Category Archives: Counterpart

The Villagers of Dayton, Ohio

The Villagers Hamlet 45 He's Not The SameThere were a number of groups called the Villagers around the country, but these Villagers came from Dayton and cut only one record, the endearing garage original “He’s Not the Same” b/w the melancholy “Sunshine My Way”.

Released on Hamlet Records V-1000 in 1968, the Villagers are a mystery other than the info on the labels: authors J. Mills and M. Copp, publishing by Counterpart Music, BMI, the code 813L which was Counterpart Records account number with RCA custom pressings, and W4KM-6004/5 (indicating a RCA custom pressing from the first half of 1968).

Library of Congress copyright records give one name, Janis R. Mills, who copyrighted “He’s Not the Same” on January 5, 1968, and “Sun, Shine My Way” (notice the different rendering of the title) on May 20, 1968. M. Copp is not in these copyright listings.

BMI’s database lists Janice Mills and Michael Copp. The spelling of her name as Janice certainly is a mistake on BMI’s part, as BMI attributes two recent country songs by Janice S. Mills from Alabama to the author of “He’s Not the Same”. It wouldn’t be unlike BMI to conflate two similar names.

Strangely, BMI lists “He’s Not the Same” and “Sunshine My Way” as registered to Piagneri Music in Astoria, NY, even though Counterpart Music is still active in Cincinnati.

I can find no listings or articles on the band from that time, so it’s possible they were not even a semi-professional band or one that would play battle-of-the-bands. Maybe Janis Mills wrote these songs and brought them to the attention of Counterpart, which had Michael Copp arrange them with some local group or musicians.

The Villagers Hamlet 45 Sunshine My Way

The Great Society, Cincinnati, Ohio

The Great Society from The Great Society, from left: Steve Sturgil, Tom Wise, Bill Bayer, Tilo Schiffer and Charlie Jung
The Great Society, August, 1967
from left: Steve Sturgil, Tom Wise, Bill Bayer, Tilo Schiffer and Charlie Jung

Great Society Dana Lynn 45 Second DayThe Great Society were students at the University of Cincinnati, except Steve Sturgil who attended the University of Kentucky. The band’s lineup was:

Tilo Schiffer – lead singer
Tom Wise – lead guitar
Bill Bayer – piano and organ
Steve Sturgil – bass
Charlie Jung – drums

First mention I can find of them is from March 1967 at Granny’s and then at the Four Seasons’ Pirates Cove in July.

Great Society Pirates Cove at the Four Seasons, Cincinnati, July, 1967
Great Society Pirates Cove at the Four Seasons, Cincinnati, July, 1967

A letter to the Enquirer from fan Penny Phelps in June, 1967 mentions them playing at the Psychedelic Lollipop, Granny’s, Lakeridge Hall, Seven Hills Veterans Hall and the Round Table.

They released one single, first on the Dana Lynn label in June, 1967, then on Counterpart C-2613 in August. “She’s Got It On Her Mind” has a hypnotic keyboard sound, a great drum backing with accented beats, and a captivating vocal melody.

The flip “Second Day” is another tuneful winner, heavy on the echo like the A-side.

Lead singer Tilo Shiffer wrote both songs, published by Counterpart – Falls City Music, BMI.

A second letter from Penny in December notes that Bill Bayer and Tilo Schiffer both went into the Navy by the end of 1967, but that the three remaining members would try to continue.

Great Society Counterpart 45 She's Got It On Her MindIn 1968 the Great Society played shows at the Coney Island water park and at LeSourdsville Lake with the Rapscallion Sircle.

The Dana Lynn label lists Ray Allen as engineer and reads “A Tom Dooley Production”, while the Counterpart lists Allen as producer.

Dana Lynn only released three singles that I know of, notably the Lemonpipers “Quiet Please” (70610), the Great Society (70611) and Tom Dooley “Talkin’ Bout Love” / “Stay By the Phone” (010).

Counterpart was also local to Cincinnati, but had greater distribution than Dana Lynn.