dr. Hook" Freddy Fender, Doug Sahm, Huey Meaux, LeBlanc and Carr, 1979 Bruce Roberts, with guests Alice Cooper, Bernie Taupin, 1979 Eddie Rabbit, Bobby Bare, 1979
Season 6: 1979/1980 Gordon Lightfoot 1979 The Temptations, 1979 The Doobie Brothers, 1979 "Chick Corea and Al Jarreau", with Gary Burton, Gayle Moran, Bunny Brunel, Tom Brechtlein, 1979 Ella Fitzgerald, with Count Basie, Joe Pass, Roy Eldridge, Zoot Sims, Paul Smith, Keter Betts, Mickey Roker, 1979 Elvin Bishop, with Mighty Joe Young, Son Seals, 1979 Joan Armatrading 1979 "Sixth Anniversary Show", 1979 John Prine, 1980 Rupert Holmes, 1980 Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes, with Junior Wells, 1980 "Tom Johnston (Doobie Brother)" 1978, 1980 Johnny Paycheck, Mickey Gilley, 1980
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 2003Soundstage Presents: Chicago DVD, Shoppbs.org 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, 2003Press Release, September 10, 2005, Fleetwoodmac-uk.com 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