Back on Campus - Part Two

So, back in February, I posted a couple of LPs I found from my old alma mater, the University of Southern Colorado, oops, now Colorado State University-Pueblo. I had hoped to find additional vinyl recordings, as I had heard that there were more than just these, out in the wild.

Last month, while attending the Vintage Voltage Expo, in Denver, my dear friend and fellow vinyl hunter, Joel Scherzer, clued me in to a 45 he found at a dealer's booth - from that little ol' campus on the hill.

Listen to a sample of "Hail Colorado"

"Hail Colorado" (written by Marcia and Paul Spencer) was recorded in 1975 by the USC Wind Ensemble, with Ralph Levy back in the director's chair. Unlike the other USC recordings, this vinyl features the vocals of Jerry Teske. The b-side offers up the same composition, sans vocals.

Jerry Teske, was a private vocal coach, and regular entertainer at Figaro's Restaurant, who also served as the choral director for Palmer High School, in Colorado Springs. He passed away in 2017.  His obituary indicated that he also performed for the Grace Episcopal Taylor Choir, Colorado Springs Chorale, Abendmusik, Colorado Opera Festival, Opera Theatre of the Rockies, and the western group, The Trailriders.

In 1977, "Hail Colorado," went before the State Affairs Committee, to be considered the official state marching song. The measure was vetoed  by Lakewood Sen. Joe Schieffelin, who was quoted as saying: "After the bill passed the House, we received a couple of letters from people who said they had a better marching song and wanted us to hear theirs."

Blacksheep, Black Sheep, have you any info...

Hey all! I'm going through a mountain of Cash Box magazines, from the 1960s, and I found this advertisement for a band called Blacksheep. To my surprise, I discovered that the drummer is from Southern Colorado!

 

According to the ad: Dean Pedersen (also known as Aaron Fire) The Blacksheep's drummer, hails from Canyon City (sp) Colorado. Eighteen-year-old Dean started playing jazz drums in 1963. He writes poetry, does clay sculpture, and is currently writing a book in his spare time.

 

 Well how about that?

Blacksheep (The Black Sheep on the records) also included guitarist Michael Mongeon (from Canada), bass player Buddy McCabe (from California), vocalist Mark Harman (from California), and lead guitarist Joe Masterson (from New York). The band put out "It's My Mind" / "Arthur" (Columbia 43666) in 1966, and a year later released "Feeling Down" / "Suzanne" (Columbia 43974). I can't seem to find any reference to any other vinyl releases, after that. Their sound is described as "catchy garage pop."

Apparently there was another band, called Black Sheep (out of New York), which appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Several years later, former Foreigner lead vocalist, Lou Gramm, also was in a band called Black Sheep (not related to these two other bands).

If anyone has any information on Mr. Pedersen, from Canon City, CO, please drop me a line!

The Chevelles

What a crazy week this has been! I scored the Pueblo music poster cache of my lifetime, but noticed a group I wasn't familiar with - The Chevelles. I had heard of the 4 Chevelles, from Denver, but didn't know anything about a group, with a similar name, from Pueblo.

 The Chevelles

Top: Fabian Chacon (bass), Dave Vega (guitar)

Bottom: Joey Rodriguez (keyboards), Dave Trujillo (drums)

Then I get this email from Jess LeFebre, a member of the Pueblo-based Uptown Jam Band.

"Our guitarist was in the Chevelles... Dave Vega."

WOW.

So Jess forwards Dave's contact info, and we are off to solve the mystery of the Chevelles.

When and how was the band created?

We were all students at Central High. This was 1965. The Chevelles were already established, and they needed to replace their guitarist (Nick Sineros). I was 16-years old, and just getting started playing guitar. I guess I played well enough to play in the band.

 The Chevelles

Left to right: Dave Vega, Dave Trujillo, Joey Rodriguez, and Fabian Chacon

Where did you play?

Joey's father was our manager. We were booked all over town - the CYO Club, Arcadia, Pinnachio's, Brass Horn, Latin Village.

Did you ever record a single?

We never recorded a single. We played strictly covers - oldies, soul.

There was a group in Denver called the 4 Chevelles. Had you ever heard of them, or ever met them?

Never heard of the 4 Chevelles.

How long was the band together?

We broke up in 1969.

What did you do, after the band broke up?

I played with various groups, including the Fabulous Fremonts, after the Chevelles. I replaced Tony Garcia on guitar, after they recorded "Watermelon Man." I was also in the Rudy Gutierrez Orchestra, and Abraxas (with Carlos Crull, who was also in The Crew). We did shows with Chicago and Tower of Power (with Abraxas). I also played with the Steel City Band, but I quit before they recorded their single. I worked at CF&I for a year, then a chrome shop for 26 years, but I've always played in bands.

What happened to the other members of the Chevelles?

Fabian passed away. Last I heard, Dave was in Denver. and Joey lives in Pueblo.

Currently, Dave Vega is keeping busy playing with both the Uptown Jam Band, and Bad Habits. You can also see him in action, on his YouTube channel.

Uptown Jam Band (Dave Vega is second from right)

And with that...three posts in one week - I think I'm going to take a break, for a bit (whew!)

More Colorado Music in Posters

Hey all! If you saw those incredible 1964-1967 Pueblo concert and promotional posters. I'm not done yet... The person I purchased these items from, has a cache of other incredibly rare Colorado (and other) music-related posters. I'm posting them all here.

 

Canon City - Teen Dance (no year noted). 

Pictures of dancing teens, and Pueblo DJ, Steve Scott.

 

Clovis, NM - Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs promotional poster

 

 

Colorado Springs -  Hullabaloo Scene (no year noted), 3200 N. Nevada. Cool picture of the Hullabaloo dancers. 

 

Colorado Springs -  Little Richard concert at the City Auditorium Thursday, Nov. 5, 1964. Also shows the 4 T's, Larry Laster, and Malcolm Hayes

 

Colorado Springs - Peter and Gordon concert poster for Wednesday, July 22, 1964 show at City Auditorium

 

Colorado Springs - Promotional poster for the Swing'n Star Time show, held at the City Auditorium, Sunday, Feb, 14, 1965. Acts included The Newbeats, Larks, Round Robin, Mickey Lee Lane, the Coasters, and the Executives

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for Glen Campbell (and The Tinkers) appearing at the City Auditorium, Saturday, Oct. 16, 1965.

 

Colorado Springs - concert poster for Freddy Cannon, appearing at the City Auditorium, Wed. Nov. 24, 1965

 Colorado Springs - concert poster for The Astronauts, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, City Auditorium, July 20, 1966

Colorado Springs - concert poster for the Hondells, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Wed. July 27, 1966 

 

Colorado Springs - concert poster for The Standells, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Wed. Aug. 3, 1966

 

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for the Young Rascals, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 1966 

 

 

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for The Leaves, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Friday, Aug 19, 1966

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for the Everly Brothers, appearing at the Summer Swing-Ding, Sunday, Aug, 28, 1966

 

Colorado Springs  - Concert poster or Eric Burdon and the Animals, appearing at the City Auditorium (no year noted) 

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for The Music Machine, Dec. 31 (no year noted)

Colorado Springs - Concert poster for three-night show of Jefferson Airplane, at the Broadmoor International Theatre. The Pueblo band, The Trolls were the opening act (not noted, but confirmed by Trolls member, Monty Baker).

Colorado Springs - Promotional poster for "The Beatles: Away With Words" at the Palmer Auditorium. March 8-9, 1968

 

 Colorado Springs - Concert poster for Battle of the Bands concert, held Sat. Jan, 18, 1969, at the City Auditorium. Bands included Beast, Warm, C.A.A.B, Deep Steam, Grouse, Paxtons Back, and Street Carnival

 

 Denver - Promotional poster for the Pacesetters

 

Denver - Promotional picture for Tyler and the Bandits. Band was active between 1965-1967. Revolving door of members: Tyler Plotzke, Steve Adler, James Casewott, Wayne Brown, Greg Reed, Harold Coggan, Jim Stallings, Mike Zitzkin, and Cliff Smith.

 

Denver - Promotional poster for The Rainy Daze

Denver - Promotional poster for The Moonrakers (also note the mention of The Astronauts and Dave Clark Five - no year noted)

Denver - Promotional poster for The Saints

Denver - Two-color Boenzee Cryque promotional poster



Denver - Led Zeppelin concert poster (March 25, 1970)



Hastings, NE - Spider and the Crabs promotional poster. The band put out an extremely rare garage psych LP (estimated less than 500 were pressed). Band: Bob “Mouse” Meyerhoffer (vocals), Steve “Spider” Einsel (guitar), Warren Gitt (saxophone), Dick Rasmussen (trumpet), Rick Messenger (keyboards), Lindy Gallaher (bass), and Jim McMillin (drums).



Topeka KS - Promotional for The Flare Show. No clue on this item. I understand they were out of Topeka, but can't find any additional info.

Trinidad, CO - Promotional poster for the July 4 (no year) Battle of the Bands show. Bands noted are Love Revolution, Fuzz, and Soul Pak

Pueblo music - in posters (PART TWO)

The Great Pueblo Music Poster Find continues! Today, I give you posters from two of the city's most popular nightclubs - The Krazy Kat and the Hi-Fi:

 Concert poster for Sunny & The Sunliners, performing at the Hi-Fi Club, Nov. 10-11, 1964

("For the first time in Pueblo, Colorado")

Concert poster for The Sir Douglas Quintet, appearing at the Hi-Fi Club, Friday, July 14, 1967. He was apparently so popular, he appeared two days later, at the Krazy Kat (below).

Concert poster for The Blue Things, appearing at the Hi-Fi Club Wed. June 30, 1965. The Blue Things were a psych band, based out of Hays, Kansas. They were active from 1964-1968. Recorded for Ruff Records, in Amarillo, and RCA.

 Promotional poster for December's Children and the OD's, appearing at the Krazy Kat (no year). Note the poster is soliciting new names for the club. December's Children were out of Cleveland. No clue on the ODs. Can't find a thing on them. Was told they might be a psych group out of the midwest.

 

Concert poster for the Charming Checkmates (no year), at the Krazy Kat. I'm wondering if this is the same group, which recorded under the Checkmates - if only for the Ruff Records mention at the top. Maybe someone can help solve the mystery.

Pueblo music - in posters (PART ONE)

Hey all! Holy cats have I a post for you, today!  So, I get a call from a fellow record collector, who tells me that he has discovered a cache of music posters, many from Colorado. Of course, he knows who to call, to unload them (grin).

He did not prepare me for what I saw, and now possess. Shocked is an understatement. How these incredible rare items survived, is beyond me.

Now, on to the show and tell (in order of poster printing):

Poster for the Pueblo group, The Fabulous Fremonts (no year). "Watermelon Man" was released in 1964, so it's assumed this poster was part of that promotional effort by the Band Box subsidiary label, Valerie (note the typo of "lable"). The Fabulous Fremonts were made up of lead singer, bass and table steel guitar-player, Irene Chavez, Henry Garcia (lead guitar), saxophonist Vic Macheto, and John Rivera on drums. Vic Macheto and John Rivera would later leave the band with Rivera being replaced by John Trujillo.

Dick Clark's The Go-Go Show (Sunday, March 28, 1965), held at Memorial Auditorium, Colorado Springs. A national act bill of Shirley Ellis, Jewel Akens (typo of "Aken"), Bobby Freeman, Brian Hyland, The Executives. Plus, Pueblo's own Patti Jo and the Teardrops. A Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph story, hyping the concert (published March 20), states "Special guest stars will be Patti Jo and the Teardrops, the Pueblo group which brought down the house at the last music spectacular at the Auditorium last month."

 

 Promotional poster for The Chandells (1965)

Arkansas Valley Fair Dance (Friday, August 20, 1965) Featuring the Chandells. Event was held in Rocky Ford, CO.

YMA School of Music Christmas Variety Show (Sunday, December 12, 1965), held at the Pueblo South High School Auditorium. Featuring The Trolls.

The Battle of the Bands (Saturday, March 26, 1966) , held at the Broadmoor International Center, in Colorado Springs. The competing bands are: representing Colorado Springs, the Villagers; from Denver, the Travelers; from Boulder, Vanguard V, and from Pueblo, the Teardrops. Patti Jo had left the band, that year.

The Pepsi Action Show (Friday, June 3, 1966): Large poster  of a show held at the CO State Fairgrounds, featuring Patti Jo and the Teardrops, the Chandells, The Torquays, and the Henchmen, all from Pueblo. The bill also included area acts from Walsenburg (The NGs), Security (The Comets), from Manitou Springs (The Countdowns), and Denver (The Outriggers). Beautiful piece of memorabilia. Patti Jo left the Teardrops, in 1966. I noted the separate "star" on the list of performers, so I can only assume this show was held after she officially left the band, and went solo.

The Summer Swing-Ding (Saturday, June 11, 1966). Held at the Colorado Springs City Auditorium. Pueblo bands included The Trolls, and Patti Jo (minus the Teardrops). Plus area acts The Chasers, Seeds, Villagers, Comets, and Countdowns. Note that popular KDZA DJ Steve Scott is the emcee of the event.

Teardrops promotional poster 

(no date) 

 

Promotional poster for the Chevelles appearing at the Pueblo Hi-Fi Club (Sunday, March 12, 1967).