The Cutaways (often listed as the Cut-a-Ways) came from Bellaire, Ohio, a town on the eastern edge of the state close to Wheeling, West Virginia. One article I found listed them as a Wheeling band, but that may have been for convenience. That show was in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, 300 miles away from Bellaire and Wheeling!
Larry Gorshe seems to have been the leader of the group and main song writer. I’m not sure of all the other members of the band or who played what instrument, but members included Bill Bell, Gary Parrish, Charles Soltes and Walter McElroy. Also someone named Jurovcik may have been a member as he is listed as one of the song writers on their second 45. Helen Mae was a manager of the group.
The Cutaways put out two 45s, the first from circa 1964 was a Buddy Holly type rocker “You’re Driving Me Out of My Mind” backed with a good ballad, “Now That You’re Gone”. Larry Gorshe wrote both songs for Claridge Music Inc ASCAP. The label was Agogo, which also released “Hitch-Hike” / “Sippy Sippy Sop Sop” by the Fantastic Emanons, another Bellaire band.
Their second 45 is a favorite of mine. The top side is “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” written by Gorshe, Saltes, McElroy and Jurovcik. The flip is “Hold Me” by Larry Gorshe, both sides published by Silver City Music, BMI. It was released on Sur-Speed 205, a record label located in Nashville, TN, over 7 hours drive from Bellaire.
Gorshe also wrote both sides of the Big C on Sur-Speed 202 “(Hey Girl) Come Along With Me” / “Gee Whiz I Love You”
Sur-Speed was located at 1201 Whites Creek Pike, Nashville, Tennessee, and the SO-prefix indicates the 45 was mastered at Southern Plastics
Larry Goshe passed away on February 21, 2008.
Does anyone have a photo of the band?
THANK YOU for posting this, I didn’t know this Cutaways record existed! The only ones I knew of were ‘Hold Me’ and the Big C single on which The Cutaways are the supposed the backing band. I always like to learn of more great garage tunes from my beloved Ohio.
I wonder if that ‘Agogo’ label is related to the ‘Go-Go’ label from nearby Wintersville, Ohio that carried the excellent ‘Are You For Real Girl?’ by the Mystic Five (comped on Back From The Grave)? The label fonts do look similar.
I’d like to note that the city of Wheeling is in the state of West Virginia, not Pennsylvania (right across the Ohio River from Bellaire, Ohio). Easy to confuse as the narrow panhandle of West Virginia is sandwiched in between the two states there.
Thanks again for a great website!
Don in Uh-hi-yuh.
Hey! Any information of ‘The Counts’ from Valley View, Pennsylvania? I have understood that they released on Kingston label (Last Train, I Will Lose My Mind). You know more about this band?
I do have pix of the band when my brother Gary Parrish played with them along with my future husband, Bill Bell and Bob Livingston.. Walter McElroy, Chuck Soltes, and John John Jurovcik (drummer) joined after the former three left the band. The second group are the ones who made the recordings.
Jurovcik’s first name is John he is my grandfather and he said he played with them for about a year and made a record with them
I have one of the original photo’s of the Cut A Ways…in fact one of the members, lived right next door, growing up in Bellaire, I often heard them practice in their home.
Seems more likely that that Morgantown fair would be Morgantown, WV, home of WVU than rural Morgantown, PA… which back then was nothing more than a gas station, a mcdonalds and a turnpike interchange.
I see what you mean, but the clipping is from a Pottstown, PA paper, just 17 miles from Morgantown PA.
Wow!!! My name is Nancy Soltes, I am the sister of chuck soltes one of the members of the cut a ways. Although I was very young when their popularity was at a peak I fondly remember them practicing in our basement and the band members were always so kind to me. My brother is alive and well and has carried his love for music throughout his life. I feel privileged that I grew up in the 60’s and had such a super group of musicians as people whom I looked up to.
In addition to the above, we also met with a female singer, Rexene Allen
the daughter of Rex Allen the country western singer. We helped her with some demo tapes in which we played and sang backup. She was going to use these tapes as promo’s for her work in New York. Just before I left the band, Big C was working on a deal for us to open for the Stones and Manford Mann. The first record which was produced by the guys from WOMP was mastered very badly and needed a lot of help to sound half way decent. The tapes sounded good but who ever they got to
cut the master used too much treble and hardly any bass which gave
it a very thin sound, not good at all. The studio we used at Sur Speed
mastered right in the studio, we watched the master lacquer being made
right from the tapes, very cool. Thanks for putting this site together, I think about Larry, Beans & John-John a lot. I was so saddened to hear about Larry’s passing, he was a good guy and good musician. Maybe we can jam again some day.
I have the original metal masters of the cutaways on a go go records.
I have a photo of the band
Hi Cory, could you send a good pic or scan of the band photo? My email is RChrisBishop@gmail.com
Thank you
Cory Gorshe could you also send me the photo of the band. My email is skyrimboss4321@gmail.com
My grandfather would love to see it.
I went to school with Larry, Gary, & Walter.
I have a band picture of them.