Tom Marker Interview
- chicagoblueseditor
- 9 hours ago
- 5 min read
Recently retired radio host Tom Marker recalls highlights from his 50 year career that include close encounters with Mavis Staples, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy and Keith Richards, to name a few.
By Robin Zimmerman
Tom Marker Interview
By Robin Zimmerman
Tom Marker proved to be the perfect person to have the proverbial cup of coffee with. Recently retired after an illustrious radio career spanning 50 years, he came ready to spill the tea about his tenure on WJKL “The Fox” in the seventies, four decades with WXRT and voice of WDCB’s “Blues Time with Tom Marker” since 2015.
But Marker did more than dish on his radio days over a double shot latte. As one of Chicago’s best-known blues boosters and long-time champion of the genre, he had a lot to say about everything from the evolution of “Blues Day Tuesday” at FitzGerald’s nightclub to reminiscing about shout-outs from Bonnie Raitt, quaffing a bit of Jack Daniels with Keith Richards at the Chicago Blues Festival and chowing down Buddy Guy’s homemade gumbo at the WXRT studios.
Buddy Guy & Tom
Marker’s last “Blues Time” show on WDCB was on December 13th as he half-jokingly said that he wanted to hang it up before he had to play Christmas music. December 2ndth also marked his final Bluesday Tuesday live show, which was headlined by long-time friend, Billy Branch. Like Marker, Branch makes 75 this year, and Marker remembers when they were both young guns of 25. He added that, Branch was “the young guy playing with the old masters, and now he’s the old master.”
This April will mark the 11th year of “Bluesday Tuesdays” at historic FitzGerald’s in Berwyn and they pack ‘em in the first Tuesday of every month. The place was filled to the gills for Marker’s final show as tributes and accolades flowed out from friends, fans and musicians alike. Marker said that part of the beauty of Bluesday Tuesday is its early 7 p.m. start time that allows attendees to be “in their jammies by ten thirty” while still enjoying a night of great blues at an affordable price.
photo: Dianne Bruce Dunklau
Marker added that due to so many blues bands being in the Chicago area, they can keep travel costs down for Bluesday Tuesday with the only hurdle being traveling on the Eisenhower Expressway at 6 p.m. They’ve also waived the “non-compete” clause so musicians are free to accept other gigs on the calendar. With all these positives, it’s easy to see why Bluesday Tuesday has been a win-win for everyone ever since its inception.
Flash forward to Tuesday, January 6th and Marker’s first time as a “spectator” at “Bluesday Tuesday” with Scott “Hambone” Hammer assuming host and DJ duties for the event. Marker was perched at his usual spot by the bar and said it didn’t feel much different except there was no need to arrive early in his newly retired capacity.
Marker will make the transition from spectator to guest of honor at FitzGerald’s on Friday, January 23rd when WDCB presents Tom Marker’s 75th Birthday Blues Revue. This momentous event will feature the Dave Specter Band with special guests including Wayne Baker Brooks, Corey Dennison, Melody Angel, Dave Herrero, Stefan Hillesheim and most likely some other surprise guests. Marker will also be interviewed onstage by WDCB Station Manager, Dan Bindert where he will discuss some of his career highlights.
When Marker takes the stage at his Birthday Blues Revue, he will certainly have lots of insights to share about his tenure at various radio stations. He began his career at WJKL, “the Fox” in Elgin, where he had one of his first brushes with the blues by way of Bruce Iglauer who was just starting Alligator Records up and would make a stop at the Fox to distribute new releases from Koko Taylor and others.
WJKL's airstaff w/ musician Joan Armitrading
Marker made the move to WXRT in 1980 and took on “Blues Breakers” duties in 1984. He recounted that after the show’s previous host had departed, Marker “raised my hand and volunteered right away.” He added that this was shortly after he and his wife, Debbie, had visited Memphis on the way to New Orleans Jazz Fest and were inspired by the city’s vibrant blues scene.
Despite the inspiration, there was some initial trepidation about taking on the Monday night “Blues Breakers” show, but Marker proved to be a natural in his new role. It didn’t hurt that one of his most faithful listeners was none other than Mavis Staples. He said that she and her sister, Yvonne, would tune in each week, and he would then get a voice mail from Ms. Staples critiquing the show. When asked if he called her back, he said that he responded by e-mail since this was Mavis Staples, after all!
Mavis Staples & Tom
Voice mails from Mavis soon made way to on-stage shout outs from Bonnie Raitt. Marker said that Raitt had visited WXRT for an interview before dedicating “Love Me Like a Man” to him at the Park West. Marker was quick to dispel the rumor that she was drunk at the time and emphasized that Raitt was newly sober and sounded better than ever. He later met up with her after she was riding the crest of success and reminded her about the song dedication, where Raitt replied that, “oh, you were one of them!”
Marker was also just one of many to share a drink with Keith Richards. He said that this encounter came about when Richards was at the Chicago Blues Festival in support of Chuck Berry. Marker served as an announcer and emcee for the Festival starting in the mid-‘80s.
Marker recalled that Richards was on stage for much of Berry’s set but was obscured by a speaker. He met up with Richards as he was exiting the green room and couldn’t say no when Richards offered up some Jack Daniels. He still has the signed bottle and a color slide of the moment courtesy of esteemed photographer, Paul Natkin.
Tom Marker & John Primer
While Raitt and Richards are internationally acclaimed artists who can fill any large venue, Marker did note that the closure of many smaller clubs across the country has had an adverse effect on blues musicians, who can no longer travel as extensively. He feels that this has made for a more insulated music scene with artists staying closer to home for gigs.
Marker also added that Chicago has had a long history of attracting musicians drawn to the city’s legendary blues scene and gave props to up-and-comer Stefan Hillesheim, who came to the Windy City from his native Germany.
Marker concluded the coffee klatch by noting how grateful he was to get to know and befriend so many people in the close-knit Chicago blues community and the legions of fans who have given him a listen throughout the years. And, while Marker might have stepped back from the mic, WDCB radio will continue to play the blues for eleven hours every Saturday night.
Buddy Guy once told Marker that “if you play it for them, they’ll like it” and this adage holds true when it comes to great Chicago blues being broadcast on the airwaves. Tom Marker was a major force in helping bring attention to Chicago’s blues music, both on the airwaves and for live shows -- a music that will go on to influence generations to come.
About the Author: Blues enthusiast Robin Zimmerman, a.k.a. Rockin' Robin, writes a Blues Blog and is a regular contributor to Chicago Blues Guide