Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters are a famous Chicago band, but their roots are in Richmond, Indiana, where they formed in high school as Baby Huey and the Vets in 1962. The members attended Richmond High School, most of them graduating in 1964.
November 23 – National Guard Armory, Richmond
December 8 – Richmond High School “Mistletoe Mash” at Civic Hall
December 29 – teen holiday dance at the Conservation Park lodge
December 31 – American Legion hall, 400 North Eighth St.
1963
May 17 – Hagerstown, IN prom, followed by “appearances on the Northwestern university campus at Chicago, Ill., immediately after playing for the prom at Hagerstown.”
June 13 – Senior’s all-night party at the YWCA: “Beginning at 4 a.m. Baby Huey and the Vets, a high school instrumental combo, provided music for dancing in the TAC club.”
August 4 – Clear Creek Park
September 1 – Clear Creek park Musician Local 388 union concert
December 27 – Leland Hotel, Richmond. Noon concert for Kiwanis
December 27 – Forest Hills Country Club
A notice in the Richmond Palladium-Item & Sun-Telegram for a concert August 4, 1963 lists the first lineup of the group I can find:
Members of the group are Melvyn Jones, electric piano; Dale Harper, drums; Pete Poster [sic – should be Pete Foster], alto saxophone, Butch Whited, guitar, and J.T. Ramey, bongos and vocal.
Melvyn Jones is brother of jazz drummer Harold Jones.
1964
March 12 – YWCA for Women’s Federated club
March 24 – Melody Skateland
Dale Harper, Curtis (Pete) Foster, and Harry Whited left the band to join the military. Curtis Foster left the group for the Marines in February 1964. He died on June 6, 1965, when two helicopters collided off the ship, the Iwo Jima.
“Bad Baboon,” a record featuring a group of local musicians, is being pressed by Richmond Record Pressings under a label which is an affiliate of Mercury Record corporation in Chicago. In the group are Danny Jarvis, drums; Dick Agee, bass guitar; Butch Whited, lead guitar; Melvin Jones, piano, who also wrote the lyrics, and Jimmy Ramey, vocal. They taped the number in Chicago. Formerly known as the “Sting Rays,” the local group has been renamed the “Madisons.” They have played at local dances and entertainments.
A short notice the next day adds “The “Madisons” … includes members of two earlier combos known as “Baby Huey and the Vets” and the “Sting Rays.”
Released on Limelight Y-3018, “Bad Baboon” / “Because I Got You” apparently is the first recording featuring Baby Huey and Melvyn Jones. Melvin Jones wrote “Bad Baboon”. A takeoff on “The Gorilla” by the Ideals, it would also become the blueprint for Baby Huey and the Babysitters 1965 single “Monkey Man”. Cash Box reviewed the single favorably on June 18, and copyright was registered on April 27. Producer Jan Hutchins had co-produced Chicago vocalist Ral Donner’s “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Until You Lose It)” for Gone Records in 1961.
Did B.J. stand for Baby Jimmy, or Baby James? There is a notice for B.J. and the Sting Rays at the Springwood Pavilion in Conservation Park on June 15, 1963, but Baby Huey and the Vets were also active at that time. The news described them in February, 1964:
The Catholic Youth center will sponsor a dance at the Knights of Columbus hall Sunday, Feb. 9. Members of B.J. and the Sting Rays combo will provide the music. They are Dick Agee, Melvin Jones, Danny Jarvis, Butch White [sic: Butch Whited] and Jim Ramey.
However, Baby Huey and the Vets did shows through March, 1964. The Madisons name took over for that recording, but I can find no gig listings under that name, nor any listings for Baby Huey between April 1964 and early March 1965.
Certainly by February 1965 if not earlier, Jim Ramey and Melvyn Jones had relocated to Chicago where they added new members, found management in university student James Kargman, and started recording as Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters.
1965
At some point in 1964 or 1965, Johnny Ross, also from Richmond, IN, joined on guitar. They were joined by Chicago musicians Dennis Moore on drums and Larry Sales on bass.
The history of Baby Huey’s 1965 recordings is confusing because they contain four songs released across five singles.
I believe the first two cut were “Just Being Careful” and “Messin’ with the Kid” as John Ross had copyright registered on “Just Being Careful” on February 12, 1965. Both sides feature horns, and a female chorus on “Just Being Careful”. “Messin’ with the Kid” is a great version of the Mel London song done originally by Junior Wells.
Shann 73924 – “Just Being Careful” / “Messin’ With the Kid” (February 1965)
USA 801 – “Just Being Careful” / “Messin’ With the Kid” (April ’65)
The next two recordings are the influential “Monkey Man”, credited to John R. Ross, though Monkey Man is certainly an adaption of the Madisons “Bad Baboon”. James Kargman took arranging credit on “Monkey Man”. Copyright was registered on April 23, 1965.
Their version of “Beg Me”, originally recorded by Chuck Jackson, may be the weakest number on these early 45s but is a prized soul record today. Starting slow, it picks up steam. John Ross’s guitar work is outstanding on all of these. For some reason the label St. Lawrence substituted the earlier “Messin’ with the Kid” for “Beg Me” on some copies, and again when it was reissued on Satellite in ’66 or ’67.
St. Lawrence 1002 – Monkey Man / Beg Me (1965, issued on both blue and white labels)
St. Lawrence 1002 – Monkey Man / Messin’ With the Kid (1965, white label only)
Satellite 2013 – Monkey Man / Messin’ With the Kid (1967)
Jim Kargman produced all of their singles in 1965, along with those of Dalek/Ingam and the Blackstones. Thumbs Up in Chicago was the group’s base and some of their early bookings such as Rockford College were made through the club. An item in the Chicago Suburbanite Economist on February 23, 1966 noted “Tony Caithamer, one of the owners of the Thumbs Up club at 2848 N. Broadway, is donating the services of [Baby Huey & the Baby Sitters].”
March 3-6: at the Celebrity Lounge, 900 North Rush with the Billy Williams Revue
June 19 – Thumbs Up presents the Beau Brummels, Baby Huey and the Babysitters and the Blackstones at Rockford College Fieldhouse
June 28 – Stepan Center, Notre Dame, South Bend – WJVA show with Dalek-Engam and the Blackstones, the Teen Tones, the Tradewinds and the Phantoms
November – Spain, Italy, Greece, Africa ?!
On December 1, the Toronto Globe and Mail reported Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters played in Paris for the debut party of Nelly de Rothschiild, along with UK group Band of Angels.
late December – WVON Chicago Christmas Benefit with Little Stevie Wonder, Dee Clark, Jackie Ross, the Madlads, the Impressions, G.L. Crockett and Red Saunders
An article from the Richmond Palladium on November 10, 1965 listed the lineup that was flying to play in Europe and Africa, but refers to them by their old name, Baby Huey and the Vets:
Melvin Jones – trumpet and organ
Johnny Ross – guitar
Dennis Moore – drums
Jim Ramey (Baby Huey) – vocals
Larry Sales – bass
Charles Lance – sax?
1966
January 29 – Rockford College with the Castaways and the Fabulous Intruders from Rockford, IL
February 25 – Orr High School benefit
February 25 – Harmony Hall, Chicago
March 18 – U. of Illinois Urbana, George Huff Gymnasium
March 19 – Rockford, with the New Colony Six, the Shadows of Knight, the Grim Reapers and the Komons, at Boylan High School gym. Also the Flock, according to some news listings.
May 21 – Rock Island at the Monmouth College Scot Olympics
July 24 at Palms Shore Club, Emmons Ave, Brooklyn with Satan Four
late July – early August – at Trude Hellers, NYC
September 5 – September 17 (?) – at Trude Hellers
September 10 and 11 – Palisades Amusement Park’s “Heller-Baloo” with Benny Gordon, Bertha Colbert and Abercrombie & the Fitches
October – at Trude Hellers, also an announcement that Capitol Booking has signed the group
October 7 & 8 – Romano’s Steak House, Hartford, CT
October 21 – Richmond High School Homecoming Dance
November 1, 1966 – November 15 – Trude Heller’s (NY Daily News)
November 19 – Bayone, NJ at Venice Tavern
Dennis Moore got drafted around 1966. Reno Smith became the drummer at some point.
I’m not sure when Melvyn Jones left the group. As Deacon Jones he wrote a memoir the includes his years with Baby Huey, 40 Years With the Blues Legends: the Life and Times of Melvyn Deacon Jones that I haven’t read yet.
Johnny Ross probably left in 1967, when he recorded two singles as Johnny Ross and the Soul Explosions, “I Can’t Help Myself” / “Sore Loser” on Chirrup 1523, and “Love-I-Tis” / “Chi’-Ca’-Go'” on La-Cindy 509.
The chronology of when later members joined is uncertain. Because James Ramey drew so much attention in the press as the group’s frontman, later articles never mention other members of the band.
1967
January – at Ungano’s club in New York
February 15-28 – the Cheetah, with the Exceptions Feb. 15-18
March 22 – April 12 – the Cheetah with the Chambers Brothers and the Rovin’ Kind through March 26
April 26 – Tempo Dance City 8813 Foster Ave, Canarsie, Brooklyn
The Cheetah was open Wednesdays through Sundays.
Robert Baker wrote about the Cheetah club in the Chicago Tribune on April 16, 1967:
The sound is continuous, provided by two bands that alternate each hour. Current attractions are the Griffith-Harter Union and Baby Huey and the Babysitters … Baby Huey, a kind of Motown Mama Cass, has been the biggest regular draw of the Cheetah since it opened last fall. He takes center stage with him where he moves in his bright red double-breasted suit, usually abandoning his tie after a couple numbers. The group features upbeat rock numbers as well as some slower soul pieces, often blue in both connotations of the word.
Rotund Band Leader Faces Dope Charge
CHICAGO (UPI) – “Baby Huey,” a rotund rock ’n’ roller has been booked for a May 8 date in court.
A tinfoil package of what police believe is marijuana, a warm pipe, overheard talk of “smoking pot” – plus police insistence – helped the bushy-haired, 370-pound band leader get the unwanted engagement.
Possession of narcotics is the charge, police said.
Baby Huey, billed as “the biggest name in the business,” was arrested in his motel room Thursday with two friends. Police said they were tipped, possibly by a disgruntled fan, that there was a party going on.
Baby Huey, who said his real name was James T. Ramey, and Baby Karp and Ronald Wagner, both 21, Chicago, were freed on bond. Karp and Wagner are not members of “Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters.”
Police later ticketed Baby Huey’s brightly painted bus and towed it from the spot reserved for Mayor Richard. J. Daley’s limousine to the auto pound.
On July 6, 1967, the charges were dismissed:
Judge Kenneth R. Wendt ruled arresting officers did not have a warrant to make the raid on Ramey’s hotel room after receiving a tip.
Detectives said they arrested Baby Huey Apr. 13 after they found him lying on a bed with a package of a “crushed green plant” nearby.
June 7-11 – Ron’s Back Room, 1311 N. Wells in Old Town
September 1 – the Cheetah with the Exception and the Rovin’ Kind.
September 22-24 (dates uncertain) – the Cheetah: Billboard noted on September 30 that “Manager Buddy Fox reports that 15,000 turned out over the weekend to hear Baby Huey and Tommy James & the Shondells”
October 20-21 – at the Cheetah with H.P. Lovecraft and the Litter
October 22 – Benefit with the Litter at the Cheetah for the new Museum of Contemporary Art
November 10-21 – at the Cheetah in Chicago
December 30 – Bachelors Ball at the Frederick C. Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum, Cleveland. The Plain Dealer ran a large photo of Baby Huey on stage at the event, but the microfilm is too dark.
December 31 – at the Cheetah in Chicago with the Exception
By late ’67 or 1968, Baby Huey and the Babysitters were managed by Marv Stuart’s State and Madison Management (listed as Marv Heiman on wikipedia).
1968
February 1 – Michigan Tech Sno Ball in Houghton
February 25 – American Internatonal College Winter Carnival, Springfield, MA
March 1 – Electricians Hall, 5247 W. Madison with the Disciples of Mayhem
March 16 – at the Jaguar with the Shadows of Knight
March 23 – Marine Room at St. Clair hotel
April 5 – The Deep End, Park Ridge, Illinois
Baby Huey and The Baby Sitters have been signed by George Badonsky of Dunwich Productions … Huey, who’s Mama Cass’ soul brother in several senses, is managed by “Tough” Teddy Allen. His former producer was Earl “Big Daddy” Glicken of Chicago, but he hasn’t recorded for over five years, Badonsky said. Several record companies are being contracted about contracts by the new producer.
They had recorded about three years earlier, not five. And unfortunately nothing ever came of an association with Dunwich, which is a shame. Badonsky and Bill Traut of Dunwich would have been a great choice to produce the band. Unfortunately, there seem to be no recordings of Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters from the time of the four songs recorded in early 1965 until the release of”Mighty Mighty” in April, 1969.
Earl Glicken only has a couple record credits, as supervisor on the Ideals 1966 remake of their own song, “Go-Go-Gorilla” on Satellite 2011, and producer of their classic “Go Get a Wig” on St. Lawrence 1001 in 1965. He may have had something to do with the re-release of Baby Huey’s “Monkey Man” on Satellite 2013.
June 14 – Cleveland, reported by the Plain Dealer: “The 400-pund favorite of the younger set and his rock ‘n’ rollers came in from New York from a deb party which lasted until 5 a.m. yesterday morning to play for a dance given last night by four Hathaway Brown graduates for their friends at the Chagrin Valley Hunt Club. Hostesses were Robin Coakley, Paula Frohring, Suzy Sayle and Jane Wierdsma.”
June 28 – The Deep End
June 24-29 – Hollyoke Club, 3901 E. Wash. St., Indianapolis
July 9 – Hullabaloo Club, Genoa Road, Belvidere, Illinois
July 10 – The Deep End
July 12 – The New Place with Christopher Robin & Friends
July 19 – The Green Gorilla
July 20 – The Cellar, with the Byzantine Empire
July 26 – The Deep End
August 2 – The Aragon on 1106 W. Lawrence
August 3 – Grandmothers in Lansing
August 7 – The New Place with Fire and Ice
August 9 – The Cellar with the One Eyed Jacks
August 9 & 10 – The Aragon with the Fenders and the Weaker Sex
August 17 – The Deep End
August 27 – at the Jaguar with Boston Tea Party
October 25 – Wild Goose in Waukegan at 8:30, The New Place at 10:30
November 23 – at Mother Duck with the Box Tops
November 27 – The Deep End with the Lights of Darkness
November 29 – The Green Gorilla, Des Plaines American Legion Hall with the Commonwealth
December 30 – Bachelor’s Ball at the Auto-Aviation Museum, Cleveland (follow-up item noted the band canceled due to auto accident so the Imperial Wonders subbed)
Later members of the Babysitters included:
Plato Jones – percussion
Rick Marcotte – trumpet
Byron Watkins – tenor sax
Danny O’Neil – guitar
Charley Clark – tenor sax
Bobby Baker – alto sax and flute
Turk Littles [Alton Little] – trumpet
Othello Anderson – ?
These are the ones I’ve found in a smattering of news clips and in the comments below. The album credits five others: David Cook, Dan Alfano, dJack Renee, Phillip Henry, and Moose that I have not seen listed in the comments or news clips. Some of them could have been brought in to overdub the unfinished tracks for the album.
1969
January 10 – The Aragon with the Illusions and the North Syde
January 17 – The Aragon with Operation Soul (formerly the Fenders)
January 18 – The Aragon with the Buckinghams and Operation Soul
February 7 – The Aragon with the Motown Sound, the West Side Story and the Rush Hour
February 14 – Valentines party at the Cheetah
March 1 – The Wild Goose, Rt 120 & Lewis Ave, Waukegan with the Illusions
March 15 – The Aragon with Sam the Sham and United Nations
March 16 – Gordon Technical High School, 3633 N. California Ave with the Mauds and the Soul Machine, 6-9 PM
March 21 – The Chances ‘R’, Champaign, IL
March 22 – The Wild Goose in Waukegan with Ben Franklin’s Almanac
April 1 – University of Illinois, Chicago Circle Campus, 750 S. Halsted, benefit for Biafran Relief, 1-4 PM
April 1 – first mention of their Buddah signing in Billboard
April 3 – The Basement, 310 Pearl, Grand Rapids
April 4 & 5 – The Aragon with Doug Clark & the Hot Nuts and the Green Men
April 12 – “Fernando’s Musical Enterprises recently hosted a party for Baby Huey and the Babysitters at Barnaby’s Balcony. The group’s latest single on the Curtdom label is ‘Mighty Mighty Children'” – Billboard
April 21 – new run starts at the Cheetah
On April 24, 1969, the Herald Tribune reported:
A part time Evanston Township High school English teacher and a former rock ’n’ roll musician were arrested yesterday on charges of possession of $2,000 worth of heroin and marijuana … Jeffrey Sowers, 22 … who played with Baby Huey and the Babysitters, a Chicago rock band, also was arrested in the raid on [Noreen Tasley’s] apartment.
I haven’t seen Jeff Sowers cited as a part of the Babysitters beyond this news item.
April 30 and May 1 – at the Scotch Mist in Chicago
May 1 – Billboard reports the group scheduled to record their first LP for Curtom in New York.
May 2 – Chicago Tribune mentions Inner-National Booking “best known for its management of Baby Huey and the Babysitters.
May 6 – Soul! TV show, with Dee Dee Warwick, Lord Superior, Shirley Chisholm and Jacob Lawrence – anyone have a clip of this?
May 21 – Merv Griffin Show in New York (announced in Billboard May 17)
May 22 – The Chances ‘R’, Champaign, Illinois
May 29 – The Pier (formerly the Riviera Ballroom) in Lake Geneva
May 30 – The Aragon with the Impressions
June 14 – The New Place with Mead
June 21 – The Aragon with the Buckinghams and Von Ryan Express
June 27 – The Aragon with Five Stairsteps & Cubie, and Spot & the Blotters
July 26 – benefit for Reese hospital
August 1-3 – The Fillmore West with the Everly Brothers and Sons of Champlin Cancelled, Frumious Bandersnatch took their place
August 4-5 – Basin Street West Most likely cancelled
In August, a syndicated column The Living Arts by Charles Hobson & Shelia Smith mentioned the group as being one of many to appear on the Chicago TV show Our People.
August 14 – Jet announces that Baby Huey was “ailing a bit” in Chicago.
September 5 – The Rectry, 4850 Menaul NE, Albequerque, NM
September 15-21 – the Whisky a-Go-Go with Eric Burdon of War
October 24 & 25 – Lally’s at State & Chestnut with Aorta
On November 2, the Chicago Tribune ran a profile by Clarence Page of a new group tentatively called Funky Skull including Jim Armstrong and Ken McDowell from Them, Curtis Bachman from the Buckinghams, and Reno Smith from the Babysitters. Reno is quoted: “I have played with a small instrumentation before. You are much more free this way, liberated from the limits of a single role in a large group.”
December 5 – The Aragon with Wayne Cochran & the C.C. Riders
The Tribune reported on December 11 “Wayne Cochran brought his blond bouffant hair-do to the Rush Over, where he did an impromptu bit with Baby Huey & the Baby Sitters.”
1970
February 4-8 – Whisky a-Go-Go, Los Angeles
April 29 – Marian Central Catholic High School (winners of the Pine Brothers Cough Drops contest), Woodstock, IL with Tommy James & the Shondells, the Litter and the Saints & Sinners
May 1-4 – The Dells at Lake Lansing
May 22 – Streator, Ottawa, IL, with the Second Coming (formerly Buddy & the Citations)
May 28 – The Tribune reports: “Baby Huey … reportedly has split up with the Baby Sitters and is rumored to be joining a Madison group, the Brotherhood.”
June 17-21 – The Dells at Lake Lansing
August 1 – Lou’s Quarry, Appleton, WI
October 25 – Val-Air Ballroom, Des Moines, IA
October 31 – Drake University Homecoming Dance, Val-Air Ballroom (scheduled but cancelled due to Jim Ramey’s passing on the 28th, replaced by Just Us and the Batch)
Baby Huey died in the Roberts Motel, 6635 S. King Drive, Chicago on October 28, 1970, after a show in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Babysitters continued on for some time after James Ramey’s death, apparently with members such as Chaka Khan and her husband Hassan Khan, Charlie Clark (“Chup”), Jon French, Gail, Tommy Thompson, Kenny [surname?] … (see comments below).
Billboard mentioned that after Huey’s death, the Babysitters changed their name to Boink for at least one live show. However Robert Baker, in a comment below states “The Babysitters never changed their name to Boink. This was another concurrent group that had at least two ex-Babysitters in the group.” A listing for a December 4-6, 1970 appearance at the Factree in Calumet City specifies “formerly the Baby Huey Baby Sitters”.
I wrote this article in 2005 as a discussion of the early singles by Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters before Huey signed to Curtom and recorded the songs issued on his great posthumous LP. In subsequent years I added some photos, news clips and gig notices, then did a complete reworking of the article in 2026.
Thanks to Dean Milano for Capitol Booking Corp photo of Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters. Check out Dean’s book The Chicago Music Scene: 1960s and 1970s.
Live dates from publications including The Daily Herald, the Tribune, the Des Moines Register, the Belvidere Daily Republican and others. Certainly this is a far from complete list of their gigs, and also a number of those listed were probably cancelled or postponed.
In 2005 an acetate came up on auction that was supposed to be an unreleased instrumental by Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters. I had a sound clip up here for over a year before Mark Namath identified it as “Zoobie” by the Noisemakers. The acetate was probably a DJ or collector’s cut misidentified as Baby Huey – there’s no connection between the groups.
I was born and raised in the city of Chicago. Right after turning 21 we starting visiting the local bars in the Chicago area. There was a place on Clark St., can’t remember the name where a local band with Pete Cetera and Billy Herman played on weekends. A year or so later, we started going to bars closer to downtown. A place called The School on State St. Worked the floor there. Then a place called Maiden USA that burned, I think on New Years Eve, worked the floor there also. We all went to Ft. Lauderdale for the Winter. While we were in Florida a new bar opened called Beavers on State St. I returned to Chicago and went to work at Beavers as Co-Manager with Mike Sage and tended bar also at the end of the bar. Great music. Steve Miller, Country Joe, Buddy Miles and many others including Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters. Man, what an alive group. Got to be friends with Ramey. We all spent some time with the band. A good man.
Anybody remember Beavers?
i played guitar with baby huey for the last 2 and 1 half years of his life and it kills me how you people make up some of these stories when u werint there my name is danny oneil and i was there every nite playing guitar with reno dave danny bass byron othello turk rick my friend plato as well as other horn players it was a great honor to have worked with one of the most magnificent people i have ever met james ramey baby huey if you really want to know what really went down talk to the the people went thru it
Hey Danny O’Neil I First Met & Heard You (The Babysitters) At ‘THUMBS UP’ On Broadway! Then,..In !969 -!970,. I Owned And Managed ‘BEAVERS’, 865 N State Street,. Accross From ‘Barnabys’;..Where ‘BABY HUEY And THE BABYSITTERS Played Many Times What Ever Happened To My Friend, ‘Drummer Reno Smith’? You Take Care! Bill Sherman. Jacksonville Beach, Florida – Atlanta, Georgia
Hello, I am one or Renos daughters. He has 3 that I know of. One of them was born in Ireland and she just contacted me thru Ancestry Dna. Reno died in 2003, of a brain anneurism. I’m just trying to find some info about his life, I wasn’t raised by him so yeah, we’ve all been looking? Happen to know where I could find some footage? Thanks so much, Valena
Hi, I too was friends with the band. Followed you guys around. Danced on staged and my friends dated Turk and Plato. Gina and Pat .Tons of memories . Those were the best times of my life being a groupie and following the band around. Went the his funeral. Very sad…He was so young. I last saw Reno when I was tending bar in Lincoln Park around 2000. He was on his motorcycle. Lost his number but always wanted to keep in touch. How about Turk? Ok Danny you might remember me if you saw me but that was 45 years ago. Glad to hear you are still around. I know what you mean about stories people make up about hanging with the band. Lived through it and still have you guys picture on my wall in the basement. Great memories all the clubs Cheetah, Club Lorel, Thumbs Up, Holiday Ballroom, Rush Up, Lollys, Barnabys, Mother Goose. Thanks for that!
Of course I remember Beavers. I still have my official Beavers member card.haha. I married the flute and saxophone player, Bobby Baker. This was during 1969-1970. The heyday
of music on Rush st.
Donna Baker 🎵🎶
I love this. I was just looking for info about Bobby Baker after hearing his flute playing recently, as a part of schoolwork (studying music). It’s really hard to find anything online!
Hell yes! I was there every weekend. A guy managed with long blonde hair & he always wore a white dress shirt. A guy named Tiny worked the door. Love to see some pictures if anyone has any. Place was previously “Your Father’s Moustache”. Any remembrances welcome!
RE: The Beaver, Hell yes! I was there every weekend. A guy managed with long blonde hair & he always wore a white dress shirt. A guy named Tiny worked the door. Love to see some pictures if anyone has any. Place was previously “Your Father’s Moustache”. Any remembrances welcome!
I remember Beavers. Bill Sherman?
Of course I remember Beavers. I still have my official Beavers member card.haha. I married the flute and saxophone player, Bobby Baker. This was during 1969-1970. The heyday
of music on Rush st.
Donna Baker 🎵🎶
I remember it well-whatever happened to Bill Scheurman? I think he owned it?
Bill Sherman passed away a couple of years ago in Jacksonville FL
OMG, this is so cool. I am a sixty year old granny thinking about the old days dancing at The Cheetah, aka Aragon Ballroom. Baby Huey played there frequently. How I enjoyed dancing there on the weekends, starting in 1966 till 1968. I remember Baby Huey being a large kind of guy in stature but what a band they had. Does anyone remember going to The Cheetah? The walls were splash painted in neon colors. They had strobe lights on the dance floor and black lights so the colors on the walls glowed! We used to wear mod clothes in neon colors and also white so that your clothes glowed in the dark too! Boy, thanks for the memories! I would like to hear anyone who remembers Baby Huey at the Cheetah!!!!!
I met my wife one night at the Cheetah a night with Huey and the Babysitters…Huey wore a Lime Green suit and was just fantastic, Pete Cetera was also on the bill as a bass player with a top 40 cover band called ” The Exceptions” he was shy and very reserved with his back to the audience most of the time, but when he sang I knew he was destined to be a superstar someday. I was a drummer with several bands in the sixties and palyed the Cheetah as well as many clubs on Rush street in Chicago in the early to late sixties…went on to LA and was in the Music Biz in many capacitive for several decades…BTW…I married the girl I met in ’67 less then 3 months after that night, and we’re still married…42 years later…Love CAN be forever!!…PEACE TO HUEY!!
Peter and Marty Greb were both in Cal David and the Exceptions an excellent cover band of the time. Peter was later solicited to join the CTA. Marty went to the Buckinghams when their keyboardist was drafted. Today Marty is still a studio musician and believe he is living in LA
do you have anymore of his music like the living legend album this group is amazing its a shame curtis mayfeild did not sign the whole band
Does anyone know if there are any videos of Baby and the Babysitters
In1970. I married flute and saxophone player. Bobby Baker. Baby Huey called him sweet lips.🎶🎶🎷🎷🎷🎶
Boy does the name Baby Huey bring back memories. I was working as a stable hand at the Valley View Young Adults Club, Mokena,IL and use to sneak in to all the shows. The two acts I remember most were Archie Bell and the Drells and Baby Huey. I loved his reditions of Sam and Dave songs. One night after he played we went skinny dipping in the pool at the club. I recall Baby huey on the high dive yelling Outta Sight!!!
Al Davis – I grew up in New Lenox, IL – right next to Mokena, where the Valley View club was – do you remember ever seeing a band called “The Ids” there? I’m trying to track down some history. Thanks.
One of the finest bands I have ever heard. I was at the Aragon too,(gramma) It is so sad that somebody did not record the shows, i truly miss them,
Yes, Bill Schuerman was part owner of Beaver’s. He was also manager of the previous bar calle Maiden USA, and manager before that of The School. All of these places were within 1/2 block of each other. Not only did I work at all those places, Bill and I and others were room mates on State St. and on Chestnut St. over a period of about 4 years. There was another place on the other side of State St. that set back from the street called Barnabys. That’s where we were fortunate to see the early CTA (Chicago). I’ll bet I saw them 20 + times during the late 60’s. I worked at Beavers until it closed. I have lost contact with everyone from that era. George Edens, a bartender at the School and at Barnabys. Anybody know where he is? Jane, were you a customer or did you know us personally?
Maaaaaan, these tunes are HOT!
Big fan of the man ( by no mean what we call a ‘Spod’ (encyclopedic memory / obssessive) jus a music lover and DJ of 24 years) and absolutely knocked sideways to find him on here..and mucho pleasedo!
Just being careful SLAYED ME! My hips started shakin and a snake took over me spine.
Monkey Man … whaaaaat?! Laughed ma ass off while shakin n boppin … jeeez, I’m supposed to be writing a book and the discovery of this site has knocked me sideways!!! heh heh.
I received my ‘other music’ education when I started working in Red Rhino Records in 1988 ( York, UK… find the group on facebook, RRR changed the face of music distribution in the UK and had a European infuence).
I’d already been a scratch mixer/ working DJ for 4 years but when they took me on my musical horizons went from Moon like to Saturn like proportions !!! I hooked up with some other DJs and over the next 5 years we did regular club nights playing Psych/ garage/mod/indie/punk/rap and early electronica all in one night.
Finding this site after spending the last 8 years promoting pretty much exclusively Electronic music is a GODSEND!
My ears are very relieved and my spirit is lifted.
Was at Northwestern and went to The School on my 21st birthday. Bill S. was at the door that night. Then over the next few years we all went to Maiden USA, then Beavers, after I’d graduated and was working downtown and I got to know him a bit.
I actually went to your Chestnut St. place with Bill one Sat. after hours -you were probably there-I can’t say I ever really knew him very well though-I think he was engaged at one point-or something like that-don’t remember the timeline. I moved back to Mich and that was that. I just remember the irony of holding a ‘normal’ job during the day and then partaking of a totally different scene at night and on weekends- youth!
Jane, who are you. If you went to all those bars, etc. over all those years, than we must know each other.
Larry
Well,in those days, I had long, streaked, blond hair and was (still am) short. Can’t think of any other distinctive facts-one time I came back to Chestnut St. and a few people were there smoking pot–I passed which seemed like something unheard of- that’s about all I remember. I’m sure we crossed paths but I didn’t really know anyone other than Bill. Also went to ‘Store north’ a lot, all the bars you mentioned.
I am a 67 year old fan of Baby Huey. Lived in Chicago until 1976 when I moved to Alexandria, Virginia. I used to go to “Thumbs Up” every chance I could. Having just gotten discharged from the Air Force and living just north of London, England for 3 years, meeting him and hearing what he and the Babysitters could do, just simply rocked my world. While the group was appearing at the Cheetah way back then, I took a series of photos of them on stage. They are Ektachrome slides I believe, shot under available light (they are very redish)and all I have to do is find them so I can digitize them and get them uploaded to you and/or other fans. Will keep you all posted.
I’d definitely like to see those slides Les. Please email when you find them,
Chris
GarageHangover.com
I AM A POOL PLAYER, AND IF YOU REMEMBER THERE WAS A POOL HALL NEXT DOOR TO THE CHEETAH. A GIRL I WAS SEEING AT THE TIME, MET ME IN THE POOL HALL ON A FRIDAY NIGHT IN 1967. SHE HAD TICKETS FOR THE CHEETAH SHOW THAT NIGHT. TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS WERE THE HEADLINERS. BUT, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE NEW COLONY SIX AND BABY HUEY AND THE BABYSITTERS ALSO PLAYED AS WELL. MY GIRLS FRIEND, MAUREEN CONNOLLY KNEW JIMMY ROSS WITH THE BAND. AFTER THE SHOW, WE WERE INVITED TO THE TIDES MOTEL ON SHERIDAN RD. I AM SURPRIZED BABY HUEY LIVED AS LONG AS HE DID IF THAT NIGHT WAS ANY INDICATION HOW HE LIVED HIS PRIVATE LIFE. HE WAS A HUGE MAN WITH HUGE TALENT. A GENTLE CHARISMATIC ENTERTAINER. COULD THE BAR THEY ASKED ABOUT ON CLAEK ST. UP NORTH HAVE BEEN THE CLUB LAUREL? ALSO ANYONE REMEMBER THE SITZ MART ONTHE WEST SIDE OF STATE ST. AND ABOUT ONE BLOCK NO. OF CHICAGP AVE.?
Club Laurel was located on N. Broadway not Clark St in Chicago. I used to play drums with a forgettable group on week nights in I believe 1967.
JOHN
CLUB LAUREL- I SAW JERRY LEE LEWIS AND HIS SISTER LINDA
THERE ON SEPTEMBER 19, 1966. GREAT SHOW BUT WHERE
ON BROADWAY WAS THE CLUB LAUREL ? THIRTY DAYS LATER
I WAS CALLED INTO THE ARMY. BABY HUEY- I SAW HIM IN
THE EARLY 80S BUT IT MUST HAVE BEEN AT THE CHEETAH.
CLUB LAUREL HAD OTHER ACTS- I BELIEVE BO DIDDLEY,
SOMEONE SAID CHUCK BERRY BUT I DON’T THINK SO.
Saw a lot of great groups at Beavers. Dreams, If, Zephyr and more. Great place
Yep. Chicago in those days was a lot of fun before being sent on to military duty. The Exception, Rovin Kind, Huey, The Delights. All was good
The Babysitters never changed their name to Boink. This was another concurrent group that had at least two ex-Babysitters in the group.
I just saw this. This is my husband
Bobby Baker. Flute and sax. We were married for 44yrs. We have 1 son. Bobby passed away August 21,2021.
We miss him so much everyday.
He was the love of my life.🎷🎷🎶🎶🎵
I guess this is slightly off topic, but I haven’t thought of the Valley View in decades! I grew up in the town of Thornton, and we had never even heard of a place called Mokena! When we heard of the club, we started going nearly every weekend. We even saw the Buddy Rich Orchestra perform on stage there! My favorite band to follow at the time was Aorta, and we saw them there a couple of times. Loudest band was Blue Cheer, you could hear them from miles away. They were so loud, they ended up playing outside!
Thanks for the memories!
When I was discharged from the Air Force in ’66, it wasn’t long before I discovered Baby Huey and the Baby Sitters. I loved their music and hung out at Thumbs Up every chance I could. At the Cheetah, I didn’t much like how long it took to get to the dance floor from the entrance on Wilson or was it Lawrence? (68 and an appropriately poor memory). I took a series of photos of Baby Huey with the available light of the Cheetah’s stage. I am looking for them now and will post them when I find them. These are slides I swore I would never loose…… Oh! I am from Chicago, grew up on the West side (Austin High School), moved North, Lincoln and Peterson area, and graduated from Von Steuben HS in ’62. I spent the end of ’62 to the beginning of ’66 in England with the Air Force (there was no greater place on the planet to be then in or around London during those years as you can well imagine).
So, Linda. Tell me more about yourself and what else you remember.
Les
In the 60s I was with Denny and the Decades. We occasionally got to fill in for Baby Huey and the Babysitters at Thumbs Up which I believe was on Broadway in Chicago. We were under age at the time (probably 18 or 19) but never had a problem playing there. As I recall, Thumbs Up was their “home” venue. It was noted as having toilet seats hanging from the ceiling (never did understand that). I don’t even recall how we got those gigs. We did go several times to see Baby Huey play as well.
I remember the Cheetah well. My band played ther in 1966 or maybe 1967. We were called the Chicago Fire. I remember opening for Baby Huey and his band one night. We were a six piece rock cover band with a female lead singer named “Mousie” who we stole from her previous Chicago girl trio called “Mousie & the Traps”. We were also represented by Marv Stuart’s booking agency, “Musical Enterprizes”. I married her in 1969 and we’re still together and living in the suburbs of Dallas Tx!
The Festival of the Arts in Richmond, Indiana where Baby Huey is from is having a closing event for the summer. A recognized guitarist, Randy Baker, will be playing with his band, who plays various genre of music but is sited for his blues. We will be recognizing our hometown son, Baby Huey, during this event. I would love for anyone to come and share their memories of Baby Huey since many of the Richmond residents did not get to experience the performing side of him while he was in Chicago.
Friday, Oct. 7 in Richmond, Indiana at the 4th Floors Blues Club (outdoor)starting at 7:00 p.m.
If you can’t make it, would still love to hear some memories to put in some literature we will be sharing with the public to educate.
Contact: Pamela Bliss leonardosart@yahoo.com
wasnt club loreal on sheridan road up around foster
Jane,
UNBELIEVABLE,This IS BILL S! We obviously have memories. I was in Chicago for my once a year visit during the past few weeks, and have been in ‘The Concert Music Promotion and Production Business,..as well as The Night Club Business ever since ‘BEAVERS’.
Please contact me at
E-Mail: cubswinatlanta [at] aol.com
Bill Sherman
Jacksonville Beach, Florida
THIS IS BILL (SCHUERMAN) SHERMAN FROM ‘BEAVERS’ AND MORE;…AND I HAVE RESPONDED TO ‘JANE’, AND TO WHOM I BELIEVE AT LONG LAST,.. IS ‘LARRY PERLMAN’ PLEASE CONTACT ME!
BILL SHERMAN
E-MAIL: cubswinatlanta [at] aol.com
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FLORIDA
Larry Perlman,
The previous comment DEFINATELY was written by You! I always remember Our Trip To ‘The Yaght Parked Across from ‘The FOUNTAINBLEAU Hotel at Miami Beach’;..and The Serious Meeting We Had in Your Behalf.
I have copied This Web Info To Dave Queen;..and He also would like to know the whereabouts of George Edens and Tom Ritter! Let me hear from you!
Bill (Schuerman) Sherman
E-Mail: cubswinatlanta@aol.com
Jacksonville Beach, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia
To Larry Perlman, and Jane from Michigan:
This IS Bill (Schuerman) Sherman from ‘BEAVERS’. I Believe that at long Last Larry (The Legend) Perlman Has Been Found. Larry, I Have been in ‘The Concert Promotion – Production Business and The Night Club and Restaurant Business since ‘BEAVERS. I always remember Us Visiting ‘The Yacht’ parked at ‘The Fountainbleau Hotel on Miami Beach,..and calling ‘The Governor’!
Dave Queen and I have both attempted to locate George Edens,and Tom Ritter! Contact Me…
Bill (Schuerman) Sherman
E-Mail: cubswinatlanta@aol.com
Jacksonville Beach, Florida and Atlanta, Georgis
Hi Larry, if you get this comment, comtact me,my e-mail is catedens@comcast.net thanks george
My best friend, my sister and I used to frequent Cheetah almost every weekend….it was the most wonderful memory I have of dancing to Baby Huey and his singing “My Girl”, he would always stop and let us sing with him….he was a super nice guy….as were all of the guys in the band. I am a 66 year old grandmother and have the fondest memories of Baby Huey and the Babysitters at Cheetah Lounge. A great group of people joined there every weekend, there was never any trouble, we just all had good clean fun dancing the Boogaloo, ShingALing, etc…We were stunned when Jimmy passed away, and will never forget him. RIP Baby Huey, I know you are singing up a storm up in Heaven….we miss you and your great voice.
Hello, having just read your comments I saw some pictures on Amazon, I don’t know if they are the ones you are referring too. They are on the customer image page for Baby Huey and the babysitters. Sorry no very helpful. Cheers, Chris Green.
1966: Thumbs Up at Broadway, Clark and Diversey.
What a great scene! Baby Huey and The Babysitters rocked that place.
Lovely memories and a shame it ended so quickly.
I was fortunate to hear about BH while a med student at U of I Med School in 63, so got to Thumbs up whenever I could. The band would have us jumping for hours with their takes on most of the current hits,. I didn’t much care for their later jive stuff but remember just how great they were when I was lucky to see them. I was very sad to hear about his premature passing. Thanks for this page.
Rich Jacobson
Hi everyone, I am 33 years old and i was clicking around youtube for funky stuff and i got into Baby Huey today, I was really impressed by his music and I decided to read about this amazing band…..I am glad I had That Lucky Click! Salutes to everyone of you guys, from Argentina!!!!!
Dan o neil, you were baby h ueys guitar player. I knew him when I was a little boy . As round 11-12 he lived down the street from me .allways walk in up to the grocery beside my house with a transistor radio blasting in his ear. If you get this message I must compliment your guitar playing . I also play guitar you played a black l.p.custom? I would like to see some more early pics of the band. Richmond in. Where he was from doesnt hardly remember him . I do . He made it out of his o ne horse shit hole and was successful thanks for your time sir
Hello all, I never met Baby Huey but my brother Jon French played drums with the Babysitters from 1971. Turk was the leader, Charlie Clark called Chup, which became Chief of Police in Robbins Il, just south of Chicago, James Houlihan , Houli, was the roadie, Chaka Khan and her husband Hassan, played Bass, there was also a female drummer Named Gail, guitar Tommy Thompson, and Kenny on Trombones. They played at Hueys on Sheridan Rd before the Loyola “L” stop, with saw dust on the floor. And also in the basement of what is called the Smart Bar at 3740 N Clark. Bro Jon still plays in Madison WI and I am Facebook friends with Hassan. Don’t know what became of Turk after Charlie Clark took over,My Brother was with him and Gail Allen till 1976?? Gail plays with the John McCurly–McCrow band out need Hoffman Estates.
Charles Clark was my husband.He died on August 12th 2011 from Parkinson Disease and other health problems.He had to retire from being a police officer in Oct.2001 when he had a vascular stroke He could no longer work.After he left Robbins,he became an officer in Harvey,IL. ,then he left there and went to be an officer in Phoenix,IL,then he left there and went to FordHeights he was there for about 3 years when he had his stroke and he had to retire.He was 61 yrs.old when he had his stroke and he was 70 years old when he died. He lived in Phoenix,IL.where I still live in the house we bought together.I miss him dearly with all my soul .I feel his presence around me all the time .I still have his saxaphone that sits in my living room to this day and I play Baby Huey songs all the time so I can feel close to Charles.
Nearly seven years on from your comment and I just wanted to say that your last sentence nearly had me in tears. Such a loving sentiment from you.
Cheers
Ewen in Scotland.
Turk lives in Arizona and is still in the music biz. He was one of my husband’s best friends. Husband Bobby Baker played flute and sax with Baby. We were married 44yrs had 1 son.
My Bobby passed away August 21.2021.We miss him everyday.🎷🎷🎷🎶🎵💜
Neer forget Thunbs Up and Baby and the Babysitters playing “Hey Lottie Lottie Lo.”
Thumbs Up. It’s probably where Ebert and SIskel gpt it. At least Ebert hung around that neighborhood.
Anyone remember the night at the Cheetah when Baby Huey and Wilson Pickett were to perform on the same night. Pickett’s plane couldn’t land because to a snowstorm in Chicago that night.
where was the Mother Duck located at ? we had a rock club at swift rd and north ave in lombard il . it was there in the middle to late 60s
I played in a band in the late 60’s, The Fire Department. Worked a club in St Charles called the Jaguar. We opened for The Yardbirds with Jeff Beck on guitar and if I remember correctly Jimmy Page on bass. Huey was also on the bill. I was so excited to be opening for the Yardbirds, BUT and I mean BUT when the Baybysitters came on the stage for Huey’s intro. WOW the horn section didn’t even use mikes. I was totally blown away by the band. I was playing trumpet from the early 60’s but when the Beatles arrived I had to have a guitar. Started playing bass and I played both with the Fire Department, a soul band. Finally gave up the bass and moved to Las Vegas where I worked with some lounge acts and played a lot of the relief bands in the main rooms. Came back to Chicago in 1973 when I get a phone call from none other than Turk who was putting a band together. Turk and I became very close. He is living and writing and recording in Gilbert Arizona now. Turk fronted the band. We had a 4 piece horn section. Very good band. Biggest issue I had was we had to learn how to step. Easier said than done for a white trumpet player. Lol. We played Rush St etc. we played at Mothers every Monday night. We had bigger crowds on Mondays then they had on Friday and Saturday nights. Definitely learned to party!!! If anyone remembers those “glorious times “ in the words of Henry Hill I’d love to hear from you. jmlape@gmail.com
Wow! I just want to thank all of you for sharing so much! Unfortunately I was born two years after James passing and I had not heard of him till recently. Needless to say, the music is blowing me away. Everyone here has confirmed what I immediately first though, these guys had to be incredible live.
Such a fascinating man and band! And all the memories shared here by fans is amazing! Is there any video of the band anywhere?
Does anyone remember the name of the bar baby huey played at in madison wisconsin
I love this group and specially Baby himself. I wish I remembered the dates but I booked them into a gig I threw at the University of Illinois Chicago Campus for my org, Joynt Students. We were stoners of course. It was an amazing gig but only really for the University students who were in the know and knew we were doing this on a Friday afternoon in the Student Union for a $1 entry! I think UICC is now named something else, and my apartment on Aberdeen no longer is there, but my memory of that afternoon were amazing.
Does anyone remember the bass guitarist that played with Baby Huey and the Babysitters. His name was Larry Sales. Any idea of what happened to him. I am not sure if he is still alive. Would love to know
I was discussing the music scene in Chicago before I was born with my dad, and I had mis-remembered a story he’d told me about Baby Huey, where he brought a full on organ up a flight of stairs on his own. However when I asked again today, he said no, it was a roadie called Big Richie who was the solo organ carrier. Does anyone remember that guy?