The Shades of Blue (Danville)

Rick Miller, Cloyd Shank, Mike Supp, Tim Frazier, Chuck Olmsted

The Shades of Blue were a group of fun-loving college students from Danville, Illinois.  They recorded two singles in the late 1960's and have the distinction of being one of the first bands to be managed by Irving Azoff.

While attending Danville High School, several of the members were in an earlier group known as the Avengers.  They eventually changed their name to the Coachmen.  The band was managed by their friend and fellow classmate, Irving Azoff.  According to Shades of Blue guitarist Tim Frazier, "I believe he wanted to play (with us), but he couldn't sing or play, so we made him our manager."  The Coachmen stayed together until 1966.  The Shades of Blue formed later that year.

Early members of the Shades included Rick Miller, drums; Tim Frazier, guitar; Mike Supp, keyboards; Cloyd Shank, guitar and Bruce Collins on bass.   Most of the members could sing and took turns on lead vocals.

Before the end of 1966, Tim Frazier left the group temporarily.  The others continued on as a four-piece for a few months.

Christmas 1966: Bruce Collins, Rick Miller, Cloyd Shank and Mike Supp

Frazier rejoined the band by the Spring of 1967.

Bruce Collins, Rick Miller, Tim Frazier, Mike Supp and Cloyd Shank

Not long after Frazier's return, Bruce Collins was replaced by Chuck Olmsted who had moved to Danville from Urbana, Illinois.  At the time of the lineup change, Frazier switched to bass with Olmsted taking over on lead guitar.

Shades Of Blue on stage with Irving Azoff in crowd, facing camera

In the summer of 1967 the Shades of Blue won the "Battle of the Bands" contest at the Eastern Illinois Fair in Danville.   According to Tim Frazier their victory was a sure thing.  "I can't remember whom we played against, but it could have been The Stones and we still would have won.  We found out later that Irving paid the judges off."  Their prize was a free recording session.

On September 29, 1967 the Shades of Blue recorded two songs in Roger Francisco's basement studio in Urbana, Illinois.  All of the band members at the time were students at Danville Junior College (now Danville Area Community College).

Danville Commercial-News, November 2, 1967

Their first single was available by November 1967.  It included the original tune, "That's Not The Way Love Should Be," written by Frazier and Shank.  The flipside was a cover of "You Must Believe Me," originally done by the Impressions and covered by the Hollies, among others.  The record was released on the Shades label, a custom product of RoFran Enterprises.

 

The group continued to perform throughout eastern Illinois and parts of Indiana at school dances and teen clubs.  In Danville, they played regularly at the Navy Club and the YMCA.

St. Paul's Gymnasium, July 1967

They also opened for Chicago area bands that passed through town, such as the Shadows of Knight, New Colony Six, the Cryan' Shames, the Mauds and many others.

In late December 1968, the Shades of Blue traveled to Chess Studios in Chicago where they recorded "The Time Of My Life," a song written by Tim Frazier (miscredited on the record as Tom Frazier), as well as a cover of the Byrds' rendition of "Turn Turn Turn."  The record was released on the Shades label in early 1969.

 

After the 1969 school year, most of the band members transferred to Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.  During that period, the group went through another lineup change.  Mike Supp had already left the group and Rick Miller was the next to depart.  They were replaced by Bill Cunningham on keyboards and Danny Odum on drums.

Cunningham had previously been a member of another Danville group, The Villagers, whereas Odum had been a member of the Cobras, also from Danville.  In 1966, Odum and the Cobras released a single on Danville's own Milky Way Records, "Try" / "Good Bye."  Most of the band were still in junior high at the time.

 

The Shades of Blue carried on for a few more years around the campus of ISU.  By early 1971, Cunningham, Odum and Olmsted had formed a new group at ISU called America, Inc.  Odum briefly joined Head East in September 1971 before being drafted the next year.  Later on, both Danny Odum and Tim Frazier went on to play with Willard Cratchelow at different times.  Odum eventually joined back up with Head East around 1980.

In the early 2000's, members of the Shades of Blue reunited and performed in Danville as part of a benefit concert.  Guitarist Cloyd Shank passed way in 2016.

Shades Of Blue at the Vermilion County Airport, 1967

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You can read Tim Frazier's full interview with the now-defunct 60sgaragebands.com: HERE

The Explorers (Quincy)

August 1968: Steve Paden, Craig Albright, Marion Harsell, Bob Seifert, Butch Gail, Steve Strothoff

The Explorers were a group of teenagers from Quincy, Illinois.  They formed in 1966 and went through a series of lineup changes over the next several years.  Sponsored by a local fast-food restaurant, the band recorded and released their only single in 1968, the highly regarded "Blue Flavored Lollypop."

The earliest lineup of the Explorers consisted of Gary "Butch" Gail, drums; Bob Seifert, bass guitar; Jerry Mast, rhythm guitar; Steve Strothoff, lead guitar and Jeff McClean, lead vocals.  (Photo from May 1967).

The group played wedding receptions, proms, dances and at the Pub in Quincy.  They reportedly had two thousand dollars worth of equipment and six different outfits consisting of "colorful shirts and trousers."

Sometime between May and August of 1967, the band went through a shake up.  Craig Albright replaced McClean as the lead singer, while Steve Paden replaced Jerry Mast on rhythm guitar.  They also added Marion Harsell on organ.

The new lineup performed in front of thousands of teenagers at a Battle of the Bands competition held in downtown Quincy, Illinois on August 23, 1967.  The Explorers finished third place out of 13 bands.  The Times won the contest with the State of Confusion coming in second.  All three groups performed live on WGEM's Teentime broadcast that summer.

The next summer, the same lineup of the Explorers would take the top prize at the competition. The Battle of the Bands was held July 31, 1968 at Sandy's Drive-In (Twelfth & Locust) in front of a crowd of 5,000 teenagers.  The runners-up that year were a soul group from Quincy, Ralph and the Sensations.

Ralph and The Sensations

Both groups won an all expenses paid trip to Springfield to compete at the "Young America Fair," a division of the Illinois State Fair.  Their performances at the fair's "Combo Clash" were to be broadcast live over WGEM back in Quincy.

Right around the same time, the Explorers recorded their only single, "Jennifer Ann" b/w "Blue Flavored Lollypop."  Both songs were written by guitarist Steve Strothoff and singer Craig Albright.

 

The record was produced by Averbeck-Warren Associates.  The company, owned by Roman Averbeck and Ted Warren, was a newly-established movie production studio based in Quincy.  They produced primarily sales and training films, commercials and educational films.  They also had a sound studio where they produced demos and other sound recordings for which they sought out local talent.  "If you can sing, dance, rattle the bones, or play a musical instrument, we are interested."  They briefly had their own record label as well.

Melon Fields

The first record on their label, A-W Records, was Uncle Alvis & The Corncobs from Missouri.  The second was Nyla Jean and the Hardtymes, also from Missouri.  

The third release on A-W Records was by Melon Fields, a teenage folk rock group from Quincy.  Their single, "People It's Raining" / "Sail Away,"  was released in August 1968.

The Explorers' single was next.  Instead of being released on A-W Records however, it was on the Sandy's "label."  Presumably, the restaurant chain sponsored the recording and paid for the release.  The sleeve was also used to advertise the restaurant while acknowledging the Explorers as "1968 Battle Of The Bands Champions."

The Explorers' 45 was available in Quincy by early October of 1968.  The band, however, had split into two groups before it's release.   

Butch Gail and Steve Paden retained the Explorers name, adding four new band members:  Roger Likes, vocals; Dan Peacher, lead guitar; Steve Ehrhart, rhythm guitar and Greg "Buddy" Gail, trumpet.

The new lineup continued to perform in Quincy, even promoting the Sandy's record once it was released.  

As for the four members that left the Explorers (Craig Albright, Bob Seifert, Marion Harsell, and Steve Strothoff), they formed a new band with Steve Tieken on drums and John Stroot on rhythm guitar.  (Tieken, the son of musician and bandleader Freddie Tieken, was 12 years old when he joined the group.)  

No longer able to call themselves the Explorers, the band asked the public for name suggestions.

Quincy Herald-Whig September 30, 1968

By early November, they had settled on Electric Creation.  

By February 1969, the Explorers had added a seventh member, Donny Lowe on organ.  Lowe was from Pittsfield and a student at Gem City College at the time.  Most of the other band members were still finishing up high school.

The Explorers' new sound was described as "a little soul, a little psyc, a little rock - we do the whole show."  According to guitarist Steve Ehrhart, "We don't have any ideas about writing music or making records.  We just want to play."

Both the Explorers and the Electric Creation continue to perform in and around Quincy through the summer of 1969.  In early August, the Electric Creation won the combo clash at the Adams County Fair.  According to the Quincy Herald-Whig, "Their selection was made on the basis of their psychedelic rendering of "You Keep Me Hanging On" and "Try A Little Tenderness."  According to one review of their outdoor performance, "They've just ruined the hunting around here for 20 miles."

Both bands called it quits by 1970.  That summer Butch Gail and Steve Paden reunited briefly with Steve Strothoff in a new group, Loco Weed, which performed at the 1970 Adams County Fair.

The Les-Buzz Ballroom: The Rock 'N' Roll Shows 1955-1960 (Spring Valley)

In the summer of 1949, Arthur "Buzzy" Verucchi and his brother-in-law Lester Dhesse opened the Les-Buzz Roller Rink on Route 6 in Spring Valley, Illinois.  A year and a half later, in late December 1950, the venue held its first concert.

The Les-Buzz Ballroom quickly became the premier spot for dancing in north-central Illinois.  For more than a decade the venue hosted legendary jazz performers and bandleaders such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and many others.  The ballroom's slogan:  "Where All The Name Bands Play."  For many of the performers, Spring Valley was their only stop in Illinois outside of Chicago.

In the fall of 1955, the venue started to bring a new kind of dance music to the area - rock 'n' roll.   Here is a list of some of the performers and dates.

September 17, 1955:  Boyd Bennett & His Rockets

October 8, 1955:  Bill Haley & His Comets

With one of the first uses of the term "rock 'n' roll" in the local press, one area announcement read, "On Oct. 8, Bill Haley and his Comets will invade Les-Buzz for a rock-and-roll session."  It would be the first of at least four appearances by Haley over the next few years.

November 17, 1956:  Teen-age Rock N Roll Show

Rock 'n' roll didn't immediately catch on in the Illinois Valley.  Les-Buzz continued to book mainly big bands and dance orchestras.  A "Teen-age Rock N Roll" show was advertised at Les-Buzz in November of '56 but no acts were listed.  The following year would be different however, with several big rock 'n' roll shows.  

May 18, 1957:  Bill Haley & His Comets

June 14, 1957:  Everly Brothers, Eddie Cochran, Nick Noble, Four Esquires

The poster refers to the Everly Brothers as "a relatively unknown act."  Their first hit record, "Bye Bye Love," had just come out a few months earlier.  They were reportedly paid $350 for their appearance.  A local group, possibly the Nite Caps from LaSalle, served as their backing band that night.  Don and Phil Everly, still fairly young themselves, reportedly went roller skating before the show.

Even though Eddie Cochran was perhaps better known than the Everly Brothers at the time, mainly due to his appearances in the The Girl Can't Help It and Untamed Youth, he had yet to record some of his biggest hits.   "Summertime Blues" and "C'mon Everybody" wouldn't be released for another year.

November 9, 1957:  Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps

This November date may not have been Vincent's first appearance at Les-Buzz.  There is some evidence that he came to Spring Valley as early as September 1957.  He performed at the Coliseum in Davenport, Iowa on September 22nd and was in Sterling, Illinois the next night, performing at the Sterling Auditorium.  A month later, on October 27th, Vincent and the Blue Caps performed at the Hub Ballroom in Edelstein, Illinois.

Incredibly, audio from one of Vincent's earliest performances at Les-Buzz was recorded by an audience member.  A tape of the show currently resides in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Archives.  Vincent and the Blue Caps can be heard performing "Be-Bop-a-Lula," "Lotta Lovin'," "Dance To The Bop" and "Right Now."  They also perform several Little Richard songs including "Long Tall Sally," "Rip It Up," and "Keep-A-Knockin."  Vincent returned to Les-Buzz in less than a year.

June 27, 1958:  Tommy Sands

"Tommy Sands, who's the latest rage of the teenage set as movie, TV and recording star, makes his only Illinois appearance this season on Friday night at the Les Buzz Ballroom in Spring Valley, flying there from Hollywood.  Doors open at 8, with dance and show from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. DST.  Sands is best known for his Sing, Boy, Sing recording and film." - Peoria Journal Star, June 25, 1958

On stage at Les-Buzz:  Tommy Sands' band including Hal Blaine on drums

July 5, 1958:  Buddy Holly & The Crickets

I could not find an advertisement promoting the concert but the show has been confirmed by several first hand accounts.  The date is provided by various online sources.  It appears to be the only Illinois show on this brief summer tour of the Midwest.  Holly was scheduled to return in February.

July 26, 1958:  Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps

August 16, 1958:  SUMMER DANCE PARTY

• Danny & The Juniors
• Gerry Granahan
• Poni-Tails
• Jody Reynolds 
• Buddy Morrow

September 13, 1958:  Bill Haley & His Comets

September 20, 1958:  AUTUMN DANCE PARTY

• Bobby Darin
• Jimmy Clanton
• Dion & The Belmonts
• Jo Ann Campbell
• Tony Pastor

October 25, 1958:  Dale Hawkins & The Hawks

 

November 1, 1958:  The Big Beats

December 31, 1958:  Conway Twitty, The Rockin' R's

In a 2019 interview, Ron Volz mentions that his band, the Rockin' R's from Metamora, Illinois, opened for Conway Twitty and Bill Haley at Les-Buzz.   He also talked about opening up for Gene Vincent but it is unclear if that was in Spring Valley or in St. Louis.

February 7, 1959: WINTER DANCE PARTY

 

Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper were just days away from performing at Les-Buzz when their plane crashed near Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3rd.  Not more than a day after the crash, newspaper advertisements had replacement acts listed, stating "The Show Must Go On."

• Frankie Avalon
• Jimmy Clanton
• Dion & The Belmonts
• The Crickets
• Frankie Sardo

The poster for the show adds:  "This is Frankie Avalon's only Downstate Appearance.  He will not appear in Peoria with the show."  Instead of Avalon, a young Fabian performed in Peoria and Springfield, the last two dates on the tour.  

The Les-Buzz show was held the same day as Buddy Holly's funeral in Lubbock, Texas.  His friends and bandmates, the Crickets, which included Tommy Allsup and a young Waylon Jennings, were unable to attend.  Instead they were on stage in Spring Valley.

March 7, 1959:  Bobby Darin, The Bell Notes

April 4, 1959:  THE SPRING DANCE PARTY

• Kalin Twins
• The Bell Notes
• Link Wray & The Wraymen
• Bill Parsons
• Jesse Lee Turner
• All American Boys Band

April 18, 1959: Jimmy Bowen, The Big Beats

April 25, 1959:  Bill Haley & His Comets

May 2, 1959:  Duane Eddy, Dale Hawkins

May 9, 1959:  Fabian

May 23, 1959:  Conway Twitty & His Rock 'n' Roll Band

June 13, 1959:  VACATION DANCE PARTY

• Gary Stites
• Freddy Cannon
• Frankie Ford
• The Mystics
• Carl Dobkins Jr.
• Barbara Evans
• Johnny & The Hurricanes

July 3, 1959:  Frankie Avalon

July 10, 1959:  SUMMER DANCE PARTY

• Jerry Keller
• Carl Mann
• The Tassels
• The Addrisi Brothers
• Skip & Flip
• Jo Ann Campbell
• Dicky Doo & The Don'ts

July 19, 1959:  Fats Domino

August 1, 1959:  Jimmy Bowen and the Rhythm Orchids

August 8, 1959:  Jimmy Clanton, Gary Stites, The Tempos, Santo & Johnny, The Bell Notes, Dick Caruso

September 5, 1959:  Floyd Robinson, Sonny James, Tony Bellus, Paul Peek, The Flames

September 19.1959:  Talent Show Finals - 10 Big Acts

October 17, 1959:  Jerry Lee Lewis

November 26, 1959:  HOLIDAY TEEN HOP - Rock-A-Teens, Joe London, Tommy Facenda

March 5, 1960:  Jimmy Clanton, The Champs, Johnny Ferguson, Frankie Ford, Ray Smith, The Nite Caps, Sandy Van

March 19, 1960: Conway Twitty

April 9, 1960:  Bobby Rydell, The Nite Caps, Sandy Van, The Royal Notes

May 21, 1960:  Johnny & The Hurricanes, Rod Lauren, Gary Stites, Johnny Restivo, Nicky DeMatteo, Carl Dobkins Jr., Danny Valentino, Harold Dorman

The Les-Buzz Ballroom and Roller Rink closed in April 1961.  The building was sold and used as a discount center for a few years before it was completely destroyed by fire in December 1964.  Thirty-five years later, a section of West Dakota Street in Spring Valley was renamed Les Buzz Way.  

For those interested in getting a glimpse at what Les-Buzz looked like, an architectural model of the ballroom and roller rink is on display at the Spring Valley Historical Museum.  They also have an assortment of memorabilia and photographs from the venue.

Verucchi's Ristorante in Spring Valley also has many photos and an original Winter Dance Party poster displayed in their bar area.  In 2014, Dick Verucchi, a legendary musician in his own right, gave an in-depth and personal talk about his father, Buzzy, and the Les-Buzz Ballroom.