Tom Lounges
Host of Midwest BeatTom Lounges has been a radio personality and music journalist since 1979. For the last 43 years, Tom has been reporting on entertainment as a weekly music columnist and feature writer for The Times newspaper.
He was also the owner, publisher and editor of the monthly tri-state entertainment magazine ("Midwest BEAT Magazine") for over two decades, and has written hundreds of celebrity features for numerous national glossy magazines over the decades, including "Scholastic Magazine," "Goldmine," "Relix," "Song Hits," "Word Up!" and others.
Tom wrote "Liner Notes" for over a dozen national albums released via Sony Special Products, including vinyl anthology collections by such iconic artists as Johnny Winter, Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Fevertree, The Dixie Cups, The Shirelles, and The Shangra-las.
Tom has hosted and produced his own shows on various commercial radio stations over the years, but switched to public radio in 2012, after being enticed by the creative freedom the NPR format offers to content providers. He had previously worked in public broadcasting as on-camera host and content creator for the early 1990s PBS-TV program, "In Your Mind's Eye," produced by Lakeshore Public Television (WYIN).
Today, Lounges currently hosts and produces two weekly programs on 89.1FM - LAKESHORE PUBLIC MEDIA. Those are the celebrity interview/music program “Midwest BEAT with Tom Lounges” (Tuesdays 7-8pm) and the all blues music program, “Midwest BEAT Blues” (Fridays 7-9pm). Listeners can contact Tom directly at: beatboss@aol.com
Tom has earned special recognition awards for his work in the entertainment field and has rubbed elbows with a virtual "Who's Who" of major entertainment figures and top stars over his nearly 50 years in the music and media industry.
He is the president and owner of Tom Lounges Entertainment, LLC which produces entertainment events, books musical talent, and does consultation. A veteran record retailer in Chicagoland since the 1970s, Tom currently is the owner of Tom Lounges Record Bin in downtown Hobart.
Tom has been a guest speaker on music, entertainment, and journalism at various schools and colleges in northwest Indiana and the Chicago areas.
Lounges currently sits on the boards of both the Lake County Public Library Foundation and The Spot Studio Music Foundation, along with heading up the fundraising projects for The Humane Society of Northwest Indiana.
More: http://www.tomlounges.com / https://www.facebook.com/tlounges
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This week's program -- brought to the air weekly by Tom Lounges Record Bin in downtown Hobart, Indiana -- is themed and titled as "LADIES SING THE BLUES" -
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Guitarist/producer/songwriter BRYAN BASSETT of the classic rock group FOGHAT is musical guest on this edition of "Midwest BEAT." -
The musical guest for this program is IAN ANDERSON, an iconic musician that show hostTom Lounges has interviewed many times during various point in Anderson's career bothwith the band and as a solo artist. -
Largely playing tracks from new blues releases that landed on my desk over the last 2-3 weeks. Among the artists whose new music is featured are: TONY HOLIDAY, BOB LANZA BLUES BAND, SHARI PUORTO, JANIVA MAGNESS, MITCH RYDER, OLLIE OWENS, REV. PEYTON'S BIG DAMN BAND, and MAX HIGHTOWER. -
"SONS OF CREAM" is a band featuring KOFI BAKER (son of Ginger Baker, Cream's drummer), MALCOLM BRUCE (son of Jack Bruce, Cream's bassist), and ROB JOHNSON (Ginger Baker's grandnephew). Together they celebrate the legacy of CREAM and related bands like Blind Faith. -
This week's program kicks off with a double shot of songs from "Live At The Roxy", the brand new release by Northwest Indiana's own MARTY "BIG DOG" MERCER. It also includes cuts from new releases by CHRIS DANIELS & THE KINGS' latest "Blues With Horns", and ALLY VENABLE's "Money & Power." -
For this edition of "Midwest BEAT with Tom Lounges," the on air guests were co-authors of -- "THE FLIP SIDE: Where Chicago Rocked" -- the latest book released by Chicago publisher Eckhart Press. -
This edition of "Midwest BEAT with Tom Lounges" welcomed Chicago Sports radio personality turned book author -- DANGEROUS DAN MCNEIL -- to discuss his new book "I BEAR Witness," published by Chicago's Eckhartz Press.
