Ravinia 2023 Issue 4

JASON SIEGEL (BHTM); YU TSAI (LEGEND) BIG HEAD TODD & THE MONSTERS Big Head Todd & The Monsters have quietly become an American institution following three-and-a-half decades of writing, record- ing, and touring totaling over 3,500 perfor- mances. After countless sold-out shows, beaming their tunes to outer space, and tally- ing tens of millions of streams, the Colorado quartet of Todd Park Mohr (vocals, guitar, keys, sax, harmonica), Brian Nevin (drums, percussion), Rob Squires (bass, vocals), and Jeremy Lawton (guitar, keys, vocals, steel gui- tar) cite the friendships formed in the crowd among their proudest accomplishments. Fit- tingly, the band began with friendship as well. Mohr and Nevin first crossed paths in high school jazz band circa 1982 and began base- ment jam sessions with Squires, leading to house party gigs and talent shows until they became a fixture on the bar circuit. Adopting the moniker Big Head Todd & The Monsters, they served up their debut Another Mayberry in 1989 and Midnight Radio in 1990 to crit- ical acclaim, setting the stage for their 1993 breakout Sister Sweetly , which went platinum powered by staples “Broken Hearted Savior,” “It’s Alright,” and “Bittersweet.” Over the next decade, the group crafted fan favorites like Strategem (1994) and Beautiful World (1997), the latter featuring a cover of “Boom Boom” with John Lee Hooker that became the theme to NCIS: New Orleans . In 2005 Mohr wrote “Blue Sky” for NASA, which in 2011 invit- ed the band to play the song live in Mission Control to awaken shuttle astronauts. New World Arisin’ arrived in 2017 to audience and critical acclaim alongside a performance in the Denver Broncos’ 2016 Super Bowl victory parade. The band launched a new fan-favorite tradition in 2019, Monsters Music Monthly, regularly releasing free songs and videos like “Hoochie Coochie Man” with Buddy Guy, “Rosalita” with John Popper of Blues Travel- er, “Remedy” with Ronnie Baker Brooks, and “Sunshine of Your Love” with David Hidalgo, adding to collaborations that have included Neil Young, B.B. King, the Allman Brothers, John Prine, Albert Collins, James Cotton, and Hubert Sumlin, among many others. Big Head Todd & The Monsters first played Ra- vinia in 2004 and most recently returned in 2011. This is their fourth season at the festival. PAVILION 8:00 PM SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2023 8:00 PM MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2023 AN EVENING WITH JOHN LEGEND NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE HELPS MAKE COMMUNITIES HEALTHIER As an integrated academic health system with 11 hospitals and more than 200 locations, North- western Medicine is committed to building stronger and healthier communities across Chicago- land and beyond. By collaborating with local leaders who best understand their community’s needs and priorities, Northwestern Medicine works to remove barriers to better health. Northwestern Medicine is guided in this mission by three community pillars: Access to Care, Community Engagement, and Economic and Workforce Development. Access to Care Northwestern Medicine strives to deliver world-class, culturally competent care to every patient. The organization collaborates with community partners to support programs that address the socioeconomic factors that impact each person’s ability to be healthy. The health system maintains partnerships with several organizations that care for patients who have barriers to care due to low income or insufficient health insurance. In addition, in 2022, Northwestern Medicine provided more than $90 million in charity care. To improve access to care for patients who have been historically underserved, Northwestern Medicine has launched several first-in-the-nation programs. Among them, the Gender Pathways Program provides gender-affirming care, and the African American Transplant Access Program seeks to end disparities in transplant care for Black people. Community Engagement Northwestern Medicine is committed to being an integral part of the communities it serves, and providing excellent care is only the beginning. The health system also invests time, resources and people to help communities achieve better health and well-being. Northwestern Medicine supports local programs that address significant health needs in the community and make the greatest possible impact on the lives of the people who live there. Working with key community partners, Northwestern Medicine helps provide access to shel- ter, nutritious food and other essentials. It also supports initiatives that reduce violence, address trauma and improve safety. And the system’s workforce volunteer group, Team NM, donates thousands of hours a year in support of communities across Chicagoland. Economic and Workforce Development As one of the largest private employers in Illinois, Northwestern Medicine actively recruits a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities it serves. The system provides innovative training, education and development opportunities to help more diverse candidates find a career in health care. Since 2018, Northwestern Medicine has had a 90% increase in hiring from Chicago neigh- borhoods that have been historically under-resourced. In addition, Northwestern Medicine sup- ports local economies by actively seeking to invest in goods and services from businesses in these neighborhoods. JOHN LEGEND The first African American man to earn the complete EGOT entertainment awards, in- cluding 12 Grammys, John Legend got his start working as a session musician coming out of the University of Pennsylvania, where he had also found eager audiences for his blend of gospel, soul, and classical music training. After working with such artists as Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Jay-Z, and Kanye West, in 2004 he released his debut album, Get Lifted , which earned Legend the Gram- my for Best New Artist and two other honors. His 2006 follow-up, Once Again , cemented his place in the soul music pantheon, quickly achieving platinum sales, and 2008’s Evolver marked his third consecutive top-five album. Legend teamed with The Roots in 2010 to record Wake Up! , an album of socially con- scious songs of the ’60s and ’70s, which won an NAACP Image Award. The collection also included his Grammy-winning song “Shine,” which was featured in the documentary Wait- ing for “Superman . ” Legend’s 2013 album, Love in the Future , featured the global hit “All of Me,” which has surpassed diamond-lev- el sales. The following year, he teamed with Common to write “Glory” for the film Selma ; the track won both a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Original Song. Legend collab- orated with Miguel and Chance the Rapper on 2016’s Darkness and Light , which includ- ed the hit single “Love Me Now.” Returning to film, he was featured in La La Land —on screen and on the soundtrack—and recorded the title song to 2017’s Beauty and the Beast with Ariana Grande. Legend starred in NBC’s live broadcast of Jesus Christ Superstar in early 2018, closing out the year with the holiday al- bum A Legendary Christmas , and 2020’s Big- ger Love , featuring the single “Conversations in the Dark,” netted him his latest Grammy. His latest album, Legend , spans two volumes and an outstanding array of collaborators. He was a coach on The Voice for seasons 16 (ear- ly 2019) to 22 (late 2022) and returns to the role this fall. A dedicated philanthropist, Leg- end was named BET’s Humanitarian of the Year in 2010, and in 2015 he founded the Free America campaign to seek criminal justice and mass incarceration policy reform. John Legend is returning for his fifth season at Ra- vinia, where he first appeared in 2009. RAVINIA MAGAZINE • JULY 31 – AUGUST 14, 2023 42 JASON SIEGEL (BHTM); YU TSAI (LEGEND)