Category Archives: Sault Ste Marie

The Fireflies

The Fireflies at the Palm Gardens, 1960
The Fireflies at the Palm Gardens, 1960

The Fireflies were a major live act in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario throughout the 1960’s. They never recorded, but were a big influence on bands that came after them in the region, such as (Those) Rogues, whose guitarist Rick Rogers would eventually join the Fireflies. Howard Hall, founder and bass player for the Fireflies gives us their history, with many great photos of the band from the time.

Howard Hull at the Palm, 1960
Howard Hull at the Palm, 1960

Howard Hall and Eddie Pelletier met while attending Sir James Dunn Collegiate and Vocational School and formed a band in 1958-59 named the Voces (latin for voices). The band consisted of Howard on bass, Eddie on guitar, Bill Kelly on drums and vocalists Frank Tracy and Pat McAlpine.

The group was put together to play at school assemblies etc. Repertoire was mostly folk based songs of the time – Harry Belafonte, Kingston Trio etc. The only other claim to fame for this group was that they won an amateur contest in Brimley Michigan in June of 1959, and then broke up.

Howard and Eddie realized that they were a team and should keep a good thing going and so recruited Keith Stephen (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Chuck White (drummer) and began to practice rock and roll songs during the winter of 1959/60. They named the new group the Fireflies and it all began.

At the Palm, 1960
At the Palm, 1960
1960 Palm - Eddie Pelletier
1960 Palm – Eddie Pelletier

In the spring of 1960 their first break came when the Sault YMCA (which ran teen dances) asked them to audition. It would be some time before their first gig at the “Y” so, in order to perform they rented Laird Community Hall in the spring of 1960 and ran their own dances. The gross for the first production was around $15, but some other revenue was generated by selling pop and chips. Realizing that the band was not quite complete, 15 year old Val Suriano (a bit of a phenom on sax at the time) was added to the group for the Laird performances.

The Fireflies also auditioned for the CBC TV show “Talent Caravan” but lost to Bobby “D” (Drebitt) and the Bobcats – Bobby, the late Bert Leclair, and Raymond Greco and Lou Oliverio. Raymond and Lou later joined the Fireflies. Bobby D and the Bobcats went on to win it all in the Cross Canada talent contest with their unique rock arrangement of the standard Dark Eyes featuring Raymond on sax. Unfortunately, the group broke up soon after their huge success as on their return to Sault Ste. Marie they didn’t have a home base like the Palm Gardens to play at as it had been taken over by the Fireflies.

Howard left in June to work for the Summer of 1960 in Thunder Bay, and Val also was away for the summer when a break that would shape the next nine years came along. The Down Unders, a hugely popular band made up of three Australians – Johnny Macareth (later famous as a TV personality in Australia much like Tommy Hunter on CBC Canada), Eddie Rowe, John Williams, Peter Smith, Ken Poole and Byron Taylor gave up their 5 year gig at the Palm Gardens. The Fireflies took over during the summer of 1960. Of interest is that Ken Poole (from the Down Unders) filled in with the Fireflies on sax during that summer.

When Howard returned from Thunder Bay in August 1960 Eddie was leading the group and had partnered with Ron Cameron to rent the Palm Gardens and the Fireflies ran the dances there for the next several years.

Ad for the Fireflies at the Peppermint Lounge

1961
1961

1961 Community Night Parade
1961 Community Night Parade
The Palm Gardens (known to many as “the Palm”) was a large dance hall located above the Columbia Bowling Alley on Queen Street near East Street in Sault Ste. Marie, next door to the then City Hall. It was capable of holding up to 500 (and sometimes more) for dancing. No alcohol was served. When Chubby Checker’s Twist came along and Joey D and the Starliters came out with the Peppermint Twist the “Palm” became the Peppermint Lounge.

The Fireflies played dances at the Palm Gardens and the Peppermint Lounge on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights for several years but would occasionally play other places like the St. Mary’s River Boat Club, the Memorial Gardens, the Lock City Hotel and even went on the road to Wawa, Elliot Lake, and Espanola.

The band evolved through the Twist, the Beatles, the Beach Boys and many other groups’ styles. They were to many, unbelievable in their great covers of many current hits. They even opened for the Dave Clark Five when that group came to the Memorial Gardens. The group would jam at the Mid-City Hotel with musicians who were on the road, including Gordon Lightfoot in his early years, Terry and Susan Jacks and the Poppy Family, and numerous others. There were numerous offers to the Fireflies from booking agents and producers but the group personnel were mostly married and had good day jobs they didn’t want to leave.

The Fireflies at Memorial Gardens 1962
Memorial Gardens 1962

Personnel in the Fireflies evolved over the years too. Chuck White was first to leave to go to Brigham Young University in Utah. He later had a very successful business career during which he continued to play in a retro rock band in California, but then decided to pursue his first love – painting. He is now famous as an artist (Charles H. White). Chuck was replaced on drums by Lou Oliverio from Bobby D and the Bobcats.

1961 Sault Star feature - Keith Stephen & Val Suriano
1961 Sault Star feature – Keith Stephen & Val Suriano
Eddie Pelletier with his Jazzmaster
Eddie Pelletier with his Jazzmaster
1962 l-r Eddie Pelletier, Don Ford, Howard Hall, Lou Oliverio, Val Suriano
1962 l-r Eddie Pelletier, Don Ford, Howard Hall, Lou Oliverio, Val Suriano
1964: Howard Hall, Ray Greco and Don Ford with Beatle wigs
1964: Howard Hall, Ray Greco and Don Ford with Beatle wigs
Sault Collegiate Prom 1965
Sault Collegiate Prom 1965

News ad for the Fireflies at the Black Knight Room

At the Black Knight, 1969, l-r Rick Rogers, Howard Hall, John Bumbacco, Raymond Greco, Eddie Pelletier
At the Black Knight, 1969, l-r Rick Rogers, Howard Hall, John Bumbacco, Raymond Greco, Eddie Pelletier
Val Suriano was next to leave to attend Berkley School of Music in Boston and was replaced by Raymond Greco also from Bobby D’s band. Keith Stephen left the group in 1962 and was replaced by Don Ford on rhythm guitar and vocals.

Don and Lou Oliverio left the group in 1965. Danny Elkas (vocals) and John Bumbacco on drums replaced Don and Lou. Danny left the group and was replaced in 1968 by Rick Rogers from (Those) Rogues. Danny died in 1995. Howard left the group in 1967 briefly to work in management at a bank in Hamilton ON but returned in early 1968 to rejoin the group.

Of note during the heyday of the Palm Gardens/Peppermint Lounge was that many of those supporting the dances were US servicemen from the NORAD Airbase at Kincheloe (just south of Sault Michigan). There were some really great guys who became close friends of members of the band, and some of these servicemen eventually married Canadian girls.

This was not all fun and games though as there were occasional ruckuses between the servicemen and some of the Canadian boys who were somewhat ticked at seeing the foreigners dancing and chatting up the girls. John Dorrance was a leader in this regard. The band could always humour him though, with his fave – Little Richard’s classic Boney Maroney.

On a hot night in August 1965 disaster struck! the Columbia Hall (Palm Gardens/Peppermint Lounge) and Royaltons Furniture Store which had succeeded the Columbia Bowling Alley on the first floor of the building, burned to the ground. The Fireflies lost all of their equipment including several of what would now be priceless Fender guitars. This ended an era for both the band and the community. The hall had been holding dances since just after WWII.

This left the Fireflies without a base and turned the group into everybody’s favourite wedding, bowling banquet or other social function band. It was probably about time anyway, although there was still some glory to follow in 1968/69.

During the years following the Beatles arrival on the scene, a number of groups of younger musicians began to emerge on the Sault Ste. Marie music scene. Many of these young musicians had idolized the Fireflies, and in fact were into doing something that the Fireflies didn’t for some reason do – original material. These groups included the Vendettas, the A-Men, (Those) Rogues and others. Each of these groups produced records (which by the way, were very good for the time).

Unfortunately, the groups for whatever reasons, didn’t last long with the exception of the Vendettas who evolved into Kensington Market a very successful late 60’s group on the Canadian scene, and whose albums were top sellers in Canada. Keith McKie (still a very successful Canadian musician/vocalist), Bob Yeomans, Bob Yukich, and the late Alex Darou were part of that group as well as Canadian music icons Skip Prokop and Luke Gibson.

When Howard returned to the group in 1968 Rick Rogers from (Those) Rogues had joined the group as rhythm guitarist and vocalist extraordinaire and the group began playing lounges and clubs. Raymond Greco had taken over leadership and booked the group at the Black Knight Supper Club. The Fireflies amazed with covers of the Four Seasons in tight four part harmony, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, the Buckinghams, and many others with the the vocal harmonies being the feature attraction.

Because they were playing virtually every night every week the band became very tight. This lead to gigs at Pat’s Northview in Sault Michigan where only the best of the Detroit-based traveling bar bands were usually booked including Pete Debueuil and the Wanderers (Pete was actually from Sudbury ON) and Lafayette and the LeSabres and many others. Pat’s Northview actually later suffered a similar fate as the Palm Gardens – it too burned to the ground. It was directly across from the Soo Locks.

Alas, the group who was suffering from burn out to quite a degree from playing virtually every night in 1969 (including some Sundays since the Northview was open as it was in Michigan). The Fireflies played their last on New Year’s Eve 1970 after 10 years as probably the most successful band ever from Sault Ste. Marie.

Howard later started a new group Solid Gold before moving to Toronto in 1972. Eddie Pelletier and Rick Rogers became members of country groups in the Sault. Rick still plays regularly but Eddie had some health problems and retired in 1997. Raymond retired. John Bumbacco formed his own group and still plays functions in Sault Ste. Marie including the Royal Canadian Legion on a regular basis.

Howard Hall, after moving to Toronto in 1972 played bass and did vocals for the Frank Evans Orchestra at the Palais Royale in Toronto for 10 years. He later played for the Toronto Harbour Band and in 1998 began to play as a keyboardist/vocalist (one man band) in the Toronto area, which he continues to do.

A rock revival show ’18 Forever’ will take place on December 8, 2007 at the Steelback Centre in Sault Ste. Marie. There will be 8 bands performing including The A-Men and (Those) Rogues and my band The Fireflies.

More info on the concert is available at www.18forever.ca. The concert is a fundraiser for Sault Area Hospital and Algoma Residential Community Hospice. An article on the show is on the Sault Star website.

Thank you Howard, keep us up to date on the upcoming revival show, sounds fantastic!

For more info on Sault Ste. Marie bands, see the entries for the Amen and (Those) Rogues.

The Fireflies, early 1962
Early 1962

The Amen

The Amen (left to right: Dave Wilson, Nick Scali, Bob Clarke, Tim Ryan and Ed Schryer)
The Amen (left to right: Dave Wilson, Nick Scali, Bob Clarke, Tim Ryan and Ed Schryer)

The Amen Algoma 45 Peter ZeusThe Amen (or A Men) originated in Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario, Canada. Band members in 1966 were Tim Ryan on vocals, Ed Schryer lead guitar, Nick Scali rhythm guitar, Dave Wilson bass and Bob Clarke drums. At this point they were known for their original songs and also for the 15 minute drum solos of Bob Clarke. A later clipping lists Bob Yukich and Bob Yeomans as well, and omits Ed Schryer.
After eight months together, playing at the local Teen Centre, they traveled to Toronto in late 1966 to record their only 45, a fine 60’s pop 45 released on the local Algoma label early in ’67. No songwriting credits are listed on the label, but an article from the Sault Daily Star mentions Tim Ryan as the composer of the a-side, “Carnivals and Cotton Candy”, with the slightly psychedelic “Peter Zeus” being a collaboration between Tim and Bob Clarke. Production was by John Holt.

Boris's Coffee House and Red Gas Room bands, the Amen, the Tripp, The Rabble
Amen at the Red Gas Room
The Amen apparently moved to Toronto at some point in 1967, returning on July 21 to Sault Ste. Marie for a homecoming concert at the Memorial Gardens. (The Memorial Gardens were demolished in May of 2006.) They stayed active until at least late 1967, sharing billing with the Guess Who at the Princess Theatre in September. They certainly had ambition and talent, but for some reason never cut another record.

A Men live on CJIC-TV with the Odds and Ends and the Rogues RPM, October 17, 1966
A Men live on CJIC-TV with the Odds and Ends and the Rogues RPM, October 17, 1966
Thank you Jim Witty for letting me know about this group, and special thanks to Bård Hodneland for the cool photo and memorabilia of the Amen, and Ronald T. Robinson, former DJ at Sault Ste. Marie radio CKCY, who sent in the fabulous article “Amen Cut Peter Zeus” from the Sault Daily Star which his wife had saved since high school. Thanks also to Ivan Amirault for the scan from RPM.

Amen are back clipping

The Amen cut Peter Zeus

Amen Sault Memorial Grounds ticketAmen and Guess Who ticket

Later photo of the Amen with six members
Later photo of the Amen with six members
Later photo of the Amen with six members
Later photo of the Amen with six members
Above, the Vandettas (Vendettas?): Bob Yukich, John Derbyshire, Keith McKie, Bob Yeomans, Alex Darou.
Bob Yukich and Bob Yeomans would join a later version of the Amen, and Keith McKie went on to Kensington Market.

(Those) Rogues

Those Rogues with Debbie Lori Kaye photo
The Rogues with Debbie Lori Kaye. Photo from the collection of Joe Spina.

(Those) Rogues Algoma 45 Wish I Could See You AgainAnother band from Sault Ste Marie are (Those) Rogues, who have a fine and rare double-sider on Algoma, “Wish I Could See You Again” / “Girl”.

Members were Bryan Primeau organ and vocals, Rick Rogers guitar, Terry Davey on saxophone, Harvey Bell on bass and Mike Jargan on drums. Terry Davey left the group sometime before they recorded their 45.

In 1963 or ’64, the group recorded a whole LP worth of songs in John Holt’s basement. John Holt had about 10 acetate copies without covers made from the tape, some of which were used for promotion. Any copies John Holt had of this were lost in a house fire, and both Bryan and Terry have lost their copies. Does anyone have this lost artifact of Soo rock n’ roll?

(Those) Rogues photo: Mike Jargan, Rick Rogers, Bryan Primeau, Harvey Bell
(Those) Rogues – left to right: Mike Jargan, Rick Rogers, Bryan Primeau, Harvey Bell
CJIC-TV Telethon notice with local Soo groups the Odds and Ends, the A Men and The Rogues.
CJIC-TV Telethon notice with local Soo groups the Odds and Ends, the A Men and The Rogues.
Those Rogues Photo
Photo as the Rogues, with Debbie Lori Kaye on vocals and Terry Davey on saxophone at right. Photo courtesy of Rose Davey.

(Those) Rogues photoIvan Amirault explained to me: “The Rogues changed their name to (Those) Rogues, because at the time Mandala used to call themselves the Five Rogues.”

The single was recorded at Arc Studios in Toronto on February 26, 1967 (I’m not positive on the year), with Marshall Shapiro engineering the session. The label lists the address as Case Road. As with the Amen’s 45 the producer is John Holt, but no songwriting credits are listed. As Bryan’s son Joel mentions in the comment below, his father was the songwriter for the group for the 45.

Those Rogues on stage photo

At this point the band was regularly playing at the Sundown Room, though I’m not sure if that was in Sault Ste Marie or elsewhere in Ontario.

Notable in the article below is when Bryan describes the feeling of playing in front of an audience: “It’s like going to an LSD party, without the LSD”!

Joe Spina, program director at Cambrian College in 1966 and 1967 sent me a number of cool photos of the Rogues, some with Debbie Lori Kaye.

Thanks to Ed Nadorozy who sent in scans of the newspaper clipping and the smaller photos, and to Ivan Amirault who interviewed the late John Holt and provided me with info on their acetate and about their name change. Thank you to Joe Spina for photos of the Rogues on stage and with Debbie Lori Kaye.

Rogues are off to Toronto to cut their first disc

 An early photo of (Those) Rogues
An early photo of the group

Terry Davey spoke to me about the early days of the group:

The Rogues started their career playing in the Moose Hall in Thessalon in the very early 60’s. The Fireflies gave us a break to fill their spot at the Peppermint Hall in the Soo as they were taking a trip. We played there and then moved across Queen Street to play at the former Knights of Columbus Hall. As I remember we were the last group to play at the Peppermint Hall. The Fireflies had just moved their equipment into the hall when it burned down.

When I was with the Rogues we made an LP with the help of John Holt. John Holt managed the entire thing. I believe it got a little air time at CKCY radio and possibly CJIC, but hey, that was the early 60’s. I had one copy and all the other band members had a copy.

When the Rogues decided to go to Toronto I decided to stick with my job at Algoma Steel. It was a good choice!

That is me on the sax in the photo. I am not that tall. I was standing on the rails of the barstools.

Some years later I also started a group called the Bishops Court Trio with Ed Shire and Jerry Pennet. We played at the Algonquin Hotel and also the Black Knight and other places.

Is Harvey Bell still alive? He was Chief of the Ojibwa tribe for some time.

My son Kevin Davey, formally of the Soo, is making a real name for himself in Canadian music. I had taught him guitar and bass many years ago and now he really makes me proud. He now lives in Vancouver, B.C.

I am currently playing sax, sometimes bass and guitar, in our church’s Prase and Worship group.

Update May 2019: Terrence J. “Terry” Davey passed away on April 5, 2019 in Florida. See comment below for more information on Terry’s life. Thank you to Rose Davey for writing to me with this information and for sending some of the photos seen here. Thanks also to Al McGrath for help with identifying some of the musicians in the photo of the Dimensions.

The Dimensions, from left: John Legacy, Terry Davey, Jerry Pennett, the next two are unidentified. Any help identifying the musicians would be appreciated
Terry Davey's group in the '70s
Terry Davey’s group in the ’70s, any help identifying the musicians would be appreciated