They say the show must go on and that includes Chicago’s popular radio broadcast The Vintage House Show on WNUR 89.3 FM radio and live on YouTube, Facebook and Twitch. The one-hour music and talk radio show hosted by Lori Branch, Kevin McFall and producer Lauren Lowery has been broadcasting every week for seven years now at WNUR 89.3 FM studios in Evanston, Illinois.

L-R: Kevin McFall, Lori Branch and house music promoter Toni Shelton taping The Vintage House Show on-location in Chicago. PHOTO: Pra’Elle Howze. Courtesy of DVIDEO 79 Productions, Toni Shelton Productions.

Fans of the house music genre has enjoyed the show every Wednesday at 10 pm CST, reaching thousands of listeners and viewers throughout Chicagoland area. 

Lori says its always a challenge producing any ‘live’ radio broadcast, and producing shows during the pandemic makes it especially more difficult. “Since our studio is located on Northwestern University’s campus, COVID restrictions and guidelines have prevented us from having guests,” explains Lori. “As we continue to do the radio show virtually, we’ll expand to more on-location spaces throughout Chicago.”

Artwork from Toni Shelton’s Queen Of House Music film documentary. Courtesy of DVIDEO 79 Productions, Toni Shelton Productions.

Just this past week, The Vintage House Show was scheduled to interview house music pioneer and promoter Toni Shelton at WNUR studios. The producers were excited to discuss her new film documentary Toni Shelton’s Queen Of House Music, currently in production and scheduled to premiere in 2023.

Toni was one of the first female promoters during the ‘80s who helped spearhead the profitability of house music parties, which consequently helped start the careers of locally known deejays like Andre’ Hatchett, Rob Taylor, Kenny Ray and Keith Fobbs. “Toni has been a juggernaut in promoting house parties and we really wanted to talk about her new documentary venture,” says Kevin, “so when WNUR studios wasn’t available, our producer and DJ Craig Loftis gave us access to his church studio where he produces weekly video content.”

PHOTO from Toni Shelton’s Queen Of House Music film documentary. LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois: Multi-Grammy Nominee Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley’. Courtesy DVIDEO 79 Productions, Toni Shelton Productions.

Toni along with Emmy Award Winning Editor Don Howze of DVIDEO 79 Productions is producing Toni Shelton’s Queen Of House Music documentary, which details her 30 plus years of promoting house parties throughout Chicago. Toni’s selection of on-camera interviews, vintage party footage and photographs, showcase people who were close friends with the infamous ‘Godfather of House Music’ Frankie Knuckles, local deejays and folks who just love dancing to house music.  “I was 16 at the time when I first booked a dance hall to host a house party,” expresses Toni during her radio interview,  “It was a juice bar, and I don’t know how I did it, but I was able to charge money at the door, and we had a lot of fun.”

PHOTO: L-R: Kevin McFall, Craig Loftis, Lori Branch, Lauren Lowery and Toni Shelton. LOCATION: Chicago, IL: The Vintage House Show interview of Toni Shelton on WNUR 89.3 FM radio and live on YouTube, Facebook and Twitch.

Lori is one of the host and producers of The Vintage House Show and also one of Chicago’s first female deejays of house music. She enjoyed discussing past collaborations with Toni such as her iconic ‘all white parties’, where everyone dressed in white outfits and danced throughout the night to house dj mixes. For the past three decades, Lori and Toni helped the house music genre flourish in Chicago and today its celebrated on dance floors and stages worldwide.  “We understand that house music was created right here in Chicago,” explains Lauren, a The Vintage House Show producer and a house music historian. “And there was, at that time, a lot of moving parts that helped make what we see today, and that’s large crowds, international popularity and a lot of dancing.”

In addition for taping the radio show for broadcast on WNUR 89.3 FM, The Vintage House Show interview with Toni Shelton was also being filmed for inclusion in Toni’s film documentary. Toni is excited to share her life stories with her family, friends and colleagues she met over the years, like actress Trisha Mann-Grant, Kevin Abdullah, Jamilla Omar, multi Grammy Nominee Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley, Keith Fobbs and award winning songstress Teresa Griffin. “Meeting Terisa who was a finalist on the hit television show The Voice was special,” explains Toni, speaking to guest host Craig Loftis and Lori,  “and because of her hit house song ‘Wonderful’, I invited her to be a part of my documentary as well.”  

This will be The Vintage House Show seventh season broadcasting every Wednesday at WNUR 89.3 FM radio. The show also streams on Facebook ’Live’ @VintageHouseonWNUR and on the Vintage House Podcast. It is the only on-air radio show and podcast in Chicago dedicated to illuminating and preserving the lives, music, and careers of house music legends.

Toni Shelton’s Queen Of House Music FaceBook page features news and current events about the upcoming documentary.  The Vintage House Show featuring  Toni Shelton will broadcast on a date to be announced with current news and programming schedules listed on VintageHouseShow.com, and Instagram @thevintagehouseshow.

About the Author:  Don Howze is an Emmy Award Winning Film/Tape Editor and Associate Professor of Journalism and Television Production.  Don is the producer and director of the upcoming film documentaries The Production Crew and Toni Shelton’s Queen Of House Music.