ANDERSONVILLE — Chicagoans will once again gather — using social distancing practices — to sing along together, this time honoring the late Bill Withers with his classic “Lean On Me.”
The city’s latest effort to provide entertainment and boost morale will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th) is organizing this version of the citywide singalong, and is asking neighbors to gather on porches to sing. MeTV FM 87.7 will broadcast “Lean On Me” at exactly 7 p.m. Saturday, according to the radio station.
“In moments of crisis, when we all feel isolated, we need to create moments of community to remind us that we have a shared struggle but also a shared hope,” Vasquez said in a statement.
City residents got in on the mass singalong craze in late March, when Rogers Park neighbors organized a singalong of Jon Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer.” The event was a success — with Bon Jovi even taking to Instagram to cheer on the city.
South Loop residents then held a singalong to Queen’s “We Are The Champions,” with the band’s lead guitarist Brian May also offering words of encouragement to city residents. South Loop residents have also been holding nightly “light shows,” where people decorate their apartments and make noise in unison.
Chicago’s singalongs where inspired by Italian residents who have taken to balconies to sign in unison and boost morale during the country’s lock down.
Withers, a singer-songwriter known for hits like “Lean On Me” and “Ain’t No Sunshine,” died last week at 81. “Lean On Me” has been an anthem for people during the coronavirus outbreak, being sung in unison among neighbors throughout the world, according to the Associated Press.
Are your neighbors doing something inspiring to combat or lift spirts during the coronavirus crisis? Let us know: newsroom@blockclubchi.org.
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