The Twilighters came from Kirksville, Missouri, a small city about 165 miles from Kansas City and 200 miles from St. Louis. In 1967 they cut two originals, “Spellbound” / “My Little Angel” at Technisonic Studios in St. Louis.
“Spellbound” is a fast-paced rocker, driven by Dave Daniels’s fantastic drumming. There’s a great guitar break and a double-time ending, and it’s over in less than two minutes.
The chant of “Spellbound” has a distinctive sound that may come from some other song but if so, I can’t think of it. It reminds me of a later cut, Steve Miller Band’s “Living in the U.S.A.” where the group chants “Stand Back”. I’d be interested if anyone has heard something very similar in another song from the era.
The B-side, “My Little Angel” is a ballad with fine vocals, and good recording production.
Released on Red Flame Records 45-1005, the labels show a 1966 copyright date, but the U4KM indicates a pressing date in the first half of 1967.
The Twilighters, from left: Everett Cassidy, Gary Blurton, David Daniels on drums, Bob Harbur, and Randy Elmore. Photo courtesy of David Daniels.
David Daniels wrote to me:
The Twilighters band began in 1963 with Gary Blurton (rhythm guitar and vocals), David Daniels (drums), Everett Cassidy (bass), and Bob Harbur (lead guitar). Randy Elmore joined the band in 1964 because Gary was leaving to join the National Guard and the band would be needing a lead vocalist. Randy played lead guitar as well.
Eventually Bob moved to the St Louis area and Everett also moved away from the Kirksville area. At that point Richard Hudson, also a local boy and friend of Randy and David, came on to play rhythm guitar.
The Twilighters, from left: Everett Cassidy on bass, Randy Elmore on guitar, David Daniels with drumsticks, and Gary Blurton, guitar. Photo courtesy of David Daniels.
This configuration of The Twilighters (Randy, David, and Richard) placed an ad in the local paper seeking a keyboard player, to which Carl Foultz responded and that was the group that made the record “Spellbound” / “My Little Angel”. Carl Foultz was the song writer and organ player, and the bass was covered by the bass pedals on the organ.
Randy Elmore – lead guitar and lead vocal Richard Hudson – rhythm guitar Carl Foultz – organ (and bass pedals) David Daniels – drums (background vocals for “My Little Angel”)
There were no headphones to monitor in the recording room and “Spellbound” was recorded in one live take. The band could not hear the vocal work at all until listening to the playback in the control room. Likewise for “My Little Angel.” It was the first recording the band had made and their first experience in a recording studio.
Randy, Richard, and David were local boys, born and raised in the Kirksville area. Carl was from Pennsylvania and came to Kirksville to attend university at Northeast Missouri Teachers College (now Truman State University).
The band members changed off and on over subsequent years with a total of about 20 different players having done some time with The Twilighters during their run (1963 – 1971).
Randy and David continued to play in many other bands in the NE Missouri area from 1971 – 2011, often times together, other times not, under the names: Country Flavor, Fox, Survival, Loose Louie, Twilighter’s Rockin’ Reunion, BJ Allen Band, and Blue Voodoo.
These photos are of the original players. There are no pics with Richard or Carl, so neither of these are the exact group of players that were on the recording.
David went on to buy Circle M Music in Kirksville in 1974 and operated the music store and built his own recording studio where he recorded many local musicians and vocal groups. David mentored many young kids over the years, sharing his love of music and recording. He retired in 2014 after serving the NE Missouri music community for 42 years. As an honor to his Grandpa David, Black Daniels & The Bears did a cover of “Spellbound” live at David’s retirement party in 2014, the 3rd generation of musicians in the Daniels family, carrying on the tradition.
Randy retired from SW Bell and now lives in Columbia, MO.
Richard did not continue with music but went on to other employment, was a private business owner, and has retired to Lake of the Ozarks.
Carl graduated from NE Missouri Teachers College and moved away, the other band members having lost touch with him.
Gary is retired from local employment in the Kirksville area.
Bob and Everett are now both deceased.
Dick Lawrence (deceased) was owner of Red Flame Records and was an avid music promoter throughout the NE Missouri area his entire life.
Carl Foultz was also a member of an r&b group called the Del-Fis or Del-Phis with Ed Corte, Frank Gantt, T.J. Jackson, Mac Pendelton, Nick Romanetz and Gary Smyth, some of whom were students at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now known as Truman State University).
After Carl Foultz left the Twilighters, Bill Daniels joined on guitar and Ray Beets on bass, as Ray states in his comment below.
Dick Lowrance owned Red Flame Records which released three singles by the group he was a member of, the Red Blazers, usually with Ike Haley as leader.
In 1966 Lowrance released a single by Friar Tuck and the Merrymen’s “Peanut Butter” / “Try Me” (Mike Barger) on his Sherwood Forest Records subsidiary. That band may have been from western Illinois though I’m not sure which town. I’ve found newspaper ads for a “new Friar Tuck and the Merrymen” playing at the Wayside Inn in Moberly, Missouri, about an hour south of Kirksville; not sure if this is the same group.
The GTs in the Xenia Daily Gazette Feb. 21, 1967 The GTs came from Dayton, Ohio. Members were:
John Boerstler Eddie Wells Brenda Bishop Mary McCartney Bruce Larson
The Xenia Daily Gazette featured a photo of the band in February, 1967 for their date at the Blue Moon Ballroom.
A 1966 single “Bad Girl” and “Farewell Faithless Farewell” on Nashville NV-5302 is reputed to be by this band, however neither song was written by a member of the group. Cathryn Wright wrote “Farewell, Faithless, Farewell” while “Bad Girl” was written by Earl Isble, listed in March, 1966 copyright registration as Earl Roger Isble. Tronic BMI published both songs.
The 45 was a Starday Recording and Publishing production, so the band only had to send their tape in, not travel to Tennessee.
The Essentials came from Schagticoke, New York, and cut two singles on their own Kandy label in 1969 and 1970. Members were:
Jason Wheeler – lead guitar Steve Wheeler – rhythm guitar Jeff Wheeler – bass guitar Fred “Squeekey” Stay – drums
Jeff Wheeler recalled to Max Waller:
Our ages were 13, 15, 17 and 17 at the time. We played Friday and Saturday nights and threw in a wedding now and then with the old standards on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Even went to Atlantic City and Raleigh, NC. cuz we won a few Battle Of The Bands – the Tea Berry song contest too (we didn’t win that tho). We made 2 45s in 1968. Never made a million but we sold 1000 records for $1 apiece after spending $500 to do it! It was fun.
The Essentials recorded at Vibra-Sound Studio in Schenectady for both their singles. The first was Kandy 101 from 1969. “Oklahoma Blues” has some falsetto vocals about a minute in, but really gets going after the guitar break, with a funky rhythm and chanting. Fred Stay and Steve Wheeler wrote “Oklahoma Blues”. Steve Wheeler wrote “Baby You Get to Me”, which I haven’t heard yet.
Their second 45, on Kandy 82042 from 1970, had two originals by Squeeky Stay. “Sunshine Baby” is light pop. I prefer “Freedom”, which starts out with wah-wah guitar over drumming and doesn’t let up for three minutes. It’s a styrene 45 and hard to find in fine shape.
Robert Barry Music published all four songs.
Squeeky Stay and Mark Galeo made another single recorded at Vibra-Sound, “Slippin’ Away” / “Mrs. Jones” on Jinhea 100.
Max Waller added, “in 2002 Jeff resided in Poestenskill, NY; Steve was in New Jersey; Jason was reported to be in Texas; and Squeeky Stay had stayed in Schaghticoke.”
Fred Stay, Jr. also played drums with a group called the World of Darkness, that back Alan Burn on two songs “Gotham City” and “See Susie Run”, released on Tuesday Records. “See Susie Run” was also on the flip of “Information (Help Me Please)” by Alan on Tuesday Records TR-1 / Tuesday Records TR-SSR.
The other members of the World of Darkness were David L. Ferretti guitar, Paul Orloski rhythm guitar, John Zullo (or John Sciuto) on bass, and Sandi La Barge on organ.
Thank you to Max Waller for help with this article.
a href=”https://garagehangover.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ShepherdTangent45AreWeAlone.jpg”>Shepherd came from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and cut this one great hard-rock single, “Are We Alone” / “I Never Heard a Thing” around May of 1971.
Members were:
Mike Clifton – guitar, vocal Jay Peterson – keyboards Mark Lillis – bass Jeff Hilgert – drums
“Are We Alone” is an original composed by the entire band. Mike Clifton wrote “I Never Heard a Thing”. Ten Platt Music BMI published both songs.
Produced by Scott Sound Studios for Tangent Records, and released on Tangent TT 106, a Division of Scott Productions, Inc., Eau Claire. The Shepherd single was one of five or six singles on Tangent, including Cross Town Traffique, the Zig-Zags, Dallas Cord and the D.J.s.
According to an online source, Mike Clifton, Mark Lillis and Jeff Hilgert would go on to Dynamite Duck and Snowblind, among others. I don’t believe those bands recorded.
Mark Lillis and Jeff Hilgert had been in the Burlington Express (not the Topeka, KS group). Jay Peterson would be in Bacon Fat with Hilgert and Lillis, and Dynamite Duck.
Any more information or photos of the band would be appreciated.
The Cleaners came from Schenectady, New York, releasing two singles in 1966 and 1967.
Members included Larry Parks (listed in songwriting credits as Larry Podrazik), Bob Ives (Robert Iovinella), Bob Sands and Jay Camp.
The Cleaners’ first single was the super-soulful “How I Feel” b/w “If You Want Me” (described on the label as Rock-Jazz), both originals by Podrazik and Iovinella. A comment below mentions booking manager George DeVito recording the songs in his home studio. However, I have a 8″ laquer acetate of both songs from Earl Kennett’s studio. The sound of the bass, and the echo of the hand claps on “If You Want Me” suggests Earl’s studio rather than a home recording.
It was issued on Knight Records KN 3, of Bellevue Station, Schenectady, with a State Music Productions credit; the ZTSP 122826/7 codes indicate a Columbia custom issue, a styrene 45.
Podrazik and Iovinella copyrighted the songs in April and May of 1966, along with another original, “Just Until the End of Time” that was not released but would remain part of their live set.
In July of 1967 Podrazik and Iovinella registered another original song, “Dust”. The Cleaners cut it at Kennett Sound Studio in Kinderhook, NY, along with a cover of “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me”, released on their own Kleener Style Records 0011.
These were among the earliest singles issued out of Earl Kennett’s studio, which would go on to record and release over twenty 45s into the 1970s.
From the 1967 index of copyright registration
Not long after, the East Coast Clique recorded “Dust” backed with another Podrazik/Iovinella original, “Last Stop (Everybody’s Getting Off)”, both with NemSong publishing. Released as Charter Records 0016, the Kennett Sound credit at the bottom indicates the studio, as does the 00 prefix on the release number 0016. The production on this version is fuller, with the drums more prominent and danceable.
The East Coast Clique, including at least two members of the Cleaners
A Schenectady news clipping about the East Coast Clique mentions a single on the “Cleaner Style” label, so the Clique were a continuation of the Cleaners with a new band name, and some different members. Larry Parks and Bob Ives had been in the Cleaners, and the East Coast Clique’s other members included Sal Cannavo, Kent Brust and John Malik.
The article states:
One of the group’s songs, “Just Until the End of Time,” arranged by Bob Ives, leader, and Larry Parks, will be dedicated to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the performance.
Now appearing at the Bavarian Lodge in Hudson, the East Coast Clique … record on the Cleaner Style label and have appeared on Hank Brown’s Twistorama over WKTV, channel 2.
There is an 12″ acetate from Kennett Sound Studio of three songs by the East Coast Clique: a later version of “How I Feel”, “Last Stop (Everybody’s Getting Off)” and “Just Until the End of Time”. The second song was issued as the B-side to their single on Charter Records, “Dust” but I am not sure if this is the same version.
Podrazik and Iovinella registered two additional songs in 1968: “Captain Miller’s Flying Circus”, and “Sleepy Boy” (this last one shows Earl Kennett contributing to the music arrangement).
Kennett Sound Studio acetate for the Cleaners “Baby I Won’t Be Lonely”, from 1969. Scan courtesy of Brian Kirschenbaum
In January 1969, they registered “Baby, I Won’t Be Lonely”, which exists on a Kennett demo acetate as by the Cleaners, so it may have been considered for release.
Later copyrights include “I’m So Happy” (October 1969, with words by Brummer).
Al Quaglieri wrote a profile of Bob Iovinella for the March 8-14, 1990 issue of Metroland. He describes how Iovinella and Larry Parks had a five-year publishing contract by Nat Weiss, but only two songs saw publication in that time.
In 1970, Larry Parks had a solo composition “Pay Day” (using the name Adam Parks) recorded by Sha Na Na.
Starting in 1980, Iovinella and Parks would work together again as partners in Hendi-Parksives Productions.
Thank you to Brian Kirschenbaum for scans of the East Coast Clique 45 and the Cleaners acetate. Thank you to Bobby Iovinella for the photo at top and to Mikael for the news clipping.
Mojo-Bone Records first two releases are back from the plant and ready to order.
The Baytovens “My House” / “Luv Look Away” went unreleased until the 2007 CD You Got Yours! (East Bay Garage 1965-1967) from Big Beat Records. This marks the first vinyl release for either song. 8-page color booklet includes the group’s full story by Alec Palao.
This is the first release for the Bummers demo “I Can’t Imagine” / “L.S.D.”, and includes a fold-out insert in purple ink, with artwork, lyrics and a photo.
Each is $14 plus $4.25 1st class postage for up to two singles. Contact me to order directly.
March 5. 1966. The American Teens, from left, front row: Ronnie Stevens and Gene Ponton; back: Jim Stevens, Bobby Stevens and Bill Koontz.
The American Teens came from Frederick, Maryland, about an hour’s drive northwest of Washington, DC. The members were:
Bobby Stevens – guitar and vocals Jim Stevens – guitar Gene Ponton – saxophone Bill Koontz – bass guitar Ronnie Stevens – drums
Ray Vernon signed the band to Swan Records and produced this great single at his studio in Accokeek, Wray’s Shack Three Track.
“Shake Shake Baby” is a danceable original written and arranged by Ray Vernon’s brother, Link Wray (using his common pseudonym, F.L. Wray Sr). I actually prefer the flip, “A Brand New Love”, credited to Bobby Stevens.
The labels list Florentine Music and Palmina Music as publisher of both songs, but I don’t see either in the BMI database or Library of Congress registrations.
The Frederick News-Post covered the band twice. The first article on March 5, 1966 had the most extensive profile of the band:
Local Band Records First Single by Marie Howell
With the release of their first single record this week, five county youths have started keeping tabs on the national and local record ratings.
Known as “The American Teens.” the quintet includes three brothers, Bobby, Ronnie and Jim Stevens, plus Gene Ponton and Bill Koontz.
The group’s original recording, “Shake, Shake Baby,” was released on the Swan Label earlier this week. Words for the rock and roll song were written by Ray Vernon who’s managing the group and the record was taped at Vernon’s studio at Achocokee [Accokeek].
On the flip side of is “One That’s Old,” [sic] written by Bobby and Jim.
The boys, who have performed throughout the state, left Thursday night for Buffalo, N.Y., where they’re scheduled to perform tonight at a radio station’s record hop.
All but two of the youths have graduated from high school and are holding down jobs in addition to their practices and performances.
Bill is a graduate of St. John’s High School and Ronnie and Jim are graduates of Middletown High School. Bobby is a junior at Middletown and Gene’s a senior at Frederick High School.
The band, which practices about twice a week, has signed a contract which calls for them to cut four records a year.
Ronnie, who’s the drummer, admits that “I didn’t realize how much time and hard work it took to get a good recording. We worked week after week, hour upon hour with Ray Vernon to get a good tape,” he explained. “We finally made it and I hope it will go over big.”
… Bobby plays guitar and is the group’s vocalist.
And, Bobby added, “The band as a whole feels that meeting Ray Vernon was the biggest break that we’ve ever had.”
I wonder if the record made any headway in Buffalo. It’s a rare item now.
Ronnie Stevens of the American Teens, June 30, 1966
On June 30, a full page of photos from a Baker Park concert discusses teen trends of the day, with quotes from Kristina Parker, Laurencine Thomas, Mark Nelson, Buster McKenzie, Joyce Stimmel, Brenda Cregger, and also Bill Devilbiss, bassist for the Five Acts, a group I know nothing about. There is also a good photo of Ronnie Stevens on drums.
For whatever reason, the band didn’t last, but their single showed promise, and I hope there are a few unreleased recordings out there.
The obscure group Teachers Pet cut this one single on the equally obscure B-Rod Records. “Trying to Get Back to You” is crude swampy boogie. The A-side was the comparatively sleepy “Say You Love Me”. Both songs were originals by Larry Sims and Mike Zimmerman.
BMI lists Sims’ full name as Larry Clifton Sims, but it may be confusing him with the bassist and vocalist with the Sunshine Company and Loggins & Messina. BMI also lists two other original songs by the duo, “Seven Days a Week” and “Yes I Do”. I’m not sure either song was recorded.
Kingsbury-Wilson published the songs, now listed as Kingsbury-Wilson Enterprise of Louisville in BMI’s database. Mountain Music did the production. Released on B-Rod Records, without a catalog number on the label. The runout has “1269 – 1948”, I suspect the 1269 could mean December of 1969, but it’s just a guess.
I know of two other releases on B-Rod Records. Don Woolett’s “Rock to Kentucky” / “Ballad of Abraham Lincoln” is on a blue label similar to the Teachers Pet single, released in May, 1971.
A different red label design has Robin Kay Waggoner’s “We’ve Got to Try” / “Your Friend”, with “product of MMP in Lebanon Junction, KY”. Music Mountain Productions also recorded the Sound of the Zounds 45, covered previously on Garage Hangover.
Teachers Pet may have been from Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, or possibly Louisville, a half-hour’s drive north.
Gold label, no Atco distribution, D-116 AOne of the most famous ‘garage’ singles has to be the Shadows of Knight’s version of “Gloria”. As a national hit distributed by Atlantic Records (Atco), the 45 rpm single exists in over 15 U.S. variations pressed at plants around the country.
My post today concerns two of those, the original pressings on Dunwich from January and February 1966, without any Atco credit on the labels.
General agreement is that the first release has a gold label with the outlined lettering, a box around “A Dunwich Production” and “D-116”.
Teen Beat Mayhem notes that total quantity pressed is only several hundred. This pressing quantity has been repeated in online sources, but I feel it is incorrect. A pressing of a few hundred would have quickly sold out, and been worn out, but I’ve found two VG+ copies without much effort or expense.
The liner notes to If You’re Ready! The Best Of Dunwich Records…Volume 2 state that Bill Traut put together that first gold label design and ordered 4000 copies. He also used the cheapest local pressing plant he could find. Thank you to Jeff Jarema for looking that up for me. I suspect that the initial order may have been for less, and that 4,000 was the total pressed at that small plant over the first couple weeks of release. The Dunwich lettering is similar to other Chicago releases.
Yellow label, no Atco credit, DX-116 AThe first yellow label without Atco has the same credits as the gold, but a different label design, and has the release code DX-116, a number which would be used on most of the subsequent national releases. Since the small unknown Chicago plant couldn’t do the quantity needed, Traut ordered from Plastic Products in Nashville.
I asked people on the Chicago Rock Bands 1960s and 1970s Facebook group which label they had first, and by far most remembered the yellow label version. Later gold and yellow label versions exist that include Atco distribution credit, so this survey is not definitive.
I constructed this early 1966 timeline for “Gloria”:
February 18: 1st appearance on the WLS “Silver Dollar Survey. Chicago’s Official Radio Record Survey” at #18, having been played for three weeks on the station, which would put its first WLS airplay in very late January or early February.
February 25: reaches #7 on WLS
March 4: reaches #6 on WLS
March 5: Billboard reviews it and lists it as a breakout single. Enters Billboard’s Chicago singles chart at #15
March 12: rises to #8 in Billboard’s Chicago singles chart. Billboard notes 40,000 sold in Chicago and additional sales in other cities. “Kent Beauchamp acted as a kind of co-ordinator in getting the first record out and has been handling local distribution.” [ Kent Beauchamp owned Big Town Distributors and, along with Ed Yalowitz, Royal Disc Distributing.] Cash Box reports that it is “a recent master purchase” by Atlantic”. Dunwich co-owner George Badonsky had been working for Atlantic and Atco as a Midwest sales and promotion rep since February, 1965, which may explain the connection with Atlantic.
March 19: rises to #4 in Billboard’s Chicago singles chart and enters Billboard’s Hot 100 national chart at #78. In a detailed article, Billboard reported:
… the single has sold 60,000 legitimately in Chicago to date …
Local distribution by Royal Disc Distributing …
The group is managed by suburban record store and teen nightclub owner Paul Sampson, who found the quintet singing in a Veterans of Foreign Wars Club. He installed the group in his own spot, The Cellar, where they were heard by Royal Disc’s Kent Beauchamp, who recommended them to Dunwich Records.
The group is comprised of Joe Kelley, lead guitar; Gerald McGeorge, rhythm guitar; Warren Rogers, bass guitar; Tom Schiffour, drums, and lead singer Jim Sohns.
“Gloria” is getting played and starting to sell in Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Atlanta …
“They are a super-tight group,” said Sampson. “They have everything live they have on record and they are competent musicians.”
March 26: rises to #2 in Billboard’s Chicago singles chart and #10 in Detroit. Full page ad (shared with George Edwards) in Billboard on page 7.
April 1: reaches #1 on WLS
May 7: “Gloria” reaches its peak Billboard national chart position at #10. It would remain at 10 the following week before dropping off.
High-quality scans of WLS surveys can be found here.
Dennie Mosley seems to have only cut this one single, the cool rockabilly “Love Me, Love Me, Love Me” backed with the pleading lament, “I Tried”. It’s not really a garage style record, but the late recording date and crude quality of the production gives it something of a garage feel. The guitar break on “Love Me” is excellent.
The RCA custom pressing code, U4KM-9220/1 indicates an early 1967 pressing.
Released on B & 4 Records out of Columbus, Ohio. Bill Caito wrote “Love Me, Love Me, Love Me” and arranged that side, while Dennie Mosley wrote and arranged “I Tried”.
Other names on the label include M. South, G. Kirk, L. Newsome and F. Smith who must be the backing musicians. B&4 Records typically list the singer of the group as the artist, so it is possible they had a group name not listed on these labels. Any further info would be appreciated.
Publishing by E.C. Baugess Publishing Co.
Chad Baugess ran a home studio and owned the B & 4 Records label. Buckeye Beat has a list of other records on the label, but not this one.
This site is a work in progress on 1960s garage rock bands. All entries can be updated, corrected and expanded. If you have information on a band featured here, please let me know and I will update the site and credit you accordingly.
I am dedicated to making this site a center for research about '60s music scenes. Please consider donating archival materials such as photos, records, news clippings, scrapbooks or other material from the '60s. Please contact me at rchrisbishop@gmail.com if you can loan or donate original materials
The Twilighters came from Kirksville, Missouri, a small city about 165 miles from Kansas City and 200 miles from St. Louis. In 1967 they cut two originals, “Spellbound” / “My Little Angel” at Technisonic Studios in St. Louis.
Carl Foultz was also a member of an r&b group called the Del-Fis or Del-Phis with Ed Corte, Frank Gantt, T.J. Jackson, Mac Pendelton, Nick Romanetz and Gary Smyth, some of whom were students at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now known as Truman State University).
Shepherd came from Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and cut this one great hard-rock single, “Are We Alone” / “I Never Heard a Thing” around May of 1971.
