March 8, 2020

Taking a look back at the Steve Miller Band in 1978, performing at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin.

Steve Miller's first band was started in 1966 and has had many transformations throughout the years. He is still playing! He was Wisconsin born and his Godfather was the great Les Paul!

The version shown here has two personal favorite musicians in the band.  They are Norton Buffalo who passed in 2009 and Leslie West who passed just last year.

This band was always having a fun time filling halls, arenas and what ever festival they played.

Steve has sold a lot of records and his greatest hits 1974-1978 album, that was released in 1978, sold over 13 million copies! One of them is downstairs and was recently played!

The photo with Leslie West is not the greatest but he was an amazing player so I had to include it.  He and Steve had a lot of fun playing together at this show. They also played together a year earlier at Milwaukee's Summerfest.

Enjoy a look at the guys in 1978.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

February 22, 2021

This week we take a peak at Buddy Guy playing at Summerfest here in Milwaukee in 2009.

I've seen Buddy Guy play 3 times and he is classic bluesman who is so good!

He was born in 1936 and continues to play and tour.  Every January, he takes a break from touring the world and just plays at his club, Buddy Guy's Legends, in Chicago.

Buddy has influenced so many people but a couple major artists are Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Jeff Beck.

Born in Louisiana he came up to Chicago in 1957 and tried to get his music going in the right direction, which is the blues. A lot of people didn't care for his music because it had supposedly too much of a rock influence. They would say that it was a bit too harsh.

His big voice has helped him in his solo career. Before going solo he was getting experience with Muddy Waters and the Chicago club scene.

In 1958, a guitar competition in Chicago with Otis Rush and Magic Sam gave him his first record contract for winning the competition. Buddy can play guitar with the best of them and win.

Keith Richards and the Rolling Stones love to tour with Buddy and have even come to his club in Chicago to play with him.

Jeff Beck and Buddy have become very good friends and have played together on a few Buddy Guy records.

Enjoy a look at Buddy Guy at Summerfest in 2009 when he brought a great band as usual. The other guitar player you will see is Ric "Jazz Guitar" Hall who can spin is guitar 360 degrees while playing! The only other person I've seen do that is Billy Gibbons of Z Z Top.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Buddy Guy having fun at Summerfest in 2009! One of the best ever bluesmen!!

February 8, 2021

After doing last week's blog on race car driver Tiago Monteiro, I thought that maybe we should look at the whole race and the rest of the racers!

On August 3, 2003 at Road America, we got to see the race that almost didn't happen. Thanks to Mario Andretti's negotiating skills, we had a race. It almost didn't happen and without Mario's help, we would not have had that crazy race.

It was even called the Mario Andretti Grand Prix and it was a fun weekend with the exception of all the rain!

After the first lap the race was red flagged for twenty minutes. The second red flag came out for two hours and forty minutes on lap seven. After the restart the race got to lap 11 and multiple accidents happened involving Paul Tracy, Michel Jourdain Jr., Darren Manning and Roberto Moreno.

The race got going again but it was now starting to get dark. The scheduled race of 60 laps was shortened to 34 with Bruno Junqueira winning and Sebastian Bourdais coming in second. It was a great day for the Newman/Haas team and it's two drivers.

It was one of those races you just can't forget. I won't forget the race because at the second red flag crash, a little piece of Rudolfo Lavin's rear wing landed right next to me!! It is now signed and in my race room.

Enjoy some photos of the weekend and be safe.

Thanks,

Rich ZImmermann

January 25, 2021

Today we look back at the first racing team I worked with in Champ Car, Fittipaldi-Dingman Racing with driver Tiago Monteiro in 2003 at the Milwaukee Mile and Road America.

These photos are from the Road America Champ Car race weekend. The race itself was red flagged twice because of rain and was shortened because of darkness.

Tiago had Emerson Fittipaldi as a coach and mentor. You can't get much better than Emerson for sure to help you out!

The team only lasted one year and James Dingman didn't really help anyone by not paying them.

Tiago would go on with his career in racing with Formula 1 in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

He still is racing in Europe in touring cars and has won the Nurburgring 24 Hour the past two years in a Honda TCR.

I love Emerson Fittipaldi's motorcycle you see here. Sargento Cheese at this 2003 race weekend made a cheese head sculpture of Emerson!! Where else but in Wisconsin can you get that?

Enjoy a look back at 2003 Road America where Tiago finished 11th after two red flags because of the rain.

Thanks,

Rich ZImmermann

January 11, 2021

Happy New Year everyone and let's hope it's a better year for all of us!

Today, we take a look back at June 8,1975 for The Eagles show at Milwaukee County Stadium when they played with the Rolling Stones and Chaka Kahn.

It was a very, very hot June day and the house was packed.

I remember that the press box where I shot these photos from was shaking so much, because of the crowd in the grandstands, that my cameras actually shook!!

These photos from June were just before the band members changed.  Bernie Leodon was about to leave and Joe Walsh was coming at the end of 1975. Timothy B. Schmit would come in a couple of years and the sound of The Eagles was complete.

Enjoy a look back to our old Milwaukee County Stadium and the Eagles.

Be safe everyone!

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

December 21, 2020

On December 12th, we all lost another friend and great musician in Mr. Charlie Pride due to COVID-19 at 86 years old.

In 1972 at Milwaukee's Summerfest, I photographed him and chatted with him backstage for quite a while. He was a very nice gentleman to talk to and had quite a career.

Along with his pedal steel player, Gene O'Neil, we talked about music, baseball and of course pedal steel guitars. At the time, I was trying to learn how to play one.  It's not easy! I failed hugely!!!  I'll stick to photographing musicians rather than being one!

Charlie Pride's baseball career is quite interesting. He was a great pitcher until an injury made him lose the "mustard" as a pitcher. In 1953 he was with the Yankee's Class D team in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and later that season he played in the Negro League with the Louisville Clippers. He became an Honorary Milwaukee Brewer in 1970. He also played with multiple teams in the minors.

Charlie and Jesse Mitchell were two baseball players that were traded to the Birmingham Black Barons for a team bus! They were probably the only players to have that kind of trade in baseball!

Even with the injury, Charlie tried out for the California Angels in 1961 and the New York Mets in 1962, unsuccessfully. He later became part owner of the Texas Rangers.

He taught himself how to play the guitar at age 14 and had a great career writing some really great songs. Charlie became the first black country music player to be successful. He sold more records for RCA Records than anyone other than Elvis Presley.

"Just Between You and Me" plus "Kiss an Angel Good Morning" are probably his most popular songs and my personal favorites.

In 1974 I was able to photograph Mr. Pride at Summerfest again but didn't get the chance to chat with him. He was getting quite popular and getting better each time he played.

Going to miss you Mr. Pride. RIP and prayers for you and your family.

Enjoy some photos of Mr. Pride from 1972 at Summerfest.

Thanks,

Rich ZImmermann

December 7, 2020

As I wrote that date, December 7th, I realize that it is the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Very sad day to go down in history. Many thanks to all the servicemen.

This is my last blog on Joe Walsh!! Four is enough and that's all I've got of Joe in photos. Once he joined the Eagles he and the band became very hard to photograph. Even with Vince Gill as an old friend from his Pure Prairie League days it just got really hard to get access. 

They have also become the most expensive tickets to buy for a show I hear. Great band but $1000. or more for a good seat is crazy!

This show I photographed was in Milwaukee in 1980 according to my records but that doesn't work out with the tour list! So, if anyone knows a Milwaukee date let me know please. The slides are stamped August 1980!

The band here was great with Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy B. Schmit, Don Feldner and Glen Frey. Joe Walsh joined the band in late 1975 and they broke up in late 1980 a few months after this show.

Enjoy a look at the boys from my one seat way back with a long lens! Wish I had my present gear back then. Photos would be a lot better!

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

November 23, 2020

Continuing with Joe Walsh blogs, here is another one!

Joe played a show at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee on March 19, 1975.

This was towards the end of his solo career as he was to join the band The Eagles in December of 1975.

He is an amazing guitar player and this show did not disappoint.

His microphone stand has an interesting display of a horn, a mask and even a bicycle handlebar.

Enjoy a look at one of Joe Walsh's last solo shows.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Joe Walsh on March 19, 1975 at Milwaukee's Riverside Theater.