Sad news.
Bill Lenac of Ottawa, IL, who rode up with me to last year's Midwest LABFest, has passed away of a heart attack. He was really looking forward to this year's event, as he absorbed just about anything having to do with live sound. Some of you guys may have worked with him in your crew before...he was an extra stage hand at many a load-in and tear-down in the Chicago area for fests and concerts.
Bill began his sound ventures back in the '70's with a local band Freedom (which featured Chicago 60's pop icon Bob Norris on drums). He had a well paying union job at the local glass factory...living at home with his dad and generally living a hermit-like existence, he would buy more equipment than you could shake a stick at. He had the best console (Yamaha PM1000) in our area, and a ton of Crowns and JBL's. He ran sound for just about all the acts in our area from the 70's thru the '90's at one time or another.
In later years, as the manufacturing economy dried up, Bill took a buyout (I think) from the downsizing factory. Naturally, he bought more gear instead of investing it or otherwise figuring out a decent way to survive. However, he was soon forced to start liquidating his gear to pay bills. He went through several boom and bust cycles where some relative would leave him an inheritance, he'd go buy gear, then sell it to make ends meet. In the last few years of his life, Bill struggled to keep the power on at his now-deceased dad's house. When his property taxes lapsed, the house was finally sold at a tax auction and Bill was then sleeping in his friends' house and living in his van. He would often come by my little office in Ottawa, just to say hi and keep warm.
Bill had a heart of gold and was always there to help. He helped put up my home studio, lugged countless tonnage of gear for friends without pay, and generally tried to hang around the "action" such as it is in our little corner of the world. He will be remembered and missed by many.