The Milwaukee Post

By DAN MUCKELBAUER Post Editor WAUKESHA — Shortly before EagleMania plays at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, expect Ryan McIntyre to be pinching himself. The Waukesha South alum and Waukesha resident will be playing acoustic before the New Jersey-based Eagles tribute band plays in the 1,110-capacity, beautiful downtown theater complete with giant chandelier on Jan. 27. "I pinch myself at times and I'm really going to be pinching myself at the Pabst," McIntyre said. "It's usually not like that. It's usu- ally bowling alleys and Mexican restaurants, and weddings. "It's kind of like the World Series for me," McIntyre said. "I dreamed to play in a place like that forever." For the 39-year-old full- time musician, who the show's promoter Bruce Peterson compares to James Taylor, it's the peak of a career he imagined but not in the way it turned out. When he was 16, he played with a group of friends at Waukesha's Sidewalk Days, dreamed of a career like the BoDeans, who "walked the same halls at Waukesha South," and played in a band, Exit, from about ages 18 to 23, working as a key maker and never going to college. He would play alt-rock, then come home and play James Taylor and John Denver songs for himself. Growing up, his uncles would play those songs around family campfires and his grandparents played polka. When John Denver died, they mourned his pass- ing, he said. McIntyre has found fulfill- ment solo, although he adds accompaniment at times, like he will at the Pabst. He has a set list of more than 850 songs, from John Denver to Coldplay with Neil Diamond and almost every- one imaginable thrown in. At the top of the résumé for the singer-songwriter who performs about 200 times a year is seven Wisconsin Area Music Industry awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year. With numerous original songs under his belt, he has been writing material for the Pabst concert in a country- rock vein, McIntyre said. The tie with the headliner could be tighter, but it's a good fit, said Peterson of BruMar Productions, which he runs with his wife, Mary. "It's more about giving a local guy his 15 minutes," Peterson said. "And Ryan has a following, and it's bringing in those fans to see EagleMania. "He has a charisma that's unmatchable. And he's just a nice guy," Peterson said. "Guys like that deserve to play on a higher level." McIntyre did aim for a higher level: Making it in Nashville. He'd drive there for four or five shows at a crack, then play back home throughout 2007-'09. "When I went to Nashville they asked, 'What is your job back home?' and I said, 'I'm a musician.' And they said, 'No, what's your day job?' and I said, "That's it.'" Well, the musicians told him, he had made it and didn't need Nashville. He does travel away from southeastern Wisconsin occasionally, including play- ing at a recent destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He also has begun speaking at teacher in-serv- ice days and added writing children's songs to his reper- toire since the birth of two of his own, now 4 and 18 months. "And I'm not rolling in money, but I've got a wife and two kids and a home and a mortgage and a car and I go on vacation," McIntyre said. 16 • Milwaukee County Post • January 20, 2017 Please Call if you M O V E D ! at 414-744-6370 Leave a Message Name • Phone # Old Address & New Address & Apt. # or Lot # We Love Our Readers Thank You Milwaukee Co. Post Get updated on the latest local home remodeling and improvement news in Milwaukee/NARI Home Connection. Plus! Check out "before and after" photos of award-winning remodel jobs. Only in newsstand copies on February 10. plus his work with the church community, he had little time to spend with his son. The younger Mike resented this and rebelled against it. He wanted to be accepted by both his father and his friends, and being the deacon's son presented its unique problems with his peers. He suffered the typical conflict of many teenagers of being torn between family and friends. The youth was musically talented and had aspirations of being a performer some- day. He had no interest in following in his father's footsteps. When the commu- nity provided an opportuni- ty for him and his sister and their three cousins to com- pete in a talent show, they jumped at the chance. Their performance of "The Glory of Love" in an upbeat tempt was so well done that they received $25 and a trophy. The song was one of the pleasures in the show and its lyrics also represented the basic theme of the play — that love and respect are what binds a community together. Billie Holiday's weekend stay at their house was a cat- alyst for change in young Mike as was the interest of the local policeman who caught him and his friends stealing apples from Mr. Jones' fruit cart. All in all, the gravity of the problems they faced as a family and as a community almost seemed too idyllic to be true, but it was a refreshing look at what could happen and might happen again. All the actors were credi- ble and fun to watch. The stellar cast includes Deacon Mike (Gavin Lawrence), his wife, Irene (Samantha D. Montgomery), Sgt. Chaney (Dominique Worsley), Mr. Jones (James Carrington), Billie Holiday (Malkia Stampley) and Lachrisa Grandberry, who played multiple small roles. The members of the Regal Cast, which I witnessed, were very credible and fun to watch. Young Mike (Kamani Graham) was especially impressive in his key role. Series: 'Bronzeville' kicks off look at state continued from Page 15 Singer-songwriter Ryan McIntyre will open at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee as well as Jan. 28 at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan, Ill., for EagleMania. A wife, two kids, a home, vacation as full-time local musician ENTERTAINMENT MILWAUKEE — St. Ann Center will welcome The Non Prophets, an innova- tive local band, to its Indoor Market at 2801 E. Morgan Ave., Saturday. The cafe will be open with beverages and snacks. Purchases support local vendors and the children and adults served at St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care. For more information, call 414- 977-5000. Waukesha's Ryan McIntyre eager to play at the Pabst Local pickers to play at St. Ann Center Market

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