Gary Clark Jr.'s intimate weekend show at Buddy Guy’s Legends, which included several songs with the Chicago music icon himself, felt like a proverbial passing of the torch, writes Selena Fragassi.

On her birthday, we remember the legendary Majel Barrett-Roddenberry. She was Number One in the first pilot ("The Cage") Christine Chapel on Star Trek, The Animated Series, and 2 films, Lwaxana Troi on TNG and DS9, and the voice of the computer in 6 series and several films.

It's five months since Trump brought Operation Midway Blitz to Chicago, three months since the feds left. The Sun-Times' @araceligomezaldana.bsky.social and @mikepuentenews.bsky.social talked to Chicagoans about how life has changed, the fallout of the Blitz. chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

Scenes from today's Lunar New Year parade on Argyle in Chicago's #Uptown neighborhood. #YearOfTheHorse

Happy 85th birthday to the soul Queen of New Orleans Irma Thomas This is a beautiful-but-obscure song I heard her sing during a BluesFest panel w/ songwriters Spooner Oldham & Dan Penn It wasn't on any CDs in the merch tent I found it later in a box of tapes @ JazzRecordMart youtu.be/f0z6-KeLrCs?...

At the 3:50 mark of his 1996 DNC speech in Chicago, Rev. Jesse Jackson noted how public investment on the South & West sides consisted of 2 sports arenas & a jail. Meanwhile, Campbell's Soup, Sears, Sunbeam, & Zenith abandoned the area & took their jobs w/ them. youtu.be/Xi2KyaI9GIU?...

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Robert Duvall was great in "The Godfather," "The Paper," & dozens of other films. What seems to be forgotten is that he also won the 1975 Celebrity Superstars athletic competition. www.thesuperstars.org/comp/75celeb...

Robert Duvall's first credited screen role was as Arthur "Boo" Radley in "To Kill a Mockingbird." I always hoped he & Mary Badham would reunite to present an award at the Oscars. #HeyBoo youtu.be/5pVdTEtYjA8?...

The presence of ICE agents in and around medical settings is keeping some US immigrants—both documented and undocumented—away, disrupting care and putting their health at risk. #MedSky @ritarubin.bsky.social

On #NationalGuitarDay, I'm noting the overlooked recent death of Tom Hawkins For 40+ years, "Tune'n Tom" took care of one of the most famous guitars in the world: Willie Nelson's beloved Trigger Except for socal media posts, the only report I found was in Parade magazine parade.com/news/willie-...

My column in the Sun-Times today: www.everygoddamnday.com/2026/02/phil...

Remembering Chicago soul man Otis Clay, born on this day in 1942 in Waxhaw, Mississippi. youtu.be/T-mziNxBgGw?...

Please read our latest of the Maga donors at Uline and their reliance on Mexican labor. For the first time, one worker who was badly hurt on the job has spoken to us and told us his story (with @maanvisingh.bsky.social ) www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Listen to Phil.

Music News: Tune'n Tom Hawkins -- who kept Trigger, Willie Nelson's beloved, beat-up guitar, in tune for 45 years-- has died.

To some eyes & ears, Mick Jones may look & sound awful in this video. But I think it's beautiful as the aging punk plays w/ joy & confidence knowing that he wrote a great song &, no matter what happens, that can't be taken away. #InternationalClashDay youtu.be/RvphB3M0F1Q?...

Update: Judge Alexakis said she is largely granting Marimar Martinez's motion to modify the court protective order around her case, allowing certain materials, incl. multiple texts from the Border Patrol agent who shot her, to be made public.

Happy International Clash Day! youtu.be/LQ82BX0hGBM?...

After Renee Macklin Good was fatally shot by federal immigration agents, Ben and Sam Luhmann, 17 and 16 years old, traveled to Minneapolis, where they continue to observe and record U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents' aggressive tactics.

Latvian 🇱🇻 conductor Andris Nelsons wins two #GRAMMY Awards 👏 Andris Nelsons and the Boston Symphony Orchestra he conducts won a Grammy in the Best Orchestral Performance, as well as an award in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category. 🏆 eng.lsm.lv/article/cult...

SPJ strongly condemns today’s arrest of journalists @donlemonofficial.bsky.social and Georgia Fort in connection with their reporting on a Jan. 18 demonstration at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. 🔗 Read the full statement: bit.ly/4rrqYAQ

Remembering Ernie Banks, born in Dallas #OTD in 1931. If you have 4:35, please watch the late Lin Brehmer's tribute to Mr. Cub. Your life will be richer. www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_A_...

Wow — tonight in Minneapolis, Springsteen takes the stage to sing his song "Streets of Minneapolis."

Basil Talbott Jr., the legendary Chicago Sun-Times political editor, chief political columnist and Washington correspondent, known for his punchy authoritative coverage and analysis, died Wednesday. He was 89.

Remembering Tamás Erdélyi aka Tommy Ramone, founding member, producer and drummer of the Ramones from 1974 to 1978, born on this day in 1949, Budapest, Hungary Punk drummer in heaven 💔 🥁 Photo Gus Stewart #punk #punks #punkrock #tommyramone #ramones #history #punkrockhistory #otd

You want protest songs? They've been arriving like news bulletins. Springsteen weighed in with "Streets of Minneapolis" and named names -- like "Ohio" for a new era of WTF government-sanctioned violence. But new takes on what's goin' on are arriving every day. Two new favorites are in comments.

Good morning. U.S. District Judge April Perry just took the bench for a status hearing in Chicago's Broadview conspiracy case against six Operation Midway Blitz protesters. Four Democrats are among them, including Kat Abughazaleh.

Friday night marked the 10th show of blues master George “Buddy” Guy’s annual January residency at his namesake venue.

I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com

"To fulfill our oath and best serve our patients, physicians must be able to work in spaces that create a sense of safety for all, not fear for our most vulnerable.”

It appears that this legend owns a little bookstore — and you can order books from him instead of Bezos. Link in next post.

Happy 90th Birthday to Doug Kershaw. The Rajin' Cajun is a member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame & the National Fiddler Hall of Fame. Many believe that the shirt he's wearing in this video deserves induction in some sort of clothing Hall of Fame: youtu.be/ubSCPBkTyWY?...

It's 6 below zero outside, but Buddy Guy is heating things up inside Legends.

We're deeply alarmed by efforts to weaken long-standing evidence-based vaccine recommendations, including suggestions that polio vaccination should seemingly not be routinely recommended to patients. This is not a theoretical debate—it is a dangerous step backward. spr.ly/63325CCyVL

Pix of the frozen lakefront remind me of the final scene of "Shameless" season 4, which is maybe the best use ever of Chicago as a cinematic backdrop. After getting a new liver, Frank celebrates by sipping whiskey & yelling at God on a frozen North Avenue Beach. youtu.be/15_nAnypXws?...

Happy 80th Birthday to Dolly Parton. Here's her version of Woody Guthrie's "Deportees (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)." bit.ly/2DLMqJ1

RIP Wilbur Wood, 84, a Chicago White Sox workhorse in the 1970s and arguably the best left-handed knuckleballer in major league history. Read his SABR bio: sabr.org/bioproj/pers...

International calls of the Caleb Williams to Cole Kmet touchdown

A very happy birthday to Latvia's national treasure, composer and pianist Maestro Raimonds Pauls who turns 90 today 🎉 Read more about his life 🔗 raimondspauls.lv/en/%EF%BF%BC

Happy Birthday to the fabulous Kelly Hogan! youtu.be/HuFghNj9YWE?...

Bulls win by 18, Blackhawks win a shutout, and the Bears win their first playoff game in 16 years. It’s a good night to be a Chicago sports fan!

I interrupt this game to regretfully inform you that Bob Weir has passed away. www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...

Bob Dylan writing about Bob Weir in The Philosophy of Modern Song

Always think it's interesting how the creation of jobs in healthcare is somehow discounted or not really reflective of the state of the economy - rather than it being a function of a rising share of consumption on a labor-intensive service.

Buddy Guy!

Ladies & gentlemen, the greatest in the world -- Mr. Buddy Guy:

Fun article on the life of Mr. Goalie, Glenn Hall. Sample quote: “You’ve got to speak slow to Lew,” Glenn said with loud mischief. “He was a defenseman.”

Edith Renfrow Smith was born in Iowa two weeks before the start of World War I. She met aviator Amelia Earhart while an undergraduate at Grinnell College, where she became the first Black female graduate. After graduation, she came to Chicago. Mrs. Smith died at the age of 111.

Hayden Thompson RIP. He was one swept up in the Presley rockabilly wake and cut 'Love My Baby' for Sam Phillips in '57. Moved to Chicago, retired from music (sporadic playing since then which was how I ended up playing w him once), worked as a limo driver. youtu.be/uPkWf23MBrA?...

Here's a list of works that entered the public domain today. web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicd...