Chicago singer-songwriter Nikki O'Neill talks about new album, "Stories I Only Tell My Friends," ahead of album release show in Chicago

Renee Castro/Sepia Studio. Photography: Justina Lee Photography. Mural art: PERU143

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

 

Although singer-songwriter and guitar player Nikki O'Neill has only lived in Chicago since 2020, she has already fully immersed herself in the Chicago music scene.

O'Neill is an instructor at the esteemed Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, which is the largest non-profit community arts school in the country. She started as an instructor there in August 2021.

She was born in Los Angeles, but grew up mostly in Stockholm, Sweden with a Russian grandmother and Polish mother.

On March 14, O'Neill released her third solo album, "Stories I Only Tell My Friends," an album that blends soul with Americana, rock, gospel and blues. The majority of the album was recorded live in the studio.

To celebrate the release of "Stories I Only Tell My Friends," O'Neill and her band (she is married to drummer Rich Lackowski, who co-produced the album with O'Neill), will perform a show at 6:30 p.m. April 1 at Colvin House, 5940 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago.

More information is at Colvin House's website, colvinhouseevents.com.

I had the chance to talk to O'Neill about the album and her career.

 

Q –  Great talking to you today. Coincidentally enough, I interviewed Sue Foley last year ahead of her April 17 show at SPACE in Evanston and you opened for her.

I've known Sue for several years. She's had this ongoing project called Guitar Woman, it's a book that she's writing. She's interviewed hundreds of guitar players over I'd say a span of 20 years or something.

At some point, she interviewed me and that's how we got to know each other. And then we stayed in touch.

That show was the first time we got to play a show together. That was a lot of fun.

Q – Of course, your new album, “Stories I Only Tell My Friends,” was released on March 14 and you will have an album release show April 1 at Colvin House in Chicago. What kind of reception have you been getting to the new album?

 

It's been really, really good. I keep getting glowing reviews from American and European music press.

It's almost a little overwhelming to keep track of the response that's been coming in. The guys in the band have also received appreciation. Without them, the album wouldn't sound the way it does.

 

It captures the energy of people playing off each other. That's what I think is exciting.

 

 

We arranged the songs together. They are a huge part of the sound of the record and all the little cool parts and arrangements.

I'm super happy about it.

I think people appreciate that, especially since there are so many overproduced albums out there. To hear something live and fresh like that, that is exciting for the listener.

 

Q – You were one of the Illinois Arts Council’s Creative Catalyst Grant recipients for 2025. Was that a great help in making the album? 

Absolutely. An artist friend told me about it last year, and then I missed the window for applying by a day.

I applied this year. That grant was incredibly helpful in financing the making of the record.

Q – The album deals with many personal stories. Would you say the album is your most personal album to date?

Yeah, I would say so. Because this time, I was the only writer.

I made the point I was going to write all the lyrics. I've always written all the music.

This is my third record. Previously, I wrote some of the lyrics, but I also collaborated a lot with another lyric writer.

And I wouldn't mind doing it again, but I decided for this record that I wouldn't, because I wanted to write about certain things that are really hard for somebody else to write about. 

Like the song "Newcomer Blues." I could tell somebody, 'Yeah, could you write about someone who is an immigrant and who goes from L.A. to Sweden to Poland and how they are treated and write it from the view of a 7-year-old.' 

I'm probably the most suitable one to write that story. Another reason I did it is because with some of the songs that I've recorded in the past, I noticed that I started to have a littler harder time performing them live because I couldn't connect with them.

Q – What would you like listeners to get out of a song like “Live Like You’ve Just Begun”? What inspired you to write the song?

There's a songwriter named Steve Dawson who is in Chicago. He's a fantastic singer-songwriter.

And he suggested that I write a happy breakup song. And that's an interesting angle.

I love classic soul music and I just wanted to try to do that kind of tune, to put that story to that type of music. I'm a lifelong soul fan.

I've loved Al Green since I was a kid. Our other guitarist, Chris Corsale, he's also a huge soul fan. 

It's not always common to find that among guitar players. We have really similar tastes when it comes to guitar.

Q – You wrote the album in 2023-2024, three years after you relocated to Chicago from Los Angeles. What do you like about the Chicago music scene?

I like that it isn't so super focused on the presentation and the image, that people appreciate substance.

I feel like people don't care that much about that stuff and that they care about really good music. 

And it seems like for the most part that musicians in the Chicago area really support each other. 

Yeah, that's been my experience, too. I love being here in Chicago. I think it's great.

Q – You were talking about the workshop at Old Town taught by Steve Dawson that you participated in. What made you want to participate in the workshop?

I took the workshop after having taken a break in writing. It was a good way to get back into it, because I wanted the camaraderie of other writers.

Steve is a really great writer himself, so I respect his opinion and his feedback. We basically had to write a song every week, a complete song, and play it for everyone else.

It just helped me bring songwriting to the front burner after spending some time just trying to settle into this town. Lyrically, he helped me try different approaches.

Q – You wrote the book "Women's Road to Rock Guitar,” where you provide tips for women who want to learn different guitar techniques and you also interview different female guitarists, including Sue Foley. 

 

That book came out in 2014 and it wasn't meant to be just for women, originally. It was the publishing company that said I should have a specific angle because there were so many guitar books out there.

 

I just wanted to do a book that kind of helped people get less intimidated. 

 

Justina Lee Photography

 

There's nothing different about learning how to play for a guy versus a girl. And I know some guys who have picked up the book.

It was just fun for me to give back and try to be an encouraging, helping hand. 

 

Q – How would you describe your style of guitar playing?

It's a mix between rock and soul. I have always put much more energy into my songwriting than my lead guitar playing, because I felt like I was better at that.

It's a little Carlos Santana, a little Jimi Hendrix and a little Prince. It's the classic kind of rock with soul and some blues flavor.

That's me. That's my lane.

Q – Have you heard from anybody who has read the book about how it has helped them?

 

Yeah, I've gotten some nice feedback, some nice comments. I also did a lesson channel on TrueFire, which is like a hub for guitar lessons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicago Women of Color Puppetry and Performing Arts Fringe Festival giving a voice to the voiceless

 

 

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

Jacqueline Wade created the Chicago Women of Color Puppetry and Performing Arts Fringe Festival to give a voice to the voiceless.

Fittingly enough, the festival kicked off on Jan. 20, which was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The festival will continue through March 22 at Zhou B Art Center, 4th Floor Women of Color Theatre, 1029 West 35th St., Chicago.

More information, including a festival schedule, is at https://chicagowomenofcolorfest.com/festival-schedule.

I had the chance to talk to Wade about the festival.

Q – Great talking to you. I understand the idea for the festival came from your participation in the Chicago Puppet Lab, which is part of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. Can you elaborate on this?

 

Yes. I was in the second class of the Puppet Lab, which was part of the Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival. I was in the lab for about nine months, creating a show called "Consuewella Triptych in MOVE."

 

This was a puppet show that had a Giant John African puppet and more than 18 other puppets, most of which I designed, sculpted and was lead builder on. I also had assistance from some others.

 

"Consuewella Triptych in MOVE" was a show about the MOVE family, who had been bombed by the city of Philadelphia in 1985.  Eleven members of the MOVE family died that day and 65 homes were burned down. 

 

The story unfolds through Consuwella's eyes. At the end of the puppet lab, "Consuewella Triptych in MOVE," along with other lab works, were presented at the Chopin Theatre. 

 

My show was later expanded and picked up by Trap Door Theatre. From there, the show went to the New Orleans Giant Puppet Festival. 

 

In late August, it went to the Puppets of Paradise Festival in Asheville, North Carolina. Beside the Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival lab helping me to give birth to my puppet performance piece, the lab made me yearn for more. 

 

I needed additional mentoring aside from what I had received from the lab. This was even expressed to them by myself and others who were part of the lab. However, I never got this from the festival. 

 

Perhaps the festival did not have the manpower, budget or interest. I'm not sure, but no one ever really got back to me about it. 

 

However, I felt I was one of the lucky ones who was able to have my show develop and go to other places. Yet, I still yearned for a mentor to help me improve my skills and guide me along the way. 

 

Since the Chicago International Puppetry Theatre Festival basically deals with bringing the best of the best from all over the world, if things change, it will be welcome.

However, I now feel that there needs to be another level, especially given the way the world is changing. This should include puppet performances like mine that are still under development. 

Q – Your festival opened on Jan. 20. What has the response been like? Has the response been better than you imagined?

 

The response has been a learning curve. We did not always have large audience attendance because we were not hooked into different networks and group sales systems in Chicago. 

 

Very few people who are part of the Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival have come to see it. It feels like we don’t exist in some people's minds, even though I and others have gone to support their festival each year. 

 

This past year, I spent close to $800 to see various shows at the other festival. Have they come to see our festival? Ask them.

 

However, that does not stop us. This is our first year, so we are still learning the ropes with some guidance and advice. 

 

We also do not have the following that the Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival has. That takes time.

 

But we are slowly beginning to have people who have heard about us through others come out and they loved the performances, workshops and talk-backs. We also received endorsements from various puppeteers who have been in the festival, thus far. 

 

One of the artists who performed two of his works in our festival said, “It felt like coming home. I feel community here.” 

 

Q – It seems like the issues being addressed at the festival are very timely, given what is happening in the United States these days. What do you hope that people who attend the festival get out of it?

 

I think by creating a festival that addresses social justice issues, gives voice to the voiceless, celebrates empowerment, gender, biodiversity, and a bunch of other things, that I am giving these voices a platform. Some of these same pieces may or may not have been accepted into the bigger festival because they did not meet certain criteria. 

 

 

The Chicago Women of Color Puppetry and Performing Arts Fringe Festival 2025 has pieces that are fully developed, but we also have work-shopped pieces that are rehearsed. The performances in our festival look at issues from various lenses that might be ignored or overlooked.

Q – How did you go about putting together the schedule for the festival? Were you looking to have a wide range of activities for attendees?

 

I put the schedule together based on the availability of the artists. A lot of the artists come from all over the country.

 

When I first started organizing the festival to take place for two weeks from late January through the first week of February, a lot of artists who were very interested were not available. 

 

There were other artists who felt the festival was only for BIPOC people, even though we said in our submission form, "we were open to all people." It was important to listen to the artists.

 

When I opened up my mind and asked when various artists were available, I got a positive response of what they could do and not do and, thus, expanded the festival to be more inclusive to the artist's needs. This influenced the scheduling. 

 

Yes, it is a different model. Yes, it is a long festival over two months from Jan 20 through March 22. 

 

We are also looking at our audience. We have learned many things from them.

 

Q – You design and make puppets. Your 18-foot tall Mumia puppet has gone on marches and demonstrations for Mumia Abu-Jamal and your 20-foot tall Mother Earth Puppet has been used for Veterans for Peace. How did you start working with puppets and what do you like about working with them?

 

 

I started working with puppets when I was at graduate school working on my second MFA in Integrated Media Program at Hunter. I was basically working on a hybrid documentary film and one day I saw a notice in the hallway from the theater department asking for volunteers for puppet builders and puppeteers for a performance.

 

I had done neither but began to volunteer. Next thing I knew, I was building, acting as a puppeteer, writing articles, seeing puppet shows, and so on. 

 

I was introduced to puppetry through Professor Claudia Orenstein at Hunter's Theatre department. I loved the idea of seeing giant puppets and started moving in that direction as I started going to marches in Philadelphia and New York for Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was accused of killing a police officer. 

 

When I would go to these marches, I would hear wonderful speakers. Yet, I kept wondering if there was a more immediate result of capturing the public's attention about the Mumia case. 

 

That is when the thought of an 18-foot tall puppet of Abu-Jamal came to me. If the people could see this giant puppet from a mile away, that could catch people's attention and they might wonder who this man was and think about the story behind his case.

 

Q – Are you already planning for next year's Chicago Women of Color Puppetry and Performing Arts Fringe Festival? What should people expect at next year's festival?

 

I am already planning next year's festival. I want to look closely at what worked and what didn't work this year.

 

I want to learn from it. I want to give myself more time in planning the festival. 

 

I want to have social justice issues as part of the festival along with other topics just as we did this time and offer even more. I want to get the community involved even more.

 

I also want to work with various organizations and see how we can collaborate to make things happen. I want to get more local puppeteers involved. 

 

I want to start to create a mentoring program and networking circle to develop more puppetry people, especially populations that may not have access to it, thus, setting up residences. 

 

I want to look for funding sources and other alternative ways of supporting the festival and artists involved in the festival. I want to collaborate with other festivals, schools, organizations, social activist groups and various other groups.

 

I want all people involved,  but also want find more ways to continue to bring in Black and Indigenous individuals. I want the festival to empower everyone who is part of it. 

 

I also want the festival to be a place where issues of the day are being discussed and change can happen. I also love the idea of bringing other art forms in as we did this year.

 

Chicago blues musician Ivy Ford provides riveting night of music at The Venue in Aurora

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

 

With her soaring vocals and riveting guitar work, Ivy Ford is one of the musicians that makes the Chicago blues scene so strong. 

And given the impact that Ford and other female musicians have made, it was fitting that Ford came to perform on March 8 at The Venue in Aurora, which happened to be International Women's Day.

Along with playing original songs, she also paid homage to those musicians who have influenced her.

Chicago area musician Ivy Ford performs her song "Time to Shine" March 8 at The Venue in Aurora.

 

Chicago area musician Ivy Ford performs her song "Tell Me You're Sorry" March 8 at The Venue in Aurora.

Chicago area musician Ivy Ford performs the Jimmy Reed song "Baby What You Want Me to Do" March 8 at The Venue in Aurora.

 

Those in the audience had the chance to hear one of her songs that she hasn't recorded yet, "Love Shouldn't Hurt." 

 

The evening also was a family affair as Ford's daughter, Vivian, joined her on stage to close out the evening, a lovely end to a captivating night of music.

 

 

More videos from the evening are at https://www.youtube.com/@ericschel12.

 

Singer-songwriter and cellist Sarah Clanton to perform at The Venue in Aurora, Friendly Tap in Berwyn

By ERIC SCHELKOPF

 

Nashville musician Sarah Clanton is the type of musician who likes to connect with her audience as she performs.

Clanton will perform at The Venue in Aurora on March 6 along with Christina Eltrevoog. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.

Tickets range from $12 to $15, available at themusicvenue.org. The Venue is located at 21 S. Broadway Ave. in downtown Aurora.

On March 7, Clanton will perform at the Friendly Tap, 6733 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn, with Robinlee Garber. The free show starts at 8 p.m.

I had the chance to talk to Clanton about her current projects.

 

Q – It’s interesting. I saw you perform at The Venue in March 2023 and you of course will be performing March 6 at The Venue. I guess it shows that when people come to see you perform at The Venue, they can count on spring being just around the corner.

 

It is kind of funny. I'm not really sure what keeps bringing me back the same week in March.

Q – When I last saw you at The Venue, you were talking to the audience about what inspired you to write a certain song and was just generally interacting with the crowd a lot. Is that important to you, to connect with the audience?

I'm classically trained and when you're in orchestra, you don't look at the audience. Connecting with the audience definitely took some work.

It is interesting how it's involved into this conversation with the audience. I do tend to really like a listening environment.

 

 

I have toured solo for a long time and I do a ton of house concerts. And it does feel really good to connect with the audience and kind of see what comes of it.

There's a lot of circumstantial hilarity that occurs, depending on how much people want to interact.

Now, I've got to get good at creating a sing-along or something.

Q – It does seem like there are more cello musicians out there these days. I understand that seeing Ben Sollee at Bonnaroo in 2008 provided a spark for you on what you could do with a cello.

 

It never occurred to me to sing with a cello. I just hadn't seen it.

 

 

Sometimes you have to see somebody do it to be like, "Oh, I guess this could be something to try out." So I started doing that and it felt like the puzzle pieces finally clicked.

 

Q – You started Tunedough®, an educational platform for independent songwriters seeking to own the rights to their work outright. You must have seen the need for such a platform.

 

So I had a record deal and the day the album came out, the FBI raided the offices of the parent company that owned the company that I was signed to because the owner was convicted of a $200 million Ponzi scheme.

 

I knew I needed to lawyer up to get my intellectual property back, which I did. And in the process, I found a website to log into where my royalties hadn't been collecting.

It just fired me up. I wanted to create a self guided course that music makers could take at their own pace so they could learn what there is actually to collect in a song. 

Q – And have artists in turn thanked you for doing this?

Yeah. I have a friend who is a singer-songwriter. She went through my course and she just realized she hadn't signed up for one platform called SoundExchange and she found like $1,000 that was just sitting there.

 

Q – You released a new song, “Looks Like Love,” last June. Are you working on any new songs these days?

 

I am. And I am so glad you asked, because I definitely feel like in building my company, that's taken some attention away from my writing and this year, I'm trying to focus more on fewer things.

A couple of years ago, I had the idea to do this album "Shadow Work." And I thought maybe I would do this companion album called "Light Work."

I'm writing this record about the paradox. You can't have the bitter without the sweet and vice versa.

 

I think a lot about what I want to get up on stage and sing about every night. 

 

Q – What would you like for people to get out of your music? 

 

Songs, I feel like, take on their own life.  I had one of my most magical musical memories happen at The Venue.

 

The first time I came and played there, this woman came up to me at the merchandise table after my show and said to me, "I looked up your music before we came to see if we wanted to come to the show tonight and I found this song of yours called 'Silver Lining' and we used to call my sister the queen of silver linings. And she passed away four years ago and the song has really helped me."

And I couldn't help but tear up. I had no idea my song was out there doing this. 

I had no idea my song was helping this person in this way. It's kind of a leap of faith sometimes when you're writing music.

 

My heart just explodes at the thought that something I write is out there having it's own little life in someone else's life and helping them in some way.

Q – I was just thinking about your story about how you were inspired to play the cello on stage. Has anyone been inspired to start playing the cello because of you?

 

I hope so. I do hope so.

 

 

I have had a few women come up to me and tell me they play cello too but that they can't sing and play.

And I tell them to just give it a try and that singing and playing a cello is not that different from singing and playing a guitar. There are fewer strings on a cello.