Monday
Rob Haney
Our good friend, comedian Rob Haney is known to be an extremely funny guy, a wonderful joke teller, and most importantly, extremely cheap, (or as he likes to spin it, “price conscience”). Astute listeners out there will recognize his voice from the famous Dog for Sale joke that appears on the album Gone Wild . When not on the road performing, Rob Haney lives in Dayton, OH where he owns the world famous Wiley’s Comedy Club. Follow him on twitter here.
Tuesday
Costaki Economopoulos
Costaki Economopoulos is a comedian, true, but he’s also a football fan. Those two factors alone make him the perfect candidate to give us a comedic look back at the NFL each week with his new feature that’s also been picked up by The Huffington Post and Bleacher Report. With his Greek heritage, it’s not surprising that he’s been described as a “joke philosopher,” and we’re sure he’s not the only one saying that. Costaki is also a talented joke writer who’s punchlines have been heard on “The Tonight Show,” Showtime, BET, and MTV. Follow Costaki on facebook and twitter. Visit his website here.
Pat McAfee
Pat McAfee is Number 1 on the field as the punter for the Colts, and he is number one in the hearts of sports fans in Indianapolis. Well, at least he’s in the top 10. Drafted in 2009 out of West Virginia University, McAfee has not only been an important part of the Colts specials teams (and emergency QB if needed), he’s also become one of the faces of the franchise off the field. Follow Pat on twitter. Check out the Pat McAfee Foundation.
Kenny Aronoff
Kenny Aronoff is one of the world’s most influential and in-demand drummers. The list of artists he’s worked with reads like a who’s who of the music industry, and includes John Mellencamp, The Rolling Stones, The Smashing Pumpkins, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Lady Ga Ga, Bruno Mars, Pharell Williams, Lenny Kravitz, Kid Rock, Bob Seger, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Chickenfoot, Jon Bon Jovi, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Steven Tyler, Slash, Eric Clapton, Dave Grohl, Jack White, Garth Brooks, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, James Taylor, Chris Cornel, Rob Thomas, Alanis Morissette, Melissa Etheridge, Billy Gibbons, Gregg Allman, Keith Urban, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Sheryl Crow, Puddle of Mudd, Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, Joe Cocker, B. B. King, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Beyonce, Mick Jagger, Ray Charles, Alice Cooper, Tony Iommi, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Raitt, Ricky Martin, Santana, Crosby Stills and Nash, Celine Dion, Vince Gill, Gladys Knight, Aaron Neville, Trisha Yearwood, Patti LaBelle, The BoDeans, George Jones, Brad Paisley, The Buddy Rich Big Band and many others. With a style of playing that combines power and finesse, Kenny was named the #1 Pop/Rock Drummer and the #1 Studio Drummer for five consecutive years by the readers of Modern Drummer Magazine, and in addition has played on over 30 Grammy-nominated recordings.
Growing up in Massachusetts, Kenny joined his first band at age ten after seeing the BEATLES on the Ed Sullivan show. A self-taught drummer, he played in local bands throughout junior high and high school. At 16, he decided to focus on classical music and began to study seriously with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, including world-renowned timpanist Vic Firth. He went on to study at the University of Massachusetts and at Indiana University, where, among other honors, he was awarded the school’s prestigious Performer’s Certificate. During summer breaks he played in the symphony orchestras at the Aspen Music Festival (run by The Juilliard School Of Music) and the Tanglewood Music Festival (run by the Boston Symphony Orchestra).
After graduating from IU in 1976, Kenny was offered timpani positions in several symphony orchestras, but instead decided to head to the east coast, where he studied drum set in Boston and New York. During this time he began to concentrate on jazz and fusion music, and in 1977 he returned to Indiana and spent several years in a popular local band, playing throughout the Midwest. In 1980 he joined the John Mellencamp band, recording 10 albums and touring with him over a 17-year period. Kenny’s innovative style and solid backbeat became the driving force behind Mellencamp’s long run of definitive hit records in the ’80s and ’90s, a list that includes American Fool, Scarecrow, Uh Huh, The Lonesome Jubilee, Whenever We Wanted, Dance Naked, Big Daddy, Human Wheels, Mr. Happy Go Lucky and others.
In the mid-80s, Kenny began to develop an enormously successful career as a studio musician. Today he’s among the world’s most in-demand session drummers, having played on hundreds of records. Recent recording projects include John Fogerty, Rod Stewart, Brian Wilson, BoDeans, Paul Gilbert and many other new artists. For a complete list of his recording credits check out his Discography. Kenny has his own studio in North Hollywood, CA, Uncommon Studios LA where he records drums for artists and bands.
Kenny has also performed live or toured worldwide with many artists including The Smashing Pumpkins, Bob Seger, John Fogerty, Melissa Etheridge, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson, Michelle Branch, Styx, Goo Goo Dolls, Billy Gibbons, BoDeans, Ringo Starr, Dr. John, Gregg Allman, and many many more. For a complete list visit the Live History page.
From 1993 to 1997, he was Associate Professor of Percussion at Indiana University. The Aronoff Percussion Scholarship is awarded annually to a percussion student enrolled at IU.
Whether it’s recording, touring, drum clinics or his instructional DVDs and books, Kenny brings tremendous drive, enthusiasm and creativity to everything he does. For all the latest information about his current projects including tour dates, clinics, recording sessions and much more be sure to check out the Latest News.
Wednesday
Josh Arnold
Josh Arnold combines intelligence with silliness in an original, honest, and often self-deprecating manner. His sharp and unique insight provides a hilarious, occasionally absurd perspective that makes him a favorite of audiences and fellow comics alike. Josh was named St. Louis’ Best Male Comic by The Riverfront Times in 2011. Follow Josh on twitter.
Thursday
Jeff Foxworthy
Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most respected and successful comedians in the country. He is the largest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee and best selling author of 11 books. Widely known for his redneck jokes, his act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature, a style that has been compared to Mark Twain’s. Visit his website here.
Jeff Dunham
His television specials and series have been the highest rated programming in Comedy Central history, his DVD sales have reached seven million units, his videos have received a half a billion views on You Tube, and his live concerts have become mega-events played in front of sold-out arenas worldwide. No wonder Time Magazine wrote that he is “the most popular comedian in the United States” and Forbes named him to its Celebrity 100 list of most powerful entertainers three years running.
Today, Jeff Dunham is a phenomenally successful global entertainment brand. Dunham has, of course, plenty of help on-stage: his entourage of signature characters who are there to challenge and chastise his every sentence. There’s Walter, the grumpy retiree; the beer-swilling, NASCAR-loving and resolutely red neck Bubba J; the furry and manic Peanut; José Jalapeño, the spicy pepper from South of the border; the bumbling skeletal Achmed the Dead Terrorist; the almost as dead long-lost son of Achmed, AJ; and Peanut’s own ventriloquist dummy: Little Jeff. They may have all been conceived and hand crafted by Dunham, but his characters, who are anything but dummies, have now taken on a life of their own, each with their own legion of fans.
Having toured and performed to sold-out venues across the globe over the last 28 years, comedian Jeff Dunham will be calling Las Vegas his exclusive home with the announcement of his residency show “JEFF DUNHAM: Not Playing with a Full Deck” opening Friday, Nov. 28 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The show is produced by AEG Live.
Follow Jeff on twitter. Visit his website here.