Led Zeppelin: "Our Boys in Chicago"

[SteveAJones]

Al Golub , 59 - chauffeured celebs such as Sinatra, Elvis

Chicago Sun-Times - July 17, 2001

Author: NANCY MOFFETT

Al Golub was chauffeur to the stars, with clients like Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra - for whose entourage Mr. Golub once provided 400 White Castle burgers as well as a ride from the airport.

Mr. Golub, 59, known to Led Zeppelin as one of the "our boys from Chicago," died Friday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after suffering a heart attack.

He was president of Chicago Limousine Services, which he owned with his brother.

"We just drove everybody. We drove the Kennedys. We drove the Beatles separately... Liberace - it's endless," said Mr. Golub's brother, Harold Golub.

Other notable riders included Tom Jones, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, the Beach Boys, the Eagles, Rod Stewart, Billy Joel and David Bowie, among others.

Mr. Golub was so sought-after that once in the early 1970s, when Bowie arrived in town by train from Detroit, he took a cab straight to the Golubs' answering service, even though it was after hours. A convention had made hotel rooms a rare commodity, but the Golub brothers were able to settle Bowie into a room at The Drake - and below the sixth floor, as requested, Harold said.

"There were times we had a lot of clout," he said, adding, " Al went almost everywhere in the Midwest with Elvis."

Mr. Golub also drove for Sinatra for some 30 years. Once the Golubs were asked to show up at Midway Airport with 400 White Castle hamburgers for the singer and his entourage.

The brothers looked so much alike that once when Sinatra had a date in Milwaukee, Mr. Golub picked him up at Midway and drove him to Meigs Field for the last leg of the trip. When Sinatra alighted in Milwaukee, he saw Harold waiting and said, " Al, how did you get here so quick?" Harold recalled.

For months at a time, Mr. Golub went on the road with the Beach Boys and Sly and the Family Stone.

"It is important for us to treat everybody equal, whether they were Elvis or the road crew for Sonny and Cher," Mr. Golub was quoted by the Associated Press in 1987.

The brothers' picture is in a book about Led Zeppelin, "Stairway to Heaven," in which they are identified as "Our boys in Chicago," Harold Golub said.

"We had a lot of fun," he said.

Besides his brother, Mr. Golub's survivors include his wife, Patricia Miranda; and two sons, Dean and Jason.

Services were Monday. Burial was in Westlawn Cemetery, 7801 W. Montrose.

[LadyRaven]

That's too bad. I'm sure the Zep boys don't remember him, but he remembered them.

[SteveAJones]

That's too bad. I'm sure the Zep boys don't remember him, but he remembered them.

Robert would probably remember that night in '73 when they took them after the concert in a fleet of six limos across town to a club and he sang with Otis Clay.

[Fresh Garbage]

Funny thing about the White Castle story.... My Mother worked there when she was younger. this had to have been in the 60's. and she told me: "one night a man came in and ordered 400 white Castle's"....holy crap!

The white Castle she worked at was on 79th and Harlem one of the original's...and about 3 miles from Midway where we grew up.