Soundstage was 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 8) starting in January 2010, 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.
HD Ready, LLC is a full-scale production company specializing in producing live concert performances for the acclaimed television show, as well as for DVDs and Blu-rays. Music industry veteran and HD Ready founder Joe Thomas has produced and directed over 100 episodes for Soundstage. 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 today's legendary, as well up-and-coming hit artists.
The series originated in 1972 as Made in Chicago, also taped at 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. 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". 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.
Sponsors for the series include:
DirecTVChevron CorporationThe Arthur Vining Davis FoundationsMasterCardFord FoundationCorporation for Public BroadcastingDavid and Lucile Packard FoundationBudweiserAT&TJohn D. and Catherine T. MacArthur FoundationAlfred P. Sloan FoundationBest BuyFord Motor CompanyNational Endowment for the ArtsNational Endowment for the HumanitiesAmerican Express"Blues Summit in Chicago" with Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor, Junior Wells, Pinetop Perkins, Mike Bloomfield, Buddy Miles, Johnny Winter, Dr. John, and Nick Gravenites. Band members: Rollow Radford, Robert Margolin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Calvin "Fuzz" Jones, Luther Johnson, Jerry Portnoy. July 1974José Feliciano, 1974Randy Newman, 1974"The Book of Chapin" with Harry Chapin, 1974"Yes, We Can Can" with The Pointer Sisters, Dec. 1974"New Jazz" with Return To Forever featuring Chick Corea; Herbie Hancock with The Headhunters; Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock in duet, 1974"New Orleans Swamp" with Professor Longhair, Earl King, The Meters, and Dr. John and the Night Trippers, 1974Tom Waits, Dec.Bob Dylan, Dec. 13Three Dog Night"Kenton, the Freshmen, and Anita" with Stan Kenton, The Four Freshmen, and Anita O'Day, Feb. 1976"Jean-Luc Ponty", 1978The Doobie Brothers"The Crusaders"; Roy Ayers (as Roy Ayers Ubiquity), 1978Pat Metheny Group, Freddie Hubbard, 1978"George Benson, Chet Atkins and Earl Klugh" 1978"Ry Cooder" 1978"Chick Corea, Al Jarreau", 1979John PrineRoberta Flack, Apr. 1981Andy KaufmanThe RochesLyle Lovett, Randy Newman, and Mark Isham, March 2003Chicago, live in concert, June 2003 Michael McDonald, July 2003Alison Krauss and Union Station, July 2003Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, July 2003Lucinda Williams and Kasey Chambers, July 2003Chris Isaak and Raul Malo, August 2003Trace Adkins and Travis Tritt, August 2003Tori Amos, August 2003Wilco and Sonic Youth, September 2003John Hiatt and the Goners, Dar Williams, Robinella and the CCString Band, September 2003Peter Cetera and Amy Grant, October 2003Farm Aid 2003 at Germain Amphitheater, Columbus, Ohio, featuring Willie Nelson, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, Sheryl Crow, Brooks & Dunn, Emmylou Harris, Los Lonely Boys, Hootie & the Blowfish, Billy Bob Thornton and Trick Pony, November 2003Fleetwood Mac at the FleetCenter in West End Boston, June 2004 Sheryl Crow, June 2004Ronald Isley and Burt Bacharach, July 2004Alanis Morissette, July 2004Lisa Marie Presley and Peter Wolf, July 2004Cyndi Lauper, August 2004Joan Baez, Gillian Welch, and Nickel Creek, August 2004Counting Crows and Shelby Lynne, August 2004Dan Fogelberg, September 2004Steve Winwood, September 200430 Odd Foot of Grunts and Kris Kristofferson, September 2004Yes at Tsongas Arena, Lowell, Massachusetts, September 2004Chris Isaak Christmas album Special, with guests Michael Bublé, Brian McKnight and Stevie Nicks, September 2004George Jones 50 Years Special, with guests Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Wynonna, Martina McBride, Aaron Neville, Harry Connick Jr., Randy Travis, Lorrie Morgan, Vince Gill, Trick Pony, Amy Grant, Sammy Kershaw, Trace Adkins, Uncle Kracker, Connie Smith, Emmylou Harris, Joe Diffie, Kris Kristofferson, Shelby Lynne and Tanya Tucker, November 2004Michael McDonald with guests Billy Preston, Toni Braxton, Take 6 and India.Arie in Tennessee, June 2005John Mayer with Buddy Guy, July 2005The Wallflowers, July 2005Heart, July 2005America with guest Christopher Cross, August 2005Ringo Starr & the Roundheads with guest Colin Hay at Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois, August 2005Lindsey Buckingham with Stevie Nicks, September 2005Chris Isaak, September 2005Trisha Yearwood with guests Billy Currington and Sugarland, September 2005Joss Stone with guest Mavis Staples, October 2005Martina McBride at Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois, October 2005Dave Matthews Band with guests Robert Randolph, Rashawn Ross and David Cast at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, November 2005Robert Plant and the Strange Sensation, June 2006Garbage, July 2006Bill Laswell, AXIOM SOUND SYSTEM, and Musical Freezone featuring Tabla Beat Science, Pharoah Sanders backed by Material, and two Praxis members Buckethead and Bootsy Collins, July 2006The All American Rejects and Fountains of Wayne, July 2006KT Tunstall, July 2006Train, August 2006Peter Frampton, January 2007New York Dolls, February 2007Lee Ann Womack with Julie Roberts, February 2007Jewel at Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas, February 2007Rickie Lee Jones, February 2007Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris at Gibson Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, March 2007Rob Thomas at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, June 2007Macy Gray, July 2007Dashboard Confessional at Madison Square Garden, July 2007Jewel at Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet, Illinois, July 2007Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, January 2008Lifehouse, January 2008Daughtry, January 2008John Fogerty, February 2008Josh Groban at EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, June 2008 taped August 28, 2007REO Speedwagon, July 2008Bon Jovi, July 2008Stevie Nicks, July 2008Matchbox Twenty, July 2008Kenny Chesney, August 2008Faith Hill, Joy to the World, A Soundstage Special Event at Sears Centre Arena, November 2008Counting Crows, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings, January 2009Idina Menzel with special guests Josh Groban and Ravi Coltrane at Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York, January 2009Foreigner, January 2009B.B. King with special guests Terrence Howard, Richie Sambora, and Solange Knowles, January 2009Umphrey's McGee, February 2009Seal, February 2009Jackson Browne, June 2009OneRepublic, June 2009Sugarland, July 2009Death Cab for Cutie, July 2009Billy Idol at the Congress Theater, July 2009Fall Out Boy, July 2009Josh Groban: An Evening in New York City, July 2009Michael McDonald: This ChristmasTim McGraw, January 2010The Fray, January 20103 Girls and Their Buddy featuring Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller, January 2010Lynyrd Skynyrd, January 2010Willie Nelson, January 2010