Pat Hall

Pat Hall passed away January 24th, 2010.
There will never be another Pat Hall, he truly left his mark.

Pat's ashes will be buried at sea, Sunday, September 19th at 9:00 am. at Loyola Beach.

Scroll down to bottom for ordering the Pat Hall Collection !
Pat Hall - Please Donate to the Pat Hall Benefit Online Here
Thank you to everyone who attended the Pat Hall Benefit which was an amazing night.
We will be taking donations to help his 12 year old son, Brian as long as possible. Thank You.
email for more info

Special thanks to Gerrit Robs

Black Magic Records, The Netherlands
for this video of Pat with Fenton Robinson.

1/30/10 Michael James has announced that they will name their stage at The Redline Tap after Pat Hall.
Ceremony to be announced.
There will also be an art show of Pats drawings at The Heartland as soon as we can prepare it.

Click here for a great review of the benefit by Dawn O"Keefe Williams on Chicago Blues Guide

Here is a clip by Jim Reeves

Thank you for your generous donations to the Pat Hall Benefit...
All the people who paid at the door the night of the benefit, those that paid a bit more, In Her Shoes, LLC, Don Merz, AnnMarie Piotrowski, Shelley Miller, Linda Porter, Donna Jacobsen, Do Dillon, John Gussaroff, Mark Pierce, Michael Byrne, James Balog, Susan Chadwick, Michael Levin, Kristina Nilsson, Joan Balog Sage, Orrin Shifrin, Lawrence Grossman, Lisa Doerr, Tom Fox and The Brass Tracks Jazz Orchestra, Steven Hashimoto, Pat Sherman Blau, Greg Vecchio, John Mantelos, Nancy Krupa,
Ira Bodenstein, Alan Goldberg, Stephanie French, Barbara Rosenbach, Chris Lemmon, William Maraist, Debbie Buttkus, Laurie Sumanis, Eleanor Jura, Irv Leavitt,
Kevin Rogers, Barbara & Jack Levin, Louis Berlin, Paul Brin, Charles Baren, The Iles Family, Tim Colleran, The Coch Family, Marilyn & Gary Sartin, Scott M Krantz,
Martin Pick, Daniel J. Ahlfeld, Mr. Michael A. Sanders, Timothy K. Walkoe, Edward and Heather Bannon, Gina Klauba, Christine Inserra, Cynthia Komala, Chris Serb,
Barbara and Barry Friedman, Gerrit Robs-Black Magic Records,

Thank you to the musicians that helped us raise over $5000 at the benefit
and the people who donated online to raise over $2000.

Tino Cortes, Gordon Patriarcha, Jeff Jozwiak, Frank Raven, Buzz Krantz, Chris Winters
Harlan Terson, Ron Sorin, Bob Levis, Bob Diamond, Mike Linn, Bob Morrison, Joey Streff
Greg McDaniel, Steve Doyle, Marcus David, Buzz Kilman, Ken Loredo, Craig Champlin, Micki Croisant,
T.S. Henry Webb, John Hader, Jazzbo, The Fabulous Fish Heads, and more.
email me if I forgot you. dave@grierproductions.com

Pat Hall passed on to the great gig in the sky on January 24, 2010.
Sign the guestbook here

Jim Wiggins on Pat Hall...

I first met Pat Hall about thirty years ago at the Old Vic Theatre on
Chicago's north side, recently converted from movies to stage shows. A
bunch of Chicago performers were there to do a benefit show for a very
sick kid and his family, and the honor of doing the first show into the
rehabbed venue...

Under the stage, in the new Green Room, there was gathered some of the
finest blues players in the city, and me, a stand up comedian. The odor of
pot was thick, the mood was quick, we all looked slick, ready to jam for a
little boy who was sick, a blues song lookin' for a site...

Right in the center of the room sat one guy holding court, like a squat,
hairy king. Black beret, black vest over a black 't', camo cargo pants,
boots, and a very large smirk on his beardy face. He looked like a
terrorist, and indeed he was...

I went directly to him, stuck out my hand and said,,, "Hi,,, my name is
wiggins an' I'm doin' the comedy act!!!" This guy looked me over, sniffed
me, and said,,, "Who gives a fuck???" Then he leaned back, roared out a
giant laugh quite loud and long and dared me to be funny...

I knew at that very moment I had just met and made friends with the human
version of a junk yard dog!!!

Junk Yard Dog, Junk Yard Dog, Everybody Fears a Junk Yard Dog...

Over the following years I discovered Pat Hall feasted often on other
peoples flesh,,, get too close an' he'd bite you simply to see if you
could take it, no matter if you bled. Pat Hall was most comfortable when
he could make you feel uncomfortable. Pat Hall protected the privacy of
his life by building fences that kept you out, but all they did was keep
Pat Hall in, chained up by his own choice.

Junk Yard Dog, Junk Yard Dog, Noone Pets a Junk Yard Dog...

The benefit show was a great success for the family, the audience, and the
performers... We had a great time singing, playing, laughing, smoking,
drinking, cussing,,, probably ten or twelve blues musicians, and one
comedian, all playin' their best, and kicking some ass!!! We were all good
that night, but Pat Hall was magnificent!!!

Pat Hall barked at everybody that night while he played his heart out
telling you that "This Stage is Mine, Mother Fucker!!! This is MY yard!!!"
and the sweat would fly along with the insults...

Pat Hall's stubby little fingers raced back and forth across the key board
and he even found music in the cracks. Pat Hall sucked up the light from
the follow spot, forcing you to watch him snarl and snap and sing, licking
his lips, showing his teeth, those tiny little crooked teeth...

Pat Hall played loud and long, demanding center stage, and he knew how to
drown out anybody brave enough to to try to get into his yard,,, he dared
you to play around in his territory...

Junk Yard Dog, Junk Yard Dog, Keep An Eye Out For The Junk Yard Dog...

We all got applause that night, but Pat Hall got the ovation, even from
all the performers. Pat Hall was the star and we knew it from two
things,,, 1st, Pat Hall told us he was the star and 2nd, the audience
agreed. We all knew he deserved it 'cause Pat Hall made the show!!!

Junk Yard Dog, Junk Yard Dog, You Gotta Watch a Junk Yard Dog!!!

A year or two later I had the pleasure of being bit by Pat Hall again at a
joint in Palatine Illinois, a rehabbed place called Durty Nellies, which
claimed music and comedy shows as their enterprise.

A couple of fat guys put together an act called, "A Coupla Fat Guys" and
it was as unique as their name, two guys who played hard and argued
harder. Pat Hall on piano and vocals, Dave Grier on base and harmonies,
and he wrote all the funny stuff. Their act was loud and funny. During the
next few months, Dave grew into a solid dependable performer, a wonderful
showman, a loyal friend to me and my family.

As talented as Pat Hall was, he didn't make a lot of friends with the
other performers at Nellie's, he bullied 'em and he didn't give a fuck...
This was his yard and he was the head dog. All the other performers
watched 'A Coupla Fat Guys' and learned from Pat Hall and grew to admire
his talents, his music, his entertaining genius,,, but,,, Dave Grier held
his leash and that took real talent.

Junk Yard Dog, Junk Yard Dog, Someones Got To Guard the Junk Yard Dog!!!

George Carlin came into Durty Nellie's for two shows and A Coupla Fat Guys
opened the shows. George said it had been a long time since he had such a
great opening act... Dave Grier was quite proud and humble, Pat Hall
didn't understand why George wasn't opening for A Coupla Fat Guys. George
believed Dave was a talented pussy cat, and George stated Pat Hall had a
problem with authority...

Junk Yard Dog, Junk Yard Dog, Someone Had To Shoot The Junk Yard Dog!!!

Me and my family lived upstairs at Nellie's and Pat spent a lot of time up
there smoking my pot, drinking my tequila, eating my food, and worst of
all, telling my jokes. Pat even tried getting into my wifes panties, but
Joan told him there was already one ass hole in there AND in her life, and
Pat would roar with laughter...

When Joan died Pat became a real uncle to my two youngest kids, Josh and
Joy. We moved from Nellie's down to Chicago's Lincoln Ave above another
joint called 'Earl's Pub'. If Pat was Uncle Junk Yard, Earl Pionke, The
Earl of Old Town, became the Granpa and next door neighbor, the owner of a
real junk yard. Earl and Dave and Pat would sit around our kitchen table
trying to out smart mouth each other and telling giant lies to me and my
kids, and we loved it, 'cause Earl and Dave and Pat were still kids
themselves.

Junk Yard Dogs, Junk Yard Dogs, Every Family Needs Some Junk Yard Dogs!!!

Earl hired A Coupla Fat Guys for two weeks downstairs and they stayed
there and starred there for two and a half years. Soon, famous comedians
and blues musicians and singers and sports stars and politicians would
stop by to join the show as guests willing to be insulted by Earl or Pat
or Dave, and they gladly paid for the priviledge.

Audiences loved the shows and lined up for blocks. The music and fun went
on all night long, the drinks were cold, the chili was hot, the shows
sensational. Pat Hall was finally home,,, he could boss every one around,
except Earl. Dave kept 'em from killing each other, and Earl fed 'em love
and chili.

Junk Yard Dog, Junk Yard Dog, Someone's Got To Feed a Junk Yard Dog!!!

Like life itself, all things come to an end: Earl retired by buying a
silent saloon, me and my kids moved to another state, A Coupla Fat Guys
split to follow separate dreams. Dave married a beautiful woman and opened
a successful video firm, Pat drove other musicians mad by forming his very
own band, and created a beautiful son named Brian... We still loved each
other, but especially, Earl loved Pat, Dave loved Pat, I loved Pat. Pat
loved playing the piano, singing and barking at people who loved him. You
can't go against your nature.

Pat Hall was admired by musicians and singers all around Chicago for his
talents, his wit, his charm, his humor, his intelligence, his anger, his
resentments, his jealousies, his all-the-time rough and tough words that
lacked any encouragement to be his friend...

When Pat took ill he quickly knew the show was over. Dave and Monica, ever
faithful to Pat, invited Pat to live with them. Pat decided not to stick
around here and moved on... We believe he went upstairs 'cause even Heaven
needs a Junk Yard Dog.

Junk Yard Dog, Junk Yard Dog, We Will All Miss Our Junk Yard Dog!!!

This is a drawing by Dennis Doherty

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For Pat

Four in the Mourning

Usually the two o’clock bars are fun;

The four o’clocks always close,

And your dreams get bigger

On the shores of lake Michigan.

And your bicycle is the fastest thing going on Sheridan

Rolling north like a wrecking ball of love

Wheels humming “Didn’t we laugh together,

Share the grapes of wrath together.”

And you’re lookin’ for a doorbell to ring

And a father to tell,

I’m her lifeguard, I only wish her well.

Last night we shared some laughs together

You named her Katie, I call her Baby Jane.

And how many times I was you

And you were me?

And the wind’s blowin’ out

And Ernie wants the same damn song again.

Brother, I’ll always laugh, and I’ll always cry

When I hear a piano tinkling in the breeze

And a bicycle comes roaring by

Whispering, “Me naughty again.”

Craig Champlin

January 24, 2010

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Above is a cut from the new DVD - The Lost Noodles,
which is included in the Pat Hall Collection.

The Pat Hall Collection is available now for $100 + $10 shipping.
Net proceeds will go directly to Pat Hall Benefit Fund.

Includes:
Coupla Fat Guys Cooking Show DVD
Coupla Fat Guys Band - The Wide Album CD
SAMS BOYS - Leone Park Beach Reunion DVD
Pat Hall & The Fatguys Band - Heart of the Blues - CD
Pat Hall & The Fatguys Band - The Lost Noodles - CD
Pat Hall & The Fatguys Band - The Lost Noodles - DVD
Pat Hall Slideshows & TV Clips DVD

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To buy individual units click below to add item to your cart.