Before the show began, some black and white footage of the singer was shown on two large screens. During our conversation, he had chronicled the popular dances of the day, which were, by and large, clever in name, but nothing by which I had a direct connection. I felt pretty sure this would be an energetic show, as I had spoken to Checker by phone during an unusually long interview last month and the man, himself, had convinced me his show would be worth the trip.Īt the time, I was riveted to the phone, anxious to get his take on the American dance movement he had propelled, and what he had been doing since its inception. That is, by the way, why I hopped on a casino bus headed to the Horseshoe Casino located in the industrial city of Hammond, Indiana, on a frigid Friday evening. In fact, when it comes to music, I like a sure thing. I can’t say that gambling is in my bones, either. I would have expected a personable guy like Chubby Checker to be playing intimate nightclubs where he could whisper a phrase and feel his hot breath melt ice cubes in martini glasses.
I wouldn’t ordinarily expect a rock and roll icon to perform in such opulent surroundings, steps away from gaming tables and gargantuan food courts.
