James Andrew Salbego, age 66 of Morris, IL, passed away March 19, 2008.
He is survived by his loving wife Joan (nee Bernardini), Father to children: Jammie Winsor of OR, Frank (Kathy) Mason, Jr. of Joliet, Tammy (Dr. Gerald) Engstrom of OR, and Marci (Darrell) D’Agostino of Coal City, IL; brother of Robert J.(Barbara) Salbego of Lemont, IL; uncle of Ed (Helen) Matia of Homer Glen; brother-in-law of Patrick Rea of Tinley Park; grandfather of Eric, Shawn, Shanan, Stacy, Matthew, Jason, Ashley, Jaclyn, Bret, Janelle and Erica; great-grandfather of Nathan; preceded in death by parents, John and Josephine and nephew Rob. The loss of veteran jazz musician Jim Salbego will be strongly felt throughout the professional music community in the greater Chicago area.
As a jazz and show drummer, Salbego was known for his incredible technical facility, imagination and engaging musical delivery.
As a star-student of famed Joliet, IL percussion instructor Bill Mueller, Salbego was an extraordinarily gifted drummer who began to rise to professional prominence as a teenager in the late 1950’s. Throughout the early 1960’s, Salbego became extremely busy performing with a number of nationally known musicians and entertainers thatwould travel through the Chicago area, for which included the hit group The Kirby Stone Four.
In 1965, Salbego’s talents would be discovered by a new cutting-edge show group called The Swingin’ Lads and during the period when the Lads would ultimately receive their greatest amount of national attention and fame.
The group was red-hot and appearing in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Lake Tahoe where they shared the stage with such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Louis Prima and Keely Smith and Sam Butera and The Witnesses.
In addition, the group was experiencing national television exposure appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show, the Dean Martin Show and the Mike Douglas Show.
As it would be, the Joliet-Lockport area witnessed “one of their own” performing on national prime-time television.
Deservingly so, Jim Salbego became a local celebrity overnight.
When returning to the Joliet area after his stint with The Swingin’ Lads, he resumed his private teaching duties in the Bill Mueller Drum Studio.
Salbego’s talents as a teacher would prove to be just as impressive as his performance abilities.
His teaching style comprised of a soulful muscial intelligence coupled with an endearing and inspirational desire to bring the best out of each student.
He was a member of the Joliet Federation of Musicians Local #34, Laborers Union Local #75 and Vice President of their retirees club of Will and Grundy Counties, Elder of Knight Grand Office Sovereign Military Order of the Knights Templar, Jerusalem Order, former member of the New Hope Presbyterian Church, Coal City, where he served as Elder and a current member of the Coal City United Methodist Church.
Visitation will be held Mon., March 24 from 3-9:00 p.m. atHeartland Memorial Center, 7151 183rd St. Tinley Park.
Lying in state Tuesday at 10 a.m. Funeral Service to follow at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home.
For information, call (708) 444-2266.
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This is a paid death notice.
