Julian Swain memorial 4-8 p.m. today (May 4) at Fitzgerald Mulford Chapel

Julian Swain, Dec. 18, 1924-April 19, 2011

Online Staff Report

A memorial gathering for performer Julian Swain, who passed away April 19 at age 86, will be from 4 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 4, in Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Road. A time of sharing memories will begin at 8 p.m. The family will plan a memorial gathering after June 1 in Chicago.

A lifelong performer, Swain gained notoriety as a member of the Co-Op Trio with Peter Green and Ann Henry. The Co-Ops performed with acts like Count Basie and in venues like Larry Steele’s Club Harlem in Atlantic City, N.J., and Arthur Bragg’s Idlewild Review in Michigan.

Swain formed the Julian Swain Inner City Dance Theatre at Malcom X College in 1971. He performed in many musical revivals as a singer and actor, including Okoro Harold Johnson’s Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Randall Johnson’s Le Stardust Revue, A Tribute to Duke Ellington, Chuck Hoenes’ Best of the Hit Paraders and Sugar.

Swain was featured in The Blues Brothers movie and performed in the video for the Carlos Santana and Michelle Branch song “The Game of Love.”

Among his many awards, Swain received the Black Theatre Alliance Award, 2004 Chicago Senior Citizen Award, Muntu Dance Theatre and African-American Arts Alliance Lifetime Achievement awards and Najwa Dance Corps.

He is survived by his companion, Edith McCauley; children, Mary (Dave) Kilty of Machesney Park, William (Ann) Gregory of Princeton, Kevin (Cheryl) McCauley of DeKalb; grandchildren, Liz Kilty, Lindsey (Ryan) Thompson, Jason Kramer and Todd Gregory; and great-grandchild, Wesley Thompson. Predeceased by his mother, Sarah.

For more about the life and career of Julian Swain, read “In Memoriam: Julian Swain, 1924-2011,” from the April 20 issue of The Rock River Times (TRRT), and Edith McCauley’s “My tribute to Julian Swain—dancer, singer, choreographer and dear friend” from the April 27 issue of TRRT.