Hi allison,

You mentioned a combo from Ashland, the Revolution.
I have a 45 by a group with that name, released in early '69. "Revolt" is one song, sounds like a crude early effort by the Jefferson Airplane, minus female vocals of course! The flipside is "A Guide For Living"
Writer credits show a Tim McCowan and Chris Safrit.
Might this be the same group?

MopTopMike, the need2know guy

Hey there MopTopMike,

No that wasn't the same "Revolution" as they never recorded, but wow -- would LOVE to hear those songs you mentioned! Revolution was Mark Fosson, Dan Gore, David Richmond and I can't remember the drummer's name. My fave of their songs was a psychdelic "Gasoline Rainbow". And my cousin Mark Fosson just told me he and Al Collinsworth of The Outcasts had a band together BEFORE "Revolution"!

Allison A.

Thank you Allison!!!!!
Your cousin Mark was one of the best guitar players in Ashland and everything that he did after he left Ashland proved it. I can remember when Mark and I played guitars in his basement garage on Beech Street. Now, those were very good times. How in the world did I miss out on all of that great smooching??? I must have been playing my guitar or something.
Al

AL -- Mark says the same about YOU! So great that Garage Hangover put us all back in touch!

Allison A.

I found an additional, different picture of the Outcasts, I would not mind sharing with others. If someone wants to contact me I would let them borrow the pic to add to the website. Mike

I would love to see the other picture of the Outcasts. I do not have a web site I was friends with them many years ago. I also dated Ralph a short while while I was at Marshall University in 1968.
Thank you,
Patty Harmon

---

Hi,
Anyone wishing more information about Nick or the Outcasts, please email me at hoppinhound@earthlink.net.
Best wishes,
Al

HI......I was reading these posts and was wondering which Glenda this was?
I also would like to know what happen to Nick. I understand that a lot of old friends have passed away.

Ralph is in Ashland, KY. I saw him not to long ago. :)

The Bluebeats were a great band!!!! Richard Stacy was a good friend to everyone who knew him, myself included. Thank you Dennis.

I'm reading Kim Peyton's book about the Blue Beats entitled "Band Boys" and love it!!! (And not just because he kindly remembered me on page 38). Memoirs always make the best reading material and Kim finished an excellent writing with this book. Thank you Kim!!

I used to date Ralph Morman and loved when he sang "Keep Me Hangin' ON" by the "Vanilla Fudge". I also have 3 copies of "Loving You".............He gave them to me. I also gave him a ring...Ralph do you still have it???? After Ralph and I broke up :( I started dating Kim Peyton(we were both Marshall students) of "The Blue Beats" and we actually were married for 12 years. I would really like to do a follow up to his book "The Band Boys".....I lived a lot of that book and he never mentioned me or his daughter who also lived it. I wish I knew he if he's made much money from his book. Mine would probably have more truth to add, juicier and a best seller. I knew a lot about "him" and his fellow Blue Beats....
This was fun to read, about the Blue Beats and Outcasts, those were fun days. Hi Alfred!!!!

Anyone interested can email me at

Bristols67@hotmail.com

and that brings me to another band I loved, "The Bristols" from Charleston, WV
I hope to hear from someone from the past.............Patty Harmon

After a while, Ralph married Barbara and they had a son together, Tony. The marriage part of the deal didn't last very long, and Barbara was mostly a single mom, living for a time with her mother, whose name completely escapes me. Tony was a very sweet baby boy with a wonderful disposition all the time - I watched him grow for about two years while maintaining a platonic friendship with Barbara. Eventually I left Huntington, and unfortunately lost track of both Barbara and Tony. He would be a grown man with his own children by now. I hope he inherited some of his dad's musical abilities. Ralph was the consumate vocalist. Barbara waited for Ralph to "come back" but I don't doubt that it never happened. She was as pretty as anyone in Cabell County and most of West Virginia, and a really nice girl with no bad habits. I guess living with a broken heart takes your mind off of bad habits.

Hi All
I knew Barbara very well.Know all about her and Ralph how they meet,where and alot of other things...She was totally gorgeous inside as well as outside...They really went through alot,but I lost contact with them and never know where they went..I got married and you lose contact with the gang you hang out with,sorry to say...Any info on them I would love to know,Kat

I don't remember The Outcasts. But in Charleston WV There was a great heavy rock band named Heavy Rain. This bands members were Randall Wray on guitar, Ralph Mormon vocals, Tom Stamp bass, and Gordon Cupit on drums. The group I was in was called Black Orchid and we all hung around together talking and playing music. Ralph( or Ralphie) as Randall would call him was married to a beautiful raven haired beauty named Barbara. We called her Sweet Barb. Drop dead beauty. She did have a child I remember. It also comes to mind of there last gig in Huntington at The Ratskeller? Bar. Wrong spelling i'm sure. But things went kaput in a hurry as troubles in the band came to a head, with Randall and Gordon at odds over volume, A record deal on the table with ABC Bluesway, And Randalls ever scolding of Ralph over the treatment of Barbara. In fact, They had a song called Black Cat Woman that I know Randall wrote about Barbara. But awhile later I heard Ralph on the first Joe Perry Project album. He also worked with Savoy Brown. As of anything else, i'm clueless. Hope this helped. Great time for music in the tri-state area. Thanks for letting me remember. Robbinn Trowbridge, Rancho Mirage,CA

Hi, I was looking thru your site and was wondering if maybe you heard of a group of students of Marshall university ( called Marshall college then) that had a song something like "Rain-Rain-Rain-Rain"..or "the rain keeps pouring down" or something like that????..The key board player was a childhood friend of mine in wyoming county,wv.John Wilson..Thanks, Bill

Hi, I'm Ronnie Gibson (lead guitar) of the Outcasts. I accidentally found this site today. I have been in contact with Ralph Morman from time to time and was just this week trying to clean up a pic with Photoshop of the Outcasts Ralph had loaned me. He lives in the Ashland area now. Those were the days !!

Hey Ronnie, E-mail me. I found this site by accident, too.

I was in a band named Magnum with Ralph Morman as our lead singer. Pretty sure from the picture of the Outcasts that we are talking about the same Ralph Morman. Before Magnum, he ws with a band named Daddy Warbucks, then Magnum in the Wash D.C area and after Magnum broke up he played with The Joe Perry Project and Savoy Brown. All of us here in the Virginia/Maryland/DC area alway wonder how Ralph is doing. It would be great to do a re-union or just jam out. Hope Ralph is doing well. He was a killer singer. I still have live tapes from 1978 when we were the house band at the Keg on Wisconsin Ave. in Washington DC/Georgetown. They hold up to anything I see live today as far as local acts.

Craig, yes this is the same Ralph Morman. I have his album when he was with Joe Perry.....I talked with him several years back and he was married and seemed happy...That's all I know...You should try to get these tapes released!!!
Patty

It has been a long time since the Outcast and Mainline days. What are Ronnie, Terry and Carl doing now?

Why don't you release a new record!!! Have you played together at all lately??? I'd listen. I always loved this band..."The Outcasts"!

Hey Kathy,

Are you the Kathy Cleary I went to school with? Putnam and Blazer?

Just wanted to say, that Ronnie Gibson is my uncle, what an awesome man! He was always there for me when I was growing up. He bought me my first car, and made me promise to make good grades and to not smoke...he-he! He still loved me even when I didn't keep my end of the deal. He truly is a guitar genius. I know when that guitar was in his hand, nothing mattered!

Thanks for always being that silent stability~even today.

"He (Ronnie Gibson) truly is a guitar genius. I know that when that guitar was in his hand, nothing mattered!"

T R U T H ! ! ! !

I remember seeing and hearing Ronnie first with a group called The Kent Five that played what seemed like every Saturday night at a place called the Community Building just outside Ashland, KY.
He was so far beyond the other guys that it was a pleasure for me to see him finally playing in The Outcasts.
And I do remember the time they played as the warm-up act for Neil Diamond. It was in Neil's early days, just getting started on his own path to stardom, at the Paintsville High School gymnasium/auditorium during the local Apple Festival. He and his back-up band had their own stage set up at "mid-court" in the gymnasium with the Outcasts set up on the regular stage at the back. Even for a gymnasium, the sound was awesome!

(That band that had the horns I played in was probably "The Latest News". Ken Edmonds and Carl Hackney were in that one too.)

Hi Bill!!!! There's enough of us Outcasts alumni around that I bet we could still put a good band together!!!

Hey Al . . . if my 401k shrinks any further, I'll have to follow-up on that offer!!

I had thought how great it would be to have a "reunion" of sorts of the band members from back then.
Of course it would be great to jam, but it would also be a trip to just get reaquainted with a lot of old friends and to get aquainted with those we never really got to know.
Although the logistics and scheduling would be a nightmare, the thought of a reunion gig blows my mind!
I wonder how many of us still remember those songs from back then!

Hey Al and Ronnie, I guess you guys are partially responsible for my early musical ambitions. When I first began playing around 74-75, my parents bought me, after many hours of begging and pleading, a nice Kustom PA from Terry Childers that had APPALACHIAN MAINLINE stenciled on the back of those big black roll and pleated speaker cabinets. WOW was I lucky. I'm probably the young buck on this site but I know every name and every band.

Hi Jeff!!!
Check out the Lovin' Kind's thread, also on Garagehangover.

Howdy Jeff!
I recall your name, but I can't seem to nail you down . . . dain bramage y'know!

I wonder where all that equipment is now or if it's even still around.
I know there's an Ampeg B15N bass amp still in the tri-state area that I once owned.
It originally belonged to Frog Johnson (Westwood, KY) and had the "Froggy" engraved nameplate that lit up when you turned it on.

There was also a collection of Fender bass guitars that I sold to Larry Litteral.
One in particular that I really hated to part with was my Fender Jazz bass.
It was originally a standard clear brown fade that I refinished with black laquer and added a custom pick-guard that I cut from a Surfaris (Wipe-Out) album.

Wow, there's some treasure out there somewhere to a few of us grey-beards, eh?

Hey BJ!

Just finished reading your Jan. 19th comments on the Outcasts. Good to get a full perspective. I was good friends with Dick Hawkins and used to jam with him (I was about 12 and played drums)on my mom & dads back porch in Catlettsburg.

I played drums with the Thunderbirds from about '61 to '63. I came after Haskell, but I had met him along the way! Just this past Saturday, I talked with Eddy Gabbard who stills lives in Ashland and with Bob VanHorn who now lives in Cincinnati. I live in Chicago. Larry Hollan our bass player died about twenty years ago from stomach cancer. After the Thunderbirds, I played about a year or so with the Mustangs (pre-"Kickin Mustangs")and then joined with Dave Chinn and Teena Stephens from Ashland to form the Teena Stephens Trio. We traveled all around and did a lot of club and cocktail lounge work for a couple of years. Lots of fun and I got more into swing and jazz work.

It's good to hear that all of us in our various bands are still keeping in touch with each other. And, yes I do remember the Fugitives hearse! My best to you and yours. Dave Osborne

H I D A V E !

Hey Bill Hughes. The keyboard player was George Hayes.

It all comes back to me now.
I remember our drummer, Jamie, calling him "Hazey-poo" all the time.
He loved it . . . . NOT!
Thanks ED the mental kick-start.
Good to see you on the boards here.

hi Bill!! I stumbled onto this site while looking for Jamie as he was a very good friend during the days of Zacharia. I also from time to time sat in on jams that I believe you were involved in, could that be so? I did alot of roadie work for the band and was at Jamie's house on Prospect Ave. (with Maw Haney!) constantly back then. I was wondering if you had any info on the whereabouts of Jamie and even Denzil Smith as he too was a good friend at the time.
I also would like to say that as a young musician at the time, Mainline was a major influence on my "career", though I don't play professionally anymore, I was involved in a couple of Ashland-based punk/new wave bands in the late '70's. The site brings back fond memories for myself even from childhood as I was a neighboor of Terry Sanders and clearly remember a jam session or two high on the hill on Hilton Ave. Also, Terry Childers was a close friend of mine's brother-in law for a time and I got to know him as a nice bass player. Ashland had a lot of great talent then, Some of it should have really made---guess it's just the right place/right time thing!!! Thanx again, everyone, for all the info--it's really great!!!

Hi Bill. Why not? Just kidding... That was a great history!!! That version of the Outcasts was really cool!!! I remember seeing the band with horns!!! That was a great time. Thank you for filling in some of the history.

Hi Mike, Thank you for the kind words. I would like to know more about the The Music Department band that Dick and you were in in 1969 - 1970.

I have to agree with you that Dick Hall ,which is what I always knew him by, was one of the finest human beings that I ever knew also. He was the one who talked me into leaving the band I was already in and joining the Outcasts. If I remember correctly he wanted me to play rhythm or bass guitar but that idea didn't last long. At that time I didn't know any of the other guys in the band except for Carl Hackney who would later replace Dick. He was several years older than the rest of us and seemed to always be looking out for our best interest. I remember he would always make sure we got paid even if he had to make up some of the money himself. Dick was always the same friendly person through all the years that I knew him and it was really a sad day when Terry Lowe informed me that he had died I believe of a heart attack. Does anyone know what ever happened to his wife ? Anytime I ran into Dick over the years he would alway take time to have a long conversation with me with that same smile on his face and warm personality.
I remember when Dick worked at Mack & Daves which I believe was all the years that I was in the Outcasts. I bought the first Marshall Plexi amp there and as far as I know it was the first and maybe the only one in the tri-state area for quite a while. That amp now would be worth at least 10 grand. I also bought the first Vox wah-wah pedal in the area there which turned out to be the same one Clapton and Henrix was using. If there was any new equpiment to come on the scene Mack & Daves seemed to have it and Dick made sure I got to try it out. I wish he was still around so we could play some music together again and I really miss him.

First of all I would like to say hello to Al, Larry and all of the other great musicians from the Ashland area. I stumbled upon this site by accident & it brings back a lot of good memories.
I was a kid about 13-14 when Dick started dating one of my sisters. He had just returned to the area from Seattle and was working as a fireman at Wright Patterson Air Base in Dayton. He lived with his grandmother in Cattletsburg & had always said he was the son of the late Country Star Hawkshaw Hawkins. If you look at pictures of Hawkshaw there is no denying the genes there! He would come home on weekends and visit my sister for hours & bring his guitars. I became fascinated with his instruments so he would leave them there for me to play till the next weekend. He had a Gibson Hummingbird and a Gibson ES-335 and a Silvertone transistor amp with 6-10in speakers. He drew some chord patterns for me & basically got me started playing music! I finally bought a $20 Stella guitar and one weekend he brought me a DeArmond acoutic pickup & small amp he purchased & now I was electric! Dick was like a big brother to me & when he and my sister split up I think I was more devasted than either of them. I remember before the Outcasts he had a group called That Bunch that played downtown at the Moonlight Garden. I remember Ray Siever on organ & Carl Hackney on bass/guitar. I remember Carl playing guitar on Devil with a Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly & tearing it up! I eventually had my own "garage band" & we would always go to the armory dances to see the Outcasts.... not to dance but to marvel at the musicianship, not to mention the cool strobe light show & those huge Kustom Amps, & Dick using a Hagstrom 8string with two Ampegs was just too much! Those were good times! I eventually played with several bands & musicians in the area, the last of which was the Soul Expedition, before moving to Lexington in '73. Not to sound like Esteban, but one of the greatests gifts is the gift of music... and I OWE my gift to Dick Hawkins!

Hey Joey---wasn' the Cryin' Shame another band with similar guys in it. And I seem to recall a Zildjin unwinding at a gig at Coles---was that you? And a kid named Damron on bass? that's way back!!!

From this Outcast to all the other Outcasts and our fans, a Happy, Healthy and Properous New Year!

Shine On you Crazy Diamonds!

Hi Bill!! Glad you're still involved with this thread!!!

Remember your great band from dances at the Greenup Youth Center, Ashland Armory, and all around the Tri-State area. Those were the days!
Tom

Lugging the equipment up and down those rickety stairs!
But I loved playing there . . . the kids always gave The Outcasts a great reception.

Hellen, actually the shirt was blue and I only wore it a couple of times. Trying to look "Mod" I guess. The guitar I was holding belonged to Dick. The guitar I always played was a Les Paul (SG) which I've had since I was 12 years old. Your memory can't be very bad if you can remember Hastles Castles. I see your brother Carl every week or two. I have several recordings we've made over the last few years. I'll tell him I saw your post on here.

I remember so clearly those days at the Community Center (Kent 5) and that Gibson SG that you could MAKE TALK!
I was always amazed at your 6-string prowess, that's a fact.
It'd be a pleasure to sit down and back you with some good ol' 60's style bass playing.
Maybe some day, eh?
Also remember Jerry Fowler . . . reminded me of a minature Mitch Ryder he did!

Hi Helen. It's good to hear from you. Wow, Hassles Castles!!! One of many wonderful Peter Gallway songs originally recorded in 1966 by his group The Strangers!!! Truly one of the great American songwriters.

Hey thanks you guys for giving me a comment back...my youngest son plays bass and keyboards...he has opened for Merle Haggard, The Dixie Chicks, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band,also played onstage with Lynnard Skynnard...his present band just came out with 2 CD's...(not country...lol)sorry...just bragging on my child...I tried to find you two on Facebook...I am there and on tagged.com too...You know,having an Outcast Reunion is a great idea...let me know cause I wanna be there!

Hey Greg!!! We should talk!!! Thanks for the kind remarks. Are you sure we're not related???

GREG! So great to hear from you again!
Those days with The Outcasts, Latest News and all the other bands I've played in will always be my "glory days". I remember hearing about you guys coming back home from Miami, FL and driving out to the outskirts of Grayson on I-64 to greet you on the way in. And staying up all hours of the night in Ken Edmond's garage doing a "Latest News" paint job on Keith McComas' van. I'm deffo up for a reunion of ANY type. It'd be great to have a bunch of us together again!

Look me up on Facebook (isn't that where most everybody is nowadays??).

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1006357675

This is great. All the Ashland area bands. I started with GC(Borst) and the Knight Riders which later became the Five Reasons and then the Dramatic Era. I went to the Avengers with Bill Hughes, Walter Hill, Homer Delawder, Mike Dingus Kenny Oliver( after Randy the Worm Lemaster) and Mike Meek. We later became a hard soul band adding Sammy Potter on bass, Harold(Tim) Pleasant vocals, Dan Mclemore guitar, Rodney Chapman trumpet, Steve Steel trombone and Dave Mcwhorter on drums. We later evolved to a Chicago, Blood Sweat and Tears, R & B band which later became known as just the Expedition. Were were under good ole Hal Scott also. We all took off to work or college and broke uo around 1971. I really think we could have gone somewhere, but we had to eat. Good to see Dan Mclemore on here. He could play Santana like nobody I ever heard from the area. He also did a great Steven Still ie OHIO. I have an old 8 track of the band recorded in the old Greenup high school band room. I am going to try to get it converted to a disc and maybe upload a song or two on here. And Ralph Mormon, he stole my girl friend, Leann Edison. Ha Ha.

Those were some great days back then . . . I'll always keep them near and dear!
And, as I've heard, Ralph may have attracted a few boy friends too . . . but that's just hearsay. :o)

Hi Glenn! Wow.. great to hear from you! Thanks for the comps!! I always thought you were an amazing sax man & I hope you are still playing. We had some great times playing in the Expedition. I go back sometimes & listen to our old tape we made. We were getting really tight right before we broke up. It is a shame but life goes on. Sam Potter had an incredible voice for the music we did. I see Dave McWhorter from time to time here in Lexington & he still has the master tape. Where are you living now? We should get together for drinks sometime! Maybe we could put together an Expedition reunion jam sometime. I still remember some of the song list.

Take care
Dan