They released one excellent single on Music Mill 404, “My Kinda Woman” / “A Swingin’ Summer”, both by T. Martin and G. Carter, publishing by Levelland BMI.
I don’t have much info on the group, other than those two names T. Martin and G. Carter. Their drum head has a location, a short word ending in “t” – Hurst, TX maybe?
The Images came in third place out of 11 bands, at the July 25, 1965, Panther-a-Go-Go “Battle-of-the-Rock N Roll Bands”.
Thanks to the meticulous scrapbook kept by the mother of Motovators bassist Terry Hungerford, I can present the photo of the group and their set list from the July 25 battle-of-the-bands.
Thank you to Wm. Lewis Wms. and Andellyn Purvis-Hungerford for sharing this material.
The Images set list at Panther Hall, July 25, 1965
Bo Yale, Garlin Holcomb (Garland Halcomb?) and Junior Allred ran the Party Line Club in Fort Worth, TX. The Motovators auditioned at the Party Line Club on July 1, 1965, but may not have received any bookings.
I don’t know the Party Line Club’s address, but the same owners opened another night club, the Tracer Club, located at 5123 E Lancaster Ave in Fort Worth, TX.
The Tracer Club opened on June 1, 1965, advertising “Table to table telephones • Closed Circuit TV • Carpeted walls • 4,000 square feet of luxury – Something New For Texas“. Kay Harris made her vocal debut with Jim Jones & the Chaunteys.
Gary Payne and the Play Mates appeared at the Tracer Club on September 10, 1965. This was the band Phil Reece and Jimmy Smith joined after the Motovators split up.
The Rondels appeared there in April and May, 1967.
If anyone has more info on these night spots, please contact me.
Thank you to Wm. Lewis Wms. and Andellyn Purvis-Hungerford for sharing this material.
Motovators at the Holiday Hop April 3, 1965The Holiday Roller Skating Rink in 1965
The Holiday Skating Rink was located at 2920 Carson St. in Haltom City, northeast of downtown Fort Worth, and just a block away from Haltom High School (where the Jades, the Barons and the Motovators attended school). It was later known at the Holiday Skatium.
Starting in May, 1964, the Jaycees sponsored weekly teen nights at the rink called Holiday Hop or Holiday A-Go-Go, run by KFJZ DJ Mark Stevens. The Motovators played at there at least five times in 1965. Below is a partial list of Holiday A-Go-Go shows:
January 23, 1965 – “Battle-of-the-Bands” with the Motovators, the United Sounds, the Jades (2nd place), the Barons (1st place), the Coachmen and the Images.
February 13, 1965 – Valentine Dance “Holiday Hop” with the Motovators and the Images
March 6, 1965 – Motovators and the Barons
April 3, 1965 – Motovators and the Barons. Photos taken by Donnie Fisher. The Motovators are sporting their new striped coats and yellow shirts from Foreman & Clark, $13.84 each.
On April 25, 1965, the Star-Telegram ran a full-page feature on Holiday A-Go-Go, with photos of the audience and two photos of a band, likely the Creeps, who are mentioned in the article.
On May 29, 1965 – the Holiday a-Go-Go 1st Anniversary show included Larry & the Blue Notes, the Chaunteys, the Jades and the Barons, but not the Motovators.
July 10, 1965 – The Motovators and Larry and the Blue Notes. The Blue Notes ask Terry to join them for a three-day tour, but he turns it down because of two prior Motovators bookings.
September 18, 1965 – the Barons and Jack & the Rippers
December 4, 1965 – the Jades
April 2, 1966 – the Mysterians
April 8, 1966 – Battle of the bands with the Jades, the Esquires, the Mods, the Kasuals, the Nomads, the No-Names and the Cynics.
Thank you to Wm. Lewis Wms. and Andellyn Purvis-Hungerford for sharing this material.
Holiday Skating Rink, not sure if this is the Motovators or another group
National Hall, April 2, 1965, from left: Dale Morgan, Terry Hungerford, Mike Langston, and Terry Fagan with Roger Young on drums.The Capris at National Hall, April 2, 1965Charlie Christy & Crystals, National Hall, April 2, 1965
The National Hall SPJST is located at 3316 Roberts Cut Off Rd, Fort Worth, Texas. It still exists.
It was a popular spot for polka and western bands, but featured a few shows of rock bands during 1965. The Motovators played three shows here. Photos were taken at the first two shows.
April 2, 1965 – Battle-of-the-Bands with the Motovators, Charlie Christy & the Crystals and two groups I am not familiar with: the Capris, the United Sounds. Emcees were Bob Allen and Bill Warren of KXOL. Lineup at this show was
June 18, 1965 – Battle-of-the-Bands. The Motovators debuted their new stage suits. The lineup at this point was Terry Lee Hungerford, Roger Young, Mike Langston, Phil Reece on guitar, and keyboardist Jimmy Smith (or possibly Jerry Smith).
June 26, 1965 – Larry and the Blue Notes
July 2, 1965 – the Motovators played for 25% of door, DJ Bill Warren hosted
Thank you to Wm. Lewis Wms. and Andellyn Purvis-Hungerford for sharing Terry’s photos and band history.
The Motovators on stage at National Hall, probably June, 1965Haltom High School friends at National Hall, April 2, 1965National Hall, June 18, 1965, Roger Young (on drums), and Mike Langston with maracasThe Motovators, June 18, 1965: Phil Reece on guitar, Roger Young on drums, and keyboardist Jimmy SmithRoger Young on drums, and keyboardist Jimmy Smith (or Jerry?)from left: Mike Langston, Terry Hungerford, Roger Young (on drums), Phil Reece and keyboardist Jimmy
The Jolly Time Skating Rink was located at 1001 Miller on the east side of Fort Worth. A scrapbook kept by Terry Hungerford’s mother shows the Motovators would play at the rink at least nine times between February 27 and July 31, 1965.
The Barons, the Kasuals, and the Coachmen appeared with the Motovators on certain dates. Other than her scrapbook, I can find almost no documentation of other shows at the rink. Jim Jones and the Chauntays also played there according to an interview Jim Jones did with 60sgaragebands.com.
February 20, 1965 the Motovators auditioned with KXOL DJ Bob Allen and rink manager Doyle Goodwin
February 27, 1965 – First Motovators show at the Jolly Time Skating Rink, with the Barons
March 13, 1965 – with the Kasuals. The Motovators played an original by Terry Lee Hungerford, “She’s Gone” that they had recorded earlier that month. This was Phil Reece’s last show with band, the following Monday he announced his departure to Bobby Crown’s band.
The Motovators at Jolly Time Roller Rink, April 24, 1965
April 24, 1965 – “one band, 10 to 12, $8 per man”
May 15, 1965 – with the Coachmen (“one of the Coachmen played as 5th member of Motovators”)
May 29, 1965
The Motovators and Bob Allen from KXOL at Jolly Time Roller Rink June 26, 1965
June 26, 1965 – after the show Terry, Roger and Donnie left to Villa Acuna, Mexico at 4:15 AM, returning home later than they expected on Monday causing some trouble on what was Terry’s 18th birthday.
July 9, 1965
July 17, 1965
July 31, 1965 – last Motovators show at the Jolly Time
The Motovators at Jolly Time A Go Go, July 1965
Terry Lee Hungerford would join Jerry Williams & the Epics in 1966. Starting in the 1970s he would be part of several bands including Ripe Chops, the Freedom Band, the Other Brothers Band, No Respect, Road Crew, and the Terry Hungerford Blues Band. He worked for Pacific Bell and even opened his own BBQ restaurant, Hungerford’s Finest in Watsonville.
Terry passed away on February 20, 2019.
Thank you to Wm. Lewis Wms. and Andellyn Purvis-Hungerford for sharing Terry’s photos and band history.
Another shot of the Motovators at Jolly Time Roller Rink, April 24, 1965The Motovators at Jolly Time Roller Rink, April 24, 1965. Note what appears to be Terry Lee’s Gretsch “bikini” bass with a teardrop body.
There’s not much information on the Hi-De-Ho Dancing night club, also known as the Hi-De-Ho Lounge. It was located at 3406 Azle Ave in Fort Worth, and as of 2020, the building still exists as the Rodeo Tavern.
The Motovators auditioned with manager Andy Anderson on December 4, 1964, then played ten shows at the Hi-De-Ho Lounge between December 5, 1964 and January 1, 1965. They received $10 per person except for New Year’s Eve, at $25 each.
On December 24, Jimmy Moore left the Motovators, and Dale Morgan joined on lead guitar. Terry Fagan moved to rhythm guitar.
I have no photos of the interior. An ad to sell the business appeared on July 27, 1965 in the Star-Telegram.
Le Joli Roger Lounge, also known as the Jolly Roger, Fort Worth
The Motovators played the Jolly Roger Lounge on May 29, 1964. It was one of the band’s first live shows, with the original lineup of Terry Lee Hungerford, Roger Young, Terry Fagan, and Jimmy Nobles.
The sign in the photo reads Le Joli Roger Lounge, but one ad I’ve seen lists it as the Jolly Roger, located at 4016 White Settlement Road on the west side of Fort Worth. I believe it has since been demolished.
A December 25, 1964 classified ad to sell the business.
Skyliner Ballroom sign for Shindig a Go Go, 1966, with the Red Hearts and Jerry Williams & the Epics
The Skyliner Ballroom was located at 2238 Jacksboro Highway, on the northwest side of Fort Worth, part of the “Thunder Road” strip of restaurants, bars, liquor stores, and motels.
The huge nightclub opened in the late 1930s. By the mid-60s, the Skyliner was on its last legs.
A February 25, 1964 show advertised the “All New Skyliner” with Jimmy Washington, Becky Sharp, and Ida Sneed. Little Richard headlined some shows, as did Ray Sharpe.
A couple ads in July of ’64 call the club “Jack’s formerly Skyliner”, and advertise the Raiders “Stick Shift” with Walter crane, vocalist and the Seven Gables
The Motovators played there three times in May and June, 1965. On the first occasion, bassist Terry Hungerford had his family car stolen from the parking lot. The next day they recovered the car on the north side, undamaged.
Terry Hungerford would play there again as part of Jerry Williams and the Epics, with the Emeralds, on August 20, 1966. Another Jerry Williams show at the Skyliner on August 7, 1965 was billed as Shindig a Go Go, and the other band on the marquee is the Red Hearts.
An ad included in the Motovators scrap book kept by Terry Hungerford’s mother shows Bobby Crown & the Capers opening for Ray Sharpe. Bobby Crown’s band was something of a rival for the Motovators, and a couple of their members would leave to join Crown’s band. The Infinitives is another band I’m not familiar with, and Ray Roger filled out the artist list.
The Skyliner’s New Year’s Eve party on December 31, 1965 had “The Texas Arthur Shindig a Go-Go” with Freddie King, Bobby Crown & the Capers, James Brown Jr., plus exotic dancers Tammi True, Gale Raven and Miss Galore.
The Ballroom closed in 1966, and was demolished in 1969.
The Wilshire Express is an interesting release that deserves a quick look. Despite the Austin Records label name, this was one of Major Bill Smith’s labels such as Charay and Le Cam out of Fort Worth, TX, almost 200 miles from Austin.
The Wilshire Express version of “Lose Your Money” is actually identical to the Ron-Dels hit on Smash, except for the lead vocals. Hard to say if it’s an alternate Delbert McClinton vocal, or merely someone imitating him. In any case the backing is identical, even the guitar solo and harmony vocals. The Wilshire Express version of “Lose Your Money” made it onto Highs in the Mid Sixties Vol. 23 without the compiler realizing it was basically the same recording as the Ron-Dels.
The Ron-Dels were from Fort Worth, the lineup on their Smash singles consisting of Delbert McClinton, Ronnie Kelly, Billy Wade Sanders, Jimmy Rogers on bass, and possibly Jerry Foster or Dahrel Norris on drums.
“Lose Your Money” was written by Mike Pinder and Denny Laine and was in fact the Moody Blues’ first UK single. “Lose Your Money” would get more exposure as the B-side to the US release of “Go Now”, where the Ron-Dels took their version.
The Wilshire Express B-side “Carla” is an easy listening instrumental and obviously from a completely different source. Both sides list “A Maridene Production”, and “Carla” has Freddy Crane on piano.
I’ve seen a September 1966 release date for the Wilshire Express single. The runout has “Maridene” “M 107” suggesting it was intended for Maridene Records, another Bill Smith label. If so it would have fit between Gene Summers remake of his earlier hit “Big Blue Diamonds” and Zuma’s “Hot Pants”, and the proper release date should be 1970 or 1971.
To make matters more confusing, on youtube I find a Wilshire Express single with the same release number, Austin Records A-322 with a version of Bruce Channel’s “Hey! Baby”: another Texas artist with a hit on Smash produced by Bill Smith. This time it’s a new recording actually done by the Carolina Tikis, a group who had recorded as Sunny & the Carolina Tikis for Charay (Sunny Threatt).
The Pathfinders from Ft. Worth, Texas From left: Larry Funchess, Freddy McDonald, Joe Reddinger and Parker Cook
I didn’t know the identity of this group until Nate Lamb wrote in to confirm it was the Pathfinders from Forth Worth, Texas, and named the members.
Larry Funchess – guitar Freddy McDonald – guitar Joe Reddinger – drums Parker Cook – bass
As far as I know the band didn’t make any recordings.
The back is stamped Brewer Photography Class, possibly the Brewer High School on the west side of Fort Worth. This photo came with one of Buddy and the Beaumen, who were also a Fort Worth group.
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
