The Region music scene was rocked last week by the sad news that Ralph Kinsey -- eldest of The Kinsey Report brothers -- had passed away Jan. 16 after a brief battle with cancer. He was a respected artist, as well as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle.
Per Ralph's wishes, a private family funeral will be held, with a broader public celebration of his life scheduled for a future date. Information when given will be shared in this column.
I first met Ralph and his brothers -- Donald and Kenny Kinsey -- when I was doing promotional work and serving as house DJ and stage host at Players Lounge (later Bugsy's Lounge) in Highland. The brothers were the backing group at that time for their iconic bluesman father Big Daddy Kinsey, while also performing headline dates there as The Kinsey Report, supporting their album releases for Alligator Records.
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My path continued to cross with the Kinseys over the years at live performances and when they collectively or individually appeared as guests on my radio programs. In Ralph's case, I did a program to showcase his amazing body of work as an artist in the medium of painting.
Ralph's first collective was the "Sound Impressions Series," which he described as "capturing the color of drums and rhythms (on canvas)." His second was titled "Generations," and he said "it tells the story of my father and my family's history, following a path from the Delta through the family's relocation in Gary..." Both were done with great passion.
View a video of Ralph discussing his "Sound Impressions" inspiration via this Lakeshore Public Television mini-documentary: https://youtu.be/egxaq_fIPFU?si=BOVtl8bLD-f4MYQL. Another clip from Lakeshore Public Television, shows Kinsey -- in the role of poet -- doing a musical slam-style delivery of his powerful spoken word piece, "We Insist". View it at: https://youtu.be/23sjCqL4wzs?si=8P51y171M8aJUriW.
My wife Alice and I -- who serve on The Lake County Library Board of Trustees and The Lake County Library Foundation Board -- co-presented a month long exhibit of Ralph's paintings in June of 2016 at the Griffith-Calumet Township Branch of the Lake County Public Library. The exhibit's kick off included a short speech by Ralph and an acoustic performance by The Kinsey Report, giving attendees greater insight into Ralph.
For the last three years, one of Ralph's art pieces prominently hung center stage in the Michigan City location of my store, The Record Bin, where live performances frequently took place. It was hung there, because the piece carried a powerful, yet simple message -- "UNITY".
With that store location now closed as of this past week, that beautiful piece, will now be displayed at the Hobart location of The Record Bin to honor and remember the Northwest Indiana artist who created it. There, his message will continue to remind all who see it, how important it is for people of diverse backgrounds to work together in mutual respect, in love and in peace.
Ralph Kinsey hoped his art would help push his dream of a better world forward. "My hopes are for peace, love, health, charity and prosperity and for us to be better stewards of our planet for our children's sake," he once said.
Northwest Indiana has much to be proud of as the home of the entire Kinsey family, who have contributed so much to the world of music -- rock, blues, reggae and funk -- along with the added contribution Ralph Kinsey made with his brushes, while putting his heart, soul and stories on canvas.
Ralph Kinsey will be missed tremendously by all who were blessed to have known him. I join his friends and fans in extending my condolences to the Kinsey family and respecting the private time they have requested to mourn his passing, with knowledge we will all come together one day soon to share memories and stories at a public gathering of remembrance.
Hard Rock mixes up styles this weekend
Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana (5400 W. 29th Ave.) in Gary has a jam packed weekend of live entertainment. Iconic R&B groups The Commodores and The Spinners share a double-bill Friday at the Hard Rock Live concert auditorium. The Commodores will deliver hits like "Three Times A Lady," "Nightshift," and "Brick House"; while The Spinners offer songs like "I'll Be Around," "Rubberband Man," and "Working My Way Back To You." Actor Tim Allen -- star of hit TV sit-com "Last Man Standing" -- returns to his stand-up comedy roots for an 8 p.m. concert on Saturday.
This weekend's Hard Rock Cafe features jam band Stealin' The Farm on Friday at 9 p.m., followed Saturday at 9 p.m. by '80s New Wave party rock band, The Spazmatics, armed with nerd-appealing tunes accented by synths, skinny ties and horn-rimmed glasses.
R&B and blues is served at the Council Oak Bar stage with The Mike Wheeler Band on Friday, and The Luke Repass Band on Saturday. Both shows at 8 p.m.
Prince tribute Purple Xperience comes to Hard Rock Casino’s Hard Rock Live venue for an 8 p.m. performance on March 16. Tickets on sale Friday at 10 a.m. More: hardrockcasinonorthernindiana.com.
MUSIC NOTES
• The '90s dance party group Fool House hits Hobart Art Theater (322 Main St.) in downtown Hobart on Friday for an 8 p.m. show. Radio head tribute band Red Roses Live gives a 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets for both: $20 and up. More at brickartlive.com.
• The "Acoustic Thursday" music series at Montego Bay Grille (322 Main St.) in Hobart from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., welcomes the monthly return of Danny Lemmon's "Songwriters Showcase Night" with performances by Lemmon, and scheduled guests James Gedda, Keegan Darr, Don Srebro, and Scott Reichard. "This event marks Reichard's debut performance at Montego Bay," noted Lemmon. More: 219-940-3152 or facebook.com/mobaygrille.
• High energy dance/rock band, Party Foul hits The Blue Chip Casino (777 Blue Chip Drive) in Michigan City for a a 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. performance on Friday in The Rocks Lounge. Catch them next at Buddy & Pal's Place (1206 E. Summit St.) in Crown Point on Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. More: facebook.com/partyfoulband.
• The Stefan Hillesheim Blues Band makes its debut at Leroy's Hot Stuff (333 W. U.S. 20) in Porter at 8 p.m. Friday. Blues/jazz continues with a slightly different twist on Saturday with the 8 p.m. performance of New Orleans Blau & The Big Easy Band. Leroy's "Sunday Blues Jam" runs 7 to 10 p.m. and is presented this week by The Blue Steel Society with guest artist, Andrew Duncanson. More: leroyshotstuff.com or 219-926-6211.
• Nawty Lite performs a 7-10 p.m. show tonight at Northwoods Falls (8101 Wicker Ave.) in St. John. Mr. Funnyman is there on Friday, while Saturday finds The Unstoppables on stage. Weekend music runs 8:30 p.m. to midnight. More: northwoodsfalls.com or 219-351-5148.
• M&R RUSH -- though on hiatus from live shows -- is staying busy writing and recording new original music since they have had an active record label deal in place since 2022. The new M&R single is "Rock This Town" -- recorded in spring 2023 at StarTrax Recording Studio in Mokena -- a high energy rock anthem about the experience of a live concert from a performer's perspective. Now available on most streaming services and via their web site: mandrrush.com.
• NWI music maker Joe Marcinek stops by the Lakeshore Public Radio (89.1FM) studio in Merrillville this Tuesday, to guest 7-8 p.m. on "Midwest BEAT with Tom Lounges." Marcinek will debut for the first time on radio, songs from his ninth and newest album, "1 River Street," the follow-up to Marcinek's "Dead Funk Summit," which made my "Tom's Top 10 Regional Albums of 2023." More at joemarcinekband.com. Stream live at: lakeshorepublicradio.org.
