Bob Dorr And The Blue Band Update

This year, new on the Fairgrounds: Carrot and/or chocolate funnelCAKES! Need I say more? Literally FOUR generations of Blue People from all around the state (actually from around the country) converge for our annual reunion on the AE/TV8 stage at the Iowa State Fair, Friday (TONIGHT) and Saturday, two shows nightly, 7 and 9pm. I think, (altho' I can find no one who remembers for sure) that The Blue Band was a last minute replacement for opening Thursday of the Fair in 1984. That would make this weekend our 29th year. Jeff and I have seen the stage go from The Fairview Stage (before naming rights!) with planks of wood stretched between hay bales for bleacher seats, to the Coors Stage, The Pabst Stage, and AE/TV8 Stage with improvements in staging and seating all along the way. The sound and sound crew are first rate, the FFA kids who help move the stuff on stage are fantastic, and (mostly) the reconnection with people who've moved towards Sex-a-genarianism with us, all combine for an atmosphere like no other! Bring the kids, bring the grandkids, bring the great grandkids, bring yer Bob-on-a-stick fans (you have to have been around for a long time to remember Bob-on-a-Stick, right ie?) and bring yer washboard tie (every year, I hope for a section of 50 or more people playin' the tie) The weather is predicted to be spectacular (you might even want to check out the new long sleeve Ts!) and Lucinda has promised to bring her portable dancefloor. It truly is an honor to be part of the entertainment line up again this year. It is particularly gratifying because we are all from Iowa. This year, we'll have 3 generations of players on stage (my God, Nolan is one-third my age) from Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Iowa City (originally from Harlan) Jeff and I have been invited to play a few minutes on the TV8 News at 5 tonight, so get out early and sing along with us on TV! Keep the tradition going, see yas at The Fair!... But wait, summer ain't ovah! Next Thursday (8/23) has us at the Uptown Getdown Concert Series at City Square Park in Marion, Friday (8/24) at The Return of The Waukee Street Dance!! (well, no, I don't remember the details of the Waukee Bob's dances in the 80s and 90s, but the stories I've heard would indicate that we all had a VERY good time) and Saturday (8/25) at The Brew-B-Q celebration in Independence. More on these very cool events next week...
Bad news/good news: Bad news-Altho' making steady improvement in his health and strength, Sam Salomone does not think he can make The Fair this year. Good news-He's confident that he'll be able to join us for New Year's Eve! Keep the good vibes goin' for the Hammond player! And make those New Year's Eve reservations: http://www.theblueband.com/newyear.htm
In case you haven't stopped by the Blue Band chat page or my Facebook page, the big news about my radio shows posted this week is:
The end of an era. After 30+ years, Backtracks, my rock'n'roll history radio show, will be moved from Saturday nights to Saturday afternoons and go from a 3 hour show to a 2 hour show starting Sept. 15. It has been a fabulous run. Thank you public radio listeners for all the encouragement and support all these decades. I will plan on celebrating this show with one final LIVE Sat. night show on Sept. 8. Hope you can join me. bd
My Facebook post on the changes to the program (after many very nice comments): Hey now, don't get me wrong, I'm not complainin'. First, I make the shows in my garage as an independent producer and am fortunate that IPR helps with production costs and distribution of the program. When/if they run the show is totally up to them and I'll be happy just to know the program is still out there. Second, I personally like the afternoon time slot because, selfishly, I'll probably get more chances to hear it! (on the way to the Sat. night gig rather than doin' the band gig while the radio show is on) I do have a little angst over losing an hour of the program (like Shawn Plank says, what do I cut out now?!) and it's always difficult (especially for sex-a-genarians like me) to step out of your comfort zone. I do admit to a little sadness with the passing of the era, (makes me think too much) but, All Things Must Pass, eh, George? Thanks for all the encouragement. I'm hoping to at least make it to Oct. 3, which will be the 40th anniversary of me doing the first rock'n'roll radio show of ANY kind on an Iowa Public Radio station EVAH!...
The King of Rock'n'Roll died 35 years ago this week. Backtracks this week is a reprise of the 2012 Elvis Presley special that originally aired in January: http://iowapublicradio.org/studio-one/backtracks/
I gotta go try and find my wigs and my Elvis tabloids (The Fair audiences love it when I do the schtick) See yas on the Blue Highway en route to the land of Blue ribbons, wear yer Fair/Unfair t-shirt and bring yer Bob-on-a-Stick fan, remember, it's funnelCAKES, not cow pies, and always know we love you. Bob Dorr & The Blue Band