city lights | tribune article

Lifetime Love of Music, cont.

Daniels grew up as the only child of Richard and Virginia Daniels, who lived in the Wrightwood
neighborhood of Chicago and belonged to St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Inspired by jazz
saxophonist Boots Randolph, he began playing when he was 10 years old.

“I felt like it was something I was supposed to do,” he said. “My parents were not musicians. But my
father loved music, and growing up I was surrounded by it in the house. I took a real liking to it. It just
came to me naturally. The basics came very quickly to me. It was never work; it was something I
loved doing.”

It was all but subliminal, because at age 3 he was put to bed with Big Band or swing tunes
on the family phonograph, according to his parents, who now live in Palos Park.

Even so, “I didn't think he would develop the way he did as a musician,” his father said. “But he
surprised me.”

In August 1974, he joined with 12 other teenagers to form the Back Beat Boogie Band. Members
attended Catholic all-boys high schools such as St. Laurence, St. Rita and Brother Rice, where
Daniels played in the sax in the concert band; girl members attended Mother McAuley High School.
In spring 1975, the band landed one of its first major gigs, a fundraiser for former Ald. Thomas Keane,
featuring guest of honor Mayor Richard J. Daley. (The band over the years has done many performances
for Mayor Daley the younger as well).

n 1976, the group expanded to 18 pieces and changed its name to the Big Band Machine; in 1990, it
became the City Lights Orchestra.


		Lifetime Love of Music, *cont.* Daniels grew up as the only child of Richard and Virginia Daniels, who lived in the Wrightwood neighborhood of Chicago and belonged to St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Inspired by jazz saxophonist Boots Randolph, he began playing when he was 10 years old. “I felt like it was something I was supposed to do,” he said. “My parents were not musicians. But my father loved music, and growing up I was surrounded by it in the house. I took a real liking to it. It just came to me naturally. The basics came very quickly to me. It was never work; it was something I loved doing.” It was all but subliminal, because at age 3 he was put to bed with Big Band or swing tunes on the family phonograph, according to his parents, who now live in Palos Park. Even so, “I didn't think he would develop the way he did as a musician,” his father said. “But he surprised me.” In August 1974, he joined with 12 other teenagers to form the Back Beat Boogie Band. Members attended Catholic all-boys high schools such as St. Laurence, St. Rita and Brother Rice, where Daniels played in the sax in the concert band; girl members attended Mother McAuley High School. In spring 1975, the band landed one of its first major gigs, a fundraiser for former Ald. Thomas Keane, featuring guest of honor Mayor Richard J. Daley. (The band over the years has done many performances for Mayor Daley the younger as well). n 1976, the group expanded to 18 pieces and changed its name to the Big Band Machine; in 1990, it became the City Lights Orchestra.