Elmhurst History Museum Presents MITCH MICHAELS, "DOIN' THE CRUISE: MEMORIES FROM A LIFETIME IN RADIO AND ROCK & ROLL" Book Signing Preview

On Sunday, Dec. 10, 2017 from 1-3 p.m., the Elmhurst History Museum is set to welcome Mitch Michaels to the museum for a meet-and-greet session and to sign copies of his book. The book signing takes place in the Elmhurst History Museum’s first floor gallery, located at 120 E. Park Ave. in downtown Elmhurst. Books are available for purchase while supplies last ($20 each). Free limited parking is available in the Museum’s parking lot.

From his early life in the suburbs of Cleveland to the top of the radio mountain in Chicago, disc jockey Mitch Michaels has been riding a wave propelled by rock music. His colorful stories could fill a book—from a limo ride with Rod Stewart that may have changed the trajectory of the rocker’s career, to a groundbreaking live performance with The Who, to making history at the infamous Disco Demolition Night at Comiskey Park and so many more. It’s clear this guy has spent a lifetime sharing the music he loves on the radio.

After 50 years spinning tunes and tales on the radio, Michaels decided to capture those stories in his new book, “Doin’ the Cruise: Memories from a Lifetime in Radio and Rock & Roll” (Echartz Press, written with Ken Churilla). The memoir takes readers on a tumultuous ride through the past half century with the man behind the microphone, candidly exploring the Chicago music and radio scene and the many colorful characters Michaels encountered along the way. Michaels started his career on Chicago radio in 1971 with early stints at WXRT and The Loop. He is currently an on-air personality at The River 95.9 WERV-FM in Aurora.

The book signing is presented in connection with the Elmhurst History Museum’s current exhibit, “Disco Demolition: The Night Disco Died,” which comes to a close on December 31, 2017. The exhibit explores the events that occurred at Disco Demolition Night on July 12, 1979 at Comiskey Park when Steve Dahl and his followers overflowed onto the field and disco met its demise. At the time, Michaels was also a young disk jockey on The Loop staff as the station attempted to make a name for itself in the Chicago rock radio landscape. Disco Demolition Night, as it has come to be known, put WLUP on the map, and the rest is Chicago radio and baseball history. The exhibit is based on the book by Dahl with journalist Dave Hoekstra and photographer Paul Natkin. Exhibit hours are: Sunday, Tuesday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission to the exhibit is free.

Don’t miss “Doin’ the Cruise” with Mitch Michaels at the Elmhurst History Museum on Dec. 10th and meet the DJ behind the mic who has clocked a lifetime in rock ‘n’ roll. For more information, visit the Elmhurst History Museum’s web site (in the Adult Programs section) or call 630-833-1457.