Founded by Gary Sinise and Kimo Williams, The Lt. Dan Band is a cover band that has grown from occasional jam sessions to charity gigs and shows around the country. The band will perform for two nights at Northern Quest Resort & Casino outside on the back lawn, Aug. 7 and 8.

It started in 1997 when Gary Sinise and Kimo Williams first met and worked together on the Steppenwolf Theatre production of Tennessee Williams' "A Streetcar Named Desire." Kimo Williams was hired by director Terry Kinney to compose the score for the play and Sinise, a co-founder of Steppenwolf along with Terry Kinney, was playing the role of Stanley Kowalski. During the technical rehearsals for the play, Gary and Kimo began to discuss their love for music and after learning of Gary's talents on the bass, Kimo invited him to his home for a jam session.

Over the next few years, the two played together with other Chicago area musicians and in 2003, as Gary began what has turned out to be an extraordinary commitment to the USO, it became clear that those early jam sessions had laid the foundation for what would become The Lt. Dan Band.

Following one of his many trips overseas to visit those serving our country, Gary asked the USO if they would allow him to take a band with him on a tour. The USO agreed, the band began rehearsing and in February 2004, The Lt. Dan Band hit the road on their first overseas USO tour to Korea, Singapore and Diego Garcia.

Since those early sessions at Williams' house, a few gigs for the troops in the Chicago area in 2003, and that first overseas tour, in the past five years Sinise and the band have played an average of 30-40 shows per year with a good 75 percent of those shows for USO, charities or benefits.

The name of the group comes from the character "Lieutenant Dan", portrayed by Sinise in the 1994 film Forrest Gump, a role for which he earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. As Sinise began visiting troops around the world, people (even little kids) who didn't know him as Gary Sinise, the actor, would recognize him as "Lt. Dan." Those in the military also seem to identify strongly with the character.

Concerts goers will enjoy classics from Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix, as well as contemporary songs by Kelly Clarkson, Evanescence, Beyonce and Lonestar. Each show highlights the musical diversity of the band, as well as the passion and energy each member brings to the stage.

Show times are Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $30 and $35 and are available at the Northern Quest box office at (509) 481-6700 or through TicketsWest at (800) 325-7328 or ticketswest.com. All ages are welcome;12 and younger are free. A beer garden is available for those 21 and older.