Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 1,2011

Jason Sturgeon perseveres with luck

Willie Nelson – and he should know – got quoted saying to be successful in the music business takes perseverance, perseverance, perseverance and luck. Actually that particular Willie-ism f

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 25,2011

Growing jazz in Greater Springfield

By Tom Irwin

Jazz music, considered an original American art form by most scholars of the arts, has a strong and vibrant history within our music scene. More than a few capital city natives made good in the genre

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 18,2011

The Don Smith Band, a State Fair tradition

By Tom Irwin

Here’s a fairly interesting fair fact. During every Illinois State Fair for the last 31 years, some version of a Don Smith group played somewhere on the fairgrounds. The really cool thing is thi

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 11,2011

The State Fair and beyond

By Tom Irwin

Here comes the Illinois State Fair. From parking cars on our lawns to finding two-way streets going only one way, from bars open late to an increase in the fly population (there’s a barfly joke

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, August 4,2011

Downhome is downtown

By Tom Irwin

Howdy folks! Allow me to introduce you to the latest and greatest downtown music fest. Illinois Times Now Playing readers meet the Downhome Music Festival. Debuting this Sat., Aug. 6, on the corner of

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 28,2011

What Dave Littrell sees now

By Tom Irwin

Fans of the local band music scene would be hard pressed to not be familiar with the Station, one of our most prolific and consistent groups of the last decade in the area and on the road. Dave Littre

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 21,2011

Gospel Fest, Springfield-style

By Tom Irwin

After nearly a decade of consistent performance, the Springfield Gospel Fest is a standard on the local music summer festival scene. The all-day event held at Comer Cox Park Saturday, July 23, feature

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 14,2011

Hurricane Ruth returns

By Tom Irwin

Try tossing out the name Hurricane Ruth in a conversation about area music and see what happens. Most folks from back in the day are likely to have a story about a particularly stupendous performance

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, July 7,2011

Marina V on the move

By Tom Irwin

Lots of events are happening this weekend including the Taste of Downtown with the American Music Show, plus plenty of regular rigmarole at area bars, but whenever Marina V comes to town we stop the p

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, June 30,2011

July music explodes

By Tom Irwin

There are a couple of dandy weekends coming up, the first with a bit of Yankee Doodle in it counting the Fourth of July celebration and the next a yummy treat during the Taste of Downtown, so let&rsqu