Thursday, November 14, 2013

The Hustlers - Ski Country



November has me in a snow mood, so thought I would spotlight another ski LP from the stash (you may remember this one from last year).


Formed in 1962, the Hustlers (Adrian Anderson, Mel Anderson, Jan Camp, and Mike Wuergler) started out as a University of Colorado, Boulder folk quartet. During the ski season the group would perform at resorts "entertaining standing room only crowds from Aspen to Sun Valley"(liner notes).

In 1966 the group recorded two LPs on the Morey Bernstein Finer Arts label, The Hustlers Live in Action at the Red Onion (FA 104), and Ski Country (FA 103).  That same year the label released two accompanying singles, "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" / "Julianne" (FA 2011), and "Ski Country" / "The Times I've Had" (FA 2014).

(I did find a notation of another single with the same FA 2011 label number, “I Came Home” / “Lowlands of the Sea.")

Drummer Rod Jenkins also appears on the album (former member of Sunshineward, Nu-Sett, The Contrasts, and The Astronauts).

For the purpose of this blog entry, Ski Country features the "clean cut and energetic" sound (as per the liner notes) of the Hustlers.  Lots of ski-related offerings, a few covers, and some original ditties thrown in.


Side One:
Ski Country (Mel Anderson)
In This White World (Bob Gibson)
Watch Out for That Lift Tower (Ray Conrad/Mel Anderson)
Highlands Where We Ski (Morey Bernstein)
Ski the Rocky Mountains (Mel Anderson)
Somewhere My Love (Lara's Theme - P.F. Webster)

Side Two:
Aspen Ski Blues (Judy Henske, S. Silverstein)
Edelweiss (Rogers and Hammerstein)
Super Skier (Bob Gibson)
Four Strong Winds (M. Witmark)
Cremation of Sam Magee (Robert Service/Mel Anderson)
Lovers of Snow (Adrian Anderson/Mel Anderson)

Mel Anderson (who also produced the LP) moved to Idaho and became the president of the Idaho Potato Commission, where he helped create the popular "Spuddy Buddy" character.  Mike Wuergler went into media and was a producer at Walt Disney Productions, was nominated for an Emmy Award, and was the Chief Operating Officer at the American Television Network. Jan Camp Garrett teamed up with singer JD Martin, and the duo continue to perform around the country.  Adrian Anderson's whereabouts are unknown.

4 comments:

  1. I remember them well, playing at "The Honeybucket" in Boulder (1963-196X). I have cherished their "Ski Country" album, carrying it around the World with me. Most memorable was listening to them as I drove my motorhome "along the Dawson Trail" last summer "The Cremation of Sam Mcgee" was playing.

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    1. Bob J, I have a Hustlers gem I’d like to gift to you.
      Marshallcaplan@msn.com

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  2. I just ran across this article while I was following a "wild hare" and looking for my age-old Hustlers LP...to no avail. I first heard/saw them at the Red Onion in Aspen my first time skiing there (I was in school back east-don't remember if it was early or mid-60's, but since I first skied Vail in '65, it was probably a year or two later. As a (lousy) folk singer myself, I often played "Watch Out for that Lift Tower" and "In this White World"-never knew until recently that they were Bob Gibson songs (along with Super Skier, etc). Although I didn't live in Colorado (first time around was -'73-'75) I had great college friends from Denver and the Springs. Those were great days-The Astronauts at Tulagi in Boulder, many folk groups (like the Hustlers) in the mts..."sigh". (Still skiing, though, and now just 25 minutes from Beaver Creek.)

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  3. I love finding little treasures like this site and these comments - I was lucky enough to grow up in a home where we heard a lot of the Hustlers music because my dad is Mel Anderson. He passed away in the spring of 2019, and every so often, I venture out into the worldwide web and find gems like this to remind me of the incredible gift of music he gave me my entire life! Thank you all for keeping the music alive through your love and appreciation of it all! Take care - and always watch out for that lift tower!

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