City looks at honoring Earl D’Amico, who brought stars to Joliet, with street name

The late Earl D’Amico, perhaps the greatest showman in Joliet’s history, is about to get new recognition for his talent in bringing some of the biggest acts in the nation to town in the 1960s and 1970s.

D’Amico brought some of the classic names in jazz to Joliet: Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Dave Brubeck among others.

The City Council on Tuesday will vote whether to designate a stretch of Ottawa Street that runs in front of the old D’Amico’s 214 night club, now the Renaissance Center, as Earl D’Amico Way.

On June 20, the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66, which is located in downtown Joliet, will hold an event at the Renaissance Center to pay tribute to D’Amico’s achievements.

Ron Romero, executive director of the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Route 66, spoke to the City Council at its workshop meeting on Monday of the importance of recognizing D’Amico.

“Earl D’Amico brought some of the biggest acts of the time through Joliet,” Romero said. “It needs to be recognized.”

It’s hard to imagine today the celebrity of the acts that D’Amico brought to town.

But musicians like Louis Armstrong and comedians like Phyllis Diller, who D’Amico brought to Joliet, were names recognized in every household and brought a glitter to Joliet night life.

D’Amico made Joliet a stopping point between New York and Las Vegas for stars that included Al Hirt, Tina Turner and Guy Lombardo – some of the biggest names in entertainment for their times.

In a 2014 interview with The Herald-News, D’Amico told how he prepared for Louis Armstrong, known to sweat profusely during performances, by providing him with a fresh tuxedo between acts.

“We had room for 1,000 seats in the ballroom, with the stage right in the middle,” D’Amico said of his nightclub. “It was very intimate ... the performers were thrilled and the audiences enjoyed it so much.”

Councilwoman Suzanna Ibarra on Monday noted that her father worked at the club and had remarked on how well employees were treated by D’Amico.

“They were never treated any differently than the stars, which I found so amazing,” Ibarra said.

Also at the Monday meeting was D’Amico’s daughter, Gianna D’Amico, who will share memories of her father at the June 20 event and spoke to the council about the importance of designating the street in front of her father’s former club in his honor.

“It means a lot to me, my family, my kids, and my dad,” Gianna D’Amico said.