Stars Shine at WTTW11's 50th Birthday Bash

Stars Shine at WTTW11's 50th Birthday Bash

Chase Sponsors Live 90-Minute Broadcast on WTTW11 and 98.7WFMT from Chicago's Millennium Park

Hosts Joe Mantegna and Irma P. Hall Join Guest Artists Billy Corgan, Ann Hampton Callaway, Liz Callaway, Otis Clay, Samuel Ramey and Susanne Mentzer with Carlos Kalmar and the Grant Park Orchestra for August 20 Concert Broadcast at 7:30 p.m.

CHICAGO, July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- WTTW11, the nation's most-watched public television station, celebrates its half-century mark with a star-studded free concert performance and live television and radio broadcast on Saturday, August 20, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050728/CGTH020-ahttp://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050728/CGTH020-bhttp://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050728/CGTH020-c )

The event, which is sponsored by Chase, will feature Carlos Kalmar, leading the Grant Park Orchestra in its season finale performance. Special guests include vocalists Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway, fiddler Liz Carroll, legendary blues artist Otis Clay, singer/songwriter Billy Corgan, trumpeter Orbert Davis, mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer, and bass-baritone Samuel Ramey. Actors Joe Mantegna and Irma P. Hall will co-host WTTW11's 50th Birthday Bash from the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

All of the participating artists have strong Chicago ties, an important aspect to executive producer Fawn Ring, when considering performers to invite. "WTTW11's mission is to educate, enlighten, entertain and serve the Chicago community and we have been fortunate enough to do just that for 50 years," says Ring. "This event is an opportunity for us to celebrate and showcase the cultural richness of Chicago."

The concert performance is free and open to the public and will be simulcast on WTTW11 and 98.7WFMT. The benefit dinner is sold out.

Chase, the event sponsor, has been a long-time supporter of WTTW11. Chase, which operates bank branches in Chicago under the Bank One name, is the consumer and commercial banking brand of JPMorgan Chase & Co.

"As Chicago's leading bank, Chase recognizes how WTTW makes Chicago a better place to live. We're proud to help celebrate WTTW's 50 years of excellence and to help it continue that excellence," said William M. Daley, Chairman of the Midwest for JPMorgan Chase.

"WTTW's 50th Birthday Bash, the live concert and broadcast event on WTTW11 and 98.7WFMT, is, in essence, a way for us to thank our audience, our supporters and members -- and the city of Chicago," remarks CEO and President Dan Schmidt. "As a public television station, we continually strive to find tangible connections to our community. When it came time to mark our 50th anniversary, nothing seemed more fitting than inviting our entire viewing audience, to join in the celebration, by tuning in on August 20."

"We're delighted to help WTTW11 celebrate its 50th anniversary in such tremendous fashion," said Grant Park artistic and general director James Palermo. "WTTW11 is an important part of Chicago's cultural community and the Grant Park Music Festival is very pleased to partner with the station on the concert event and live broadcast."

More information about WTTW11 is available at http://www.wttw.com/ .

WTTW's 50th Birthday Bash, a live concert and broadcast event, is made possible through the generosity of Chase and in partnership with the Grant Park Orchestral Association and Millennium Park.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050728/CGTH020-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050728/CGTH020-b http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050728/CGTH020-c AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: WTTW11

CONTACT: Holly H. Gilson of WTTW11, +1-773-509-5424

Web site: http://www.wttw.com/

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