Column: ‘Dear Rhoda’ is a love story in letters set in roaring 1920s Chicago When was the last time you wrote a letter? Not a text. Not a tweet. But a real, ink on paper letter? It’s becoming a vanishing art. But a pack of letters written between 1924 and 1928 form the foun…

A love story for the ages takes to the stage, featuring letter-writing lovers, rollicking 1920s Chicago, Fanny Brice, Carl Sandburg, Clarence Darrow, the Dill Pickle Club, sex, politics, a pet kangaroo and more. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/11/c...

Column: ‘Dear Rhoda’ is a love story in letters set in roaring 1920s Chicago When was the last time you wrote a letter? Not a text. Not a tweet. But a real, ink on paper letter? It’s becoming a vanishing art. But a pack of letters written between 1924 and 1928 form the foun…

A love story for the ages takes to the stage, featuring letter-writing lovers, rollicking 1920s Chicago, Fanny Brice, Carl Sandburg, Clarence Darrow, the Dill Pickle Club, sex, politics, a pet kangaroo and more. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/11/c...

Column: Ridge Historical Society celebrates artist Jack Simmerling’s creative life “Jack Simmerling: Through His Eyes” takes up most of the ground floor space of the Ridge Historical Society, charmingly housed in a 1922 house.

The life and work of artist Jack Simmerling is celebrated in a wonderful exhibition. As he once told me "I have always been drawn to the past, to preserving it,” and he did so in thousands of colorful and heartfelt ways. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/10/j...

Column: Ridge Historical Society celebrates artist Jack Simmerling’s creative life “Jack Simmerling: Through His Eyes” takes up most of the ground floor space of the Ridge Historical Society, charmingly housed in a 1922 house.

The life and work of artist Jack Simmerling is celebrated in a wonderful exhibition. As he once told me "I have always been drawn to the past, to preserving it,” and he did so in thousands of colorful and heartfelt ways. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/10/j...

Column: Return with us now to those thrilling songs of yesteryear in ‘Chicago 1971’ “Chicago 1971” is about the summer night when Kris Kristofferson, Steve Goodman and John Prine met.

No one is immortal, but two music-makers originally from Scotland--John Ballantyne and Gus Noble--bring John Prine, Steve Goodman and Kris Kristofferson back to vibrant musical life in "Chicago 1971." www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/04/c...

Column: ‘Sirens in the Loop’ book give us City News Bureau in all its raucous glory “Sirens in the Loop: A History of the City News Bureau of Chicago,” is not at all a textbook, but rather an intimate look at a time long gone.

A new book, “Sirens in the Loop: A History of the City News Bureau of Chicago,” gives you a raucous story. Like a massive high school yearbook, it's peppered with the names of kids-who-made-good: Mike Royko, Seymour Hersch, Pam Zekman, even Kurt Vonnegut www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/s...

Column: How Billy Branch bought a harmonica, found the blues and changed his life Chicago blues great Billy Branch says a concert in Grant Park got him hooked on the music many decades ago. His latest album is “The Blues is My Biography.”

Billy Branch is a harmonica playing, singing giant in the blues world, a contemporary of his pal Buddy Guy. Hard to believe that when he came here for college, he had “zero knowledge of the blues, and I mean zero.” It's quite a story. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/25/c...

Column: You can start your St. Patrick’s Day early with Trinity Irish Dance There are, of course, many ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, including seeing the Trinity Irish Dance Company perform.

The Irish are coming. The Irish are coming. Mark Howard comes back home, and his innovative, artistic, exciting Trinity Irish dancers kick things off, so to speak, Saturday night at the Auditorium. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/24/s...

After Hours with Rick Kogan 5-7 pm Sunday WGN Radio brings you actor Phil Donlon on St. Baldrick's Foundation; John Ballantyne and Gus Noble of Crazy Heart on "Chicago 1971” March 15 Old Town School of Folk Music; bluesman Billy Branch on career and latest CD, “The Blues is My Biography."

Column: Drinking & Writing’s new musical began with a dream about a woman in a leopard print coat Sean Benjamin and Steve Mosqueda are the founders of the Drinking & Writing Theater and have long been part of the creative life of this city. They have a new show.

The Drinking & Writing gang once gave us a look at what it takes to have a drink at every tavern on Western Avenue and now returns with an inventive new show, a musical based on a woman encountered in a dream. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/18/d...

Column: The Chicago Reader bursts back in a ’50 Years’ book and a lively new issue “Free Chicago: 50 Years of the Reader” is a big, beautiful book that coincides, serendipitously, with the “rebirth” of the Chicago Reader itself.

The Reader Lives! with new owners and a lively new issue. But for those of us of a certain age, a stunning new book captures how important and entertaining and illuminating and fun the Reader's first 50-years were. Where did you find your first apartment? www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/c...

Column: The Chicago Reader bursts back in a ’50 Years’ book and a lively new issue “Free Chicago: 50 Years of the Reader” is a big, beautiful book that coincides, serendipitously, with the “rebirth” of the Chicago Reader itself.

The Reader Lives! with new owners and a lively new issue. But for those of us of a certain age, a stunning new book captures how important and entertaining and illuminating and fun the Reader's first 50-years were. Where did you find your first apartment? www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/c...

Column: The Chicago Reader bursts back in a ’50 Years’ book and a lively new issue “Free Chicago: 50 Years of the Reader” is a big, beautiful book that coincides, serendipitously, with the “rebirth” of the Chicago Reader itself.

The Reader Lives! with new owners and a lively new issue. But for those of us of a certain age, a stunning new book captures how important and entertaining and illuminating and fun the Reader's first 50-years were. Where did you find your first apartment? www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/c...

Column: The Chicago Reader bursts back in a ’50 Years’ book and a lively new issue “Free Chicago: 50 Years of the Reader” is a big, beautiful book that coincides, serendipitously, with the “rebirth” of the Chicago Reader itself.

The Reader Lives! with new owners and a lively new issue. But for those of us of a certain age, a stunning new book captures how important and entertaining and illuminating and fun the Reader's first 50-years were. Where did you find your first apartment? www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/17/c...

@KoganAfterHours 5-7 pm Sunday @WGNRadio has Paul Teodo storytelling at Carnivale, with Susana Mendoza/Arny Granat, @carnivalechicago; new Drinking & Writing @SmallBeer show @Neo_Futurists; Mark Jacob, author of a “Free Chicago: 50 Years of the Reader.” chicagoreader.com

Column: Telling the amazing story of Black jockey Isaac Burns Murphy Author and performer Nancy Hays first encountered his remarkable story in a small museum at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Nancy Hays is bringing the amazing, inspiring, exciting story of America's greatest jockey, a Black man named Isaac Burns Murphy, back to life in a new book, a show in Highland Park and, maybe one day a movie. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/11/b...

James ‘Boz’ O’Brien, owner of the Reilly’s Daughter tavern in Oak Lawn, dies at 75 His was a family-friendly place and you could walk in on any night and run into pals and politicians, neighbors and labor leaders, or, for a time, members of the 1986 Super Bowl Bears.

Gone to soon at 75, but what a life Boz O'Brien had and shared with anyone who ever walked into his Reilly's Daughter, filled with fun and food and music and memories for a few generations and still in the family. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/10/b...

After Hours with Rick Kogan returns, Sunday on WGN Radio 4:30ish until 7 p.m, with bluesman Billy Branch; John Davies on movie “Phunny Business”; John Holden on Edgewater’s theater history; correspondent Candace Jordan of party/social scene; Nancy Hays on book/show about famous Black jockey.

Column: ‘I Bid You Peace’ documentary explores the accusations that ended the Frugal Gourmet Jeff Smith was better known as the Frugal Gourmet, and he pioneered the food-on-television trend with his show on WTTW. But accusations of sexual assault later ended his career.

He was known as the 'Frugal Gourmet' and pioneered the food-on-TV revolution. But Jeff Smith had dark sides. Sometimes drunk on air and accused of having sex with teenage boys, his career crashed in 1997 and a new documentary has the sad story. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/04/f...

Column: Who’s that new anchorman? He’s no Walter Cronkite. The new CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil recently compared himself to Walter Cronkite. That’s not a smart move, if you ask me.

For decades the three major networks had a monopoly on news. That has been broken for keeps and new guy Tony Dokoupil is making an awkward start in the CBS anchorman chair once held by "the most trusted man in America." www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/c...

Column: Who’s that new anchorman? He’s no Walter Cronkite. The new CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil recently compared himself to Walter Cronkite. That’s not a smart move, if you ask me.

For decades the three major networks had a monopoly on news. That has been broken for keeps and new guy Tony Dokoupil is making an awkward start in the CBS anchorman chair once held by "the most trusted man in America." www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/03/c...

Column: Inside the Green Mill, the Malört and stories flow in a new movie “The Green Mill: A Real Chicago Joint” will premiere at the Davis Theater in Lincoln Square, both telling some history and focusing on the present of this Uptown treasure.

New movie by former bartender Paul Carr takes you into the venerable Green Mill and gives you stories about ghosts, gangsters, music, and Malort from owner Dave Jemilo and others who worked there. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/28/c...

Column: Nearing age 100, it’s springtime for Mel Brooks in new Judd Apatow documentary Mel Brooks is the centerpiece of a thoughtfully thrilling documentary now airing on HBO Max, “Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!”

Over four terrific TV hours that captures his long and laughter-filled life, Mel Brook amazes, sharp as ever and saying, “Sometimes my comedy is just to celebrate the joy of being alive” and using humor as “a defense against the universe.” www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/27/m...

Column: A photographer travels the Illinois high school basketball circuit Vincent Johnson’s book “Illustrious” captures high school gymnasiums across the state — your memories may be pictured here, too.

Have camera, will travel.
Photographer Vincent Johnson has captured the excitement, thrills, agonies and meaning of high school basketball from cities and towns across the state www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/21/h...

Column: A photographer travels the Illinois high school basketball circuit Vincent Johnson’s book “Illustrious” captures high school gymnasiums across the state — your memories may be pictured here, too.

Have camera, will travel.
Photographer Vincent Johnson has captured the excitement, thrills, agonies and meaning of high school basketball from cities and towns across the state www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/21/h...

Column: Was tiny Walter Eckersall the city’s greatest football player? “Eckie: Walter Eckersall and the Rise of Chicago Sports” is a new book about a long-forgotten player who predates the Bears.

What would Dick Butkus say about Walter Eckersall who, at 5'6" and 135 pounds, give or take, was regarded as our greatest football player? He also started the Golden Gloves and drank with Ring Lardner. Read all about it in Chris Serb's new book. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/20/c...

First half alternative, @KoganAfterHours 5:30-7 pm Sunday
@wgnradio.bsky.social Kathleen and Beth Rooney on book “Leaf Town Forever”; @paulmarinaro.bsky.social on CD, “Mood Ellington,” and release concerts @LiveAtStudio5; Marc Smith on new show, “Shards of Me and My…,” Jan. 21-25
@kimballart

Column: Defying the calendar and playing on, jazzman Bobby Lewis is turning 90 As you know if you ever saw him in a nightclub or plan to see him at Winter’s Jazz Club, Bobby Lewis is defying the calendar.

Bobby Lewis has been making music for 80 years and as he celebrates his 90 birthday with concerts at Winters, he is as fresh and exciting as ever, maybe even more so. Admire and enjoy. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/b...

Column: Defying the calendar and playing on, jazzman Bobby Lewis is turning 90 As you know if you ever saw him in a nightclub or plan to see him at Winter’s Jazz Club, Bobby Lewis is defying the calendar.

Bobby Lewis has been making music for 80 years and as he celebrates his 90 birthday with concerts at Winters, he is as fresh and exciting as ever, maybe even more so. Admire and enjoy. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/14/b...

Column: Chevy Chase and Seymour Hersh get the documentaries they deserve A look at two new documentaries: “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not” about Chevy Chase and “Cover-Up” about Seymour Hersh.

Two very different people--comic Chevy "SNL" Chase and investigative reporter/writer Seymour "My Lai" Hersh (with deep Chicago roots)--get the TV documentaries they deserve and give viewers deep insights. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/13/c...