* From Gregg Allman’s Facebook page…

Gregg Allman has cancelled all tour dates starting with his appearance at Scranton, PA’s Peach Music Festival on August 12 and going through the Clearwater, FL Jazz Festival on October 16 due to serious health issues. He’s currently under his doctor’s care at the Mayo Clinic.

“I want to thank my fans and friends for supporting me while I rest up and focus on getting better and back on the road as soon as I can.
I’ve been working hard with my band, my pride and joy, to play our music for everyone. We’ll see y’all in October.” - Gregg

Feel better, Gregg!

* Allman’s illness created a hole in the Illinois State Fair’s lineup…

Gregg Allman, who was slated to perform on Sunday, August 21, as a co-headlining act with ZZ Top, has cancelled his upcoming appearance at the Illinois State Fair citing serious health issues that require doctor’s care.

To enhance this final night concert, fair officials have announced the group Three Doors Down will perform on the Grandstand with ZZ Top on Sunday, August 21. The band has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and has shared the stage with artists such as Daughtry, Megadeth, Nickleback, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and ZZ Top.

Current ticket holders do not need to do anything extra in order to attend this concert. All tickets purchased and issued remain valid.

I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen “Megadeth” and “Nickleback” in the same sentence.

* Meanwhile, Gov. Rauner’s chief of staff sent this memo yesterday…

Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2016 1:05 PM
To: Goldberg, Richard
Subject: Twilight Parade

Good Morning Directors:

I hope you all are looking forward to the State Fair as much as we are in the Governor’s Office. It’s tradition each year to extend an invitation to the agencies, through the directors, for state staff to join the Governor in the Twilight Parade. Governor Rauner would be honored with their presence this Thursday evening, August 11th.

The Governor walks at the front of the parade, right behind the Grand Marshal. We do want to note: walking in the parade is completely voluntary, and employees should not use compensated time to walk in the parade. For logistical purposes, I ask that you send a final list of staff in your agency who would like to walk with the Governor in the Twilight Parade to Denise Albert by close of business Wednesday, August 10th. We welcome any and all employees to join, but unfortunately won’t be able to accommodate any participants who are not on the list.

We ask that you and your staff meet at the intersection of 9th Street and North Grand Avenue no later than 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 11th. Please check in with a member of the Governor’s Office staff (wearing a blue or red shirt with the state seal and “Office of the Governor” on it). You will then be checked off the list of attendees and escorted to the parade staging area. The parade begins promptly at 5:30 p.m. – anyone not checked in at that time will not be allowed to accompany the Governor’s team, so please check in as early as possible.

Thank you all very much.

Richard

With Linda Lingle gone, somebody had to step up.

* And, just in case you were dubious about my claim that I showed steers at the local county fair back in the day…

       

23 Comments - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 10:18 am: Where was Denise Albert the governor? Aloha, Denise Albert. You have might big flip-flops to slide into. OW - Cubs in '16 - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 10:25 am: ===I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen “Megadeth” and “Nickleback” in the same sentence.=== It’s also the first time I’ve ever seen this… Thank you all very much. Richard - phocion - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 10:29 am: Love me some Greg Allman. Bummer he won’t appear. Sending positive energy out for his speedy recovery. - Mama - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 10:31 am: Rich, nice picture of you and your steer. - @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 10:33 am: To be honest, I’m kinda surprised that Rauner didn’t replace Gregg Allman with David Olsen. – MrJM - Because I said so.... - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 10:40 am: =unfortunately won’t be able to accommodate any participants who are not on the list.= Since when does a politician limit who can march with them? Rauner’s folks are either keeping a list of those cooperating or are worried about anti Rauner marchers joining in. - Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 10:47 am: Please note: Should you choose not to attend and sign in, we may not be able to accommodate your current job status. LOL Have fun guys, between the Gov and Trump, should be a blast being a GOP member walking in the parade. - Mean Joe - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 10:52 am: The Illinois State Fair should also address the refund policy and procedures for those ticket buyers that bought tickets solely or primarily to see Gregg Allman. Both names (Allman and ZZ Top) are on the ticket so it is customary to make refunds available in these cases. I bought 2 tickets and then two hours later the Gregg Allman tour cancellation press release hit the wires. Bad timing I guess. - Amalia - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 10:56 am: love that photo of you, Rich!!! Agriculture is widely overlooked by upstate folks, and I say that as an upstater. thanks! - Anonymous - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 11:02 am: @Because The Fair is limiting number of marchers and is charging additional for more marchers. http://www.sj-r.com/news/20160806/new-rules-fees-lead-to-fewer-people-marching-in-twilight-parade - Under Influenced - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 11:05 am: Does Rauner’s crew have to pay the fee too? - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 11:12 am: ===The Illinois State Fair should also address the refund policy=== They did. I didn’t post it because it made a long post much longer… Ticket holders who have purchased tickets through Ticketmaster, may reach out to Ticketmaster directly to request a refund due to Mr. Allman’s cancellation. Their tickets will be voided upon refund approval, and Ticketmaster will issue the refund back to the credit/debit card that was utilized to originally purchase the concert tickets. Ticket holders who purchased their concert tickets through the Illinois State Fair Box Office may submit a form (located on ISF website or at Grandstand Box office), along with their unused tickets, to the address located at the bottom of the form. Refund forms may also be dropped off at the Grandstand. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ALL REFUND CHECKS WILL BE PROCESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FAIR. REGARDLESS OF ORIGINAL FORM OF PAYMENT, NO CASH REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED AT THE GRANDSTAND BOX OFFICE. Questions regarding refund policies can be directed to the Illinois State Fair Box Office at (217) 782-1979. - Henry Wallace - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 11:14 am: Nice looking steer. ..is that a Hereford or Red Angus? - Touré's Latte - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 11:16 am: Pictured: A young Rich Miller in Springfield early in his career, learning to get a handle on a lot of bull… - Huh? - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 12:14 pm: Dear Grass Bowl Thank you for the announcement of the pending invitation to walk with 1.4% during the twight parade. I can understand the short notice due to the lack of coordination and scheduling since the loss of our super star State of Illinois COO and parade organizer. A review of my calendar shows that I am unfortunately scheduled for a proctoscopy for that very hour. By the way, what makes you think that given the current political climate in the State, that any State employee would ever take you up on this invitation? I am sure that there are many other proctoscopy procedures scheduled tomorrow night just to avoid having to appear anywhere near 1.4%. Well have fun. Don’t worry about me, I will be back to work bright and early Friday morning. Sincerely, State of Illinois Employees - 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 12:29 pm: Loved the picture. This is the first year my sons are not in the Glenview Clovers 4-H club after 7 years there. They raised 3 lambs and a pig and showed at the Lake County Fair. One even went to the State Fair for Photography. It was a great experience for city kids! - Mazone Son of Jack - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 12:31 pm: Rahm Emmanuel LOVES Nickelback! - Ghost - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 12:31 pm: BUT if you march in the parade bring cash for admission. They wont let the parade folks in without paying. slashed events, increased prices and no free preview night. Yep this will build the fair up…. lets not forget the state makes money on sales tax and the vendors. making the fair worse and more costly to atte d bites into other revenue streams as well. - Six Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 12:36 pm: Here’s another sentence with both bands mentioned. Megadeth good, Nickleback bad. That is all. - Dr X - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 6:31 pm: That steer - Simmental? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Aug 10, 16 @ 9:49 pm: Rich, That picture is way cool. Glad you shared it. Awesome. - NATTY BOY - Thursday, Aug 11, 16 @ 8:38 am: I bet that bull’s, er…, waste smelled better than the state of Illinois politics these days. - IBE - Thursday, Aug 11, 16 @ 8:47 am: Three Doors Down in no way could replace Gregg Allman …SO BUMMED! Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.