Johnny Green was raised near Green Bay WI, then moved to California in the early ’60s, and eventually settled in Bismark, North Dakota. Johnny and the Green Men toured constantly, and ads I’ve found cite the band as from California or Las Vegas.
Johnny Green & the Green Men may not have started in Dallas, but they seem to have been regulars on the live music scene in the area, so I’m including them in the Dallas section for the time being.
The Grand Prairie Daily News-Texan published a photo of the group on August 29, 1965, noting that the Green Men would be playing at the Hi-Ho Ballroom on W. Jefferson would be playing at its “Shabang” with a battle of the bands and go-go girls.
The photos on the right are from the Surfers a Go Go club in Dallas and were sent to me by Jerry Colwell of Kit and the Outlaws. Howard Wales may have been the keyboardist in the Green Men when these photos were taken. I don’t know the names of any other group members from this time.
As far as I know, Johnny Green & The Green Men’s first single was “Something You Got” / “Green Thumb” on Emerald 2001 and picked up by Tou-Sea. Ken Elliott produced and Mickey Miller sang lead vocal. They later recorded for Ranwood, Edmar and Barak labels.
Johnny Green would become one of the Joker’s Henchmen on the Batman TV series. He kept touring as Johnny Green and the Green Men throughout the years, as far as I know, he may still be at it.
Info from an interview on Batmania.com.
Johnny green still rocking april 2021 on tour call johnny green 320 267 8683
Love all my fans
Since 1960 l had been on a search for the Greenmen. My quest started when l saw a poster advertising Roscoe and His Lttle Green Men, “direct from Mars”. The poster photo was zany. The location was the Spotlight. I headed there for the show only to find town had the place closed. No band. My dad, a director in the musicians union mentioned a local lad was in that band. Over those early years, l never saw them but cut out many advertising clips, so many at prominent Mpls venues. I searched for them many years until early 90s, was told of a Greenmen band at a club in Duluth. Being there l drove by to discover The Greenmen on the marquee. The next day l sought out this Johnny Green and he had a history to show me, verifying he, indeed, waswho l wanted to find. Our friendship began there and endured until Johnny died. Hundreds of photos later, posters, concerts, private meetings and much travel, we were true friends. I even hired the Greenmen for my own music fest and was instrumental in his becoming yearly “house band” for the Mid America Music Hall of Fame. Johnny was a true friend and mentored me for years. I occasionally sat in on drums through the years. We had & did so much more. RIP Johnny. So if anyone reading this has news clips, photos, cards, anything, they would provide to me, l’ d be forever grateful. What l have in my collection will soon be displayed at the MAMHOF museum, now planned. I do wish to add Something You Got is not his first Greenman record. Without my own references, l think he covered the Bellnotes hit I’ve Had It as his first. He previously recorded with Wisconsin’s Royal.Lancers. More info on request.