Illinois State Society of Washington, DC

Illinois Hall of Fame: Eric Ruske

By Mark Rhoads

Eric Ruske is rated by most international music critics as the best French Horn player in the world.  Eric was born in Chicago in 1963 and raised in La Grange where he attended public schools. He graduated from Lyons Township High School in 1981.

At the age of 20, Eric was an associate principal horn player with the Cleveland Orchestra. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1985 and toured in Europe with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  In 1988 he captured the highest prize in the Concours International d'Interpretation Musicale in France. He has performed as a soloist with the Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee symphonies, the Boston Pops, the Orchestre National de Chambre de Toulouse and the Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia. His recitals have been heard at the University ofillinois, Stanford University, the University of Iowa, and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, as well as a pair of recitals at the Louvre in Paris. In addition, he has also performed with the Israel Chamber Orchestra in Tel Aviv and made an appearance with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Edinborough. Eric's has two CDs to his credit called Night Poems and Mozart Horn Concerti.

By Mark Rhoads

Eric Ruske is rated by most international music critics as the best French Horn player in the world.  Eric was born in Chicago in 1963 and raised in La Grange where he attended public schools. He graduated from Lyons Township High School in 1981.

At the age of 20, Eric was an associate principal horn player with the Cleveland Orchestra. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1985 and toured in Europe with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  In 1988 he captured the highest prize in the Concours International d'Interpretation Musicale in France. He has performed as a soloist with the Chicago, Cleveland, and Milwaukee symphonies, the Boston Pops, the Orchestre National de Chambre de Toulouse and the Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia. His recitals have been heard at the University ofillinois, Stanford University, the University of Iowa, and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, as well as a pair of recitals at the Louvre in Paris. In addition, he has also performed with the Israel Chamber Orchestra in Tel Aviv and made an appearance with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in Edinborough. Eric's has two CDs to his credit called Night Poems and Mozart Horn Concerti.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Miles Davis

By Mark Rhoads

Miles Davis is found on any short list of great jazz musicians in the 20th Century.  He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Miles was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton, Illinois. He grew up mostly in East St. Louis from 1927 to 1944 and attended local schools.  Miles was from a relatively well-off family.  His father Dr. Miles Henry Davis was a dentist and the family also owned a ranch. His mother was Cleota Henry Davis who was a blues pianist. She wanted Miles to study classical music and the violin. But at age 13, Dr. Davis gave Miles a trumpet and arranged for a local music teacher and trumpet player Elwood Buchanan to teach Miles a variety of musical styles that embraced classical, dance music, and jazz.

During his high school years, Miles had diverse musical experiences.  He studied trumpet with members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.  Miles was also hired for a three-week temporary job to play third trumpet with Billy Eckstein's band when Billy was on tour in southern Illinois and Missouri in 1944.  He met trumpet legends Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie ("Bird") Parker who were with the band.  In the fall of 1944, Miles left Illinois for New York to attend the famous Julliard School of Music on a scholarship.  But his real goal was to get back together with Gillespie and Parker to play, write, and arrange jazz compositions. 

By Mark Rhoads

Miles Davis is found on any short list of great jazz musicians in the 20th Century.  He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Miles was born on May 26, 1926 in Alton, Illinois. He grew up mostly in East St. Louis from 1927 to 1944 and attended local schools.  Miles was from a relatively well-off family.  His father Dr. Miles Henry Davis was a dentist and the family also owned a ranch. His mother was Cleota Henry Davis who was a blues pianist. She wanted Miles to study classical music and the violin. But at age 13, Dr. Davis gave Miles a trumpet and arranged for a local music teacher and trumpet player Elwood Buchanan to teach Miles a variety of musical styles that embraced classical, dance music, and jazz.

During his high school years, Miles had diverse musical experiences.  He studied trumpet with members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.  Miles was also hired for a three-week temporary job to play third trumpet with Billy Eckstein's band when Billy was on tour in southern Illinois and Missouri in 1944.  He met trumpet legends Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie ("Bird") Parker who were with the band.  In the fall of 1944, Miles left Illinois for New York to attend the famous Julliard School of Music on a scholarship.  But his real goal was to get back together with Gillespie and Parker to play, write, and arrange jazz compositions. 

Illinois Hall of Fame: W. Clement Stone

By Mark Rhoads

"All I want to do is change the world."  - W. Clement Stone

Pictured at right is philanthropist and insurance tycoon William Clement Stone and his wife Jessee who founded the Clement and Jesse Stone Foundation in 1955.  Clem Stone was born in Chicago on May 4, 1902. Except for a brief time selling insurance for his mother in Detroit when he was 16, Clem lived almost all of his 100 years in Illinois.  He was only 3 when his father died and by age 6 he was selling newspapers to help his mother with family finances.  He personified the values of the Horatio Alger stories that were so popular in his youth. He was in fact a member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.

Clem was in his mid 20s when he founded Combined Insurance Company of America headquartered in Chicago.  He was 28 in 1930 when he had more than 1,000 agents selling insurance for him in all regions of the US.  Clem built his company to a value of $1 billion by 1979 when it merged with the Patrick G. Ryan Group and Aon Corporation in 1987.

By Mark Rhoads

"All I want to do is change the world."  - W. Clement Stone

Pictured at right is philanthropist and insurance tycoon William Clement Stone and his wife Jessee who founded the Clement and Jesse Stone Foundation in 1955.  Clem Stone was born in Chicago on May 4, 1902. Except for a brief time selling insurance for his mother in Detroit when he was 16, Clem lived almost all of his 100 years in Illinois.  He was only 3 when his father died and by age 6 he was selling newspapers to help his mother with family finances.  He personified the values of the Horatio Alger stories that were so popular in his youth. He was in fact a member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.

Clem was in his mid 20s when he founded Combined Insurance Company of America headquartered in Chicago.  He was 28 in 1930 when he had more than 1,000 agents selling insurance for him in all regions of the US.  Clem built his company to a value of $1 billion by 1979 when it merged with the Patrick G. Ryan Group and Aon Corporation in 1987.