When Poplar Creek opened in 1980, Barry Manilow was in the lineup for three nights and then he disappeared for two years. In June of 1983 he came back with a bang–and he didn’t even have an album to push. He appeared for a record four shows with a strong lineup of songs from all of those popular albums from the 70’s and 80’s. Only Bette Midler came close to being as popular with her three shows in July.
The 1983 season of summer opened with The Beach Boys–an appropriate choice. There was a mix of solo acts and group acts with even some comedians thrown in for good measure. David Brenner, who recently passed away in 2014, was the opening act for Melissa Manchester and Gary Shandling, another Tonight show favorite, opened for Donna Summer. Interesting that these two acts were on back to back nights.
It was also apparent the disco sound was waning with only Donna Summer booked to satisfy that genre. Country was still popular judging by the appearances of the Charlie Daniels Band, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and The Oak Ridge Boys.
The number of acts continuing their run of appearing at Poplar Creek every year since it opened dropped from seven to six in 1983. The six who appeared included The Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, Willie Nelson, Jefferson Starship and Santana. Only Anne Murray dropped out from the year before. Which one of these six would not appear in 1984?
The year ended with a two-day run of The Moody Blues. Was there anyone you were able to see in 1983? Did they put on a good show? Anything memorable? Share it with us!
June 5 The Beach Boys
June 8 Waylon Jennings
June 11 Darryl Hall & John Oates
June 18 Shirley Bassey
June 19 Chicago
June 21 Charlie Daniels Band
June 22, 23, 25 & 26 Barry Manilow
June 27 & 28 The Grateful Dead
July 2 Kool & the Gang
July 6 Joni Mitchell
July 7 & 8 Engelbert Humperdinck
July 9 & 10 Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
July 11 Eric Clapton, The Blasters
July 12 Donna Summer, Gary Shandling
July 13 Melissa Manchester, David Brenner
July 14, 15, 16 Bette Midler
July 17 Donny, Marie and the Osmond Brothers
July 18 The B-52s
July 19 Air Supply
July 20 Paul Anka
July 21 Jimmy Buffett & the Coral Reefer Band
July 22 Al Jarreau
July 23 John Denver
July 29 & 30 Tom Jones
July 31 Peter, Paul & Mary
August 2 Peter Gabriel, The Call
August 3 Loverboy, Quiet Riot
August 4 & 5 James Taylor
August 7 Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson
August 10 Utopia
August 11 The Animals
August 12 & 13 Willie Nelson
August 14 Talking Heads
August 17 Merle Haggard
August 18 Jefferson Starship, Patrick Simmons
August 21 The Oak Ridge Boys
August 24 Elvis Costello
August 25 Kenny Loggins
August 26 Sheena Easton
August 27 George Benson
August 28 American Philharmonic Brass Ensemble (12:30 p.m.)
August 28 Jackson Browne
August 29 Men At Work, INXS
September 2 Heart
September 3 & 4 Asia
September 5 Culture Club
September 9 ZZ Top
September 10 Santana
September 15 Neil Young
September 16 & 17 Moody Blues
Jane Rozek
Local History Librarian
Schaumburg Township District Library
jrozek@stdl.org
Compiled by Jane Rozek, Local History Librarian, Schaumburg Township District Library
History of Schaumburg Township 
Story About Barry Manilow…knows my mother..left whole front row for my family..i was 5 yrs old at the time..but he dedicated this ones for you to my brother Paul…my mom asked Barry to do it…her stage name..teri cole..married name now Boyd..