1046 – Bob Haydon – “Suzanne” / “Gonna Go (Gonna Leave Ya)” (both written by Bob Haydon; July 1, 1964) 1047 – Abby Anderson – “(We Were) Sittin’ in the Balcony” (Lewis Lindsey) / “My Love” 1048 – Lewis Lindsey – “Girls Always Break My Heart” / T”he Promise” (written and arranged by L. Lindsey) 1049 – Jimmy Rabbit with Ron and Dea – “Pushover” / “Wait and See” 1050 – The Knights – “Stay” / “I Know It Now” (both by B. Kissell) 1051 – ? 1052 – Jimmy Rabbit – “Wishy-Washy Woman” / “My Girl” (both by Ron Price, arranged by Bob Rambo)
4121-31 – The Knights – “Only You Hold the Answer” (Dick and Bob Kisslle [sic]) / “Walkin’ The Streets” (Bob Kisslle [sic]) published by Pinent Music, BMI and recorded at Dayson Studio in East Syracuse, NY
Any help with additions or corrections to this discography would be appreciated.
Bob Sanders ran the Knight and Spectra labels, among others, during the mid-’60s in Dallas, Texas. The two Jimmy Rabbit singles are probably the best, though I haven’t heard the Abby Anderson 45, described as doo wop.
See the earlier articles on this site for more on Jimmy Rabbit, the Mystics (on Spectra) and the Knights.
Bob Haydon had the first 45 that I know of on Knight, released in mid-1964. “Suzanne” never made much impression on me, but “Gonna Go (Gonna Leave Ya)” has an easy mix of country and pop sounds.
Lewis Lindsey was either co-owner or had some position with the label. Jimmy Rabbit called the Knight label’s studio “Sand-Lin”, though I haven’t seen that name cited by anyone else.
Lindsey co-wrote “Sittin’ in the Balcony” for Abby Anderson, and co-wrote both sides of the Jimmy Rabbit 45, as well as being in Rabbit’s band at the time. For his own Knight single Lindsey wrote and arranged “The Promise”, a pop number with big production. Lewis Lindsey had another release on Vandan VR-7742, “Wish It Could Be Me” / “Is It Love” that I haven’t heard.
All of the above except the second Knights 45 (4121-31) produced by Bob Sanders with publishing by Fieldcrest Music, BMI, often the credits say “An Empire Production”. I would assume the Knights “Only You Hold the Answer” was their own production back in New York, however the logo is exact and their names are misspelled on the song writing credits.
There’s no connection to the Tampa, Florida Knight label that released 45s by the Tropics, Mods and Outsiders or the Wilmington, Delaware label with a release by the Spectrums, “I’ll Never Fear” (D. Stewart) / “Wine, Wine, Wine” recorded at Ken-Del Studios, or the Schenectady, NY label.
Many thanks to Brian Kirschenbaum for alerting me to the Knights 45, and to Tommy “MrTeenSwe” for his help with the Lewis Lindsey 45 info.
Jon Adair of the Ramrods and Mike from the Alabama Record Collectors Association wrote this history of the band, reprinted with permission. If anyone has a good scan of the Queen 45 or transfers of missing songs, please contact us.
The year was 1959. Five guys from Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, Joe Lackey (lead guitar and vocals) Butch Fadely (piano), Jim McCulla (drums) and Larry Wooten (rhythm guitar) had gotten together and decided to form a band of their own. Jon Adair, who was a friend of Joe’s, had already been in two bands, ‘The Teen Beats’ and the ‘The Ray Royster Combo.’ None of the other guys had ever played in bands. Of course, all of them were in their mid-teens, 13 to 15 years old.
Joe asked Jon to come and sit in with them at a practice, which he did, playing rhythm guitar. Later, Joe and the other guys went to Jon’s house and asked him to join the band. When Jon joined, the rhythm guitar player, Wooten, was sick and couldn’t make the first gig, so Jon played rhythm alone. When Wooten returned, both he and Jon played rhythm, which the band really didn’t need two of, but the band had no bass player, which it did need, so they asked Jon to play the bass. He knew nothing about the bass and told them he definitely could not afford to buy another guitar, but wanting to be in the band, Jon compromised. He removed the two high strings from his 6-string electric and tuned the remaining four strings down one octave. It worked well enough to get by. In fact, this is what was used later on their first record, “Fire Tower.” This is how they played until Wooten left the band and Jon moved permanently to rhythm. It was also about this time that Butch Fadely left the band to join the Army.
The band took the name, the Ramrods, from the Duane Eddy tune and even adopted that song as their opening number on every show.
There were not many local bands around at this time. The Roulettes, the Premiers, The Epics and now the Ramrods were just a very few. That, of course, would soon change, especially after the Beatles hit America in 1964. Bands began to pop up everywhere, but, for now, the Ramrods and these other few had a corner on the market.
Many member changes would soon take place in the Ramrods, including adding Paul Newman on vocals. The Ramrods also decided to add a saxophone player, so Ronnie Eades joined the band. Ronnie would later move to Muscle Shoals and become a prominent member of the Muscle Shoals Sound as a session musician.
In 1961, a friend of a friend of a friend, met the Ramrods and wanted to record them. He, Wayne Bright, owned a recording studio in Muscle Shoals, “Bright Records.” The band agreed and laid down two tracks, “Fire Tower,” written by Paul Newman and “Sittin’ Alone,” written by Jon Adair. When the record was pressed, it had mistakenly listed the band as ‘Paul Newman and the Ramrod Combo’ instead of ‘The Ramrods.’
They soon followed with their second record, “Slee-zee,” b/w “Slouch-ee,” both written by Joe Lackey. These were recorded at Homer Milan’s studio at 1st Avenue and 20th Street in Birmingham in 1962. It was released on Queen Records, which was a subsidiary of King Records.
Member changes continued with the addition of Fred Guarino on drums, Johnny Mulkey on lead guitar, Frank Bethea on bass, Bubba Lathem on piano, Durwood Bright on sax and Dwight Anderson on sax. Bright would later play with the Townsmen and Anderson with the Tikis.
In 1963, the Ramrods went into Baldwin Recording Studio in Woodlawn, which they did quite often after shows to record various tunes. On this trip, they recorded two original songs, written by John Mulkey, “Night Ride” and “Moonlight Surf,” both surf sounding instrumentals. They took the tracks to Rick Hall, who ran Fame Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals. He liked them and agreed to press the songs. The band had thought that their songs would be on the Fame label, which, although still a local label, was fairly well known. However, Rick was starting a new label, R and H, and released the Ramrods on it. Theirs was the first record on this label, the label number being RH-1001. This was an obvious disappointment to the band not to have been on Fame, but Hall had done a good job of mixing and producing the record and the band was happy with the result.
“Night Ride” started as a ‘Pick Hit’ on WSGN in Birmingham in 1963, but soon made it to WSGN’s Top 40 where it remained for thirteen weeks, reaching as high as #5.
During the band’s tenure, they toured all over the southeast, playing the college circuit and other venues and either opened for or backed up major national artists. A short list includes Del Shannon, the Four Seasons, Arthur Alexander, Tommy Roe, Chris Montez, Roy Orbison and Charlie Rich, but there were many, many more.
Also during this time, they had played shows with another Alabama band, the Webs, from Dothan. One member of the Webs was a guy named Bobby Goldsboro. By 1963, the Webs were traveling with Roy Orbison as his backing band, which had been arranged by another Dothan guy, Buddy Buie. Of course, Buddy was becoming a well-known songwriter and record producer. He had also become Orbison’s tour manager as a bonus for getting the Webs with Roy.
Jon Adair remembers fondly one concert both groups played together at the Cloud Room (Cascade Plunge) in Birmingham. After the show was over and the band was putting their instruments in the car, Bobby took out his acoustic guitar, sat on the hood of a car and told the guys that he was working on a song which he hoped to record as a solo.
He played “See the Funny Little Clown,” written by Bobby. A short time later, it became Bobby’s break-out solo hit and reached #9 on Billboard in early 1964. Bobby was now a solo artist with many hits to follow.
By the time 1964 rolled around, the Ramrods had been together for almost five years. Only Jon Adair and Joe Lackey remained as the nucleus of the original band from 1959. Jon had joined the Navy on a deferred enlistment program as a senor in high school and when he graduated in 1963 had to go straight to boot camp. However, when he completed it, he returned home where he rejoined the band. In April of 1964, the Navy called him to active duty. It was only a few months later that the Ramrods decided to disband.
What had actually happened was that the Webs, minus Bobby Goldsboro, were now touring with Roy Orbison as his backing band. Roy renamed them the Candymen, after his song title, “Candy Man.” The Candymen would later form the nucleus of the Classics IV and then the Atlanta Rhythm Section. In late 1964, Buddy Buie, who was Roy’s tour manager, was itching to form a new band, one to help showcase his songs. He took three members of the Ramrods (Guarino, Mulkey and Latham) and members of the Webs, including Wilbur Walton and Jimmy Dean and formed the James Gang. They made several records, mostly written by Buddy, but their biggest song was “Georgia Pines,” co-written by Buie. This song was also recorded by the Candymen. Their version peaked at #81 on Billboard, but the James Gang version received more regional airplay.
As for the remaining members of the Ramrods, after finishing his stint in the Navy, Jon went into the business world, as did Joe Lackey and Frank Bethea. Other members, as already mentioned, played in various local bands for a while.
Sadly, we have lost a few of these guys over the years, Joe Lackey, Harry Looney and Fred Guarino. Who knows, maybe one day there will be a reunion of the remaining members.
The Ramrods can really be considered one of the pioneer bands in the Birmingham area, one who inspired many other young musicians who also began to form bands and become prominent artists in their own right.
from left: Kent Klinkenbeard, Dennis Chitwood, Frank McCaslin and Bill Leach Location is possibly Hedrick Junior High, Medford
“Denny and the All Americans was pre-Us Kids. I believe that was the time we opened for Gary Lewis and the Playboys.”Dennis Chitwood – rhythm guitar, vocals Bill Leach – lead guitar Frank McCaslin – bass Kent Klinkenbeard – drums
I’m constantly amazed at the quality of rock ‘n roll cut by young teens during the mid-’60s. Billy and the Kids from Washington state is one example, another is Us Kids from Medford, in southern Oregon.
They recorded their single at Rex Recording Service in Portland, both songs written by their vocalist Dennis Chitwood. “Check-Out” is a great A-side, with tough lyrics from a thirteen year old boy:
You’re thinking the smiles they gave you were because you’re pretty Well the smiles you got were actually out of pity!
Dennis Chitwood, Frank McCaslin and Bill Leach at Rex Studios, PortlandI recently spoke to Bill Pitts, who was known as Bill Leach when he played lead guitar for the group:
We were very young at the time. When we made the record, I was the oldest by a month or two and I was 14. The singer, Dennis Chitwood would have been 12 or 13.
We met through word of mouth in those days. Somebody told somebody that I played guitar or that Kurt played drums. Just good old fashion networking. Then we would have “try-outs” to fill or change a spot. Dennis played the Fender and I the Rickenbacker.
In actual fact, “I Love The Rain” was the chart song or “A” side. I have two original copies of those “K-Boy Top 25 Pop” charts. August 19, 1966 – #19; August 26, 1966 – #3 (#1 was the Beatles, #2 was Tommy Roe so I guess you could call that “good company”).
We saved our money and our parents helped pay for the session. If memory serves, it was around $200.00 each. I’m not sure who searched out Rex, most likely Chitwood’s parents. I do remember how excited we all were to travel to the studio (Portland). I remember vividly how nervous I was when the “Recording” light came on over the sound control booth. I remember sitting around the control room with the engineer, listening to the final cut and us giving our approval.
Our biggest gig (in my mind) was opening for Gary Lewis and The Playboys. As I recall, that’s the only time we played the Medford Armory (which was the only large auditorium in the day). I have pictures of us playing in (I believe) a battle of the bands at the Medford Shopping Center parking lot. These venues happened once a year to a very large turn-out.
Us Kids on local TV
The pic of us on TV was taken of us on the show Woman’s World. It was local interest type programming. We also did a short interview and, I believe, announced some news and the weather on our local rock station of the day, KBOY AM.
“I Love the Rain” reaches #3 on KBOY’s Top 25, August 26, 1966
At that point, our parents managed us. We were happy to just play music but our parents got involved (we were very young remember) and agendas won out. Ultimately what broke us up. A shame, as we were starting to draw some interest.I just found out that Dennis Chitwood has passed, I believe last year. I did hear a great blues band in Jacksonville while visiting once. Entered the bar and saw my old friend Kent Klinkenbeard still playing drums. Damn good too. Not sure where the others ended up. I played rock for a few more years and ended up trading my electric in for a Lyle “Dove” twelve string and went all Simon and Garfunkel. Now I pluck through Jimmy Buffet and some mild country.
It was a magical time. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world!
Bill (Leach) Pitts
Special thanks to Bill for sending in these great photos and for answering my questions about the band.
from left: Kent Klinkenbeard, Dennis Chitwood, Frank McCaslin and Bill Leach Location is likely Happy Camp, California“I Love the Rain” enters KBOY’s Top 25 at #19, August 19, 1966
Note upcoming show listed at bottom of flyer: The Blue Boys (should be the Boys Blue) from Sacramento with the Nervous Navarros.The Navarros were from Ashland and cut “Tomorrow Is Another Day” / “Sad Man” at Golden State Recorders around this time. That went unreleased until many years later, but there’s an earlier 45 I haven’t heard on the Corby label from Corvallis, “Ikie”.
Bob Sanders ran the Knight and Spectra labels, among others, during the mid-’60s in Dallas, Texas.
The Knights 45 was completely unfamiliar to me until Brian Kirschenbaum wrote to me with the scan and transfers of the record. He was surprised to find a Texas 45 had made its way to upstate New York. It’s an interesting single, very much influenced by the British sounds of the time in changes and feel, especially on “I Know It Now”. Bob Kissell wrote both sides.
I had no information on the group until a couple comments were left (see below). As it turns out, this band made an unlikely journey from upstate New York to work in Dallas, Texas. In Watertown they were known as Dick and the Knights.
I’ll repeat most of Dick Kissell’s comment here:
The group consisted of Chuck Martuzas, bass (now deceased); Bob Lawlor, drums; Bob Kissell, lead guitar; and myself on rhythm guitar. The vocals were done by Bob and myself.
On a whim, we went to Dallas in the fall of 1964 because we had a friend down there who said he might be able to help us find some local clubs needing bands. We started out at a place called The Haunted House Club then moved on to the Disc-A Go Go and eventually LouAnns. We became house band at LouAnns.
Lewis Lindsey played the organ part on the “Stay” side. A guy named Bill Petty was friends with Lewis Lindsey and was also part owner in the Haunted House club; that’s how we got the recording deal. Only 300 copies were pressed. Later the following year, we became friends with The 5 Americans and played around Dallas for awhile until returning home.
Dick Kissell added in an email to me:
The single “Only You Hold The Answer” was a regional hit for us around 1967. My brother Bob Kissell wrote the melody while I wrote the lyrics. He plays (blues) around the Daytona Florida area in the winter, and then comes home and plays here (Watertown, NY) summers.
The Knights second single, “Only You Hold the Answer” b/w “Walkin’ The Streets” may have been their own production with no involvement from Bob Sanders of Knight Records in Dallas. The labels credit their last name as Kisslle (sic). The single had publishing by Pinent Music, BMI and the band recorded it at Dayson Studio in East Syracuse, NY.
Many thanks to Brian Kirschenbaum for alerting me to the Knights 45 and to retrogirl86 for the info in her comment.
The Teen-Beets, from left: Ken McGee, John McGee, George Samaras and Paul Doby
The Teen-Beets of Winston-Salem, North Carolina released four fine records, the first three featuring original songs by vocalist and guitarist John McGee along with covers of Barbara Lynn’s “Oh Baby”.
George Samaras sent in these cool photos and clippings and told me about the group:
The band was formed in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at the end of 1964. The original line-up consisted of two brothers, John McGee (lead guitar & lead vocals) and Ken McKee (rhythm guitar & lead vocals). The two other band members were Paul Doby (bass guitar) and me – George Samaras (drums).
By the summer of ’65 we had recorded our first record at Arthur Smith’s studio in Charlotte, NC (“I Guess That’s Why You’re Mine” / “Not In Love With Me”) and released it on our own label, Chain Records. It received considerable local air play and reached #20 on one of the local radio stations top 40 list. Around this time we all dyed our hair bright red (as in Teen “Beets”) to attract attention. It worked!
Our second local release (“I Should Wait” / “Oh Baby”) was also recorded at Arthur Smith’s studio and released on Chain Records. Although it received considerable local air play it did not chart.
Winston-Salem Journal, June 19, 1965, with hair stylist Bobby Todd
We stuck with the bright red hair and high energy stage shows achieving local notoriety. We also had a change in the band membership. Paul, our bass player, was replaced by Stan Ratcliffe.
In early ’66 we traveled to Nashville, Tenn. and re-recorded “Not In Love With Me” and “I Should Wait” in Fred Foster’s Sound Studio for Tree Publishing Company. It was released on Dial Records under the name the “Beets” but quickly faded into obscurity.
Opening for Roger Miller at Memorial ColiseumParamount booking Promo photo
Soon afterwards, management of the group was taken over by Pete Berry – a local DJ and program director better known as the Flying Dutchman. Under Dutch’s guidance we got rid of the red hair and changed our name to the “Words of Luv” and returned to the studio to record “I’d Have To Be Outta My Mind” / Tomorrow’s A Long Time”.
Dutch was able to get us signed with a booking agency in Washington, D.C. and also with Hickory Records for a four record deal. We went on the road playing up and down the east coast. Hickory Records released “I Have To Be Outta My Mind”. While the record received good reviews in Cashbox and Billboard magazines, it only received limited air play on the national scene.
In order to earn a living, Paramount kept us booked steady in real night clubs (usually a week or two at a time) which gave a break from doing one nighters all the time. Also, we would occasionally back up some of Paramount’s fading stars. We worked with Little Eva a few times, she had a national hit called “The Locomotion” about five years prior to that time. Whenever we were with her we were the Locomotives. Also, with Jimmy Jones a couple of times. Jimmy had two national hits a few years before that – “Handyman” was his first and then “Good Timing”. With Jimmy we were the Handymen.
The promotion picture of the “Words of Luv” has the name of the band misspelled – “Love” instead “Luv”. It was the printer’s mistake and Paramount Artists made them redo the entire order. Mistakes seemed to follow us around. When Hickory Records did the initial pressing of promotion copies for “I’d Have To Be Outta My Mind” they accidently put the plug side star on the flip side and starting sending it out to radio stations before they caught their mistake. Because of this, they had to do another promo pressing and start sending it out again.
Promo sheet showing later member “Fab” Foltz
We didn’t get all the way up to Montreal. We only toured on the U.S. side of the border and the closest we played to Canada was upstate New York. As I recall, the very first gig booked through Paramount Artists was in Massena, New York (right on the Canadian border). We traveled extensively up and down the eastern seaboard (north and south), but only as far north as New York. I guess “Montreal to Miami” just sounded good to whoever wrote that promo sheet. However, we did go just about everywhere in-between.
We did a few TV shows: Some local shows in North Carolina, a show called ‘Wing Ding” in Washington, D.C. and a syndicated show (taped in Maryland) called the “Kirby Scott Show”. We also played a lot of teenage night clubs, dances and auditorium shows.
We had a fifth band member for a short period of time on the road. His name was Doug Foltz (nick name: Fab). Fab played electric piano and also sang lead.
By the early Fall of 1967 the road was taking its toll and the band broke-up. Although we had recorded a few more songs, due to the band’s break-up, they were never released. They were independently produced by Flying Dutchman Enterprises and I don’t know whether or not they were ever turned over to Hickory Records. I’m sure those master tapes are long gone by now.
“I’d Have To Be Outta My Mind” was re-mastered and put on Garage Beat ’66 Vol. 1 three or four years ago. It was a CD released by Sundazed Records. Our local releases were put on Tobacco a Go Go (Blue Mold Records) several years back.
Even though I later played in a few other road bands, and still occasionally play locally on weekends, my fondest memories will always be of the Teenbeets.
One more thing – I came across an interview that Ken Friedman of Tobacco A Go Go did a little while back. He was relating the story of the Teenbeets as one of his favorite garage band stories. In the interview Ken said he had met one of the former band members back in the 1980’s and that person was now a Moravian minister after finding religion on the battlefield in Viet Nam. Ken misidentified that person as the drummer. In actuality it was Paul (our original bass player).
George Samaras Review of Hickory 45 in Cash Box
Paramount booking cardback of Paramount booking card
Keith Kessler’s “Don’t Crowd Me” is an anthem to garage-punk fans, with a sound to match the intensity of the lyrics: “Inside looking out, got no place to shout … I’m locked inside this place, problems I can’t face, I’m getting out breaking free … don’t crowd me! / My soul is cramped and bare, there’s freedom I can’t share … my independence crushed, don’t crowd me, give me air, give me time …”
Keith Kessler recorded “Don’t Crowd Me” at Kearney Barton’s Audio Recording Studio at 2227 5th Avenue in Seattle in 1966, using musicians from Keith’s group, the Impulses.
The Impulses formed in Bellevue (just across Lake Washington from Seattle) in 1964 and included Michael Elliot on lead guitar, Jack Joseph on rhythm, Keith on keyboards and vocals, Jim Simmons on bass and Lew McCall on drums. After the session for “Don’t Crowd Me”, Doug Holloway replaced Lew on drums. The Impulses split around 1967 and Keith joined Calliope for a time but left before they signed to Buddah.
“Don’t Crowd Me” wouldn’t be released for two years, and it was only with some luck that it was issued at all.
During the summer of 1968, Mike Wing, a Bellevue musician and aspiring record producer, liked one of Keith’s original songs “Sunshine Morning” enough to set up a publishing company and finance the recording, pressing and promotion of the record. Keith’s 1966 recording “Don’t Crowd Me” filled in for the b-side, and they released the record and sleeve in August. “Sunshine Morning” didn’t hit, but “Don’t Crowd Me” deserves to be ranked among the top examples of the tough Pacific Northwest sound.
My friend and fellow record collector Gregor Kessler (no relation to Keith) asked Keith about this record and his career in music:
I wrote “Don’t Crowd Me” back in 1966 during a period of general turmoil. Vietnam War. Seemingly mindless, rigid authority by government. Suffocation. A need for freedom of thought and action. Dissatisfaction. Frustration.
That was the backdrop.
Although I was with the Impulses at the time, this was never an Impulses song. We did play it at some of our gigs, but the late 60s and early 70s dance styles made it difficult to dance to.
Guitar on “Don’t Crowd Me” was Mike Elliott (also in the Impulses). I let him go wild on his solo in the middle of the song. My last contact with him was many years ago when he was a studio musician in Los Angeles.
Jim Simmons was on bass (also in the Impulses). He was respected for a creative, rapid walking movement. Although he wasn’t James Jamerson, he was very likely the best in Seattle.
My brother Kent sang back-up. We’d sung together throughout our youth. He wrote a number of songs that I always felt would be hits if he pushed them.
Both Kent and I recorded at the MTW studio (Mike Wing), along with Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. They obviously made the most of their talent.
The sleeve: “Sunshine Morning” was intended as the “A” side – sort of a Young Rascals light-weight, mellow 60s song. So the photo was taken at Golden Gardens State Park in Seattle to suggest waking up and enjoying a new morning. Although it was covered by two bands on separate recordings, it was basically not that exciting and lacked traction.
The “B” side – “Don’t Crowd Me” – got the airplay and, oddly, was popular with late Boomers and early GenXers. It was included (without permission) on a number of punk rock albums. Only one group – The Flying Saucers – asked for permission to record it. When I said “Of course”, they told me that there were at least 15 versions recorded by different bands across the country, and they sent me a tape with several versions. I have kept that very interesting tape, as wells as the Flying Saucers’ vinyl 45 version.
What caused the break-up of the Impulses? It’s incredibly difficult to keep musicians together. I was offered an opportunity to work with a newly forming band of the top musicians in the Pacific Northwest. Each of them had been with a band that had successful records. They were all extremely talented, and it was an amazing experience. The band – Calliope – worked day and night while I was trying to also attend college and raise a family. Ultimately, I left and was replaced by Danny O’Keefe who later had a popular hit – “Good-time Charlie’s Got the Blues”.
For what it’s worth, I chose law school over rock-n-roll, and am a trial attorney today. But in the process, I became addicted once again to playing rock music, and ended up doing a lot of writing, working with exceptional musicians from Alaska. We made no recordings, but, given their incredible talent, I thoroughly enjoyed the year that we spent together. Ultimately, as expected of musicians, we exploded, and most of them returned to Alaska.
Keith Kessler, September 2010
Mike Wing added this history in consultation with the Kessler brothers:
“Sunshine Morning” was recorded in June 1968 at Audio Recording’s 5th Avenue studio in Seattle, with engineer Kearney Barton at the controls and me in the producer’s chair. The musicians on the session were:
Keith Kessler – vocal, keyboards, songwriter, named artist Kent Kessler – backing vocal, keyboards, chimes Jack Joseph – bass, trumpet, arranger Doug Holloway – drums Leonard Olive – violin
We pressed up copies of the record with a photo sleeve and sent them to every music-oriented radio station in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. We got airplay on a number of the smaller stations, but unfortunately not in the larger markets like Seattle, Portland or Spokane.
The promo guy at a Seattle record wholesaler liked the record and pitched it to his contacts at RCA Records. I followed up with them a number of times hoping to work out a master licensing deal, but they eventually backed out citing the lack of major market airplay.
Meanwhile, a contact in London pitched the record to the Beatles’ newly formed Apple label. I was hoping for a master licensing deal for the UK or Europe. But to my surprise they asked about a publishing deal for the record’s flip side, “Don’t Crowd Me,” for possible use by their new group known as Badfinger. [Cool!!] Unfortunately, the deal never came together.
“Don’t Crowd Me,” was recorded at Audio Recording by Keith and his band at the time, the Impulses, in 1966. I was not involved with that session. Years later it was discovered as a punk/garage classic, but by that time neither Keith nor I were involved in the music business. I’ve always felt honored by the underground popularity of the track even though my involvement was limited to picking it as a flip side.
While there have been a number of cover recordings of “Don’t Crowd Me,” there is only one cover of “Sunshine Morning” that I am aware of. That was by New Era on their Observation album (the track can be found on YouTube).
Notes by Mike “MTW” Wing, January 2015.
Thanks to Keith Kessler and his brother Kent, and to Gregor for bringing this article together.
“We kicked out the horn players and went psychedelic” – The Omen and Their Luv, 1967 Front: Don McGlamery and Jeff Neighbors, back: Bill McClain, Bruce Hopper and Tommy Stuart
Omen and Their Luv released one of the best singles from Alabama during the ’60s. “Maybe Later” sounds fantastic – Tippy Armstrong’s buzzing guitar is all over the song while Tommy Stuart sings his too-cool-for-you lyrics. I especially dig the way he wails the end of each chorus:
Ain’t gonna get me in church You try all you like, but it ain’t gonna work. Not gonna go downtown I’m staying out here where no pictures around
Gotta know you better baby, And if I like you, well, maybe later!
Won’t thread the needle baby Don’t wear your shoes and I think you’re crazy Gonna be a cold day in June Leave me alone I’m going to finish my tune
Need to know you better baby, And if I like you, well, maybe later!
Need some time to think about it baby And if I think real hard, well, maybe later!
Won’t pick flowers in the rain Leave me alone and I’ll go back where I came, I see a lot of things I need And I need your love, but just as long as it’s free
Need some time to think about it baby And if I think real hard, well, maybe later!
If “Need Some Sunshine” doesn’t catch you at first, wait until 1:22 into the song, when it shifts into a different time signature and, thanks to some eerie backing vocals, a whole other realm.
Bruce Hopper wrote to me about the group, and also sent some unreleased songs, including the fantastic “Another Girl” from the same sessions that produced “Maybe Later”. I’m including an excerpt of the songs here, in the hope that they can receive a proper release at some time in the near future.
I am the founder and former bass player for the Omen and Their Luv. I formed the O-men in 1966 with Fred Deloach. We were originally a 60’s white soul group with horns. The original lineup was myself on bass, Fred Deloach vocals and sax, Mike Hatchett on drums, David Popp on trumpet, Billy McClain on guitar and John Purdue on keyboards.
Labels spell Tommy’s name “Tommy Stewart”
We went into the studio in the fall of ’66 and cut a six song demo tape: “Hold on I’m Coming”, “Hungry”, “Steppin’ Stone”, “Wooly Bully” (we were the opening act for Sam the Sham when he played Tuscaloosa), also two originals, “You” and “Hurry on Back” written by me and Fred Deloach. This tape was done at Boutwell’s “church” studio with Ed Boutwell doing the engineering. Boutwell Studios located in Birmingham was the only decent studio in central Alabama that recorded rock’n’roll. This tape I presented to Duane Allman (who liked it) and to Steve Caldwell of the Swinging Medallions / Pieces of Eight, whose dad, Earl Caldwell owned several clubs in Panama City Beach, Fl. This demo landed us a gig in Panama City working for Earl.The O-men would play a jam session at the Beach Party every day from 2-4. We would then open for the “Pieces of Eight ” at 8pm and do a set. They did a set and we would come back on at 10 for a set. Then we had one hour off to get down beach to the Cork & Bottle Club (later renamed the Red Rooster) for our regular gig of playing from midnight to 5am! This was our work schedule seven days a week for two months straight.
We added Tommy Stuart right before we started this gig. He had just left the Rubber Band after they had a hit with “Let Love Come Between Us” that Johnny Wyker wrote (later with Sail Cat). Tommy played sax, sang and played keyboards. Due to band stress, Fred left the band half way through the summer.
When we got back to Tuscaloosa, Mike brought Jimi Hendrix’s first album to practice and that changed everything. We switched from white soul to psychedelic rock. David Popp left on trumpet.
Because of the change to harder rock, we changed the name to The Omen and Their Luv. Hatchet moved to Atlanta and we brought in Jeff Neighbors on drums. We also added Don McGlamery on rhythm guitar and sax. This was the lineup in the pic by the gas pump.
We went into the studio in the fall of 1967 to record four of Tommy’s songs. Again we recorded at Boutwell’s Studio. Tommy Stuart wrote “Maybe Later” and sang lead vocals. We snuck some young girls in to sing backup, but their parents would never let them tour with us.
We brought in Tippy Armstong (later a studio musician in Muscle Shoals) to play lead guitar on all four songs. Since Tippy came to the session, Eddie Hinton (Muscle Shoals session man) showed up to visit and started telling Ed Boutwell how to mix. Boutwell got pissed and told Eddie to mix it. So “Maybe Later” ended up with some top notch studio guys helping us out.
I met David Keller when he was playing with The Preachers in 1967. After the Preachers, David had a booking agency that he ran out of Montevallo where he had attended college. He was wanting to expand into booking and producing and club ownership. He liked our tape and we were the first band he booked onto his Daisy label. “Maybe Later” was the A side and “Need Some Sunshine” was the B side. The record sales had minimal success, but the airplay led to great crowds at gigs promoted by Keller.
“Good Man” which was to be our next single, but it never happened under David Keller. “Another Girl” was to be the “B” side of our next release.
He had a group of bands that included the Omen, The Outer Mongolian Herd and W.C. Doan and Co. that he booked. For a short while he opened a recording studio on 15th St. in Tuscaloosa where some of his bands recorded. He also started a club in Panama City in June of 1968 called the Head Shop. We were the opening act. For two weeks we played as The Omen and Their Luv, then we would play for two weeks as the Preachers doing their hit song “Inspiration”. Fun times.
David countined to book us across the South for at least a year. He also had the Shingaling Club in Selma, AL. We played there every Saturday night for at least six months until one night we let some black musicians sit in with us. The next Saturday we showed up and the Sheriff had put a pad lock on the door with a sign reading “Closed until further notice by order of the Sheriff of Dallas County”. Selma 1968!
Omen and Their Luv, 1968, from left: Tommy Stuart, Mike Thornton, Jeff Neighbors and Bruce HopperThe Rubber Band 45 from 1970 featuring the last Omen lineup of Tommy Stuart, Mike Thornton, Bruce Hopper and Asa Gaston
Billy left and was replaced by Mike Thornton from the Shadows. By 1969 we were down to a 4 piece as shown in the other photo. Bill Stewart (Allman Brothers Band) replaced Jeff for about six months and then Asa Gaston (Locust Fork Band) came in on drums.
The four piece of Stuart, Hopper, Thornton, and Gaston went on to re-aquire the name Rubber Band which Stuart owned the copyright on (Tommy later sued and won a copy right infringement case against Bootsy’s Rubberband). We recorded on 1 2 3 Records [“Your Man Done Gone” / “Peeking Through Your Window”] with Tommy playing keyboards, flute, sax and doing the lead vocals. Unfortunately our song had the exact same rhythm and chord changes as “Spirit in the Sky” which was released one week before our song.
We did an east coast tour the summer of 1970. Things were falling apart by that time. Mike Thorton left and was replaced by Tommy Joe White. Asa didn’t want to do the tour because he just got married, so we added a session drummer from Colorado for the tour. I left the group after the tour.
Asa and I later formed another local band with Jim Coleman (check out his website) and Jimmy Butts. We were known as Mr. Wizard and recorded a one hour special for Alabama PBS. More bands in the 70’s. Owned the Chukker in Tuscaloosa in the 80’s and promoted music for years. Now I back up Carroline Shines, the daughter of blues legend Johnny Shines.
Mike Hatchett later went on to play with the Brick Wall out of Atlanta and worked as a roadie for Little Feat and George Jones and many others including Kiss, Ronnie Milsap, Blue Oyster Cult, etc. Billy McClain died of cancer after a succesful photography career. Don McGlamery later moved to Norway and was a succesful street muscian there. [ChasKit: Don passed away in January, 2006].
I have been listening to our body of work with the Omen, Omen & Their Luv and the Rubber Band and am going to talk with Tommy about doing a retrospective CD of all the material from the ’60’s and 1970.
Bruce Hopper
In a comment on the post about the Preachers, Tommy Stuart added:
We’d recorded it on our own but a disc jockey from Northport knew David & that’s how all of that happened. He had a big teen dance place in Panama City in about 1968 & we played there as The Preachers, & also a one nighter or two that way. It was a little weird but we learned their record “Hallowed Ground” & got up there & I sang it like it was mine. Later, I bought Dave’s screaming white Hammond M2 organ he’d used in the Preachers.
Tommy Stuart has a new group called O-Men and Their Luv, with a CD No Twin.
Thank you to Bruce Hopper for sending in the photos and song transfers and for patiently answering my questions.
On the Quad at the University of Alabama. From left: Tommy Stuart, Mike Thornton, Asa Gaston and Bruce Hopper.
The Humans, 1966, standing l-r: Marty Busch, Dick Doolan, Bill Kuhns, Danny Long, Gar Trusselle sitting: Jack Dumrese
Dick Doolan – vocals Danny Long – vocals and harmonica Bill Kuhns – lead guitar Gar Trusselle – keyboards Marty Busch – bass Jack Dumrese – drums
The Humans were from Albion, New York, 20 miles north of Batavia. According to the liner notes for Back From the Grave vol. 5, all six members were in high school marching band when they decided to form a band in the summer of 1964. Their band’s moniker was a dig at all the groups naming themselves after insects and animals.
They toured throughout the northeast, opening for some big acts, including playing the Rheingold Festival in Central Park, Manhattan in 1966.
Their only 45 has a fine folk-rock original on the A-side, “Take a Taxi”. The instrumental passage is a neat combination of twelve-string guitar and organ.
For years now, it’s been overshadowed by the B-side, “Warning”, which has become almost an anthem in garage-rock circles, and rightly so. It’s a well-arranged combination of ringing guitar chords, thudding drum beat and bass line, simple organ melody, a great rough lead vocal answered by a second singer and a harmonica solo.
Lead guitarist Bill Kuhns (listed as William R. Kuhns, Jr. on the label) wrote both songs. It was recorded at Riposo Studios in 1966 and released on the Audition label, which had a number of classic mid-60s singles. I don’t know what happened to the band after its release, or if the record sold at all. It’s pretty hard to find these days.
Gar Trusselle answered some of my questions about the band:
Q. How did the band sign get to tour around the Northeast?
We were managed locally by Al Cecere in Rochester. As far as we knew, Al Cecere was the sole owner of Audition. He had some connections so he got us signed up with Premier Talent Associates (PTA) in NYC. Our agent with them was Rich Nader who went on to promote R&R revivals across the country. We also opened for the Hollies, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels (several times) and played a two week gig in Miami with the Standells.
We were friends with “The Heard” as they were also managed by Al Cecere. We alternated at Oak Orchard Lanes in Albion [with] Caesar and His Romans from Buffalo. By the way, Oak Orchard Lanes was quite a hot spot. In the summer, the owners would cover all 12 lanes with plywood and have dances on the lanes with some pretty big names. A couple that come to mind are the Rivieras and the Shadows of Knight.
Q. Do you remember any details about the Riposo Studio and making the record?
All I can remember is that the studio was in Syracuse. Someone said Wooly Bully was recorded there but I cannot verify that.
Q. Did it get any airplay at the time?
We did get good local airplay and some national as well. Billboard reported us in the top twenty in a Michigan and Texas market but it did not last.
Q. Did the band perform “Warning” and “Take a Taxi” during your live shows?
We did perform the two songs live at every performance.
Q. The band had long hair for 1966, did that cause any trouble?
Nothing but. However, we had a lot of local support even from the adult side.
Q. How did the band break up, and did you stay in music after?
It began when Dan died in a car accident in September of 1966. We went on from there but the draft started to whittle at the group. I think our last job was in November of 1966 at our own venue in Albion. We had rented the local (out of business) movie theater, remodeled it, and named it “Happiness Is…”.
Gar D. Trusselle
The photo at top originally provided to RambleMusic.com (link dead as of 2013) by Bill Vosteen. The site includes photos and clippings of other Batavia-area groups like Beethoven’s Dream Group, The Majestics, the Plague, Salt of the Earth, The Revengence, the Squires.
Al Cecere owned the record labels Audition and Nu Sound Ltd., of Rochester, New York. It seems Cecere changed the label’s name to Nu Sound Ltd. with release #6111 by the Wee Four. Any help completing this discography, or info on Al Cecere’s productions or Riposo Studios would be appreciated.
Discography:
Audition
6102 – The Vaqueros – Desert Wind / Echo (both by Weld-Heath-Corona) 6103 – Dick Jans Duo – I Am (Edwards, Shuman) / Venus (the Frankie Avalon hit) – June 64 6104 – The Vitrones – Linda (Cheshire, Couto, Downing) / London Fog (licensed to Barry, #3326X in Canada) 6105 – America’s Children – Do-Maka / No Need For Blame (1965) 6106 – America’s Children – Star / Swinging Christmas (1965) 6107 – The Heard – Laugh with the Wind (Jeff Wheat and Brad Wheat) / Stop It Baby (Karim Copli) (mentioned in Billboard, May 7, 1966) 6108 6109 – The Humans – Take a Taxi / Warning (both by Bill Kuhns, Jr.) 6110 – The Rogues – Train Kept a-Rollin’ / You Better Look Now (Jim Perotti*, Bob Radell*, Mike Spriggs)
Nu Sound Ltd.
6111 – The Wee Four – Weird (James Obi, T. Pilittere) / Give Me a Try 6112 – Terry Pilittere – It’s Not That Way / You Wouldn’t Believe Me 6113 – Pete Morticelli – Lost / If You See Me
* correct spellings of these two Rogues names are Jim Pierotti and Bob Radel.
Most originals on Audition and “Weird” by the Wee Four 45 published by Cecere Music, BMI.
The Heard have an unreleased song, “Leave Well Alone” on a Capitol Custom acetate.
The Montereys “Bye Bye” / “Sheryl-ane” also recorded at Riposo Studios.
Thank you to Davie Gordon for his help with this discography.
John English in KRLA’s Beat newspaper, May 21, 1966
Updated with information from my phone interview with John from September 2010
The Retail Clerks Auditorium, 2010 8550 Stanton at Crescent in Buena Park Can anyone provide a better or vintage photo?John English played a small but very vital role in the Los Angeles band scene of the mid-60s. He was born in Kensington, London. His mother was British and his father from Oklahoma. Growing up he listened to skiffle, and later r&b and country music. His father always liked music, and bought him a harmonica when he was nine or ten years old. His favorite harp player was Sonny Boy Williamson.When he was twelve the family moved to Texas for one year, and then to California, where he lived until he joined the service at 21. In high school he started taking music seriously.
While enrolled in college at San Fernando Valley State College (now California State University, Northridge), he met the Heathens, initially sitting in as a guest during their performances. John told me he performed with the Heathens at Pandora’s Box, around Orange County and the legendary Retail Clerks Union Auditorium with the Crossfires.
When English was in the group, the Heathens included Dirk Acree (aka Vern Acree, Jr., former guitarist for the Blazers of “Beaver Patrol” and “Bangalore” fame), his sister Char Acree (Sharon Acree?) and drummer Johnny Rogers,.
English wasn’t with the band for long, as he doesn’t seem to appear in any photos of the group, at least not that I can tell.
The Heathens at the Pussy-Kat a Go Go, circa 1966, after English had left the band. From left: Johnny Rogers (drummer), Don Adey, Colin Adey (with tambourine), unidentified girl in front, Dirk Acree, Char Acree
The first mention he receives in the press is from the May 13, 1965 edition of the Valley News of Van Nuys, California:
Dance, Show Event at College
NORTHRIDGE — Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity will hold a dance and show, “A Go Go Continental,” on Saturday, May 22, from 8 p.m. to midnight in the college gymnasium at San Fernando Valley State College, 18111 Nordhoff St.
The entertainment will highlight nationally famous recording artists, including The Parlays, formerly with Round Robin who made the Slauson popular. Their records include “Dance to the Slauson” and “Kick Your Little Foot, Sally Ann.”
Also on the program will be Bobby Day who made “Little Bitty, Pretty One” and “Rockin’ Robin” which was once No. 1 all over the world.
Direct from England and the first time in Los Angeles, John English and the Heathens will perform and sing a number of songs soon to be released. Finally, a surprise group will be featured doing many of its million sellers, it was stated.
The dress is school dress and tennis shoes …
As John related the story, someone named Brian who had done PR work for the Beatles brought Lelan Rogers to see the Heathens show at Pandora’s Box. According to John, Lelan had them record three or four sides, but only two were ever issued.
“I Need You Near” has a slashing rhythm from Acree, who takes an excellent solo early in the song. John’s singing is gravelly and cutting, and he has a great shouted bit, something like “alright Vern now step for me, c’mon give me that stroke (?) now!” “Some People” is much different, with a ringing acoustic guitar and an almost whispered vocal.
John’s singing on this record and his later ones shows not a trace of an English accent. I don’t believe the Heathens recorded anything besides this 45.
Both songs are English originals with “Some People” co-written with Vern Acree, publishing by Rattan Music, BMI. The record was produced by Lelan Rogers and arranged by Glen Spreen. Sabra released it in May, 1965, just after another disc produced by Rogers: “I Want My Woman” / “And Then” by the Emperors.
It’s hard to say why the single of “I Need You Near” is so rare now (literally only 4 or 5 copies are known!). Other 45s on the Sabra label, like the Emperors are not as difficult to find. The Heathens (master numbers S-5009 and S-5010) was actually ready to release before the Emperor’s (S-5011 and S-5012) but was given the next catalog number (5556 compared to the Emperors 5555). I would guess Sabra thought the Emperors disc was stronger, and once it started making an impact, Lelan and Sabra put all their promotional efforts into that record and let the John English & the Heathens record wither on the vine. Another reason could be Lelan soon left Sabra and then returned to Texas.
John told me the Sabra record received some good reviews, and the band was offered a deal to tour, but some of the Heathens were still in high school. John left the Heathens and went out on a 1965 Shindig summer tour as a solo artist.
September 18, 1965John English, lyrics and lead vocals
This Lemondrops were actually the PreachersThe September 18, 1965 issue of KRLA’s Beat paper has an interesting “personals” letter from one Chris Jones asking: “To John H. English of the used-to-be Heathen’s: What happened to the group? Will we never heard your beautiful London accent again?”
John English’s Sabra single was released in May, 1965, the same month the Preachers, another Los Angeles group, issued their first great single, “Who Do You Love” / “Chicken Papa” on Moonglow. After the Preachers released their second single, “The Zeke” / “Quit Talkin’ Bout Him” in August ’65, they’d realized their mistake in replacing their first singer, Richard Fortunato, with the smoother vocalist Burke Reynolds. Fortunato had a commanding r&b voice which helped make “Who Do You Love” such a classic.
Unable for whatever reason to bring Fortunato back into the group, the Preachers auditioned singers before their live crowds. John English did well with their audience and had the tough-sounding vocals the band wanted, and John told me he was also good friends with the Preachers’ bassist, Zeke. At this point the Preachers consisted of John English III (vocals), Hal Tennant (lead guitar), Rudy Garza (piano), James ‘Zeke’ Camarillo (bass) and Steve Lagana (drums).
English also had lyrics to two songs that would become the Preacher’s third 45, “Stay Out of My World” / “Pain and Sorrow”. Rudy Garza wrote the music for each song. As usual for Moonglow releases the production credit goes to the company’s owner Ray Maxwell. Recorded at R.J. Recorders in Hollywood, it was released in October ’65.
“Stay Out of My World” is a fantastic record, featuring dual harmonicas played by guitarist Hal Tennant and organist Rudy Garza over Steve Lagana’s catchy drum beat. John’s distinctive trebly rasp is even more expressive than it was on “I Need You Near”.
“Pain and Sorrow” is a gentler track, sung in a quiet voice just above the whisper he used on “Some People”. Moonglow later released another version of “Pain and Sorrow” by a singer named Wayne Dailey, but using the identical instrumental track recorded by the Preachers. It shows up on the flip to “Wreck of a Man”, Moonglow 5010.
While John English was in the band, the Preachers appeared on American Bandstand, the Lloyd Thaxton Show and KHJ-TV’s 9th St West dance show.
The Preachers returned to the studio and recorded two more songs, “Moanin'” (originally written by Bobby Timmons for Art Blakey, with lyrics by Jon Hendricks) and another English-Garza collaboration, “Just Don’t Complain”. A nihilist look at nuclear war, the music is full of tension, English’s vocals are snide and his lyrics unforgiving: the best advice he can give is “you got to maintain”.
They also cut a demo of “Hey Joe”. Rudy Garza said to Jeff Jarema:
We heard Arthur Lee and Love. He was doing “Hey Joe” in his nightclub act. We thought, man, that is a good song. Those other versions, like the Leaves’, weren’t out yet. We wanted to demo it for Moonglow Records. We had only heard it once or twice so we didn’t have the words, but we wanted to show them what the song was like. So Johnny English put some lyrics to it. They are completely different. He always seemed to write those doom and gloom, anti-war lyrics. We just did a demo for them, really. They didn’t like it!
After only a few months with the Preachers, John said, the FBI showed up at his door to make sure he would see to his induction, and he was drafted in December of ’65.
The Preachers were falling apart in any case, and Rudy Garza soon left the band because he felt Moonglow had buried his piano in the mix on “Moanin'”, and also that Moonglow was not producing the records as the band would like.
Lacking a band to support the new single, Moonglow thought they could promote John English as a solo act and released the single as by John English III and the Lemondrops in May, 1966. John’s solo career would have to wait until his stint in the Army finished four years later.
As an aside, I’d read a rumor of a group called John English III and The Carnaby Commoners but hadn’t seen any documentation to support it, and John told me he had never heard of that backing group.
The May 19, 1966 edition of the Beat:
English Long-hair Joins U.S. Army
John English is British. Less than a year ago he had shoulder length hair and was a member of the Preachers. Now he has a standard U.S. Army hair cut and proudly wears the uniform of this country’s army although he’s still a British subject. And he doesn’t regret for one moment cutting his hair or going in the army. John more or less went into the army voluntarily. He was drafted on December 13 and the same day he enlisted in order to get more of a choice of what he did in the service. He could have easily gotten out of it. He’s a British subject living here on a permanent visa and all he had to do was go back to England and they couldn’t have touched him. But he feels that if he lives in this country and takes advantage of everything it has to offer then he has to pay for it just like everyone else.
An Extra Year
Because he enlisted he’ll have to spend three years instead of two in the service but he’s doing what he wants to. He’s in weapons training at Fort Ord now and he’s continuing his career as a singer but as a solo singer now. “The Army’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” he says. “It’s good experience, as long as they don’t send me to Vietnam.” As it stands now the only way he’ll go to Vietnam is as a performer to entertain the troops. As for his hair, he had a Beatle cut for quite a while then he really let it grow, down to 12 to 14 inches long. “I liked it when I had it,” he says. “But I did want to cut it.” John cut his hair before he actually went into the army. “I wouldn’t have ridden down there on that bus with my hair long for all the money in the world.” And now he’s glad that he did cut it. “After you cut it off it feels real good.”
From Preachers To?
The Preachers, who have since disbanded, were a very long haired and very wild act. Where did they go? Well, John’s in the army, three other members of the original group are in The Vejtables, one is in The Bees and one is a physicist for Lockheed Air Corps! John’s starting out on his career as a solo singer and he has his first single release out now. It’s called “Moanin'” and it’s an old jazz number that’s pretty wild. …
Commenting on Sadler’s “Ballad of the Green Berets,” John says, “We used to hate it in basic training.” …
John’s somewhat unique in the pop world. He’s one singer who deliberately and voluntarily cut his hair and went into the armed service. It isn’t so bad after all according to this one exception.
After the Preachers, Richard Fortunato and Zeke Camarillo joined the Vejtables in time to cut their great 45 “Shadows” / “Feel the Music”, both sides co-written by Rich Fortunato.
Hal Tennant joined the Bees, who became the WC Fields Memorial Electric Guitar String Band and then was part of both ESB and Fields. Steve Lagana found a gig playing drums for Johnny Rivers and Rudy Garza went to work for Lockheed.
John English served four years as an officer in the Army, stationed at Ft. Lewis in Washington, where he had bands.
After leaving the service in 1969, he became a songwriter, writing “I’m Going Home” for Buck Owens who he toured with. His songwriting collaborators include Terry Clement, Larry Collins, Bryan Garofalo, Bob Moulds, Steven Diamond and David Wills.
John signed to Warner Bros in the mid-70s, then went back to Cal State for a graduate degree. In the ’80s, he went into production, first at Record One in Sherman Oaks and then in Nashville. In 1981 he hit the country charts with “Your Daddy Don’t Live in Heaven” and in 1989 produced Michael Ballew for Liberty Records. He now works as a communications consultant and lecturer.
Discography of the Preachers and John English III
John English III and the Heathens – “I Need You Near” / “Some People” (Sabra 5556, May 1965)
The Preachers – “Who Do You Love?” / “Chicken Papa” (Moonglow 240, May 1965, Richard Fortunato lead vocals) The Preachers – “The Zeke” / “Quit Talkin’ ‘Bout Him” (Pep 102, August 1965 – Pep was a Moonglow subsidiary, Burke Reynolds lead vocals) The Preachers – “Stay Out of My World” / “Pain And Sorrow” (Moonglow 5006, October 1965, John English lead vocals) The Preachers – “Hey Joe” (Moonglow demo, John English lead vocals)
John English, III with the Lemondrops (actually the Preachers) – “Moanin'” / “Just Don’t Complain” (Moonglow 5011, May 1966)
Rudy Garza mentioned an unreleased song by the Preachers called “Two Brothers” with Burke Reynolds on vocals, but that appears to be lost.
All four singles recorded by the Preachers are included on the Bacchus Archives release The Preachers – Moanin’, which I recommend, and “Hey Joe” appears on a Sundazed EP with “Who Do You Love?” and “Stay Out of My World”.
Sources include my conversation with John in September, 2010, Mike Dugo’s interview with Rudy Garza, and release dates provided by Mike Markesich. Heathens photo from hollywoodagogo.com.
Special thanks to Mark Taylor for scans and transfers of the Sabra 45.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
Any help with additions or corrections to this discography would be appreciated.
Lewis Lindsey was either co-owner or had some position with the label. Jimmy Rabbit called the Knight label’s studio “Sand-Lin”, though I haven’t seen that name cited by anyone else.
Jon Adair of the Ramrods and Mike from the 
The band took the name, the Ramrods, from the Duane Eddy tune and even adopted that song as their opening number on every show.
The Teen-Beets of Winston-Salem, North Carolina released four fine records, the first three featuring original songs by vocalist and guitarist John McGee along with covers of Barbara Lynn’s “Oh Baby”.
By the summer of ’65 we had recorded our first record at Arthur Smith’s studio in Charlotte, NC (“I Guess That’s Why You’re Mine” / “Not In Love With Me”) and released it on our own label, Chain Records. It received considerable local air play and reached #20 on one of the local radio stations top 40 list. Around this time we all dyed our hair bright red (as in Teen “Beets”) to attract attention. It worked!
Keith Kessler’s “Don’t Crowd Me” is an anthem to garage-punk fans, with a sound to match the intensity of the lyrics: “Inside looking out, got no place to shout … I’m locked inside this place, problems I can’t face, I’m getting out breaking free … don’t crowd me! / My soul is cramped and bare, there’s freedom I can’t share … my independence crushed, don’t crowd me, give me air, give me time …”
Dick Doolan – vocals
