The 2016 nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame include several musical talents with ties to Illinois.

Jazz and rock band Chicago released their first album, Chicago Transit Authority, in 1969. Throughout the 70s and 80s, the band gained popularity and followers with their unique blend of rock and roll and jazz elements.

New wave band Cheap Trick, known to many as one of the most influential new wave bands of the 1980s, was formed in Rockford in the 1970s. Since their formation, they have released 16 studio albums, with their most recent album, The Latest, being released in 2009.

Chaka Khan was born in Chicago in 1953 and began her musical career with the group Rufus in the 70s. Some of Khan’s more favorite hits include “Tell Me Something Good” (as a member of Rufus), “I’m Every Women,” and “Ain’t Nobody.” Khan has won 10 Grammy Awards and has been nominated for numerous American Music Awards. 

While born in Milwaukee in the 1940s, Steve Miller moved to Chicago after college, surrounding himself with the top blues talent of the day, including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Buddy Guy. Miller formed The Steve Miller Band in 1966 and the group has released 18 albums to date.

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Read more about the 2016 nominees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

If the film Bridesmaids left you in stitches then you’ve experienced the comedic prowess of Melissa McCarthy.

McCarthy was born on August 26, 1970 in Plainfield. She graduated from Joliet Catholic Academy before moving to New York to pursue a career as a stand-up comedian. While in New York, she appeared in numerous notable clubs and trained at The Actor’s Studio.

Eventually, McCarthy moved to Los Angeles, where she took part in the sketch comedy theater The Groundlings. She was a staple of the main stage with The Groundlings while also playing various film roles.

Her breakout role came as Sookie St. James in the television show Gilmore Girls. In 2010, she landed a starring role in the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, for which she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

Her most notable role came as Megan in the 2011 film Bridesmaids, which netted her nominations for an Academy Award, a Screen Actor’s Guild Award and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award. Since Bridesmaids, McCarthy has starred in numerous films with actors and actresses like Jason Bateman, Sandra Bullock and Paul Rudd. She married fellow Bridesmaids actor Ben Falcone in 2005.

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Read more about Melissa McCarthy on IMDb

Roy O. Disney, who co-founded Walt Disney Productions with his younger brother, Walt Disney, was born in Chicago in 1893.

The Disney family moved to Kansas City in the early 1900s, where Roy began delivering papers for The Kansas City Star. After graduating from the Manual Training High School of Kansas City, Disney worked on a farm and as a bank clerk for a period of time. He then served in the United States Navy from 1917 until 1919 before he was discharged when he contracted tuberculosis.

Roy then moved to Los Angeles where he was joined by his brother in 1923 and the pair founded Disney Brothers Studio. His brother did the majority of the creative work for the company, while Roy made sure that the company remained financially stable. Roy was named CEO in 1929 and oversaw the construction of Walt Disney World after Walt passed away. After being named the president of Walt Disney Productions in 1966, Roy held the position for two years and formally retired in 1971, shortly after Walt Disney World opened in Florida.

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The Forgotten Brother Who Built a Magic Kingdom

Comprising approximately 14 percent of Illinois’ gross domestic product with nearly 600,000 workers, manufacturing plays a huge role in the Illinois economy. Machinery, chemical products and food and beverage round out Illinois’ top manufacturing sectors.

To keep up with the ever-changing needs of manufacturers, higher educational facilities in Illinois have adapted their programs and also worked to build interest with students to consider training programs in manufacturing. Manufacturing plants have also reached out to younger students in recent years, highlighting new trends in the industry and the well-paying jobs available to those with the necessary skill set. 

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Learn more about Manufacturing Day from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association

Millennium Park, the sprawling urban park in downtown Chicago offering something for everyone, was recently named a Great Public Space by the American Planning Association (APA). Only five other places across the country made the APA’s selective listing.

Millennium Park opened in July of 2004 after years of construction and development. Once a desolate mix of rail lines and surface parking, the area was transformed into a vibrant family-friendly park featuring Cloud Gate (locally known as “The Bean”), an ice rink, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and the interactive video sculpture fountain known as Crown Fountain.

Nearly 5 million people visit Millennium Park every year, making it Chicago’s second-biggest tourist attraction.

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Planning a trip to Millennium Park? See everything the park has to offer here
Millennium Park full of surprises (Chicago Tribune)