George Spink is a writer from Chicago, holding a BA in Political Science, with honors, from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Chicago. From 1964-1966 Spink worked at Big John's, a prominent blues in club in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. Prior to being torn down in 1966, Big John's hosted artists such as Paul Butterfield, Mike Bloomfield, Nick "The Greek" Gravenites, Barry Goldberg, Steve Miller, Corky Siegel, Jim Schwall, Harvey Mandel, Muddy Waters, Otis Spann, Little Walter, James Cotton, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Howlin’ Wolf, and Sam Lay. In December 1966, Spink launched his writing career and wrote articles on jazz for the Chicago Daily News, the Chicago Sun Times, and Chicago Magazine. He was a member of the Jazz Institute of Chicago and helped found the first Chicago Jazz Festival in 1979. He also hosted a big band radio chow called The Saturday Swing Shift on WBEZ-FM, which ended in 1981.
Spink moved to Los Angeles in 1990 and currently manages the big band website "Tuxedo Junction" and several online blogs.
From the guide to the Spink, George. Collection, 1980-1981, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)
