In case you missed it, Milwaukee Magazine editors saw Hugh Jackman at the premiere of the much talked about Song Sung Blue a couple weeks ago, and a good chunk of the city also saw him scooping custard at Kopp’s! The series of events that led to the movie being made is almost as surreal as seeing a Golden Globe winner at your local custard spot – and we got the “scoop” from Claire Sardina (née Stengl), aka “Thunder,” herself.
From the taverns of West Allis to the spotlight of the then Marcus Amphitheater, “Lightning and Thunder” rocked Milwaukee throughout the 1990s. Together, Mike and Claire Sardina made up a popular Neil Diamond (and Patsy Cline) tribute act who worked their way up to performing at the State Fair, eventually landing on stage with Pearl Jam at Summerfest in 1995.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
That performance brought the Sardinas wide recognition in the Midwest and beyond. For Mike Sardina, who was once a “tunnel rat” in Vietnam, this was a dream come true. The duo’s light was bright, and their sound was all around town until an unfortunate accident struck in 1999.
Claire was gardening in her front lawn when a disoriented driver crashed into her, causing her to lose a portion of her leg. Performing consistently with the power and presence of previous years became impossible. The gigs dried up, and the story of a dynamic Neil Diamond tribute duo appeared to be nearing its end.
After struggling with continued health and financial issues, they worked their way back, gigging at the smallest karaoke bars until they were all the way back to filling seats at the State Fair. By 2005, despite Mike’s rapidly deteriorating health, punctuated by quintuple bypass surgery, they continued to pour out their souls on stage for crowds both big and small. Sadly, Mike Sardina, who never lost his soulful singing voice and striking resemblance to Neil Diamond, died in 2006.
For 99.9% of all tribute acts in the history of the world, this would have been the end of the road. But while she lost her Lightning, Claire Sardina never lost her Thunder. Shortly after Mike’s death, Lightning and Thunder’s story was revealed to the world in Greg Kohs’ excellent 2008 documentary, also titled Song Sung Blue, which earned festival screenings and a “superb” review from Roger Ebert.
In preparation for this story, I reached out to Claire Sardina, who was in town to promote the new Song Sung Blue, the feature film starring Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman as the Milwaukee duo.
Imagine my delight when my phone lit up, mere minutes after my wife and I completed viewing the documentary, and the voice of Thunder rang out from the other side.
Interview with the “Real Thunder,” Claire Sardina: She’s Feeling “So Good, So Good”
What was it like singing with Hugh Jackman? (The two sang together at the Landmark Bar after the world premiere of Song Sung Blue at the Oriental Theater on Tuesday, December 2nd)
Claire Sardina: “Jackman said he was ‘thrilled to have the opportunity to sing with me!’ I didn’t feel my leg, I didn’t feel my arthritis, I was flying. It was extremely wonderful… [it’s] a dream, a literal dream come true. I am going to dream of the words Hugh Jackman said…”
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What would Mike Sardina, aka “Lightning,” have to say about your story becoming a Hollywood movie?
Claire Sardina: “He was a dreamer. He would say, ‘Babe, our dreams are coming true.’ I know he’s been watching out for me. Without Mike and his Neil Diamond tribute, I don’t believe any of this would come about … He emulated Neil Diamond so very well. I felt the presence of Lightning, for sure, at the premiere. When I was getting the crowd going, I looked up into the heavens and said, “I love you, Mike.” I still love him dearly.”
“Before shows, Mike would pray that we could help us to help the people to forget their worries, to make our show a dynamite blockbuster. People could see the love, they could see the fact that we really did it for the audience – we performed for them. Our hearts and souls were in it. We encouraged the audience to feel like they were part of the show. Huge or tiny. It doesn’t matter if you have five, 10 or thousands of people, you’re still performing and a true performer will still enjoy every minute of it. And when you enjoy it on the stage, you’re telling the audience that you enjoy playing for them. You can quote me on that.”
How did you learn that your story was going to be a Hollywood film?
Claire Sardina: “Approximately five years ago I was contacted. They said we are aware of the documentary. We want to make a major motion picture. And I’m like get the hell out of here, who are you? I feel privileged. The word is privileged to experience the magic of what goes on at Focus Features.”
“We were called consultants in the credits, but we really didn’t have to consult these people. They saw and studied the documentary. We watched scenes come about. When they found out that we were there, Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson came running out, and Jackman said ‘There she is! Oh my God, it’s Claire Sardina!’”
How do you feel about Kate Hudson (who is nominated for a Golden Globe for her role as Claire Sardina) portraying you on film?
Claire Sardina: “They depicted us so well, Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson. I am thinking, she’s so young and beautiful! My friends tell me that they chose just the exact right person to portray you. There’s a correlation, some similarities between us. I think it’s a perfect match. She’s a family person and so am I. My two children, Rachel and Dana, I love them very much.”
“I’m happy with the whole movie and the way we were portrayed. It’s not fictional. There are points when the chronological order might be slightly different but the message is about the love that Lightning and I shared together through good times and bad times. And now the movie has gone global. I didn’t know what the premiere was going to bring but it was everything I dreamed of and more.”
Song Sung Blue will be in theaters on December 25, 2025.
See “Thunder” Perform Live in Milwaukee December 30
Claire Sardina aka Thunder, will be home for the holidays and will perform on December 30th at Pauly’s Pub and Eatery for Troubadour Tuesday from 6-9 p.m.
Support One of “Thunder’s” Favorite Charities: Music 6S
Claire says: “They are for veterans and first responders, and they are a great organization.”
