Soundstage is an American live concert
television series produced by
WTTWChicago 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 11) starting in April 2018, 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.
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 well-established as well as up-and-coming artists.
Initial series
The series originated in 1972 as Made in Chicago, and was taped 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.[1] 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".[2] 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.
^11db11 (4 June 2013).
"Jean-Luc Ponty Live 1976".
Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)
^pandoval13 (3 August 2011).
"Tom Johnston".
Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)
Soundstage is an American live concert
television series produced by
WTTWChicago 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 11) starting in April 2018, 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.
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 well-established as well as up-and-coming artists.
Initial series
The series originated in 1972 as Made in Chicago, and was taped 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.[1] 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".[2] 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.
^11db11 (4 June 2013).
"Jean-Luc Ponty Live 1976".
Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)
^pandoval13 (3 August 2011).
"Tom Johnston".
Archived from the original on 2021-12-14. Retrieved 28 June 2018 – via YouTube.{{
cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)