Soundstage (TV series)

SoundStage
File:Soundstage.png Soundstage Logo
Country of origin	United States
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Release
Original network	PBS
Original release	1974–1985 2003 – 2010
External links
[{{#property:P856}} Website]

Soundstage was 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 8) starting in January 2010, 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.

HD Ready, LLC is a full-scale production company specializing in producing live concert performances for the acclaimed television show, as well as for DVDs and Blu-rays. Music industry veteran and HD Ready founder Joe Thomas has produced and directed over 100 episodes for Soundstage. Airing nationally on PBS, Palladia, CMT, Rave HD, and GAC, as well as internationally in over 20 countries, the program features intimate performances by today’s legendary, as well up-and-coming hit artists.

Initial series

The series originated in 1972 as Made in Chicago, also taped at 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. 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". 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.

Sponsors for the series include:

• DirecTV
• Chevron Corporation
• The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
• MasterCard
• Ford Foundation
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• David and Lucile Packard Foundation
• Budweiser
• AT&T
• John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
• Best Buy
• Ford Motor Company
• National Endowment for the Arts
• National Endowment for the Humanities
• American Express

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, Robert Margolin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Calvin "Fuzz" Jones, Luther Johnson, Jerry Portnoy. July 1974
• Jose Feliciano, 1974
• Randy Newman, 1974
• "The Book of Chapin" with Harry Chapin, 1974
• "Yes, We Can Can" with The Pointer Sisters, Dec. 1974
• "New Jazz" with Return To Forever featuring Chick Corea; Herbie Hancock with The Headhunters; Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock in duet, 1974

Season 2: 1975

• Tom Waits, Dec. 1975

Season 3: 1976

• "Kenton, the Freshmen, and Anita" with Stan Kenton, The Four Freshmen, and Anita O'Day, Feb. 1976
• "Jean-Luc Ponty", 1978

Season 4: 1977

• The Doobie Brothers

Season 5: 1978

• "The Crusaders"; Roy Ayers (as Roy Ayers Ubiquity), 1978
• Pat Metheny Group, Freddie Hubbard, 1978
• "George Benson, Chet Atkins and Earl Klugh" 1978

Season 6: 1979

• "Chick Corea, Al Jarreau", 1979

Season 7: 1980

• John Prine

Season 8: 1981

• Roberta Flack, Apr. 1981

Season 10: 1983

• Andy Kaufman

New Series

Season 1: 2003

• Lyle Lovett, Randy Newman, and Mark Isham, March 2003
• Chicago, live in concert, June 2003
• 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
• 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, OH, 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
• 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, MA, September 2004
• Chris Isaak Christmas album Special, with guests Michael Bublé, Brian McKnight and Stevie Nicks, September 2004
• George Jones 50 Years Special, with guests Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Wynonna, Martina McBride, Aaron Neville, Harry Connick Jr., Randy Travis, Lorrie Morgan, Vince Gill, Trick Pony, Amy Grant, Sammy Kershaw, Trace Adkins, Uncle Kracker, Connie Smith, Emmylou Harris, Joe Diffie, Kris Kristofferson, Shelby Lynne and Tanya Tucker, November 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, IL, 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, IL, 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
• Bill Laswell, AXIOM SOUND SYSTEM, and Musical Freezone featuring Tabla Beat Science, Pharoah Sanders backed by Material, and two Praxis members Buckethead and Bootsy Collins, July 2006
• The All American Rejects and Fountains of Wayne, July 2006
• KT Tunstall, July 2006
• Train, August 2006
• Peter Frampton, January 2007
• New York Dolls, February 2007
• Lee Ann Womack with Julie Roberts, February 2007
• Jewel at Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas, February 2007
• Rickie Lee Jones, February 2007
• Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris at Gibson Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, March 2007

Season 5: 2007

• Rob Thomas at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, June 2007
• Macy Gray, July 2007
• Dashboard Confessional at Madison Square Garden, July 2007
• Jewel at Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, IL, July 2007

Season 6: 2008

• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, January 2008
• Lifehouse, January 2008
• Daughtry, January 2008
• John Fogerty, February 2008
• Josh Groban at EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, June 2008
• REO Speedwagon, July 2008
• Bon Jovi, July 2008
• Stevie Nicks, July 2008
• Matchbox Twenty, July 2008
• Kenny Chesney, August 2008
• Faith Hill, Joy to the World, A Soundstage Special Event at Sears Centre Arena, November 2008

Season 7: 2009

• Counting Crows, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, January 2009
• Idina Menzel with special guests Josh Groban and Ravi Coltrane at Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York, January 2009
• Foreigner, January 2009
• B.B. King with special guests Terrence Howard, Richie Sambora, and Solange Knowles, January 2009
• Umphrey's McGee, February 2009
• Seal, February 2009
• Jackson Browne, June 2009
• OneRepublic, June 2009
• Sugarland, July 2009
• Death Cab for Cutie, July 2009
• Billy Idol at the Congress Theater, July 2009
• Fall Out Boy, July 2009
• Josh Groban: An Evening in New York City, July 2009
• Michael McDonald: This Christmas

Season 8: 2010

• Tim McGraw, January 2010
• The Fray, January 2010
• 3 Girls and Their Buddy featuring Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller, January 2010
• Lynyrd Skynyrd, January 2010
• Willie Nelson, January 2010

External links

• Soundstage at IMDb (1974)
• Soundstage at IMDb (2003)
• Soundstage – Homepage on PBS
• WTTW National Productions