American Stories Through Song

Whether you attend in person or virtually, you’ll enjoy American Stories Through Song at the Elmhurst Public Library on Oct. 3, 2022, at 7 p.m. Musician Dean Milano will regale you with stories he’ll tell through his songs. You’ll hear about heroes, villains, world-changers, ordinary people, hitchhikers, and even ghosts. At McGrath Elmhurst Toyota, we’re sure this event will be of interest to music lovers.

Dean Milano’s story is perhaps as interesting as the people he sings about. He was born in Milwaukee in 1951 and picked up the accordion at the young age of eight. His family moved to Glen Ellen in 1964, and he was playing bass by 1966.

Throughout the ’60s, Milano played with bands with names like Bozo’s Thunder Wagon and The Chrome Flowers. Playing in a band named Grope, he opened for notable local bands and even The Spencer Davis Group.

After studying music with London Branch at SIU, Milano taught himself how to play the guitar. In 1971, he played in a band called Pontiac Jones. They opened for the Butterfield Blues Band and Leo Kottke, but Milano left in 1974 to move to Chicago. After a stint playing jazz with the Rich Tennant Quartet and bluegrass with the Scuttle Bucket Band, Milano formed The Casualaires and played gigs on the Lincoln Avenue folk circuit. The group released one single, “Rum and Coca Cola,” with John Prine’s backup band.

In 1980, Milano got a gig with The New Seekers, playing arenas alongside luminaries such as Bo Diddley and the Kingston Trio. In the ’90s, he played country music with The Born to Boogie Band and Tumbleweed Junction.

Milano began playing as a solo artist in 2005, releasing three CDs of original songs. In 2009, he published a book entitled “The Chicago Music Scene: 1980s and 1970s.”

Date and Time:
Oct. 3, 2022, at 7 p.m.

Location:
Elmhurst Public Library
125 S Prospect Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126

Admission:
American Stories Through Song is free. Registration is required.

• Register to attend in-person: https://bit.ly/3Cff6er
• Register to attend virtually: https://bit.ly/3Ck3hDU

For More Information:
Email [email protected] or call 630-279-8696.