Joliet photographer hosting party for release of 1st CD on Thursday

Longtime Joliet photograph Bob Campbell will show his other creative side Thursday night when he releases his first CD.

The event will be 7 to 9 p.m. at Jameson’s Pub, 2755 Black Road in Joliet. Food is complimentary and Campbell will sing a couple songs from the CD – “Mr. Nostalgia” – and sell copies of the CD with song lyrics for $9.99.

“It’s an entertaining album,” Campbell said. “It’s got pop, rock. One song has a Latin beat. The last song is disco-style.”

Campbell said Skip Griparis will join the party at 8 p.m. and perform, too. And don’t be fooled by Campbell’s pen name. Soopi Camelle. It’s still Campbell.

Admission to the party is free. No CD purchases are required to attend.

“Just walk in and say, ‘hello,’” Campbell said.

Three of the songs are also available as digital downloads for $1. Campbell said he will donate the dollar to the buyer’s nonprofit of choice, depending on the song.

For instance, the dollar from the song “Little Prince Traveler” (track seven) will be donated toward a dog rescue.

The dollar from “Female Anatomy (track six) will be donated to a breast cancer organization. And the dollar from “Back to the Beach” (track five) will be donated toward an environmental cause.

Campbell said he wrote the lyrics and melodies over two decades, a process he didn’t find complicated at all.

“One of the songs, ‘Move On, just came into my head in 1991 and it was in my head for 13 years,” Campbell said.

A second song later took up residence, too. So in 2004, Campbell went to a studio and recorded them. Campbell recorded six more in 2009. And then he recorded two more this year while battling some now-resolved health issues.

“This album had been on my bucket list and then I started not feeling well,” Campbell said. “So I thought, ‘I’d better get it done.’”

Campbell provided all the vocals for the CD and hired studio musicians to provide the instrumentation, he said.

Patrick Culligan, owner of Sounds on Sage in Channahon, recorded the last two songs and engineered the CD, Campbell said. Lockport artist Sandra Rust designed the cover, which features Campbell’s father in the driver’s seat of a car in his “St. Joe’s baseball uniform from 50 years ago,” Campbell said,

To buy a CD after Thursday or for more information on the digital downloads, email Campbell at robertcampbell722@comcast.net.