This month, Chicago’s Beverly Arts Center is gearing up to host a special screening of “The Voice That Rocked America: The Dick Biondi Film.” Directed and narrated by Pamela Enzweiler-Pulice, the documentary zooms in on the influential career of Hall of Fame DJ Dick Biondi, a name synonymous with rock ‘n’ roll history. Scheduled for November 14, the event is not only a cinematic experience but also doubles as a fundraiser, with half of the proceeds aimed to support the film’s distribution efforts and the other half to bolster the BACinema program.
Tinley Park resident and owner of Beverly Records, Jack Dreznes, didn’t hesitate to lend his support to the documentary. Having grown up tuning into Biondi’s shows on WLS in the ’60s, Dreznes credits the late DJ with having to introduce entirely new music genres to generations of Chicagoans. “He played the music we liked. What our parents were listening to was easy listening and big band. In the early ’60s, WLS was our lifeline to the modern era,” Dreznes told the
Chicago Tribune
.
The collaboration between Beverly Records and Biondi went beyond listener fandom. The record store played a vital role in digitizing old hits for Biondi’s later digital DJ sets, as per Dreznes’ recounting in
The Beverly Review
. “He told people that if they were looking for hard-to-find records to call us and they did,”
Dreznes said
. His store’s involvement with Biondi’s show was a testament to the lasting impact the DJ had on his audience and the personal connections he forged.
First-time filmmaker Enzweiler-Pulice, who once spearheaded a Dick Biondi Fan Club, has a long history with the DJ dating back to her teenage years. “I was so scared,”
she said
about asking Biondi for permission to do the documentary. “I said, ‘How would you feel about me doing a story about you, a documentary about you from the fans’ perspective?'” The late DJ’s approval kicked off what would become a decade-long project, culminating in this documentary homage. Enzweiler-Pulice hopes to extend the film’s reach to platforms like PBS and various film festivals, as well as making it available for streaming and on DVD.
The screening event appears set to be as legendary as its subject, with a 6 p.m. reception featuring refreshments and a cash bar, followed by a performance by The Fabtones at 7 p.m. and the film’s screening at 7:30 p.m. After the showing, a Q&A session with Enzweiler-Pulice will be moderated by prominent broadcaster Scott Childers. “Dick would have wanted a party, music, and a heady discussion following the film,” said Dreznes to
The Beverly Review
, highlighting how the planned evening aligns perfectly with Biondi’s enduring spirit.
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