The Cannons came from Madison, Wisconsin, releasing singles in 1966 and 1967. Members were:
Lee Larsen – lead vocals
Mike Keilhofer – lead guitar
Peter Loeb – sax and rhythm guitar
Jim Perkins – bass
Mike Turk – drums
Gary E. Myers’ book Do You Hear That Beat has Jerry Cratzenberg on bass.
Their first single was “Sweet Georgia Brown” / “Lonesome” on Fan Jr. 5504, produced by Skip Nelson.
In January 1967 they made their masterpiece, “Day to Day”, backed with “‘Love,’ Little Girl”.
No writing credits are listed for either song on the Night Owl 45, or for “Lonesome” on the earlier Fan, Jr 45, but a Capital Times profile stated “‘Day to Day'” and “‘Love Girl'” … both songs were written by ‘The Cannons.'”
“Day to Day” was reissued on Highs in the Mid Sixties Vol. 15 retitled “Days Go By”, and wrongly listing the band’s origin as Milwaukee.
The Capital Times ran a profile of the group by Gary Rettgen on February 6, 1967:
‘The Cannons,’ Local Rock ‘n’ Roll Group, Discovered by Chicago Agency
A musical group of young Madison men has been “discovered” by Chicago’s Williard Alexander booking agency … but the “discoveries” already are well known to Madison rock ‘n’ roll fans.
The local Upstairs at the Gun Club, Cottage Grove Rd., bills them as “Madison’s Number One Band.” Recently the group were first place winners in the March of Dime benefit band contest at the Capitol Theatre.
Familiar, too, is the face of its long-haired, bearded leader, Peter Loeb, 21, who wields a “wicked” sax and wild second guitar … Peter will enter graduate school in social work after June graduation.
Mike Keilhofer, 20, on lead guitar is a student at the Wisconsin School of Electronics.
The bass player is 20-year-old Jim Perkins, who by day attends Madison Business College.
Mike Turk, 20, the drummer, is a U. of Wisconsin sophomore.
Singing with “The Cannons” is Lee Larsen, 19, a printer’s apprentice by day at Webcrafts. The only married man in the group, he has a daughter…
A young brother, Greg Loeb, 18, a U. of Wisconsin freshman, has formed a group of his own. Their name: “The Grapes of Wrath.”