This road outta Compton ends at Beale Street
1/25/16
By Tamara Abbey
MENDOTA BUREAU CHIEF
COMPTON — With a swirl of polka dots and petticoats reminiscent of a 1950s sock hop sweetheart, Lizzi Neal
grabs the microphone and belts out an original blues song full of mischief that quickly belies her innocent
appearance. “It’s all over when she starts singing,” said Dave Neal, guitarist. Lizzi, along with her husband,
Dave, bass guitar player Alan Shupp and drummer John Brown have been making music for years, but it’s only
in the last few years that the four came together to form an original blues band centered in the Lee County
village of Compton. And that original music will soon take them to the home of the blues: Beale Street in
Memphis, Tenn. “When (Dave and I) first got together, I was in my early 20s so I was doing the Pat Benatar
and the early ‘80s stuff,” Lizzi said. Eventually, she and Dave started writing some original lyrics. Then they
started working on original music. The decidedly homegrown couple migrated toward the blues. “Northern
Illinois isn’t the hot spot for what we’re doing but there are a lot of people that like it,” Dave said. “A lot of people
go out to see this kind of stuff.” Shupp was in several other bands, but when Dave and Lizzi needed a bass
guitarist, he just happened to be available. “I ran into John (Brown) down in La Salle or Oglesby and he knew
my girlfriend,” Shupp said. “It just so happened that not long after that, they needed a bass player.” Shupp
started to play, but the Neal’s already knew he was the right fit. “Dave and I have been together since ‘96 so
we’ve been through a lot of musicians,” Lizzi said. “You want to have someone that’s not only quality but can
also put up with me.” Brown has known them for years. His wife is Dave’s brother’s sister-in-law. The three
would play together, but Brown always had other commitments. It was only recently that he was able to join the
band.
Once Brown and Shupp joined, the band enjoyed success like never before. They’ve racked up several awards
from the Rockford Area Music Industry, including Blues Artist of the Year. Then they were invited to compete
in a blues festival in Peoria last summer. Lizzi’s late father, Larry Kupeker, was a long-time member of the
River City Blues Society. She grew up hearing him sing and play the blues. While an honor to compete, the
band was thrilled to learn it won the right to represent the Society at the International Blues Challenge in
Memphis, Tenn. They will join more than 100 blues bands and artists from play some of the clubs that made
Beale Street a legend in American Blues music. Shupp said the band has only a few minutes on stage in the
first round. “The whole thing is set up almost like a test,” he said. “You’re on, plug in and go. I think it’s a test of
how good you are as a musician.” If they pass that test, they will be one of 44 bands to go to the next round.
The final round consists of nine bands competing for the title. Win or lose, Lizzi said it’s a matter of being there
and making connections. “I think we have our own flavor of blues,” she said. “We’re not your traditional —
there’s obviously flavors of traditional blues and jazz in there but I’m happy to say that we have our own
sound and that’s really what it takes to move forward.” With awards on the shelf, the band is ready to take
that next leap forward from a Beale Street stage.
Tamara Abbey can be
reached at (815) 539-5200
or [email protected].
Follow her on Twitter
@NT_Mendota.
See picture on next page
Alan Shupp (from left), John Brown, Dave and Lizzi Neal rehearse their original song “Blues on my Mind” in the
Neal’s home in Compton. The “Lizzi Neal Band” will compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis
this week.