Greg Kot is synonymous with Chicago music.
His voice, his insights and his critical ear are among the reasons that this author, music critic and “Sound Opinions” co-host is one of two recipients of the Chicago Headline Club’s Lifetime Achievement Award this year.
Kot is the head of editorial at the multimedia music platform Coda Collection (codacollection.co). He is also the cohost of the nationally syndicated public radio show and podcast “Sound Opinions,” and previously the music critic at the Chicago Tribune for 30 years.
Check out his Lifetime Achievement video below:
Kot’s books include acclaimed biographies of Mavis Staples (“I’ll Take You There”) and Wilco (“Learning How to Die”) and a history of the digital music revolution (“Ripped”). He also co-wrote “The Beatles vs. the Rolling Stones: Sound Opinions on the Great Rock ‘N’ Roll Rivalry” and has written extensively for Rolling Stone, BBC Culture and dozens more publications.
A graduate of Marquette University, he received the university’s national Byline Award for Journalism in 2013. When he takes off the headphones, Kot coaches in and manages his 20-year Chicago-based youth travel basketball program (OTEhoops.com).
In addition, he coauthored two best-selling editions of the book “Survival Guide to Coaching Youth Basketball.”
