Doug Rymerson (Lead Guitarist for The Trolls)

 Doug Rymerson (right) with Phil Head (photo courtesy of Phil Head)

Sad news to report that Doug Rymerson, the lead guitarist for the iconic garage rock band The Trolls (audio), has passed away.

The news came by way of Trolls drummer Phil Head, who shared this tribute:

"I learned this morning of the passing of Doug Rymerson (Digger) lead guitar for the Trolls. A more gentle spirit you could not find. I shared my first apartment with him and lived together in several places. He was the TROLL I was closest to. We were drinking buddies back in the day. Denny (RIP), Digger, and myself shared a mobile home for a short time. Digger spent endless hours meticulously learning the latest songs. His work ethic had much to do with our success. He was from St Paul, Minnesota and I spent a Christmas with him and his parents getting to meet all of his high school friends. All being gentle people help to explain his demeanor. I am so glad I got to spend part of my musical life with him. God bless you Digger, you made many people happy while you were with us."

More pictures of the group

Our Next Governor March - A.W. McIntire

Hey all! Finally getting around to filing a stack of sheet music I have, and (re)discovered this amazing find - a 1894 copy of "Our Next Governor March."

Nice early political Colorado piece, as it appears to be a composition hyping recently-elected Governor Albert Willis McIntire.

This has to be the first piece of music memorabilia mentioning the tiny San Luis Valley town of Conejos (below the governor's name).

Yes, I did noticed that the last name of the governor (and his hometown city name) is spelled wrong. I guess in the hurry to print, accidents happen. 

Composed by C.E. Anderson, the instrumental was published by Argenta Music, Denver. It lists J.J. Guentherodt as its copyright holder.

McIntire was Colorado governor from 1895-1897. According to his obituary he was originally from Pittsburgh, but relocated to Colorado in 1876.  He announced his run for governor, in 1894. In the general election, he defeated the Populist Governor David H. Waite and the Democrat Charles Thomas. During his administration, leasing of state lands was limited to ten years, the State Bureau of Mines was created, and the age of consent for girls was raised from sixteen to eighteen. In June of 1896, he sent the state militia to Leadville to put down a strike of silver miners. His term ended on January 12, 1897 and he resumed the practice of law and ranching in the San Luis Valley. He purchased a large cattle ranch on the Conejos River, north of the present day town of La Jara.

He died in 1935, and is buried in the La Jara Cemetery.

God Save the Queen

 

Hey all. While the gender and royal title have recently changed, I wanted to post this rendition of "God Save the Queen," by the NORAD band. The EP features sign-off music for either radio or television (back when both would only stay on the air until midnight). Side one features "America The Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner." Side two includes "O Canada," and "God Save the Queen." Songs were directed by Major Vic Molzer and produced by Capt. Terry Hemeyer (1:10 audio below).

Rest in peace, Your Majesty.

You'll really dig the action at Tulagi's!

 

Working on a massive reel-to-reel project, helping a friend sell off his incredible collection. Among the finds is this undated radio commercial for Tulagi, the historic Boulder bar. Warning, this catchy jingle will be an earworm! 

Listen

I'm not going to copy and paste the hard work of others, so head over to the About Boulder website, for more on this iconic location, and its rich music history.

The Greatest Musical Attraction in the History of Pueblo

A small portion of this story ran in the July issue of Pueblo County Historical Society Lore magazine. For whatever reason, the piece was missing the art, and other important details. Here is the story, in its entirety.

In 1917, in an effort to promote its new “talking machine” phonograph, the Victor company put together what was considered the first “super group” of musicians. The ensemble would be called The Record Maker Troupe, and originated with well-known performers Billy Murray, Henry Burr, Albert Campbell, John Meyer, Arthur Collins, and Byron Harlan, Teddy Morse and Vess Ossman.

By 1922, a Victor Victrola cost a Pueblo music lover about $150, the equivalent to $2,500 today. For the average resident, coming out of the 1921 recession (and a devastating flood the previous year), it was a luxury many couldn’t afford. Many music stores, such as Knight-Campbell offered payment plans, as low as $3 a month (the equivalent to about $50 today). To encourage sales of record players, local Victor dealers Knight-Campbell, Silver State Music, and D.Z. Phillips Music stores convinced Victor to bring their recording stars (renamed the Eight Famous Victor Artists) to Pueblo. 

 “You can hear them any day of your Victrola, but only this once can you look upon them actually, in person, and feel the magic of their buoyant personalities” Pueblo Daily Chieftain - Jan. 19, 1922

A large newspaper ad proclaimed the event, which was held at the City Auditorium, as “The Greatest Musical Attraction in the History of Pueblo.” It would feature a literal who’s who of Victor recording artists, of the day - Henry Burr, Monroe Silver (who replaced Byron Harlan), Frank Croxton (who had replaced Arthur Collins), John Meyer, Albert Campbell, Fred Van Eps (who replaced Vess Ossman), Frank Banta (who replaced Teddy Morse), Billy Murray, the Sterling Trio, and the Peerless Quartet. “It would be the first time in history these famous Victor artists have visited Pueblo. Fill the house Monday night, and they will come again,” the Feb. 12 Chieftain proclaimed. Ticket prices ranged from $1-$2.50 ($16-$41 today). Maybe thinking that the cost was too exorbitant for locals, the paper declared, “Oh you cannot afford to miss the Victor concert on the 13th of February. It will be great and well worth anyone’s time to hear.”

Billy (“The Denver Nightingale”) Murray (1877-1954) was born in Philadelphia. His family moved to Denver in 1882. He is credited with calling attention to the music of George M. Cohan (“You’re a Grand Old Flag”). He would go on to record many other well-known songs - “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “Over There,” and “Casey Jones.” He was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, in 2016.

Henry Burr (Harry Haley McClaskey) had first come to Denver, in 1920, and would be considered one of the first performers to use a microphone. According to Popular American Recording Pioneers, “It is reported that he used wooden bowl with an inverted telephone transmitter, during the Denver show. The broadcast could be heard all the way to San Francisco. He was also a member of the Peerless Quartet and Sterling Trio. He died in 1941.

Monroe Silver (1875-1947) was known as a comedian, whose routine used an exaggerated Yiddish dialect. His claim to fame was adapting vaudeville performer Joe Hayman’s earlier “Cohen on the Telephone” routine, into other Cohen routines - “Cohen Gets Married” (1918), “Cohen on His Honeymoon” (1918), “Cohen at the Picnic” (1919), “Cohen at the Movies” (1919), “Cohen Talks About the Ladies” (1919), “Cohen Takes His Friend to the Opera” (1921), He often performed with Billy Murray.

Fred Van Eps (1878-1960) was a celebrated banjoist, and the father of jazz guitarist George Van Eps. He was the creator (along with Henry Burr) of the Van Eps Recording Banjo. He is often credited as influencing pre-bluegrass/roots musicians, including Charlie Poole (“Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down Blues,” “White House Blues,” “If I Lose, I Don’t Care,” “Sweet Sunny South,”).

Albert Campbell (1872-1947), John Meyer (1877-1949), were members of both the Peerless Quartet and Sterling Trio, which were considered one of the most commercially successful groups of the era. The group made hundreds of recordings, including popular versions of songs such as "Sweet Adeline", "By the Light of the Silvery Moon", "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", and "I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad)". Frank Coxton (1877-1949) was also a member of the Peerless Quartet. The groups broke up in 1928.

Frank E. Banta (1897-1969) is not to be confused with his famous father, Frank P. Banta (1870-1903) was an early ragtime performer. Frank E Banta was a regular pianist with the Joseph C. Smith’s Orchestra, the Van Eps Trio and Quartet, the Club Royal Orchestra, and the Great White Way Orchestra.

Five days before the big event, it was reported that “Present seat sale indications for the Eight Famous Victor Artists show that very few, if any, seats will be available after the next few days.”

(click to enlarge)

Concert Program 

First Set:

Opening chorus - Entire Company
“Get Comfortable” (words and music by Ray Perkins)
Baritone and Bass Duets - John Meyer and Frank Coxton
“Goodbye My Love”
“Just Like a Rainbow” (recorded by The Benson Orchestra - Victor 18823)
Stories and Songs by Monroe Silver
“Irish Home, Sweet Home” (recorded with Billy Murray - Victor 18794)
“Cohen’s New Automobile”
Sterling Trio
“Tomorrow Land” (recorded by Sterling Trio - Victor 18837)
“That Old Irish Mother of Mine (recorded by Sterling Trio - Victor 18696)
Banjo Solo - Fred Van Eps
“Nalia”
Tenor Solo - Henry Burr
“Old Pal Why Don’t You Answer Me” (Recorded by Henry Burr - Victor 18708)
“I’ll Take You Home Again” (with quartet - Victor 18781 Henry Burr and Peerless Quartet)
Tenor Solos - Billy Murray
“Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes” (recorded by Billy Murray and Ed Smalle - Victor 18830)
“Stand Up and Sing For Your Father an Old Time Tune.” (recorded by Billy Murray and American Quartet - Victor 18784) 

INTERMISSION 

Second Set: 

Piano Solos - Frank Banta
“Operatic Nightmare”
“Marionette”
“MonHomme” (duet with John Meyer)
Tenor Duets - Campbell and Burr
“Underneath Hawaiian Skies” (recorded by Al Campbell and Henry Burr - Victor 18730)
“Sunny Side Sal”
Stories and Songs - Monroe Silver
“Rebecca” (recorded by Billy Murray and Monroe Silver - Victor 18748)
Bass Solo - Frank Croxton
“Song to the Evening Star” (recorded by Victor Orchestra - Victor 18759)
Banjo Solo - Fred Van Eps
“Cocoanut Dance”
Peerless Quartet
“My Sunny Tennessee” (recorded by Peerless Quartet - Victor 18812)
“Somebody’s Mother”
“Medley of Foster Songs”
Tenor Solos - Billy Murray
“When Francis Dances with Me” (recorded by Ada Jones and Billy Murray - Victor 18830)
“Humpty Dumpty” (recorded by Billy Murray and Ed. Smalle - Victor 18810)
Closing Chorus - Entire Company
Frank Banta, Accompanist

“Words cannot fully describe music of the eight Victor artists, who appeared at the city auditorium Monday night, and faced a full house.” -Pueblo Daily Chieftain, Feb. 14, 1922

According to reviews of the show, the sold-out performance (which varied between 1,600-1,900 people in attendance) was a success for both the attendees and the entertainers. “Every number on the greatly varied program was so well received by the audience that the hearty and earnest applause brought the artists back to the footlights two or three times.” 

 “If you heard the Eight Famous Victor Artists at the Auditorium last Monday night - if you were a part of the great audience who enjoyed that wonderful program, you can perpetuate your memories with their VICTOR records.”
- Advertisement (above) Pueblo Daily Chieftain - February 15, 1922 (click to enlarge)

The troupe, in various incarnations, would spend a total of 11 years on the road, promoting Victor Victrolas and Victor label recordings. On February 26, 1925, Rudy Wiedoeft, Monroe Silver, John Meyer, Frank Croxton, Albert Campbell, Henry Burr, Frank Banta, and Billy Murray recorded “A Miniature Concert,” Victor’s first commercial electrical recording. In 1928, the group performed in the MGM film At the Club. They would disband that same year.

Colorado Summer - Jimmy See Revue

On this first day of summer, I thought I would feature this aptly titled song. 

I found reference to the Jimmy See Revue from January to March, 1980, in the Colorado Springs Gazette. He was a regular entertainer at Parlour Pub, on Garden of the Gods Road. After March, I couldn't find any other notice of him performing at any club in the Springs, or anywhere else.

In 1982 he recorded the single "Colorado Summer," which was released on the JIST label. 

Listen to "Colorado Summer"

The flipside of the record, "Tonight I'd Love the Rain to Fall," features an uncredited female singer, with a more-formal vocal performance, accompanied by a piano. 

According to his 2011 obituary, he was a resident of Littleton. He passed away at the age of 67.  

As always, if anyone has additional information, please contact me.

Frank Hummel and Leon Dudley

Was driving through the Springs last Friday, and decided to hit a few of my old thrift stops. The city has been kinda hit or miss lately, at least for esoteric Colorado vinyl finds, but took a chance before heading back up to D-Town.

Glad I did. Take a look at this find from KGHF radio, in Pueblo!

You may remember the story I published a few months ago, on the first Pueblo radio stations. KGHF went on the air in 1927, and stuck around until 1964 (later becoming KKAM). No date on this recording, but the tune "Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)" was popular in 1954, as a song included in the movie "White Christmas."

The disc was in atrocious condition. You could barely hear anything, over the surface noise, but I had to at least attempt to clean it up.

Listen to "Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)" (2:22)

The flipside of the disc was a cover of "My Best to You," a 1942 Gene Willadsen and Isham Jones composition recorded by Slim Whitman, the Sons of the Pioneers, and others. Sadly, this side was audibly beyond repair. 

As for the performers - vocalist Frank Hummel worked at CF&I, with his wife Cora. According to Cora's 2018 obituary, the couple moved to Fort Morgan, and later Greeley, in 1960. Leon Dudley was very well known in Pueblo. While he was visually impaired, he was a regular entertainer at The 85 Club and The Broken Dollar, and later at La Renaissance restaurant. He often performed live on KGHF, along with ragtime performer Max Morath. He passed away in 1992.

HELP WANTED - The Foxx

 UPDATE 9/1/22: Found this newspaper ad for the band, in the Aspen Times (1971)

_________________________________________________________________

Hey all! Needing your help to find out more about this fantastic record. My friend Lance Ortiz, who runs the most-awesome Colorado-based Vinyl Heard Facebook page, offered me this find, at the Vintage Voltage show, on Sunday.

Listen to a sample of "Chicago" (2:17)

Looks like an acetate from Summit Studios. Guessing the year would be around late 1960s, based on the song titles: 

Side One

Funky Broadway (Wilson Pickett cover originally released in 1968)
Chicago (Paul Butterfield Blues Band cover originally released in 1965)
Heard It Through the Grapevine (Marvin Gaye cover originally released in 1968)

Side Two

Who's Making Love (Johnnie Taylor cover originally released in 1968)
I'm a Man (Spencer Davis cover originally released in 1967)
Brown Eyed Woman (Bill Medley cover originally released in 1968)

Listen to a  sample of "Funky Broadway" (3:12)

Denver-area Thrifting Unearths Rare San Francisco Country Radio Discs

Hey all. Going to take a break from posting Colorado finds, because this discovery is pretty amazing.

So I'm digging at the big Denver thrift chain here, and found a stack of homemade-looking 78rpm recordings. I never skip looking at these, even if they aren't from Colorado, as I have found some incredible discs.

The label immediately caught my eye - East Richmond Radio and Appliance Center, Richmond, CA. These appeared to be home recording records, possibly recorded on the Packard Bell Phonocord machine (as noted on the label).

The labels note Dude Martin, who was a West Coast-based country singer and bandleader. Dude's Round Up Gang originated on KTAB radio, but moved over to KYA in 1939, where he stayed until 1950. 

Dude Martin and his band 

(photo courtesy of David Ferrell Jackson's CowpokeRadio.com)

_____________________________________

KYA Radio ID (:21)

These are incredible audio samples of 1940s radio. They all show a date of August 27-28, 1948. One of the discs includes an Amarillo-area singer named Jimmy Ledbetter, who was the fourth contestant in the station's "Talent Tournament."

Give a listen to this sample (2:22)

On this record you also hear Dude mention that they have been using a mic for "16 years," which would imply that he had been singing since 1932. Dude's first band, The Nevada Nite Herders, first appeared on KLX radio on April 15, 1932. Dude (John Stephen McSwain) would later take his show to television, appearing on the The Dude Martin Show, KTTV Ch. 11, Los Angeles. He died in 1991.

Give a listen to this sample (1:22)

Again, no clue if these are simply home recordings of a radio broadcast, or if they were actual radio transcription recordings. My guess would be home recordings, based on the penciled notations on the labels. Still an incredible find. The outstanding Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame has another sample of his show, on its website.

"Wow -- what a find," museum founder David Ferrell Jackson told me. "Dude Martin is a personal favorite of mine; I have numerous photographs, promotional pieces and recordings of his music from over the years -- but only one aircheck. The odds and ends of Dude Martin on the air are rare, so these are amazing to hear."

On a side note, there IS a Colorado connection to Dude Martin. Eddie Kirk, who often provided the musical backing for him, was from Greeley (but left the state in 1934).

The Harrison Players

 

(Story is also posted in the March 2022 issue of the Pueblo County Historical Society The Pueblo Lore).

Seventeen days after the flood of June 3, 1921, the Grand Theater reopened after clearing “six and a half feet of water from the stage.” The repairs were a sign that entertainment would once again be a part of the Pueblo landscape after the horrific devastation. 

On November 6, the Daily Chieftain announced that the Grand was looking for a permanent stock company—a theater group which Pueblo could call its own—to be regular performers. A few days later, it was announced that the Harrison Players, formed by Charles Harrison, would take the stage as the troupe in residence. “The Harrison Players were organized expressly for Pueblo with the purpose of giving Pueblo theater goers a high-class, permanent, dramatic company,” according to the Grand’s manager, J.D. Colegrove. 

Charles Harrison was a well-known theater company player, who had formed stock player companies in Dallas, El Paso, and Kansas City. In a Chieftain story, he admitted that he was looking for a permanent home for his troupe and was happy to be setting up in Pueblo for the long term. 

The cast of the Harrison Players included a literal Who’s Who of early 1900s touring theater entertainers: Aubrey Anderson (previously of El Paso stock company), Frederick Boon (previously of the Arlington Players in Montana), Adelaide Irving—leading lady (popular actress who has appeared in Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and El Paso), Kelly Masters (from the F.P. Hillman Stock Co.), Fred McCord, Pearl Nichols (W.T. Swain Company in New Orleans), Ruby Rumley (Florida actress), Betty Rumley, Johnny Sullivan, Billy Topp (previously of the Lewis-Worth stock company).

 The group’s first performance, Two-Fisted Love, told the story of “a lightweight boxer (Kid Maloney) who is booked to fight a champion (Kid Burns). While he is in a small town to train, he meets the daughters of a minister, and this precipitates a battle which means more to him than the prize-ring championship.” 

Harrison Players’ performances: 

1921 

November 19 – Cheating Cheaters
November 26 – Mr. Jim Bailey
December 3 – Kick In (John Barrymore starred in the original NYC production)
December 11 – Little Peggy O’Moore
December 17 – Mary’s Ankle
December 27 – The Brat

1922

January 1 – Civilian Clothes
January 8 – Tennessee’s Pardner
January 10 – Common Clay – starred Don Barclay (previously of Ziegfeld’s Follies)
January 12 – Geewilliker Hay
January 22 – The Shepherd of the Hills
January 26 – A Pair of Sixes (starring 1911 Centennial graduate Miss Wally Norris)
February 5 – Saintly Hypocrites and Honest Sinners
February 13 – At 9:45
February 18 – Fair and Warmer
February 26, 1922 – Her Husband’s Kin-Folks

Between November 11, 1921, and February 26, 1922, The Harrison Players staged a total of 17 plays, each running about a week. It was reported that every show sold out of tickets and there were waiting lists for admission. The company was so beloved that when rumors began to circulate that they were leaving Pueblo, the local paper ran a story asking them to reconsider (the rumors weren’t true, as the troupe only wanted to take a few days off). 

On March 1, 1922, all of that was about to change. 

At 1:15 in the morning, with an outside temperature of 22 degrees below zero, a fire broke out in the dance hall on the fourth floor of the Grand Opera House block. By 1:30, the three-alarm blaze had brought out every piece of equipment the fire department had and every fireman they could find. According to the Pueblo Firefighters Historical Society, the fire burned its way to the scenery loft above the stage and soon the falling and flaming scenery drapes ignited the stage. By 1:50, the roof had collapsed. The red sandstone exterior blocks were three feet thick and withstood the water and the weather. The estimated monetary loss was measured in the hundreds of thousands. The Harrison Players revealed that the loss of its sets and costumes was estimated to be $20,000 (2022 equivalent = $329,000). They had no insurance.

The day after the disaster, the troupe was left wondering what would become of them. They weren’t the only ones pondering the future of the performers. The Chieftain reported that the group wanted to stay, and that “scores of comments on the streets...the people want them to stay.” The city quickly rallied around the beloved Harrison Players. To financially help, the Rialto Theater held a benefit and donated all its revenue to them. The city approved the Harrison Players use of City Auditorium for a repeat performance of Saintly Hypocrites and Honest Sinners. They then moved to the Majestic Theater, where they performed Her Husband’s Kin-Folks. 

In an editorial, the paper pleaded with them to stay. “The Harrison Players in particular have won the good will of the people of Pueblo by their sincere efforts to provide clean and wholesome amusement of a high grade of artistic effort. Such a company is a valuable asset to any city, and it is the general hope that the destruction of the theater with much of the company’s equipment will not necessitate their removal from Pueblo. Anything that can be done within reason to make it possible for them to remain ought to be done. This we owe to the city if not to this painstaking and conscientious company of actors.” 

By March 5, it appeared that the Harrison Players would continue to perform in Pueblo. It was announced that the troupe “voted and decided to stay.” They would use the City Auditorium, and even announced a new play was in the works, Lone Star Ranch. The good news would not last. 

Just two days after announcing that they would stay in Pueblo, the troupe published a letter in the Chieftain, announcing that it could no longer stage performances due to “many obstacles.”

“To our dear friends. We had decided last Saturday to undertake to stay in Pueblo for a few more weeks, giving our performances in Memorial Hall, through the opportunity offered us by the City Commissioners. But we were swayed away from the vision of many obstacles when we made this decision by the great evidence of friendship shown us on the streets, and at our benefit. Later a more calm and mature view of the situation bringing to light troubles in the way of scenery needed, sickness of some of the players, offers received by others...”

“Never in the history of this city has a company of dramatic players given such a general satisfaction and gained such a tremendous number of loyal admirers and friends as did the Harrison Players, who appeared here in the Grand Opera House for seventeen weeks this winter. A big fire on March 1, resulting in the destruction of the theater and practically everything in it, brought to an end an engagement of one of the most enjoyed permanent theatrical attractions in the city.”

Billboard  - April 1, 1922

 The city commissioners offered the City auditorium to the players as an inducement to remain after the fire, the newspapers devoted columns to them, the fraternal and civic organizations offered their assistance, but after thorough consideration, it was decided they could not maintain their high standard of productions in the auditorium because of insufficient scenery to work with and the oversize of the building. 

Eight months later the group would return to the stage in Walsenburg. The troupe staged Cappy Ricks at the Star Theater. They would take the act on the road, performing in Rocky Ford and Ordway. 

After another year of touring Colorado, the Harrison Players would move to Colorado Springs. Charles Harrison and J.D. Colegrove would form the Harrison Play Bureau, a distribution house for scripts and other theater needs. In July 1924, the business moved to Denver (1012 E. Colfax). The last known performance of the Harrison Players was reported on June 27, 1924.

The Harrison Players never returned to Pueblo.

Found at the Thrift - 1955 Denver East High Yearbook

 

Taking a break from posting a record find, with this 1955 Denver East High yearbook, picked up at the big thrift store chain here. You never know what you might find in an old school annual. While I focus on lesser-known Colorado music finds, I thought you all would enjoy seeing this 16-year-old drama club member.

Yup, that is a young Judy Collins. The following year she would pursue her musical interests, performing at Sportsland Valley, near Winter Park. According to her biography she would continue to perform in Grand Lake, Estes Park, and the Gilded Garter, in Central City. Just two years after graduating East, she started performing at the Exodus Club, in Denver. Her first vinyl appearances would be Folk Song Festival at Exodus (SK 1002), followed by Mickey Sherman Presents Folk Festival at the Exodus (Sight and Sound SS 1002).

Collins would not be the only student in this yearbook to go on to national fame. Senior Marilyn Van Derbur would go on to win the Miss Colorado pageant in 1957, and would be crowned Miss America 1958.

(click to enlarge)

During her reign as Miss America, Van Derbur would release Miss America- Marilyn Van Derbur at the Hammond Organ (Decca DL 8770)

Freakin' Out on Love with Alpha Wave

Happy Valentine's Day! I thought I would dig through the "love" songs in my stash, and feature this 1980 catchy new wave-ish / pop number by the Denver band, Alpha Wave.

Listen to "Freakin' Out on Love" (3:30)

The band included Henry "Broz" Rowland (also formerly of Modern Kids, The Rowland Brothers, and The Dreamers) and Fred Poindexter (later of Thunder the Radar) on vocals and guitars, and Remo Packer, on drums. The single was recorded at Colorado Sound Recording, and was the b-side to the catchy power pop "You Know It's Coming." While Rowland and Poindexter stayed in Colorado, Packer later moved to Los Angeles (later with the groups Altra, Frankie Vigilante Boogie Band, Razor Sharp, Bryon's Backbeat Groove Co., The Drunken Monkeys, City Fritter, Anomaly, and Trudeau LA).

At one point the band also included Paul Conly (formerly of 1960s innovative psych-rock band, Lothar and the Hand People). 

"Yes, I was in Alpha Wave for a couple of years," Paul told me. "Broz Rowland was one of my students at the University of Colorado, Denver, College of Music. I taught music synthesis and audio recording. After he graduated, he put the group together and then asked me to join on keyboards. I did join after I left my teaching job. Broz and Fred Poindexter [AKA Eric Danger] were the principal songwriters. I wrote or co-wrote some of the songs."

 Conly's time with the group only lasted a few years, when he left to compose film music.

"My final show was Halloween at Mammoth Gardens. This was probably the best show ever for the group. A full house, a costume contest, a set-decorated stage and a good sound system. Then the box office was robbed and the promoter had no money to pay us. After a string of low paying gigs, it was the final straw for me and I quit Alpha Wave. Their next gig was at the Rainbow Ballroom as local openers for some L.A. punk band. It was trendy to spit on the band from the mosh pit and I was very glad to have missed that gig." 

Paul was replaced by Donny Scott. Later in the group's history, the band line-up included Myles Mangrem, and Carlton Bacon.

"I still play music with Eric Danger. We performed as recently as late summer, but I am too busy now with a jazz group, Jazz Hands, plus I am composing a score for a feature length documentary film."

Squad IV

In 1972, during a pre-patrol roll call at the Denver Police District 2 offices, Captain Doral Smith asked his officers a question nobody had ever heard him ask – if anyone played a music instrument. 

“Our district was in the northeast part of Denver and, at that time, there was quite a bit of racial tension,” said Michael Gargaro, who was then an officer, stationed at the District 2 station. “Captain Smith’s intentions were to connect with city youth, through music.”

Gargaro, who played guitar and keyboards, raised his hand, along with guitarist Paige Lyda, bassist Dave Kechter.

Their first gig was performing for the annual police Christmas party, attended by such political and community luminaries as then-governor Richard Lamm, then-Senator (and later Presidential candidate) Gary Hart, (senator and later Presidential candidate) Pat Schroeder, and Bill McNichols (then-Denver mayor).

“We put together a dozen songs and performed. It went so well it was decided that we should have a drummer and a name. A few days later an officer by the name of Wulf Kroekel was recruited to the band. Within a week we settled on the name “Squad IV.” Sergeant Don Westbrook would supervise the group, as per regulations.

The newly-formed group immediately started being booked by schools and community groups. "East High School was our first official concert in a Denver Public School [picture above]". The concept of seeing police officers playing pop music was a hit with students, and proved to be a successful public relations idea for the department. One which was quickly getting noticed, outside of Denver.

“We got an offer to go on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show. We had made some tapes back then, and Johnny’s show producer, asked to hear them, and booked us. We had our plane tickets and everything. We were so excited. But, even back then, there was political correctness. The producer of the show had second thoughts. They were concerned that it would divide their audience. We were really disappointed.”

While the Carson appearance was a bust, it energized the group to get into the studio, to record.

“Captain Smith contacted his friend Don Martin, over at KIMN. He had a studio and he got us in, and we worked with some studio musicians for back up stuff. We didn’t really like the recording process. We wanted to record live. Don explained that’s not how you do it. It sounded fake and we weren’t happy. In the end it was combination of live and overdubs."

Squad IV – Volume One (Silver and Blue) served as a promotional item at school events and community concerts. The money made from the disc was earmarked for the local March of Dimes. The 7” EP contained four songs – “I Believe in Music” (Mac Davis cover) / “Proud Mary” (Creedence Clearwater Revival / Ike and Tina Turner cover) and “Steamroller Blues" (James Taylor cover) / “Joy to the World” (Three Dog Night cover). Gargaro believes 1,000 copies were pressed. Other credits on the disc include Ralph Harrison, Dean Tellefson, and Jim Schumacher.

Squad IV would not, of course, be the only law enforcement band in Denver. Early in the formation of the group, Captain Smith enlisted the help of Bo Cottrell, who was a member of the very popular group, the Lawmen, which included members of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.

"Doral got a hold of Bo Cotrell and told him what his plans were for the group. It was Bo who actually helped us. We even got to perform downstairs at Taylors supper club while the Lawmen performed upstairs in the main showroom upstairs. There was never any competition between us and the Lawmen. They were more like the Kingston Trio, with some comedy thrown in.”

As Squad IV’s popularity exploded, it was suggested that the next single should move away from cover versions of Top 40 songs.

“Knowing that we had a possibility of national fame, it was recommended that we record originals. People told us we were going to be big,” Gargaro said. 

For the second record (entitled Volume 2) the band enlisted the help of Fred Arthur Productions. The disc would include the songs “Love Is Forever” (composed by Paige Lyda), and “Bad Dreams” (written by Michael Gargaro). Gargaro believes 1,000 copies were pressed.

While Squad IV’s national debut on the Carson show didn’t go as planned, they would go on to interact with a diverse group of nationally-known performers and politicians – including Marc Bolan, (T-Rex) Engelbert Humperdinck, B.B. King, Donna Fargo, the Oak Ridge Boys, Kenny Rogers, the New Christy Minstrels, and promoter Barry Fey. Squad IV also performed for (then) Vice President George H.W. Bush.

“We were playing at the Playboy Club in Denver, at the top of the Radisson, off Lincoln Street. It was not really what a person would think. It was a very professional environment. Very high class. They had two rooms that had live band music, and another for comedians. [Denver's-own Fats Johnson was the in-house comedian]. We played there on our off-duty time, with permission from the Police Department. We had several stints there. Anyway, T. Rex had played that night, in Denver and the band members were staying at the Radisson. All of a sudden, they walk in, and start hanging out. They noticed that our equipment was like theirs, so they come up to the stage and started playing.”  Squad IV Also performed for Engelbert Humperdinck at the Playboy Club, after his appearance in Denver. 

The group would go on to open for BB King, at Denver Coliseum. In 1981, when the Oak Ridge Boys came to Colorado, they specifically requested Squad IV as their opening act.

“A few years after that the Oak Ridge Boys came back to Denver, to do a show with Kenny Rogers. Their manager called us and asked if we wanted to meet Kenny. They were staying at the hotel near the stadium and had us escorted to the event to meet Kenny. We gave them all some Denver Police ball caps as a thank you for their kindness"

While the band was riding high on local popularity, the original line-up would soon change.

“We were together for about five years, then we replaced Wulf,” he said. “He decided that he wanted to be more involved in promoting the band.”

Officer Gary Kerchmar was brought in to replace Kroekel, but he wouldn’t last long. “So, Doral put out the word, and we had a drum competition. I think three or four guys auditioned, and that’s where we got Jerry Martinez.”

Bassist Dave Kechter would be replaced by Rodger Berry (who was replaced by Tony Gardella). Guitarist Paige Lyda was a police artist and would soon be promoted to detective. He would be replaced by John Smith, who was later replaced by Jerry Arellano and Michael Thompson.

While the band was a fun diversion from patrol responsibilities, many of the band members wanted to be back out on patrol. “I think they thought this would be like a military band, but for a lot of the guys, we wanted to be out on the street,” Gargaro said.

Captain Smith would soon retire, and Squad IV would be moved into community services – doing DARE programs, and other school resource responsibilities. The department would then go through another major shake-up. While Police Chief Ari Zavaras supported the band idea, those who would followed him did not fully endorse the program.

“After a couple of years, the department insisted that we work the street. We continued to play, on our own – with permission.”All the members were eventually promoted to detectives and moved on.

Squad IV’s affiliation with the Denver Police Department ended in 1985, but they didn't disband. When they started playing on our own, they added several band members – Marty Martinez on keyboards and trumpet, and Bob DeGasperis, saxaphone. Bob would pass away in 1999, Ricky Martin, who still performs in local Denver area bands and bassist Eddie Perez who currently performs in church worship bands in the metro Denver area. Squad IV officially broke up, in 2016, after Rodger Berry passed away.

“We were at the point where there were only three members left, and using fill ins just wasn’t working." Gargaro said.

Original member Dave Kechter passed away in 2009.“I ended up being the only original until the end,” Gargaro said. “It’s funny, none of the members in the band ever thought about giving up their police gigs to be music stars. Every one of them reached full retirement, and I did 30 years.”

At 71, he runs his own security business, Covenant Community Services. He has fond memories of his time in Squad IV, and still runs into people who feel the same.

“Every now and then we will run into people who remember when we came to their school. One guy told me Squad IV was the reason he became an officer.”

Burns Theatre Vaudeville - Part Two

I acquired so many of these Burns Theatre programs, I decided to do a part two. These are fantastic, and an amazing look at early entertainment in Colorado Springs. So, on with the show!

(Click on each, to enlarge)

March 9, 1921 - Josef Hofmann (extensive Wikipedia page entry)

Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 1921 - The Marcus Show 

Performers included Bee Winsome, Al Byrnes, Charlie Abot, Polly Day, Billy (also spelled Billie) Dale, Gertrude Parish, Robert Long & Peaches, Runaway Four, Dan Stanley, Tom O'Brien, Marie Vespo, Oliver Vespo, Cleo Lewis, Martinez Randall

 

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May 15, 1922 - Elsie Janis and Her Gang (extensive Wikipedia  entry)

 

July 10-11, 1922 - Pantages Vaudeville / July 12-15, 1922 - Brandon Light Opera

Performers included: The Four Boyces, Jeans & Shane, Josefita Silva Trio, Dolly Brickey, Little Jim, Violet Robson, Georgia Emmett, Lilian Robson, Sandell Sisters, Charles Sbladar, Earl Miller, Wilson & McEvoy, Four Erettos.

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July 17-18, 1922 - Pantages Vaudeville / July 19-22, 1922 - Brandon Light Opera

 

Performers included: Four & Price, Mel Craig and Ed Holtsworth, Everett's Monkeys, Howard Mack and Henriettta Lane, Dorothy Beattie and Adolph Blome

 

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 August 14-15, 1922 - Pantages Vaudeville

Performers included: Will Morris, James Seymour and Dottie Jeanette, Erfords Oddities, Eddie Clark and Joe Verdio, Packy Calahan, Frank Roberts, Eddie Brasted, Nellie Quealey, George Oakes, Alice Morrison, Roy Stewert, and Louise Lovely.

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October 4, 1922 - Rosa Ponselle (extensive Wikipedia entry)