The Converts were seminary students, I believe at the Holy Name Seminary in Madison, Wisconsin, though two sources (Lost and Found & Teen Beat Mayhem) give Beloit, Wisconsin as their base. Beloit is a town of 35,000 just across the Illinois state line, just south of Janesville where Ken Adamany ran the Rampro and Feature labels, and an hour southeast of Madison.
According to Gary E. Myers’ On That Wisconsin Beat, the band consisted of Bob Henneman (lead guitar); Duane Millard (guitar, keyboard and bass); Charles Millard (bass and guitar), replaced by Terry Johnson (bass); and Robert Fixmer on drums. Gary writes “None of the converts joined the ministry”!
In early 1967 the band released their only 45, the ballad “A Guy Without a Girl”. Listeners these days prefer the b-side, the excellent “Don’t Leave Me”. Hear it on Teenage Shutdown Vol. 15, She’s a Pest. The singer tries to convince his girl not to go by saying she’s “not so hot”, and threatening she’ll never “get another man” or “hold another hand”. Both songs were written by Fixmer & Hanneman for Spad Music, BMI.
Rob Fixmer played percussion with Jim Spencer for his albums previous to the Major Arcana LP, Landscape (1973, on Thoth) and 2nd Look (1974, on Akashic). Fixmer became a journalist whose credits include publishing an interesting interview with Frank Zappa in Milwaukee’s alternative newspaper, the Bugle American.
Terry Johnson was in the Southbound Band, who released an LP in 1985.
from left: Terry DeMoor, Greg Mauchmar, Alan Birdsall, and Bob Moffitt
“Tears, Tears” is a great pop number, one of better Beatles-inspired songs of the mid-’60s. If you want to hear it dig out Highs in the Mid Sixties, Michigan volume 3! The flip is “Don’t You Know It’s Love?” for fans of moody ballads.
The band was from Kalamazoo, Michigan, 140 miles distant from Detroit where the single was recorded. Alan Birdsall wrote both sides of the single, published by Pavilion Music, BMI. It was released on the Topper label in March, 1966.
Someone who know the band wrote to me:
The band members were students at Kalamazoo Central High School:
Alan Birdsall, Junior, Rhythm Guitar Greg Mauchmar, Junior, Lead Guitar Terry De Moor, Senior, Bass Robert Moffitt, Junior, Drums
All Gibson guitars… I think it would be illegal to live in Kalamazoo and not play one! The record was made in Spring 1966 in Detroit. Earlier that year, they had won a “Battle of the Bands” contest in Kalamazoo, and appeared in the Kalamazoo Gazette. They recorded (I think) 4 songs that day, but only one record was made, so the best two songs were used. One of them was named “Don’t You Know It’s Love”, but that song did not appear on the record. The recorded B-side song was really called “Because I Love You” (makes sense, since that’s the lyric), but someone screwed up the label. Greg Mauchmar wrote that song, but for whatever reason, Birdsall was given credit (probably because it was Birdsall’s band, or it was another screw up).
Topper had about a half-dozen releases of soul artists such as Priscilla Page, Dottie & Millie, and Tobi Lark, all in demand on by collectors. The Decisions was the only garage or rock type single on the label that I know of. Like most of those singles, the producer on the Decisions is the legendary Dave Hamilton.
Still an obscure band, the Shooting Stars had two very good 45s in 1967 and 1968 then disappeared. Their location is sometimes given as Winchester, Indiana, a small town north of I-70, about halfway between Indianapolis and Dayton, Ohio.
Their first single is the very catchy “I Love Her Anyway”, written by Robbins and published by Bo-Ann Publishing, BMI. The flip is a blues workout, “After 3 A.M.”, credited to Huff, Perry and Sipe, those names likely members of the band. Teen Beat Mayhem dates the 45 to 1967.
It was released by Randolph Records of Winchester, which may be the reason the band is usually cited as from that town. Randolph had at least a couple other releases, notably “Cherrie – 42553” / “Come Back Baby” by the Ferris Wheel (formerly the Ecstatics) of Union City, Indiana. Members of the Ferris wheel included Danny Percolosi, Tim Skiver, Dick Gaddis, Roger Graham, Bob Lykins, and Nick McNutt. Producer on that 45 was Ed Roehling, Captain Bob Jinkins was engineer, and Jim Dempsey did A&R.
The Shooting Stars 45 on Randolph lacks all these credits, but like the Ferris Wheel, the labels read “Distributed by Sims Recordings.” Randolph also released a country gospel single by Harold Hawley.
I’m not sure I’ve heard the Shooting Stars’ second release, “I Watch the Clock”, an original by the group published by Club Miami, BMI. The flip is a version of Ritchie Valens’ “Donna”.
Airtown Custom Records started in Dayton, Ohio, but had moved to Richmond, Indiana by the time of the Shooting Stars 45. According to Buckeye Beat, here were about a dozen other releases on the label. The Shooting Stars may date to about 1968.
When I bought this copy of Kenneth Rexroth’s Fantasy LP “Jazz & Poetry at the Black Hawk”, I found inside the cover hand-written notes for the session for two of the poems recorded: “Nicholas Dog of Experience” and Rexroth’s translation of Francis Carco’s “The Shadow”.
Different handwriting lists the musicians on the session. Hank Uribe’s daughter tells me this is her father’s handwriting, but the rest of the notes belong to someone else. Musicians were: John Mosher, bass; Clair Willey, piano; Dickie Mills, trumpet; Brew Moore on tenor sax; and Hank Uribe on drums.
Even though Fantasy had an entire back cover to fill with notes, they didn’t bother to list the musicians, so I haven’t seen this information published anywhere else.
Kenneth Rexroth wrote an essay called “Jazz Poetry” for The Nation magazine in 1958 discussing how he was working with a quintet that included three musicians who would appear on the Black Hawk album: Brew Moore, Dickie Mills and Clair Willey; plus Frank Esposito on trombone, Ron Crotty on bass and Gus Gustafson on drums.
I’m also including a scan of a legal release to allow photos to be taken in the Black Hawk club in San Francisco. All this may be minor history, but I know someone else besides me will be interested in it.
The collaboration of beat poets with jazz musicians is a strange and funny genre, and Rexroth’s delivery is one of the oddest:
Rexroth passed away in 1982; Hank Uribe in February 2011. Brew Moore was probably the most famous musician on this session, which would have taken place just before he dropped out of the jazz scene until relocating to Europe. Fantasy released an LP under his leadership in 1956, featuring a band that included Dickie Mills. Moore died in 1973.
Francis Carco – The Shadow, translated by Kenneth Rexroth Francis Carco – The Shadow page 3, Kenneth Rexroth at the Black Hawk, with handwritten notes by Hank Uribe Kenneth Rexroth – Nicholas Dog of Experience, with notes by Hank Uribe Kenneth Rexroth at the Black Hawk, notes by Hank Uribe. June 1960. This page lists John Mosher, bass; Clair Willey, piano; Dickie Mills, trumpet; Brew Moore on tenor sax; and Hank Uribe on drums. Fantasy Records Photo Release for the Blackhawk
Update 2022: Hank Uribe’s daughter Ann wrote to me with the information that her father “was Johnny Mathis’s first drummer in high school. He played with Vince Guraldi, Smith Dobson, Dave Lario, Bud Dimmock, Red Norvo, and so many others.” She sent in the photo seen below.
Ellis Theater, San Francisco, September 20, 1951. From left, top: Johnny Mathis, unidentified, Merl Saunders, Hank Uribe (drums), Lionel Hampton, Roy Harris (vibes), Frank Roberts (bass), Bill Hawkens (alto), unidentified. Bottom row from left: unidentified alto, Roland Mitchell (tenor), unidentified, Mel McPherson (tenor), Frank Wood (tenor)
The Huntsmen – picture sleeve courtesy of Jim Wilson.
The Huntsmen came out of Millikan High School in Long Beach, and were friends with the Emperors and also likely the Royal Knights, as this sleeve scan and the business cards below came from the collection of one of that band’s members.
The Huntsmen had two singles on the Pam label in the early ’60s:
Pam 1001/1002: “Send Me Some Lovin'” / “Wishbone” Pam 1003/1004: “Fever” / “Big Bowl of Soul”
“Wishbone” and “Big Bowl of Soul” are band originals.
The labels list the band members, but I don’t have good scans of the labels – if anyone can provide some please contact me.
Jim Bradshaw – lead guitar and lead vocals Jerry Christensen – drums Mick Lorito – rhythm guitar Bill McKinney Don Rabish (?)
I’m not sure if this is the same Pam label that owned by Jim Aguirre and located at 150 Pamela Blvd in Monrovia, across the city from Long Beach. That Pam had a release from the late ’50s, Bill Garland’s “Lonesome Guitar” / “Guitar Blues” (Pam 45-201).
I’ve heard the A-sides of both singles and they’re excellent as this shows:
Jim Bradshaw had a long career in music after the Huntsmen, including a bi-racial band, the Disciples of Soul, and stints with Johnny Otis, Shuggie Otis, Eddie Vinson, Taj Mahal, Etta James, Junior Wells, and Henry Vestine of Canned Heat. James Bradshaw died in Oregon in 2003.
These band cards offer a glimpse of the local scene circa 1964-’65, including the Royal Knights, the Huntsmen, the Emperors and two cards from the Starfires from Downey. Did any of these other bands record?
Los Angeles band cards from circa 1962-1966, including the Vida-Men, the Coachmen, the Continentals, the Del-Links, Mikron Custom Guitar Finishes (Mike Cohn and Ron Eclit), the Starfires, The Royal Knights, the Impressions, the Ascots, the Leisuremen, the Friends (“Dances – Riots – Concerts”), the Shamrocks, and the Versitile Intruders. From the collection of Jim Wilson.
Planned Obsolescense comes from a scene I haven’t written about on this site before, the area around Santa Barbara, CA. The band had this one 45: “Exit Sticky Icky” starts out something like Creedence, then shifts to a quicker pace. The flip is a cover of the Beau Brummels’ “Still in Love With You Baby”.
Note the band’s name is Planned Obsolescense, not Planned Obsolescence – whether intentional or not I don’t know. There are no credits on the labels, but a comment by Tom Dinning, below, lists the correct lineup of the group:
Bill Lipscombe, lead guitar, vocals Terry McLaughlin, rhythm guitar, vocals Tom Messerve, vocals Kurt Graffy, bass, vocals Tom Dinning, drums, vocals
Bill Lipscombe was out of town for the session, so Joe Rodriquez stepped in on lead guitar. The other names listed are incorrect.
The incorrect names Tom is referring to come from a now-defunct website California Gold Coast Dreamin’ (www.skwaller.com/cgcd/band-pages/plannedobsolescence.html) which seems to have confused label owner Doug McGuire with two of the musicians and adds a keyboard player. There is organ audible on their version of “Still in Love With You Baby”:
Members:
Bill Lipscombe – guitar, vocals Joe Rodriguez – bass Doug McGuinn – drums Harold Irving – keyboards Tom McGuire – vocals
This band met while attending high school in Santa Barbara and played local battle of the bands shows, dances, and club dates, eventually attracting the attention of The Sufaris’ management team.
The b-side of their sole 45, “Exit Sticky Icky”, was originally written as an advertisement for a soft rubber toy (the toy manufacturing company eventually backed out of the idea). To promote the 45 the band spent a couple of months touring Southern California. Their gimmick was playing with bags over their heads, and black capes.
Jet Set announced in Billboard, Sept. 16, 1967
At a concert at UCSB they played the world’s longest song, literally hour after hour of Exit Sticky Icky, with members of Giant Crab and other friends helping out.
A notice announcing the formation of Jet Set Records and Publishing (ASCAP) in Billboard dates to September 16, 1967, and lists Doug McGuire as president.
The Jet Set label would have two more releases that I’m aware of, one of my favorite ’60s singles, “I’ll Take It Back” / “Ryan 5” by the Calliope on Jet Set JSR-45-3 from February of 1968 and the Blue Wood doing “Turn Around” / “Happy Jack Mine”. Calliope recorded their single at Whitney Studios in Glendale with Tom Lubin as producer and Frank Kejmar as engineer. Frank engineered many of the hundreds of Christian records recorded at Whitney and released on the Angelus label.
Calliope’s release on Jet Set would be picked up for national release by Epic in July of ’68, listing Doug McGuire as Executive Producer. The Calliope would have two more releases on Shamley in 1969. Flower Bomb Songs has an excellent interview with Calliope songwriter Jim Andron.
The Jet Set release of the Calliope’s “I’ll Take It Back” runs a full 2:42, as noted on the label, while the Epic release cuts about 10 seconds of the ending, despite listing 2:43! A great song with a beautiful, mystical ending, I savor the extra 10 seconds on the Jet Set release.
No connection to the Jet Set label from Washington, DC that released soul records.
If anyone has a photo of the group or more info on them or the Jet Set label, please write to me.
The Coachmen at Grannys Teen Club, Opp, Alabama, 1965. L-R: Steve Folmar, Paul Williams, Gordon Dodson & Ron SimsThe Coachmen at Grannys Teen Club, Opp, Alabama 1965, L-R: Ron Sims, Gordon Dodson, Bill Saunders & Steve Folmar
Rodney Dodson – lead vocals / rhythm guitar Gordon Dodson – lead guitar / vocals Bill Saunders – bass guitar / vocals Coley Sullivan – drums John Runkle – organ Billy Scott – lead vocals
The Barons, formerly The Coachmen, from Ozark, Alabama, were formed in 1964 by guitarist Gordon Dodson and bassist Bill Saunders. The Coachmen soon added school friends guitarist Ron Sims, vocalist Paul Williams, and drummer, Steve Folmar.
Gordon Dodson & Billy Scott of The Coachmen, Fort Rucker, Alabama, 1965
By early 1965, The Coachmen were playing the popular Opp, Alabama Teen Club known as Granny’s and the Ft. Rucker, Alabama Teen Club. 1965 also saw the first change of band members. James Childers replaced Steve Folmar on drums and Billy Scott replaced Paul Williams on vocals.
1966 saw additional member changes as Coley Sullivan replaced drummer James Childers. Rodney Dodson, Gordon’s brother, replaced guitarist Ron Sims. John Runkle was added as the organist.
The Coachmen were renamed The Barons. The Barons played local teen clubs and recreation centers, as well as the Officers and Enlisted Clubs at Fort Rucker, Alabama and several fraternity parties at Troy State University.
The Barons L-R: John Runkle, Gordon Dodson, Rodney Dodson & Bill Saunders. Coley Sullivan and Billy Scott are not shown.
During the summer of 1966, The Barons recorded their only single 45rpm record at WOOF Radio Station in Dothan, Alabama. “I’m The One Who Cares” and “I Needed You”, were written and sung by The Barons’ lead singer, Rodney Dodson with his brother Gordon singing harmony. Bassist Bill Saunders, composed the keyboard introduction and lead break on “I’m The One Who Cares”.
The recording was done with one microphone hanging in the center of a sound proof room using a two track reel to reel recorder; no overdubs. The recording “engineer” unfortunately kept the recording level in the red, distorting the overall sound quality. The high volume playbacks sounded good in the studio, so the master tape was sent to the pressing company. Because of limited funds, only 250 records were pressed. The label name, Red Wave, was taken from the local Troy State University Trojans football team, which was known at that time as, The Red Wave. The record sleeve was a stock light brown paper.
John RunkleJohn Belcher and Jerry Williams of Ozark distributed the record through John’s dad’s appliance and record store. The record was also placed on a few local jukeboxes. Although the record received a fair amount of play from the jukebox distribution, it was seldom heard on radio due to the poor sound quality. The Barons disband near the end of 1967 due to the Vietnam war. All Baron members served in the military with three serving in Vietnam. The remaining boxes of records, were unfortunately, used as clay pigeon substitutes during an afternoon of target practice by the two Dodson brothers and their older brother, Claude.
The Barons of Ozark, Alabama. Standing L-R: Rodney Dodson, Bill Saunders, Coley Sullivan. Seated L-R: Gordon Dodson, Billy Scott, John Runkle
Baron members known to have stayed musically active are:
Rodney Dodson was the founding member of the popular 1980’s southeast Alabama band, The Fairlanes. A school teacher by trade, Rodney once invited his friend and fellow musician, Sara Evans, to perform at his school. Rodney put together a small group of musicians, including himself, brother Gordon, and sister Celia to accompany Sara. Sara went on to become the 2005 Academy of Country Music’s Female Vocalist of the Year.
Gordon Dodson played guitar with the late 1970’s southeast Alabama band, Kingfish, which included notable saxophonist, Jay Scott. (Jay played the saxophone on Lynard Skynard’s recording of “What’s Your Name”, as well as Alicia Bridges, “I Like The Night Life”.) Gordon is listed in the Alabama Steel Guitar Hall of Fame as the 2010 recipient of the Bill Simmons Horizon Award. Gordon taught guitar in the southeast Alabama Junior College system for many years.
Coley Sullivan played drums with the early 1960’s instrumental combo, The Ecstatics, one of Ozark, Alabama’s first rock and roll bands. The Ecstatics, also included lead guitar player, Ron Hilburn, who eventually became the lead guitarist for the 1960’s band, The Chains, referred to as, The Beatles of El Paso. The Chains are known for their version of “I Ain’t Gonna Eat My Heart Out Any More”. Coley also played briefly in the 1960’s popular southeast Alabama bands, The Webs, The Puppets, The K- Otics and The Disciples of Blue from Panama City, Florida.
The Ecstatics, Ozark, Alabama, L-R: Pete Bonnasso (rhythm guitar), Ron Hilburn (lead guitar), Coley Sullivan (drums) and Frank Kingsley (bass)
Johnny Christian, friend and fellow musician, though not a member of the Barons, played the woodblocks on “I’m The One Who Cares”. Johnny retired as Band Director from Dothan, Alabama’s, Northview High School. His son, Wynn Christian, guitarist and vocalist of the popular blues band, Spoonful James, composed “Seven Mile Breakdown”, recorded by the 2006 American Idol Winner, Taylor Hicks.
Gordon Dodson 2014
The Barons, Doug Tew Recreation Center, Dothan, AL. From left: Rodney Dodson, Billy Scott, Gordon Dodson, Coley Sullivan, Bill Saunders & John RunkleJames Childers, drummer for the Coachmen of Ozark, ALThe Coachmen, Fort Rucker, Alabama, 1965, L-R: Ron Sims, Billy Scott, Gordon Dodson & Bill Saunders
Jim Wilson sent in this flyer for the Rivingtons, the Starfires, the Royal Knights and the Jan-Sirs at the Retail Clerks Auditorium in Buena Park on Friday, October 22, 1965. Jim’s father was in the Royal Knights, whose members also included Steve Werner.
The Rivingtons are famous for “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow” and the Starfires are probably the group from Downey that had five singles, including “I Never Loved Her” and “No More” on the GI label, and “There’s Still Time” on the Yardbird label.
It’s interesting to see this flyer from Retail-a-Go-Go comes just three weeks after one I have posted for the Mojo Men. These must have been great, fun shows in such a large venue.
If anyone has photos or info about the Royal Knights or the Jan-Sirs please contact me or comment below.
Here is the finest collection of ’60s photos I’ve seen in ages, taken mainly at the Mouse Trap Club in the Vernon Hills suburb of Chicago. The Riddles are featured in four of them, the PK-5 in one, and there is an unknown group to be identified. If anyone has information or news clips on the club, please write to me or comment below.
These photos are the property of Philip Metzler, former host of The Mouse Trap, sent to me by his daughter.
The Mouse Trap ClubAudience at the Mouse Trap ClubPhilip Metzler: “A Better Mouse Trap Club”A Better Mouse Trap Club – Where the Elite MeetThe Riddles at the Mouse TrapThe Riddles at the Mouse Trap ClubThe Riddles at the Mouse TrapThe Riddles at the Mouse Trap ClubThe PK-Five with Dex Card at the Mouse Trap Club
Info on the PK-5 came from James Terry Smith’s comment below, which I’ll quote here:
The amazing PK5 … all cousins from Deerfield, Illinois. Drums John Hackmiester, lead guitar Bill Pekara, vocalist and saxophone Ron Pekara, bass Rich DuLoft, lead and rhythm Dan Gora. They played all over Chicago and won many battle of the band contest … I saw them at Mccormick Place twice and they were hard working … R&B mostly.
Bill Pekara’s son posted this video of the group doing a great version of “I Ain’t Got You” to Youtube with a few additional photos of the group:
Unknown BandUnknown group & dancer at the Mouse Trap ClubThe Tydes at the Mouse Trap Club, January 1966The Tydes at the Mouse Trap Club, January 1966
The 4, from left: George Parks, Greg McCarley, Larry Rains and Paul Crider
Here’s an obscure one that isn’t in Teen Beat Mayhem, though it certainly deserves to be. I didn’t know anything about the group, called simply, The Four, but then I found their photo in Ron Hall’s The Memphis Garage Rock Yearbook, 1960-1975.
The band were:
George Parks – guitar Greg McCarley – guitar Paul Crider – bass Larry Rains – drums
“Now Is the Time” is a good mid-tempo song with harmonies and Beatles-type changes. It was written by George Parks.
“Lonely Surfer Boy” is an original by Paul Crider and Greg McCarley. As comments state below, the group came from Brownsville, Tennessee, about 60 miles northeast of Memphis.
SoN 15101/15102 indicates it was mastered by Sound of Nashville, while the ZTSB 99962-A / 99963-A in the deadwax indicates it was pressed at the Columbia Records plant in Nashville. I’m not sure the date on this one but early 1965 seems about right.
Both songs were published by Lonzo & Oscar Music, BMI and produced by Jack Logan, who was A&R director of Nugget Records of Goodlettsville, Tennessee which also seemed to own the Clark label.
In late 2013 two acetates surfaced of a group called “The 4” from Sam Phillips Recording of Memphis, “69” / “I Gotta Go” and “When Ever Your Down” (sic) / “Midnight Hour”.
“69” opens with one of the most intense screams ever committed to vinyl, and it is now on the shortlist for Back From the Grave vol 9! it was backed with an uptempo pop number “I Gotta Go”. It’s such a different sound that I thought it must be a different group, but both songs were written by George Parks. I haven’t heard “When Ever Your Down” yet, but it was written by Greg McCarley.
The Memphis Garage Rock Yearbook notes The Four “cut three singles, all in Nashville in the late ’60’s. After they broke up, Greg McCarley released two singles on the local Klondike label as ‘Beau Sybin.’ George Parks had a release on Epic that he cut in New York and was also a staff writer at Stax.”
A late ’60s release by the Four on the Nashville North label is likely by another group. “Good Thing Going” (B. Carlton, H. Adams, D. Johnson) / “Cy’s Been Drinking Cider” was produced by Vern Terry and Len Shafitz, out of Massillon, Ohio, just west of Canton. Teen Beat Mayhem lists that band as from Elyria, Ohio. They cut a later 45 on Epic as the Sunny Four “Why Not (Be My Baby) / “Goodie Goodie Ice Cream Man”.
The Clark label had two other garage releases that I know of. On Clark CR-235 is the Ebb TIdes “Little Women” (by Donald Kyre, Michael Wheeler, Michael Whited, and Waldron), which sounds something like the Beatles “You Can’t Do That”. The Ebb Tides came from Columbus, Ohio. Their Clark 45 may have come about as part of a deal to do a summer tour of the Ohio Valley area. The flip is “What I Say”, by Gene McKay & the Ebb Tides. McKay was another singer on the tour and though the Ebb Tides backed him on the cover of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say”, they did not otherwise work together.
The Ebb Tides had a second 45, the spooky novelty “Seance” (Benny Van, M. Wheeler) b/w a mystical spoken vocal, “Spirits Ride the Wind” (Benny Van) that I really like. This 45 was produced by Rudy Varju on Jar 106 from early 1967. Benny Van of the Ebb Tides became J.D. Blackfoot.
The other is the Jades “You Have to Walk” / “Island of Love”, both written by Paul Helms and released on Clark CR-262 from May of ’67. That group was from Herrin, Illinois, a small city southeast of St. Louis and almost 200 miles northwest of Nashville, but the publishing is also Lonzo & Oscar, and the label states that it was produced and distributed by Nugget Sound Studios, Goodlettsville.
Other songs on the Clark label seem to be country, such as CR-266, Charlie Haggard’s “Throw Me Out the Door”.
Lonzo & Oscar were Johnny and Rollin Sullivan, whose family had started the Nugget Record company in Tampa, Florida in 1959, but Lonzo & Oscar Music Publishing had a Nashville base from the start. They bought or built Nugget Sound Studios in Goodlettsville, just north of Nashville. Most releases they recorded are on the Nugget label, and most are country.
History of the Nugget label from 45-sleeves.com. Thank you to Buckeye Beat for the info on the Ebb Tides 45.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
The Converts were seminary students, I believe at the Holy Name Seminary in Madison, Wisconsin, though two sources (Lost and Found & Teen Beat Mayhem) give Beloit, Wisconsin as their base. Beloit is a town of 35,000 just across the Illinois state line, just south of Janesville where Ken Adamany ran the Rampro and Feature labels, and an hour southeast of Madison.
