Category Archives: Dana Lynn

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.