December’s Children came from Fredericksburg, Virginia, but were part of the same Washington, D.C. music scene as the Telstars. Bud Becker managed both bands, and the photos here come from his collection.

I don’t have the lineups down exactly but I believe members included:

Jerry Burke – lead vocals
Clay Staples (J.C. Staples) – lead guitar
Pete Kahn – rhythm guitar
Steve Gilles
Matt ”Red” Kilmer – organ
Mike Martino – drums
Mick Coiner (Mic Coiner) – lead vocals (replaced Jerry Burke)

Dick Alfers was a roadie for the band.

December’s Children biggest show may have been supporting the Turtles on November 22, 1967 at the Alexandria Roller Rink with Bobby Howard and the Sweet, the Plum Beach Incident, the Hounds of Baskerville, the Fantastic Plastic, the Seeds of Life, the Rokz, the Kings Row, the Gnu Generation, and the Yorkshires. WPGC “Good Guy” DJ Jack Alix presented the show.

Also in 1967, the group made their only single, featuring a cover of Love’s “Signed D.C.” backed with an original “So Long Ago” by Burke, Gilles, and Staples.

On the record the group is listed as December’s Children, Ltd., released on Domestic Sound Records DS-123, with an address at 133 South Washington Street, Falls Church, VA. M.A. Becker and December’s Children and DSP Music published “So Long Ago”.

After Jerry Burke left for Vietnam in 1968, Mic Coiner took over on lead vocals.

I don’t know if the band’s members continued in music. Jerry Burke passed away in 2007.

Bud Becker’s silent footage of December’s Children at a VFW hall with Jerry Burke on lead vocals, followed by Jerry Burke’s haircut shortly before going into the Marines, ending with a short clip at a Hullabaloo with Mic Coiner on vocals.

Thank you to Bud Becker and Paul Burke for their help with this article.