Backed by standout musicians Patrick Doody on drums and John Falstrom on bass, singer-songwriter and guitarist Bill McAlister released Illinois Opry in 2012 on Lane Records. The independent country-rock album features 10 original songs inspired by the highways, small towns, and every day characters of the Midwest, a blend of traditional country influences with storytelling rooted in the landscapes and people of Illinois. The album has earned universal praise and reviews and is available on all major platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, and Pandora.
Featured Release
Illinois Opry
Bill McAlister & I-57 South
Album
Illinois Opry
Artist
Bill McAlister & I-57 South
Released
2012
Genre
Country / Americana
Ten Songs
Track Listing
10 Tracks · 2012
01
Between Silver & Gray
Bill McAlister
02
I-57
Bill McAlister
03
Mama Frets
Bill McAlister
04
Ideas In Your Head
Bill McAlister
05
Trying To Write A Song
Bill McAlister
06
Quad City Queen
Bill McAlister
07
Hidden Pearl
Bill McAlister
08
John McCabe
Bill McAlister
09
Ain't No Easy Thing
Bill McAlister
10
X Song
Bill McAlister
Featured Song · Track 02
I-57
A four-lane spine running the length of Illinois — from Chicago through the cornfields and out past Cairo. "I-57" pays tribute to the people, towns, and quiet stretches of highway that shaped the heart of this record.
Audio / Video Embed
The Band
Bios
Bill McAlister
Born in Berwyn, Illinois and now based in Palos Park, singer-songwriter and guitarist Bill McAlister brings authentic Midwestern storytelling to every song he writes and performs. McAlister wrote all ten tracks on the album while also handling lead vocals and guitar duties throughout the record. His additional releases, found below, bring the same trifecta of talent to seven additional tracks.
Bill first began building his musical foundation in Macomb, Illinois while attending Western Illinois University, where he developed the songwriting style and influences that define his music today.
Patrick Doody
Patrick Doody brings decades of road-tested experience behind the drums. After spending ten years touring with legendary bluesman Lonnie Brooks, Patrick founded Drumhead Recording, his own studio where all I57 South recordings are produced.
Beyond the studio, Patrick fronts the band Green Fourteen and provides the driving rhythm section that gives I57 South its raw, live-energy sound.
John Falstrom
When it comes to bass guitar, John Falstrom quite literally wrote the book. Author of EADG 4 and contributor to Mel Bay Publications, Falstrom is both a respected musician and educator.
He teaches at Melody Mart in Homewood, Illinois and lays down the steady, melodic bass lines heard throughout every I57 South recording, bringing technical skill and musical depth to the band's signature sound.
More Music
Additional Tracks
Beyond the album, explore more original songs from Bill McAlister & I-57 South.
Illinois Opry draws from the well of classic country and Americana — outlaws, balladeers, and storytellers — while keeping its boots planted firmly in Midwestern soil.
