Lt. Dan Band Concert 2013
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About the Lt. Dan Band
Chicago, Illinois
It was 1997 when Gary Sinise and Kimo Williams first met and worked
together on the Steppenwolf Theatre production
of Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire. Williams was
hired by director Terry Kinney to compose the score for the play and
Sinise, a co-founder of Steppenwolf along with Terry Kinney, was playing
the role of Stanley Kowalski. It was during the technical rehearsals for
the play that Gary and Kimo began to discuss their love for music and
after learning of Gary's talents on the bass, Kimo invited him to his
home for a jam session. Over the next few years, whenever possible,
these two pals would play together with other Chicago area musicians and
in 2003, as Gary began what has turned out to be an extraordinary
commitment to the USO,
it became clear that those early jam sessions had laid the foundation
for what would become The Lieutenant Dan Band.
Following one of his many trips overseas to visit those serving our
country, Gary asked the USO if they would allow him to take a band with
him on a tour. The USO agreed, the band began rehearsing and in February
of 2004, The Lieutenant Dan Band hit the road on their first overseas
USO tour to Korea, Singapore and Diego Garcia. Since those early
sessions at Kimo’s house, a few gigs for the troops in the Chicago area
in 2003, and that first overseas tour, Gary and the band have played an
average of 30-40 shows per year with a good 75% of those shows for USO,
charities or benefits.
"Lieutenant Dan" is the character Gary portrayed in the 1994 film Forrest
Gump, a role for which he earned an Oscar nomination for Best
Supporting Actor. As Gary began visiting troops around the world, people
(even little kids) who didn't know him as Gary Sinise, the actor, would
recognize him as "Lt.Dan". Those in the military also seem to identify
strongly with the character. And so the name for his group was an easy
choice: Lt. Dan Band!
The
Music
The Lt. Dan Band covers everything from Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix
classics to contemporary songs by Kelly Clarkson, Evanescence, Beyonce,
Lonestar, the Zac Brown Band and much, much more. Even tunes from the
40's big band era. There's something for everyone and each show
highlights the musical diversity of the band, as well as the passion and
energy each member brings to the stage. Whether performing for troops
overseas or a local club crowd, the goal is to have fun and rock the
house!
Band Members
Gary Sinise:
Electric Bass
Kimo Williams:
Electric Guitar-Vocals-MD
Mari Anne Jayme:
Vocals
Julie Dutchak:
Vocals
Dan Myers:
Vocals-Violin
Jeff Vezain:
Vocals-Acoustic Guitar
Ernie Denov:
Electric Guitar
Ben Lewis:
Keyboards
Kirk Garrison:
Trumpet
Mitch Paliga:
Saxophone
Danny Gottlieb:
Drums
Beth Gottlieb:
Percussion
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