A Chicago-based Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band called The Fortunate Sons will take the stage at the Warren G. Reckmeyer Bandshell in Mt. Morris on Aug. 28, kicking off at 7 p.m. with vintage gear, period costumes, and a setlist built around Fogerty-era classics. The show lands on the town's historic campus square, where concessions and craft vendors are set to open around 5 p.m. ahead of the music.
The band, formed in 2009, is known for touring nationally and internationally while leaning on original vintage instruments and accurate 1960s-style costumes to recreate the Creedence sound, according to Shaw Local. Jed Taylor performs as John Fogerty, backed by Jeff Philippe on drums channeling Doug “Cosmo” Clifford, Steve Schuster on bass as Stu Cook, and Andrew Bockelman filling in as Tom Fogerty, a lineup detailed by the Wilmington News Journal. The article notes the group has earned a reputation for spot-on musical ability and authentic period gear that fans of the original band appreciate.
The bandshell itself carries local history. It's named for Warren G. Reckmeyer, who directed the Mt. Morris Kable Concert Band for 59 years and taught public school music in Illinois for 37 years before his death in 2020, according to an obituary from Finch Funeral & Crematory. That legacy sets the backdrop for a concert series that, per the Village of Mt. Morris, routinely draws crowds of more than 1,000 people to the free Friday night Jamboree series running weekly from June through August.
Straw Sculptures Still on Display From Weekend Competition
Concertgoers will also find five new straw sculptures scattered across campus, along with many returning favorites from past years, the result of the 11th annual U.S. National Straw Sculpting Competition that wrapped on Aug. 22. The contest, organized by volunteer group ENCORE! Mt. Morris, requires entries to stand at least 6.5 feet in height, length, or width and be at least 90 percent straw on the surface, rules laid out by Shaw Local in earlier coverage.
The competition traces back to 2016, when sculptor Fran Volz launched it in Rochelle after visiting a straw sculpture festival in Höchenschwand, Germany, before the event moved permanently to Mt. Morris in 2017. Culmination day for the sculpting contest, known as Strawfest Day, brought a 5k run, straw bale street races, live music on the Straw Jam stage, and public voting for a People's Choice award, according to the Village of Mt. Morris.
Food Vendors Lean on Local Charity and Agriculture
Concessions for the Aug. 28 show will be handled largely by the Ogle County Beef Producers, who plan to serve ribeye steak sandwiches, roast beef sandwiches, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chips, water, and cookies from the Village Bakery. That bakery, located in downtown Oregon, is operated by the nonprofit Village of Progress Inc., which was founded in 1969 to provide job training and integrated work opportunities for Ogle County adults with developmental disabilities, per the organization's own materials.
The beef producers group also backs a wide range of community causes beyond the concert concessions, including 4-H programs, Ag in the Classroom, all Ogle and Lee county food pantries, the military, and natural disaster relief efforts. That civic footprint reflects agriculture's outsized role in the local economy — Ogle County has historically ranked 14th among Illinois' 102 counties for livestock cash receipts, with extensive beef cattle and swine production, according to background compiled from county data. The nearby Ogle County 4-H Fair in Oregon showcased 689 livestock exhibits from 284 youth members across 13 county clubs during its 2024 event, per the University of Illinois Extension.
Other vendors will round out the evening. Smoking F Tacos plans to serve gluten-free Mexican fare, Ewe and Me Acres will bring a fresh produce stand offering fruits, vegetables, baked goods, jams, jellies, and dog treats, and Just 4 Fun Ice Cream will also be on site. Popcorn girls Emmie and Lily will likely be serving fresh popcorn uptown, while craft and plant vendors set up across campus between 4 and 8 p.m.
Museum and Gallery Open During the Show
Two of the campus's historic buildings will stay open during the concert. The Mt. Morris Historical Museum and the Old Sandstone Art Gallery, both housed within College Hall on the former college grounds two blocks south of Illinois Route 64 on Wesley Avenue, will be accessible to concertgoers looking to explore the site's architecture and history between sets.
Organizers are advising attendees to bring a blanket or lawn chair for seating, since the bandshell lawn functions as open, general seating for the Jamboree series. With concessions opening at 5 p.m. and the music starting two hours later, the evening is shaping up as one more entry in a summer's worth of free outdoor concerts that have become a fixture of Mt. Morris's historic campus square.
