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Soundstage (TV series)

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.

Soundstage

United States

60 minutes

PBS

  • 1974 (1974) – 1985 (1985)
  • 2003 (2003) – 2010 (2010)
  • 2016 (2016) – 2018 (2018)

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[edit]

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.[1] 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".[2] 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.

1974

José Feliciano

1974

Randy Newman

"The Book of Chapin" with , 1974

Harry Chapin

"Arlo's Gang" with , 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 [1]

Arlo Guthrie

"Yes, We Can Can" with , Dec. 1974

The Pointer Sisters

" & Friends" w/ Buddy Guy and Junior Wells. Dec 14 1974

Bonnie Raitt

"New Jazz" with featuring Chick Corea; Herbie Hancock with The Headhunters; Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock in duet, 1974

Return To Forever

"New Orleans Swamp" with , Earl King, The Meters, and Dr. John and the Night Trippers, 1974

Professor Longhair

"Paradise Club of '58" with , Della Reese, George Kirby, and Red Saunders Orchestra, 1974

Jackie Wilson

David Bromberg, 1974

John Sebastian

Tom T. Hall, 1974

Tom Rush

with England Dan & John Ford Coley and Walter Heath

Seals and Crofts

Dave Mason, 1974[4]

Donovan

The Persuasions, 1974

Don McLean

Rita Coolidge, Larry Gatlin, Bill Swan, 1974

Kris Kristofferson

at IMDb (1974)

Soundstage

at IMDb (2003)

Soundstage

WTTW National Productions