Is “Sweet Home Chicago” Actually About Chicago?

Mural of Mississippi jazz musician Robert Johnson in Clarksdale, a music center in the Mississippi Delta.

Robert Johnson probably had not visited Chicago when he recorded what became our city’s unofficial anthem in 1936. “Oh, baby, don’t you want to go,” the Mississippi blues legend croons, “back to the land of California, to my sweet home, Chicago.” Huh? Last time we checked, Chicago was not located in California. Perhaps to avoid … Read more

Dad’s Old Records

‘World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music’ by Jeff Tweedy

It’s easy to assume you know Jeff Tweedy. From his early days in Uncle Tupelo to 29 years at the helm of Wilco, the Grammy winner has crafted alt-country gems with heart-on-the-sleeve lyrics that offer his perspectives on love and life. But World Within a Song: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed … Read more

A Blazing Bloody

The 1871

Every location of the international luxe hotel chain St. Regis has a Bloody Mary on the menu, and Chicago beverage director Diane Corcoran created a locally inspired version for the new Loop site at 401 East Wacker Drive. She walks us through the 1871, a smoky, savory tipple named, naturally, for the year of the … Read more