About Our Business

We are a music service that goes from a Live music Duo to a (Full band for certain ocassions). In addition, you may see either one of us as a single entertainer. We play mostly classic rock and country, plus blues, and lots of Jimmy Buffett type tunes. Both members sing lead as well as harmony. Instrumentation includes keyboards, guitars, bass and vocals. We program our backing tracks through MIDI sequences and software creating a very realistic live band sound..

You can see us at many places in the Illinois Valley and Morris area including:

Locations we have played In the Illinois Valley and beyond:

Ottawa - Streator:        Pitstick Pavillion, Festivities Unlimited,  KCs in LaSalle, Streator, and Ottawa,   Oglesby Elks,   Silver Fox,   PNA Hall,  Eastwood (Streator) Country Club,  The Bourne CC,  Heritage Harbor Marina,

LaSalle-Peru Oglesby area:        Uptown Grill,   The Old Red Door and Delta Queen,  The Old Dom Ballroom (LaSalle)   The Paramount (LaSalle), Senica's Oak Ridge CC,  Deer Park CC,   Starved Rock Lodge,  Lock 16, Ladd Legion/ Moose Halls,  Mendota Civic Center and Elk's. 

Morris - Joliet Area:       Morris CC, Nettle Creek CC,  Goose Lake Reserve (Morris), Jennifer's Garden (Morris), The Oddessy CC (Tinley Park), Crest Hill CC (Joliet), Goose Lake Banquet Hall (Wilmington, IL), The William Tell Hotel (Countryside, IL), Chateau del Mar, Hickory Hills, Lockport American Legion, Prairie Lakes CC

Putnam County and Peoria Areas: McNabb Fire House, Lakes Thunderbird and Wildwood, Wildlife Prarie Park (Peoria), Ramada (E Peoria), Pekin Banquet Center, VFW (Washington, IL), Waterfall Banquet Center (Peoria), Pere Marquette (Peoria), Edgewood CC (McNabb)

Princeton and West:   Green River CC (Walnut),   Hunter's Ridge (Camelot) CC,   Arnie's Happy Spot (Deer Grove),  Princeton Hotels and Wise Guys Banquet Hall,   The "Barn" at Hornbaker Gardens

Bloomington Area: Crestwicke CC (Bloomington),   Bloomington CC

Other Locations:     The Abbey (Lake Geneva),  Maggiano's (Naperville),  Moose Halls (Princeton, Morris, Streator), All area VFW/ Am Legions, Halls in Lostant, McNabb, Standard, Mark, Magnolia and Tonica. 

Holiday Inn - (Davenport),   Backyards,  Remote location at Brush Creek, Machine sheds,   Large Tents, and Decks.   Whew!

Who We Are

The Brian/Jim Duo

Brian Benkse:

Keyboards, guitars, vocals, DJ, computer geek, MIDI sequencing. Music Major at Illinois Wesleyan, piano performance, education and vocal minor. Began playing as a single or in groups since high school (My Brother's Soul, Sounds of Fury) and ran three successful groups since the 70s.(Venom, Bacchus, and Last Call) Also played studio sessions for a number of local musicians.(Donnie Bryan, and JJ Dickens, to name a couple).

E-mail: lastcall@lastcall-music.com

Jim Noethe:

Electric and Acoustic Guitars, DJ, Uke, and vocals.Loves his Godin, Strat, Gibson Les Paul, Doublenecks, PRS. Gretsch, Taylor, and Yamaha acoustic/electric. Jim,  began playing in High school with the premier local group 'Maizon Blue'. They could be seen throughout the Illinois Valley, but most often at the Arena in Peru or the Feed Store in Naplate. Jim and Brian have been working together in Last Call since 1988. 

Email: lastcall@lastcall-music.com

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The Extended Band  as "Last Call"

Todd Forney:

Drums and vocals. Todd was an original member of Last Call. He took over for his cousin (in Bacchus) when he was 16. A Jimmy Brown alum, he plays any kind of music we throw at him. He recently got a new set of drums and has never sounded better. Sings a mean Proud Mary and plays a wild Wipeout.

Al Brown:

Bass and lead/ backing vocals. Another original member of Last Call. Al plays electric P-bass, Acoustic/Electric, and Stand up basses. He has worked with a number of musicians and bands in the IV area most recently with The Crowd. He is definitly the "drive" of the band. Come hear us and you'll know what I mean.

Jeanie Brown:

Keyboards and vocals. Jean has played basicly forever. She plays Piano, Hammond Organ, and Synth - all extremely well. Her day job is teaching piano to about 40 students so she knows her way around the keys. She's married to Al and played with The Crowd and several other groups over the years. They also play as a jazz duo throughout the IV area.