May 19, 2025

One of the best auto racers to ever drive an open wheel race car was Jacques Villeneuve who was born to race.

His father Gilles Villeneuve past away when Jacques was very young in 1982 driving for Ferrari.  That took the racing bug out of Jacques for just a little while.

By 1994 he was driving a CART Forsythe/Team Kool Green Indy Car.  In 1995 he was driving for Team Kool Green and won the Indy Car Series Championship and the Indy 500!

1996 he moved to F1 and won the F1 Championship in 1997 for Team Williams.

Seemed like he could win in anything and tried NASCAR, Sports Cars and more.

Born in Canada but moved to Monaco when he was 7 and was raised in a Swiss boarding school until the racing bug took over at 17.

I had the pleasure to watch him drive in the Indy Lights and then the 1994 and 1995 seasons in an Indy Car.

Enjoy a few years of some great memories of a great racer and beautiful race car.

Thanks,

Rich

May 5, 2025

Are you ready for the 2025 Indy 500???? I think it's going to be a very interesting show and race on the 40th anniversary of Danny Sullivan's "Spin to Win" Indy victory.

So who are you hoping will win? For me it's Scott Dixon. If not him, then Helio, Pato O'Ward, Will Power, Santino Ferruci, Scott McLaughlin and Conor Daily! Tough choice with such talented group of drivers this year. And don't forget, Alex Palou or Colton Herta if he has a great day which we need for our American F1 racer with Andretti Global.

Going to be a great race to see in person but it's not gonna happen this year for me because of ongoing chemotherapy. Session #6 is the Friday of Indy 500 weekend and it's been pretty rough so far every Friday.  Session #3 was cancelled cancelled because of a urinary tract infection which then extends everything a week.

Enjoy a look at the Indy Cars at last years Indy 500 and a few other races as it's time to focus on Indy Car and IMSA!!

Also checkout the latest IndyCastBrasil.com episode on You Tube with my man Fabio and me discussing Indy Car and IMSA.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Head East in 1980 in Milwaukee.

April 21, 2024

My blog this week is short but sweet thanks to chemotheraphy session #2 kicking me a bit. Not as bad as last week. I'm just sore and lethargic. Just hope it works with 4 more treatments to go.

I dug up the Midwest band Head East that has been around since 1974 and has had more members than my high school class in senior year. In other words a lot!

Formed by John Schlitt when he and several of the guys were attending the University of Illinois. But being a rock band, who knows how many days they were there!

They are known mainly for their hit "Never Been Any Reason" but continued trying and toured a lot. I also saw them in 1976 and should to dig those photos up.

Enjoy a look at the men in 1980.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

April 7, 2025

At Summerfest in 1977 country superstar and legend Willie Nelson came for a show. Seems like everyone likes Willie as seen by the attendance and autograph seekers that night.

Willie is 90 years old now and still touring and playing at festivals!

Voice is a bit older sounding but he is still awesome.

Enjoy a look at Willie in 1977.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

March 24, 2025

Been a busy time here with more bad bladder cancer bad news. The 6 BCG infusions we did on my left kidney, ureter and bladder did nothing as the cancer is still present...

So the next step is 2 chemotherapy drugs administered together once a week starting soon. If that doesn't work I don't know what's next.

Anyway, take a look at the great Loggins and Messina band in September of 1974 at Milwaukee's Performing Arts Center which is my favorite venue here.

Enjoy and have a great week.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Loggins and Messina playing Milwaukee's Performing Arts Center February 14, 1973.

March 10, 2025

February 14, 1973 I photographed Loggins and Messina at the Milwaukee Performing Arts Center.

This was now my second time photographing them and my personal favorite band at the time.

Nice and fun bunch of musicians that are really talented. Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina keep working and doing well.

Enjoy a look and next blog will be the guys in 1974 at the Performing Arts Center again.

Loved that venue as I had 2 secret spots to photograph from. I would just sit on the floor 2 levels up and off to the side of the stage!

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann

Loggins and Messina at UW Oshkosh on September 23, 1972.

February 24, 2025

My last blog on Kenny Loggins from 2017 reminded me that I photographed Loggins and Messina a lot.

Always a favorite band and on September 23, 1972 I got to photograph the band after my senior year of high school.

My family moved in 1971 and I basically lost all my friends. After 11 years of Catholic school and nuns, attending public school for my last year and a half of high school was definitely a change.

The east side of Milwaukee was full of music and opportunity for me and I began photographing for the Bugle American newspaper and doing public relation photo work for Columbia records.

School was difficult because of early mornings and late nights photographing music.  I usually did it 3 nights a week. It really was the time of my life and a great music era.

Loggins and Messina played UW Oshkosh with Casey Kelly opening the show for a small crowd in the gymnasium.

What a wonderful show and I got to meet the guys after the show for the first of several shows through the years.

Learning to photograph music was progressing and I attended photography classes at Milwaukee Area Technical College.

Checkout some early photos of Loggins and Messina and enjoy a look at when we were much younger!

This has made me organize my Loggins and Messina photos that were mixed up a bit. A few are are being used by Dramatic Forces for a documentary, Conviction of the Heart.

Thanks,

Rich Zimmermann