Ravinia 2021 - Issue 2

RAVINIA/RUSSELL JENKINS (PERFORMANCE); INSTAGRAM/@DENNENGOODSCO (ARTWORK) walking through and seeing people having fun, getting together, being in the park outdoors in the summertime. I get the most inspiration from that. By the time we play that show, the album will have just come out, so I imagine we’ll do all the new stuff that’s out there. Then since I have a great history of playing Chicago, I’m sure I’m gonna play mostly the fan favor- ites and the ones that lend themselves to the outdoor, summertime concert experience, which would be the more lively songs and songs that you hear on the radio.” In addition to scaling the charts with the sing-along likes of “Make You Crazy” (a collaboration with Afrobeat innovator Femi Kuti), “Comeback Kid (That’s My Dog),” “Wild Child,” and “Already Gone,” an- other area that’s opened up extensive- ly for Dennen is television, specifically landing tracks on Grey’s Anatomy , Parenthood , and About a Boy , to name but a few. Besides being an introduc- tory platform to untapped audiences, the soundtrack slots have also been a bit of a financial lifeline, along with starting Dennen Goods Co., amidst an ever-changing music industry. “I’ve been doing a lot of visual art and started a business with my wife putting that art in the form of graphic designs, posters with song lyrics, and positive messages to decorate your house,” explains the proficient painter- on-the-side, who also takes a similarly precise approach when writing for others. “Music is basically free now if you have a subscription to a streaming platform, so there’s not a great way for somebody to make a living just by writing songs and putting them out. You have to find places to put your music in and get some money in re- turn for that. TV shows, commercials, and movies are just so great because you get to be a part of somebody else’s story that they’re telling. There’s a lot of storytelling in my songs already, and I think they lend themselves to helping tell another story. I feel so fortunate because it’s also a great place for people to discover music. You’re watching a show, it’s an emotional scene, a song comes on and you think, ‘Gosh, I actually really like this song. I’m gonna go look at it.’ ” Given his uncanny ability to plug right into practically any storyline or scenario imaginable, Dennen was even commissioned to write the 75th birthday theme song for Smokey Bear, the iconic figurehead of the US Forest Service’s Wildfire Prevention Campaign (which is the longest-run- ning public service announcement in American history). Though it would be an honor for any tunesmith to tackle, this had personal significance given the author’s lifelong affinity for everything relating to the outdoors and his commitment to environmen- tal preservation. “I think being inside and sitting around too much makes me de- pressed, so I’ve always loved being out in nature,” adds Dennen. “I’m a big surfer, skier, and hiker. I love camp- ing and backpacking, but also I’m an advocate of just going out and being yourself outside. Commune with the trees, listen to the birds, and watch the light change. That’s the most magical experience you can have, to be still somewhere where you have a good view of the sky and watch it go from day to night. I think if you enjoy spending time outside, then you start to get to know where you are, what you’re seeing, and maybe the history of the nature you’re experiencing. That always leads you to the impor- tance of keeping, preserving, and protecting public lands so that they can remain wild places and people can keep having that experience there. You can learn about yourself and we can all learn about each other from being in nature.” Andy Argyrakis is a Chicago-based writer/photographer whose credits include the Chicago Tribune , Chicago Sun-Times , Daily Herald , Daily Journal , Illinois Entertainer , Hear/Say Now , Concert Livewire , Chicago Now , Redeye , Metromix , Paste , DownBeat , Spin.com, MTV.com, Fuse TV, UP TV, Pollstar, and Celebrity Access , among many others. He also is the founder of ChicagoConcertReviews.com and the house photographer forThe ChicagoTheatre. Right: Brett Dennen signs prints of “Nothing Lasts Forever, Not Even the Mountains,“ his original artwork for Dennen Goods Co. celebrating his Fourth Lift Series, an annual tour where he combines shows in ski towns with conservation initiatives and education in each locale. A portion of proceeds from this print benefited Parks California. Below: Dennen got his first feel for Ravinia on the Pavilion stage in 2017 (pictured) open- ing for the John Butler Trio and returned the following summer on tour with Jason Mraz. RAVINIA MAGAZINE • JULY 24 – AUGUST 15, 2021 10