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July 20, 2005

Lenzendorf ready for Big Ten football

Mike Lenzendorf will be sure the first two things he packs for Madison are a white dress shirt and an alarm clock.

The 2005 Prairie du Chien graduate will be enrolling at UW-Madison this fall and will be a walk-on to this year's football program.

On August 9, Mike will partake in the first day of football practice. The alarm clock and dress shirt were addressed as the two most important things to bring when moving in, and Mike will make sure they are on the top of his suitcases.

However, Mike wasn't always sure that this was where his life was going to take him.

The heavyweight state wrestling champion struggled with where he wanted to go to school and which sport he wanted to participate in. Winona was interested in him for football while the University of Minnesota wanted him on their wrestling team. Then there was Wartburg, who wanted him for both sports.

Although during his senior year of high school, it all came together for the 18-year old athlete.

"It was then that I kind of figured that I could play at the Division I level," Lenzendorf said.

The previous summer Mike attended a football camp at Madison where defensive line coach John Palermo made it known that he was interested in him.

Mike was a four-year varsity letterwinner and a three- year starter for the Blackhawks. Playing the defensive tackle position as well as offensive guard tackle, Mike received countless recognition for his play on the field. He received all-region and all-state honors for his work on the Blackhawks' defense, while earning all-conference honors his senior year for his play on offense.

Badger football coaches attended the state wrestling meet Mike's senior year and let him know they were impressed with his state winning performance.

However, UW was going to offer him a partial scholarship if he came to their wrestling program and thus his struggle between sports continued.

"I wanted to go out on top with wrestling, which is what I did," Mike said. "Then I was given the chance to wrestle in front of a thousand fans in Madison or play football in front of tens of thousands of fans at Camp Randall."

It was then that Mike knew he was ready to line up against the giants of the Big Ten conference and contend for a spot on the defensive line.

UW offered Mike the chance to play both sports, but for now Mike is declining the offer, sticking to just football.

"I figured I better just compete in one sport because of my grades," Mike said.

The soon-to-be civil engineering major was ranked ninth in his graduating class and hopes to someday find work designing subdivisions.

A Badger fan all of his life, Mike cannot wait for the time

to come to put on the Badger red and march out through the tunnel.

Mike has set a goal for himself to make the 77-man traveling team, where only the top 77 players make the trip to road games.

"I want to earn that red-shirt and then get a scholarship someday," Mike said. "I would like to start on special teams and work my way up to the line."

Mike also said he wouldn't mind being on the Badger's scout team.

As for his future after Madison, Mike said he has realized he is only one step away from the pros.

"Being able to play for the Badgers makes that next step more of a reality," Mike said. "I never thought of it ever happening, but now I do."

But as for right now, Mike is doing all that he can to impress the Badger coaches upon arriving at Madison. He has been working out in the weight room and running to prepare for the big days ahead. He doesn't do it alone, however, as fellow classmate and teammate Tyler Keeney joins Mike in the work-out sessions.

Keeney will be attending UW-La Crosse and playing football as well.

Singing her way to the top

Local woman auditions for 'American Idol'
Chellanie Adams has big dreams and high goals. The Prairie du Chien native has been going at them with full speed, too, since she was in the sixth grade and decided to be a country singer.

Adams' first performance was singing "You Are My Sunshine" at a school concert while she was in first grade. Adams has since moved on to louder crowds and larger stages. Her next goal in the near future is to appear on the popular Fox TV show, American Idol.

This spring, Adams caught word that Fox 25 in La Crosse would be holding preliminary auditions for the 2006 season of "American Idol." So, on July 11 Adams traveled to La Crosse to take part in the competition. According to Adams, there were six preliminary auditions throughout the region. Three singers were chosen from each center to advance to the next round of competition. Adams sang her way to the top at the acapella-only tryout and was one of three chosen out of about 43 competitors. To woo the judges, Adams sang "Two More Bottles of Wine," by Emmy Lou Harris, and her own rendition of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire."

"I wasn't really that nervous," said Adams, "I just went in there knowing that I didn't have anything to lose."

Adams and the other 17 talented singers will now compete in the next round of auditions on August 20. "The competition will be held at 6 p.m. on the Octoberfest grounds in La Crosse, and is open for anyone who'd like to come watch," said Adams.

There will only be one lucky winner from this contest, who is guaranteed an audition in front of "American Idol" judges, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul. In addition to the chance to be named the country's newest idol the winner will also receive free airfare and hotel accommodations to the city chosen to host the 2006 show.

Adams will be singing "Phones are Ringing all Over Town," by Martina McBride. "I might be little bit nervous this time. It always makes me more nervous when I'm in front of people I know," she said.

Chellanie, a May graduate of UW-Platteville, isn't too worried, though ‹ she has a few backup plans up her sleeves. Following her audition in August she will be moving to Nashville to begin a career as a country singer. "My parents took me to Nashville the summer after my sophomore year in high school, and I fell in love with it," she said. Since then, she's returned many times to test out her talents by performing her own music in bars throughout the city. So far, she says she's been received very well in Music City USA.

Adams was also smart enough to have a another plan in the case that a career in music doesn't work out. "I couldn't believe the amount of people playing music on the streets in Nashville the first time I went," she said. "I was going to move there when I turned 18, but I realized that I didn't want to be one of those people, so I had to get a college education." She graduated with a degree in International Business Management and a minor in music. While at UW-Platteville, Adams also participated in Women's Choir, University Singers and Chamber Choir. However, this is one rare college graduate who hopes that she won't have to use her college degree. "I really, really just want to be a country music singer. I hope I get to be," said Adams.

Whether Chellanie Adams becomes a country music star through "American Idol" or by working her way through the crowds in Nashville, you can be sure that determination, dedication and an adventurous spirit brought her there. "I just don't want to look back and say that I regret anything," said Chellanie about her hopeful career. 

July 18, 2005
Land Ho! The Nina docks in Prairie du Chien

On Wednesday, July 13 an unusual sight could be seen traveling up the Mississippi River. At approximately noon that day a replica of Christopher Columbus' favorite ship, the Nina, arrived at Prairie du Chien's Lawler Park. The crew members, hot from the sun and hard work, welcomed visitors then headed for refreshing water and cool shade after docking the large wooden structure.

The story of the Nina is an interesting one. The idea was conceived in the British Virgin Islands in 1986 when the Columbus Foundation was formed. The goal of the foundation was to raise money to build the three ships that Columbus used in his encounter with the New World. After two years of research the group realized that due to money and time constraints it would only be possible to build one replica ‹ Nina. According to historical accounts, the Nina was Columbus' favorite out of the three ships, logging at least 25,000 miles under his command.

In 1988 the Columbus Foundation hired American engineer, John Patrick Sarsfield to design and construct a replica of the Nina. According to Master Captain Morgan Sanger, the design details for the Nina were taken from pictures, paintings and other relics, as well as from recent discoveries of 15th and 16th century Spanish shipwrecks in the Caribbean.

The Nina began sailing in December of 1991 after leaving the banks of Rio Uno in Valenca, Brazil. Since then, the Nina has been to over 500 ports, up almost every midwestern river, in all of the Great Lakes, has covered the East and West coast, passed eight times through the Panama Canal and has even appeared in a major motion picture.

Before stopping in Prairie du Chien, the Nina spent some time in Davenport, and will set sail for Winona early morning on the 19th. "We always get a great response in the Midwest." said Captain Sanger, native of the British Virgin Islands. "We were here six years ago and had a good visit then, and hopefully we will now, too," said Sanger. Crew member Jamison Marquardt also seemed to be looking forward to his time in Prairie du Chien, "I've been around for all the hard parts of the trip, now I'm ready for the fun stuff, like giving tours and meeting new people," he said.

Top talent to tear it up at Blues Fest

Spirit of the blues set to soar at the Eighth Annual Prairie Dog Blues Festival July 29-30

Searing guitar licks, soaring, soulful vocals and big bass lines holding the bottom are sure send the spirit of the blues through the crowd at the Eighth Annual Prairie Dog Blues Festival July 29-30.

Ten top bands will hit the stage Friday and Saturday and two more noteworthy groups will entertain in the beer tent as patrons of the Blues Fest can enjoy nonstop, electrifying excitement on St. Feriole Island.

FRIDAY EVENING

Kicking off the Fest at 5 p.m. Friday will be Plan B, a Southeast Minnesota band that began playing regularly during the summer of 2004. Bass player Scott Anderson and guitarists Joel Runtsch and Ed Ehrhardt had played in various bands for years. Ehrhardt's daughter, Sena, sat in as a vocalist occasionally, and in the fall of 2003 joined the band fulltime. The addition of drummer Matt Gosha rounded out the band. With influences ranging from Muddy Waters to Jimi Hendrix the music is a blues/rock mix that aims to please. Plan B will be appearing at the Prairie Dog Blues Festival for the first time.

The spirit of the blues moves Slick Ballinger like the spirit of the Lord moves a preacher. At age 20, this native North Carolinian is hailed by many in the blues world as a prodigy. His Mississippi Hill Country style of guitar slinging will have you jumping in your seat and he will have you on your feet as he saves your soul. Slick has played with legends Otha Turner, Pinetop Perkins and Hubert Sumlin. In 2004, Slick and his band performing as "Reverend Slick and the Soul Blues Boyz" took second place in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Slick and his band is an act not to be missed.

Big James Montgomery grew up on the southside of Chicago listening and playing with the legends of the blues. At 19 years old, he joined the legendary Little Milton Band. After playing with Milton for two years, he joined Albert King's Blues Band. In 1996, Big James joined the Buddy Guy's Blues Band. They made many appearances including the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and toured all over the world. Now, on trombone and vocals, Big James is fronting his own band and is here to build his own legendary status as Big James & The Chicago Playboys.

Headlining the show Friday night will be Michael Burks. Like a freight train rolling through the night, guitarist/vocalist Michael Burks plows through he blues with relentless power and a full head of steam. Even though he has been playing music since he was a child in southern Arkansas, it was his release of "Make It Rain," his Alligator Records debut in 2001, that brought Burks national recognition and made him one of the blues world's fastest-rising stars. With his new CD release, "I Smell Smoke," Burks is set to take his place beside the biggest, most legendary names in the blues.

SATURDAY

James Kinds & The All-Night Riders are a four-piece rhythm and blues band from Dubuque. James is a powerful vocalist, a singular guitarist, and an unforgettable entertainer. Born in Mississippi in 1943, he was nurtured on the gospel of the old country church and the blues of the late night juke. The highlight of his career was touring Europe with Willie Dixon. The All-Night Riders are a versatile and spirited combo whose sound is at once familiar and new. With a repertoire of fine original songs and some choice covers, the band never fails to deliver the goods.

Minneapolis Piano Blues delivered with a New Orleans slant, funky second-line grooves and slide guitar are the hallmarks of Scott Miller's style. Some of Miller's influences include Professor Longhair, Otis Spann and Roosevelt Sykes.

Singer, songwriter Scott Miller began his musical journey in 1986 at Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 1991 he toured the United States with his pop/rhythm and blues band "T-Minus-2," who opened for national recording artists "Snapp" and "The Jets."

In 1998, Miller joined forces with Big John Dickerson and Blue Chamber, touring extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe. In 2001, he won the Minnesota Music Award for his writing contributions on Big John's album "Arms of the Blues." Other accomplishments include a 2003 nomination for Best Blues Recording for his "The Other Side" and he was a solo finalist at the 2005 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, sponsored by the Blues Foundation.

Scott Miller's new release "Days of Reckoning", is gaining momentum and creating positive press across the country.

The Midwest Blues All-Stars are fronted by Blues Harp Jimmy David and Milwaukee Slim (Silas McClatcher). Jimmy Davis has played with almost every Wisconsin blues musician at one time or another and Silas McClatcher was at one time a member of the Legendary Blues Band.

Supporting these two modern blues allstars are Sam McCue, (Everley Brothers), Vodie Rhinehart (Jordenaires), Dave Kasik (Bryan Lee) and Richard Radbil (guitarist and band manager).

The All-Stars capped off last summer with a performance at the Chicago Blues Festival and their new CD, "Party Time," was favorably reviewed in Blues Wax and Living Blues. This high-energy blues band is sure to please.

At a time when most emerging blues-rock guitar players tend to be slender young men born after the Carter Presidency, there is something very satisfying about discovering a fully grown musician with prodigious talent who has no need for acne treatments. Not to knock the wunderkind, but there is more to being a great musician than just fast fingers. It's about head and heart too.

Consider guitarist Albert Cummings who, when he's not been busy constructing award-winning custom houses, has built a following through the electrifying shows he performs in the Eastern U.S. and via a fine first solo album, "From the Heart", featuring the 36-year-old guitarist backed by Stevie Ray Vaughan's full Double Trouble lineup of Chris Layton, Tommy Shannon and Reese Winans.

In the short time since he shifted gears from a builder who played part-time to a full-on musician, he's come a long way. Besides the personal bond with Double Trouble, Albert has won the respect of a number of other musicians. As of mid 2004, he's shared bills with Buddy Guy, Charlie Musselwhite, Susan Tedeschi, Tommy Castro, Bernard Allison, the Neville Brothers, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Sheryl Crow, and has opened for B. B. King 19 times.

Lady Sunshine was born on a plantation near the Mississippi Delta in Arkansas. As a little girl in the south, she grew up singing gospel music. She moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1975 and began performing professionally singing blues, R&B, gospel, soul and jazz. The X-Band was formed in 1994 and has been creating quite a stir.

The Stax-Volt legacy is definitely alive and kickin' with these players. This group is a product of the "Motor City" and is a reflection of the very essence of Detroit emotion, fire, pride and soul. Lady Sunshine & the X-Band took 2nd place at the Prestigious 2005 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. This band is going to tear it up.

Headlining Saturday night is Tommy Castro. Tommy Castro is back and better than ever. Reunited with Blind Pig Records, the label that brought him to international prominence, Castro delivers his first album of original music in four years, "Soul Shaker."

Tommy's career has been marked by one triumph after another. In a remarkably short time, he went from performing at a tiny San Francisco saloon to an opening act on B.B. King's national tours and international acclaim as one of the most compelling artists on the scene.

In 1991, he formed the Tommy Castro Band and they quickly became one of the hardest-working and most popular groups in the Bay Area. In 1996, Tommy's first major release, "Exception to the Rule" on Blind Pig, garnered near unanimous raves from blues and mainstream publications around the world. In 1997, his second album "Can't Keep A Good Man Down", was released.

Tommy Castro's music has also been featured in television programs such as "Nash Bridges" and "The Young and the Restless" and The Tommy Castro Band was selected as the house band on NBC-TV's "Comedy Showcase" for three consecutive seasons.

Castro's next recording was 1999's "Right As Rain." The readers of Blues Revue magazine voted the disc one of the best 40 albums of all time. In 2001, Blind Pig released a retrospective of Castro's recording career entitled "The Essential Tommy Castro."

IN THE TENT

High energy funk, soul, and rock & roll is Root City, who will perform Friday evening. Root City has been keeping the party going for years in Minneapolis, and they're taking it to the Prairie Dog. Guaranteed to make you shake your tail and drink more beer, Root City will have you "tellin' yo' mamma."

The New Crew Band is a unique band from Madison. The band's members include Duke Baker from Sauk City on drums and vocals, Rick Swadley from Madison on bass and vocal, the awesome talent of Bobby Bryan from Los Angeles on guitar and vocals and Bob Corbit from Madison, dual sax and vocal. New this year is John Davis from Madison, guitar and vocals.

They invite an array of awesome blues talent to the stages everywhere they play. Last year at the Prairie Dog Blues Fest, they tore the beer tent down on Friday night and they are invited back this year to do it on Saturday night.