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JIM BELUSHI & THE SACRED HEARTS

The first thing you need to know about Jim Belushi is that he’s a performer. Not an actor, not a comedian, not a singer, but a performer. Which is pretty much all those things put together and multiplied by two or five or something.

The second thing you need to know- and this is in some ways more important than the first thing- is that he has absolutely no shame. None. Zip. Zero.

Add those two things together and you have a pretty good working definition of that most indescribable of qualities known as presence. And, as anyone who’s spent two minutes with the guy knows, Jim’s got it. Big time.

So here’s this guy, this presence, disregarding any and all warning signs and diving into life headfirst. From the live stages of Second City and Saturday Night Live to the soundstages of “About Last Night”, “K-9”, “Curly Sue”, “Mr. Destiny” and most recently “Return to Me,” he has taken everything life’s thrown at him and hit it out of the park. And by the way, he’s been having a blast.

So anyway, one day Dan Aykroyd asks him to join the Blues Brothers Band as Brother Zee- a possibly daunting proposition, even for Jim. Sure, he’d been on stage for years, but comedy and theatre is one thing (well, two things) but it’s not like he’d ever fronted a blues band before.

However, in order to be completely shameless, one is required to be completely fearless, which Jim, of course, is, so he takes a beat, looks at Aykroyd and says the same thing he’s been saying all his life.

“Yeah, what the hell…why not? Sounds like a whole lotta fun!”

So, to get ready to play with the Blues Brothers, Belushi crashes rehearsals of the House of Blues’ own band, The Sacred Hearts. He sits in with the band, laughing, acting, singing, and dancing in a word- performing. As it turns out, Jim was right because those rehearsals were “a whole lotta fun”; so much fun, in fact, that for the last five years the band has been Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts.

They’ve played for Al Gore, Governor Gray Davis and many other politicos. President Clinton is a really big fan and since one of these days he’s going to be out of a day job, he’ll probably want to sit in (Jim says he’ll consider it). They play all the House of Blues venues, all the casinos, many benefits and hundreds of corporate events for the Fortune 500 companies. Word on the street is if it’s going to be a tough audience, get Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts . . . the butt hasn’t been born that can stay in a chair through their first set.

For those who like their Rhythm & Blues seasoned with a lot ‘o soul with a Memphis sound, but who aren’t on the White House guest list, the music is now available on the band’s first CD, “36×22 x 36” (Platinum Records).

Belushi sings, talks, flirts (again, completely shameless), dances on tabletops and does at least one back flip every show.

Here’s the Sacred Hearts . . .

Larry Lee Lerma (bassist) – He has performed with The Blues Brothers, Sam Moore, Michelle Wright and recorded with Jimmy Vaughn and House of Blues recording Artist Becky Barksdale.

Johnny Lee “Shotgun” Schell (guitarist) – He has worked at a guitarist and singer in the recording studio for the last thirty years with such greats such as Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker, Etta James, Melissa Etheridge, Taj Mahal, Lyle Lovett and Buddy Guy. Johnny Lee has recently been working as a film composer.

Glen Clark (piano) – The leader of the Sacred Hearts born in Fort Worth, Texas, is a talented songwriter who has been Bonnie Raitt, Rita Coolidge and Loretta LynnRecord his tunes.

Joe “Lester” Sublett (saxophonist/composer) – Joe is an accomplished musician who along with Darrell Leonard as the “Texicali Horns,” has worked on film Soundtracks such as “Indecent Proposal,” “Tommy Boy” and “That Thing YouDo,” and has performed with such legendary performers as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Taj Mahal, Little Feat, B.B. King, Wynonna Judd, Travis Tritt, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen, He has performed on television, on Grammy award winning records Such as “In Step” with Stevie Ray Vaughn and “Feels Like Rain” with Buddy Guy as well as composing film scores.

Julie “The Dove” Delgado (vocalist) – Julie is a native of Los Angeles, California where she attended The Eubanks Conservatory of Music studying voice with emphasis on classical and light opera. Julie began singing professionally in 1982 and has toured the world with such artists as Al Jarreau, K.D. Lang, Tom Jones, The Blues Brothers, Natalie Cole and Brian McKnight. She has recorded with Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and Richard and Karen Carpenter. Her current television work includes the title themes to The Addams Family as well as Monster Farm and The Adventures of Oliver Twist. She can also heard on the motion picture soundtrack Four Wedding and a Funeral, A Quest for Camelot and most recently the IMAX movie “The Magic Box” starring Siegfried and Roy. She can also be heard on many national and international television jingles. One of her most memorable moments was being featured as a lead vocalist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the 1996 PBS Christmas Salute. With a range that spans four octaves, Julie has been said to have the voice of an angel, truly her gift from God.

Johnny “The Beast” Rubano (vocalist/trumpet)- John will tell you he’s actually an actor who can sing. John is a former member of Chicago’s famed Second City. His credits include numerous television and film roles and his voice can be heard on animated projects including Pinky and the Brain, Superman and the lead voice in The Greedy Show on Shockwave.com. His previous music experience includes trumpet and vocals with the Kurt Goletz Big Band.

J.J. “Taboo” Holiday (guitarist) – From Seattle to Chicago, he has made the scene with Sunnyland Slim and legendary guitarist Hubert Smith. Holiday then went on to Cleveland to work with Robert J. Lockwood and to Memphis with Gus Cannon and Furry Lewis. Working with Bob Dylan’s band, Carole King and The Blues Brothers, he continues to play on scores of movies for composer David Newman.

Jimmie “The Dynamic” Wood (harmonica/vocals) – Known by those who have heard him play as “The Cadillac of Harmonica Players.” Ask Bruce Springsteen, Etta James, Bruce Hornsby, Gladys Knight, Cheap Trick and Megadeath. He’s worked with just about everyone to show them how blue the blues can be.

Darrell “The Good Shepherd” Leonard (trumpet) – He is a multi-faceted arranger and composer who has worked on the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Awards, the Directors Guild Awards and has performed with Taj Mahal, Wilson Pickett, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Henry Mancini, Joe Walsh, Glenn Fry and scores of others. Along with Joe Sublett as “The Texicali Horns,” he has recorded with such greats as Smokey Robinson, Otis Rush, Linda Ronstadt, Little Feat, Lou Rawl and much, much more. He has done musical arrangements for such films as Home Alone, Swing Shift, Indecent Proposal and Tommy Boy.

Tony “Diamond Ring” Braunagel (drummer) – Born in Houston, Texas, he grew up listening to the rock, country blues and gospel music that provided the soundtrack to his life. He has played with Eric Burdon, with Rickie Lee Jones of her “Girl at her Volcano” LP and toured with Bette Midler. He eventually joined Bonnie Raitt’s band and worked on the Grammy award winning “Nick of Time” and “Luck of the Draw”. He has worked with hundreds of performers.

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JIM BELUSHI & THE SACRED HEARTS’S INFO

PROGRAMS/TOPICS

  • If You Don’t Leave Me Alone
  • Smokin’ Blues
  • Watch Yourself
  • 36-22-36

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