The Orbits were from Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Early lineups of the group included:

Ron Hanson – lead vocals and rhythm guitar, 12-string guitar
Mike Daily (Daley?) – lead vocals
Ron Glodowski – vocals and lead guitar
Don Scholtz (Schultz?) – vocals and bass
Bob Scholtz (Schultz?) – vocals and drums

Ron Hanson’s first band was Ronny & the Bonnevilles, soon followed by Ronnie and the Rock-n-Bops with Glen Schulfer and Jerry Starr; I don’t believe either group recorded. The Rock’n’Bops became Wanda Jackson’s touring band for a tour.

The Orbits’ first single is a remake of the Zombies “Make Me Feel Good” [sic] backed with Ron Glodowski’s original “Fuzzy”, released on Big Sound label out of Wausau. Big Sound had other great releases by the Benders, the Spacemen, the Corals and the Rejects.

The Orbits toured extensively and even performed at the Hollywood Bowl in 1966. That touring helps explain why this group from central Wisconsin listed El Monte, California on the labels of their second single on the Boss Sound label, a Cuca custom pressing.

“Don’t” has all the elements of a good pop song. The song was written by Lena Davis and, as far as I can tell, originally done by UK act Joe Brown and the Bruvvers in June of 1964. That Piccadilly 45 didn’t receive a U.S. release to my knowledge, so the Orbits more likely heard it on the Roemans’ first 45 on ABC-Paramount from 1965, even though that wasn’t a hit. As it turns out, Ron met the Roemens when he sold them some VOX equipment, he befriended the band and probably heard “Don’t” at that time.

The flip is a slow take on the Searchers’ “Goodbye My Love”.

This 45 received a mention as a ‘Former Instant Pick’ on the local charts of WSPT in April of 1967.

The band recorded these songs at Cuca in Sauk City, Wisconsin, indicated by the J-6744 catalog number on the label. This band is not the Orbits from Portage, WI who had an earlier 45 on Cuca, “Orbit Rock” / “Slow Burn”.

The Orbits continued into the 1970s and had a few reunions. The lineup changed over the years with Hanson the only constant, and included Ed Niespodziani, Bob Wray on bass, Myrna Raatz (of the Furys) on vocals, Joe Cory on keyboards, Glen Schulfer on lead guitar, Steve Berendt, Ron Pitt and Dave Trickle on bass, Lyle Vickerman on lead guitar and Rick Martin and Jim Sether on drums. (Any clarification on when these people were in the group would be appreciated, some were in reunion bands as recent as 2001.)

In 1970 the group signed to Shelby Singleton’s SSS International label and released their third single, an original by Hanson and Schulfer, “House Without a Roof” b/w “Good Natured Emma”.

With an equipment sponsorship, the group changed its name to the Kansas Road Band, self-releasing the excellent Schulfer original “Back Again” b/w “Something About You” in a mid-western rock style. Ron and his group eventually became part of the Grassroots along with founding member Rob Grill and Dennis Provisor.

A mural of Ron Hanson’s early band “The Rock N Bops” can be seen in downtown Stevens Point with other noted local lore.

I’m sorry to report that Ron Hanson died on March 20, 2019.

Thank you to Beth Miratsky for the photos, news clippings and information on the Orbits.

Sources include: On That Wisconsin Beat by Gary E. Myers.