Glenn Tracey sent in these cool promo sheets and transfers of a 45 by the Chy Guys.
The letter lists the members: Jerry Conley, 15, leader and singer; Stan Allen, 13, lead guitarist; Chuck Burgess, 13, rhythm guitarist; and Bob Lindgren, 12, drummer. I’ve read the band was from Rockford, IL, about an hour’s drive northwest of Chicago, though that wouldn’t go with their band name (Chy referring to Chicago).
The band went to MBS Recording Studios in Chicago to record demos of their songs, and the tape led to their signing by James Manning, Jr. of the Mobie Record Company. The letter doesn’t clarify if the band did a new session for their Mobie 45, or if the songs cut at the demo were used. J.H. Manning, Jr. is also listed as producer, but he didn’t seem to notice the imprecise nature of the band’s stops and starts during “Say Mama”, not to mention their tuning.
The top side, “You’ll Never Believe Me” was written by J. Weiss, and while I don’t think it’s an original by the band I don’t know the source for it.
“Say Mama” was an oft covered song since the original cut by Gene Vincent in the ’50s., with versions by Mike Waggoner, the Dicers and others, sometimes under the title “Hey Mama”. It’s hard to know if the Chy Guys were covering the Vincent original, or perhaps the Pattens of Wheaton, IL, who released their version as “Say Ma, Ma” also in 1966.
The promo schedules the release of their 45 on September 30, 1966, on Mobie 3423. They apparently played shows in Illinois, Ohio and even as far as Huntington, West Virginia at that young age.
Though this is a white-label DJ promo, I’ve also seen both blue and black label stock copies of this 45. The other releases on the Mobie label that I’ve heard are two by Bloomington, Indiana Illinois’s Cobblestones: Mobie 3424 “I’ll Hide My Head in the Sand” (written by Jim Jacobs) / “It Happens Every Time” (both written by Jim Jacobs and produced by Wayne Dennis, originally released on Den-Lay) and Mobie 3425 “Flower People” (written by Pearson – Lehmann) / “Down With It” (written by Pearson – McElroy).
Here’s an extensive but still incomplete Mobie discography from Gary E. Myers with additions from Davie Gordon, Chris Gilbert and Margaret Still.
Any help with this would be appreciated:
Mobie – owned by James H. Manning, Jr. (5/?/34; Normal, IL – 11/8/91; Largo, FL)
3419 Ron Jones & C Notes – Goodbye Linda (R. Shemberger) / Why (1966)
3420
3421 Ronnie Jones – Silly Little Fool / Little Jezebel (1967)
3422
3423 Chy Guys – Say Mama / You’ll Never Believe Me (9/67)
3424 Cobblestones – It Happens Every Time / I’ll Hide My Head In The Sand (1967)
3425 Cobblestones – Flower People / Down With It (11/67)
3426
3427
3428
3429 Iron Gate – Get Ready / You Must Believe Me (1968)
3430 Ravelles – Psychedelic Movement / She’s Forever On My Mind (8/68)
3431
3432 Shirt Tale Relation – The Reason Why (Bobby Sharp) / You Don’t Know Like I Know
3433 Summit – How You Move My Soul / Oh, What Can I Do (1968)
3434
3435 Skip Wulf – Soul Lovin’ Baby / Summer Love (1968)
3436 Deanna & The Here & Now Singers – Isolation / Attic Of My Mind (both songs credited to D. Edwards)
3419, 3421: Ron Jones (2/15/43; Davenport, IA) was DJ on Chicago oldies 104.3, had 2 earlier releases on Aurora.
James Manning also wrote a children’s Christmas book.
Thanks to C. Gilbert for the scan of the Shirt Tale Relation 45.
The Chy Guys, according to the Talented Teens Battle of the Bands pamphlet, were from the Hillside, IL area (outer suburb of Chicago)
The Cobblestones were from Bloomington, Illinois, not Indiana.
I remember the garage band Chy Guys from Chicago who did the song Say Mama. But they were a little older. Do the names Tom Cynova and Frank Byrnes ring a bell?
I spoke with Bob Lehmann of the Cobblestones in 1996 while researching my 2nd WI book. According to him, they relocated from Bloomington to Madison in 1968 (which is why they’re included in my WI coverage). I show 2 Mobie releases and one on Den-Lay for them (the first Mobie 45 being having apparently been picked up from Den-Lay).
Gary E. Myers / MusicGem
http://home.earthlink.net/~gem777
Jim Jacobs still live in the Bloomington-Normal, Illinois area. I have the 45’s but filed in Illinois, not Indiana. Any corrections, please fill me in.
More Mobie releases
3419 R. Jones and The C-Notes
Goodbye Linda (R. Shemberger)
Why
Prod : not credited
3430 The Ravelles
Psychedelic Movement
She’s Forever On My Mind
3432 The Shirt Tale Relations
The Reason Why (Bobby Sharp)
?
Prod : James H. Manning
Mobie 3424 (The Cobblestones) was listed as a new release in Billboard
for July 15, 1967 when it was tipped to make the Hot 100. This was the only Mobie
release I can find that was listed / reviewed in Billboard.
Mobie 3425 (The Cobblestones) released approx. 11/67
Mobie 3430 (The Ravelles) released approx. 08/68
Can anybody tell me anything about a band called “Iron Gate” that also recorded on Mobie records? I’ve had this 45 for years! It’s their version of “Get Ready” the classic Rare Earth / Temptations Hit.
Yes, Iron Gate was the later name for the Cavemen of Rockford, IL. They are covered in my 2nd Wisconsin book because their 1st release (as the Cavemen in ’67) was on a WI label. Members: Karl Kennington, Larry Janczak, Steve Thulander, Gale Saltzgiver, Barry Betts; later member: Frank Bennett. My info came from Betts & Kennington.
Gary E. Myers / MusicGem
http://home.earthlink.net/~gem777
Very cool. Thanks for the super fast reply! Did the song ever chart or do much nationally? I’m kind of wondering how I ever happened across it.
Their version of “Get Ready” never charted nationally, but I’m told that it did receive airplay in several markets, so it presumably charted in some of those spots, but I don’t know where.
I’m always happy to answer a question that relates to something in my books.
Gary E. Myers / MusicGem
http://home.earthlink.net/~gem777
I was the bass player for the cobblestones and recorded on all of the songs. would be happy to provide pictures of some of the records. maybe some band pictures. Yes we were from Bloomington, IL and later moved to Madison, WI. Jim Jacobs wrote the one that made the billboard lists I think it was as high as 49. I’ll hide my head in the sand was the flip side. the second release was flower people, down with it was an instrumental and was the B side. All were Mobie releases. Yes we recorded at MBS recording studios with Jim Manning. While I was in Chicago on that trip I bought my Gibson EB-2 hollow body bass, which I still have. quite vintage.
damn, so good
Been looking for these guys for 15 years on the internet. Had this 45 record in mid sixties and lost it. I live in WV and would love to know where they played in Huntington, Wv. Wow! what a blast from the past!
after an extensive search at home I found my old copy of this record by the Chy Guys and its a DJ copy also W/ same label. I will try to post a pic later.
“Get Ready” was a charting record on WOSH-Oshkosh, WI for several weeks. My recollection is that it peaked in the top 20 for the Iron Gate.
Hello Mr. Lehmann,
This is Chris, the author of this site. I’d definitely like to hear more about the Cobblestones. Please email me at chas_kit@hotmail.com
Actually the Chy Guys were from the lake view neighborhood in Chicago I know that for sure because I was the drummer Bob Lindgren.
Bob, did you guys ever play in Huntington, Wv? I have a copy of your record.
Not sure how else to get in touch with you. Do you still own the copyright for Deanna Edwards and group Deanna and the Here and Now Singers and her songs Attic of my Mind and Isolation? If they are still belonging to someone, I would be interested in obtaining them. What needs to be done? I am her son and sell her music. These particular songs would be sold once every few years, at least that is what we get, as far as requests go. Thank you very much.
Shon Edwards
Rock Canyon Music Publishers
My friends father was James H Manning Jr. Does anyone know where I can buy some of these records to give to her and her mother as a gift? We were just talking about him tonight and his daughter is bedridden and blind at 55 yrs old and I know how much she would love it if I could buy any of these records for her. Any help is appreciated.
Thank you!
James Hallessey manning Jr. was born exactly on 2 may 1934