THANKS to all the people who helped to make my 55th birthday one of the most memorable that I've had:  First off to the 500 people that filled the Centre East Theater - WOW - what a great audience and a super way of throwing a party!!!  Your are the best!!!  To all the folks who gave me cards and photos to commemorate my double nickels event.
      To Pete and Joyce Paliulis for the amazing painting of me and the 50 wine bottles (taken from the photo of their gift to me on my 50th birthday), it looks great in my studio.  To Jeannie Mikota for the lucite mini electric guitar with built in speaker (and I thought I had everything).  Also to Wendy and Julie, the poetry sisters, for the seat belt guitar strap (if it's a bumpy ride, now at least I won't fall out). To Gerri Salvatore who gave me that amazing Ides Photo collage that we all admired at the Bolingbrook show and to the gal who gave me the patience book mark.  I don't know your name so if you read this please let me know.  I would also like to thank Roy and Sharon Ferrer - Roy for your amazing shots before and during the show and Sharon for the delicious and huge birthday cake after the show WOW!!!  I also say thanks to Micky Saxe for the Moby Grape cds and one man who gave me all the old Ides TV appearances on dvd.  And a very special thank you to my Ides brothers for their birthday wishes, the 5 string fender bass they give me and the party they threw after the show.  I know I'm leaving some people out, so please just know that I appreciated everything.  It was great to be surrounded by all my favorite people on my big day.

                                                        KEEP Rocking !!!  JIM at 55