Ron Onesti: My Sunday music

Sundays are a true gift. Whether I am working or playing (really, always working), I just love my Sundays. What makes this day special is a musical vibe that seems to exist on Sundays. It just feels different, and takes over my inner being more so than on any other day of the week.

My Sunday mornings usually start early, even though I was probably out late cleaning up empty beer bottles after some rock star sold out The Arcada the night before.

So I start with perusing one of my favorite weekly music blogs, ForgottonHits.com, on my phone before I get out of bed. The host, Kent Kotal, is a wizard of music from the '60s and '70s, and between his informed take on popular music from those eras and letters on the subject from readers around the country, it helps me keep up on who is still out there, and those gone but not "forgotten." But more importantly, it helps keep the music and the memories alive, and that is really my personal goal with my shows.

I will usually hop in the car for an early morning cappuccino at an "old neighborhood" Italian cafe in Chicago. It takes about 25 minutes to get there, but for me, the ride is worth it.

Yes, I STILL love listening to the radio, and Sundays are my favorite days to do that. On my way to the cafe, I always turn on "Bob Stroud's Rock 'n' Roll Roots" on 97.1-FM, The Drive. From deep cuts to "B" sides to the classic hits, his show is full of fun facts and great perspectives. And his set list regularly provides pleasant surprises. I recently performed my best Peter Cetera impression ever as he played the band Chicago's "Questions 67 and 68" followed by a fabulous vocalization, if I do say so myself, of the Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys' classic, "Wouldn't It Be Nice." It's really too bad there is nobody riding in the car with me to experience these masterful renditions I am performing.

As I approach that long stretch of open road on Irving Park and pass the O'Hare International Airport, I venture off to WXRT and Terri Hemmert's legendary Chicago show, "Breakfast with the Beatles." Talk about a comforting musical staple! She has been doing this show forever, and still, it always feels fresh and exciting. Again, my personal ability to re-create the classics, in my ever-so-humble opinion, is really uncanny. As I turn on Cumberland toward the cafe, I harmonize with Paul on "Yesterday," and I am amazed at just how close I can sing like McCartney.

Being an Italian American, my radio dial (dial?) stops by an Italian radio show called "Domenica Insieme," which means "Together on Sunday." I always seem to sing those Italian songs pretty well, too. It is usually a mixture of actual Italian words with some Italian-sounding words I make up, but still, Bocelli and Zucchero have nothing on me. Yeah, I nail it.

As I am taking my final turn into the cafe parking lot, I like to leave my Sunday radio experience with a bit of uplifting gospel. It's on the AM dial, but I don my imaginary blue satin robe and just start clapping along with the soulful voices of praise that get my blood going as much as the espresso does.

I am an old-school R&B fan, and one of my favorite Sunday rituals used to be listening to "The King of the Dusties, Herb Kent, The Cool Gent" on WVAZ. Each week he would pit icons against each other in a battle for listeners to debate upon. Barry White vs. Luther Vandross. The Spinners vs. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Aretha vs. Tina. His "Battle of the Best" was another opportunity for me to sing my soul out.

So at this point, I have arrived at my Sunday morning coffee shop. I usually sit in the parking lot a couple of extra minutes so I can finish singing along with Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" or those final "Na Na Na Na's" in "Hey Jude."

I get out of the car and it never fails. As soon as I have that cappuccino, those amazing renditions I regularly perform in my car somehow disappear, and my voice turns into more of a 1 a.m. karaoke singer. They say coffee really isn't good for your throat. Now I know why I put on shows, and don't perform them.

• Ron Onesti is president and CEO of The Onesti Entertainment Corp. and The Historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. Celebrity questions and comments? Email ron@oshows.com.