The Mark IV came from Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie, New York. The Mark IV released three 45s on the Giantstar label out of Mahopac, in Putnam County.
Members were:
John Ackert – lead guitar and keyboards
James Marino – guitar (known as JJ, and Jay on the photo card)
Conrad “Butch” Loreto – guitar (joined in 1966)
Edward Gilroy – bass
Emery Ruger – drums
Rae Ann Panzera – vocals at some live shows and on “Hey Girl”
Their first single was “Hey Girl (Won’t You Listen)”, a good folk-garage song written by John Ackert, b/w the instrumental “Sleepy”, written by Ed Gilroy and Jim Marino, released on Giantstar 404 in May, 1966.
“Don’t Want Your Lovin'” is the toughest song they cut, a crazed rave-up with plenty of furious strumming. Songwriting credits go to John Ackert, Butch Loreto, Emery Ruger and Ed Gilroy. The A-side, “Would You Believe Me” is fine too, written by Gilroy and Ackert, and released in October 1966 on Giantstar 405.
The Mark IV’s last single was “Churches and Houses”, written by Ed Gilroy and Donnie Herring, backed with “Please Don’t Go”, on Giantstar 406, from March, 1967.
All the singles list publishing by Jemel Publications, and a Product of Jemel Music Corp and “A JNR Production” – all owned by Raymond Meltzer.
In 2020 James Marino answered some of my questions about the Mark IV:
In 1964 John Ackert and I were classmates at Haviland Jr High in Hyde Park NY. Eddie Gilroy was attending FDR High in Hyde Park.
I had played with Ron Piccolo in the Revells. I also played in the Royal Coachman with Bobby Germano and William Paroli, both now passed. So at age 14 or so I was a seasoned vet.
Ed Gilroy and I would hang out after school, trying to learn chords and songs on the guitar. I knew John but soon leaned of his music abilities. John and I sort of morphed into Lennon and McCartney right away. It just clicked and we fed off each other. Ed learned bass and we were off.
Next, drummer showman Emory Ruger from Poughkeepsie rounded out the group. The Mark IV was born. An older group of musicians named the Dirty Elbows were trying to court me away. We had such a good sound vocally I wouldn’t leave.
We started playing small venues, YMCA / CYO, firehouses etc. Bob Gilroy, Eddie’s father became our manager. Began to play larger venues with larger crowds both locally and out of town.
Some of these little towns in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, 800 to 900 kids would come to dance and listen. Strange as it may sound, it was like these kids were on delay. They had never seen anything like us. It sounds unbelievable they were wanting our autographs and trying to take pieces of our clothes. We were on cloud nine.
We appeared on a show called Teenage Dance Barn, what was then Channel 6 in Scehnectedy. We then appeared on Chuck McCann’s Puppet Show Channel 5 WNEW in NYC.
Some time later in ’65 our manager approached us with cutting a record, a little unknown record company in Mahopach, NY named Giant Star Records.
We found ourselves in the studio unprepared and with no material. So we proceeded to write “Hey Girl” in the studio and I played lead guitar on side b an instrumental called “Sleepy”, that I made up on the spot. It was very off-the-cuff and we should not have done it. We were sort of pushed before we were ready.
Our manager billed us as “Giant Star Recording Artists” etc. Gigs were getting pretty good, $200 / $300 / even $400 each per gig. I left in 1966 for awhile, came back in late ’66 or early ’67, and left again. Came back in ’68, all the while personnel changed. Just wasn’t the same for me. I was a bit of a free spirit and a hard ass all in one. A great experience all in all, great friends.
After the original Mark IV broke up my brother Mike Gilroy (drums), Donnie Herring (singer, percussion), John Lockwood (guitar) and I (bass) started a new version of the Mark IV.
John Ackert passed at least 20 years ago. What great talent: great vocals / killer guitar / killer keys made the rest of us look good.
Emery Ruger drummer extraordinaire, killer showman, and a great guy passed over a year now [July 18, 2017]. Glad to have had them as band mates.
Eddie and I are still hangin’ in.
Love all, Jimmy “JJ” Marino
I was googleing my old band just for the hell of it and came across this website which was a pleasant surprise. It’s amazing that you have our old records on it. The original group was started in 1964 by myself (Bass Guitar), Jimmy (JJ) Marino (Rhythm Guitar), John Ackert (Lead Guitar, Organ) and Emory Ruger (Drummer). We practiced in Jimmys living room and did mostly Beatle (our biggest influence) and other English group’s songs at that time. We got my Dad (yes Bob Gilroy was my father) as our manager and named the band after the cigars he smoked (Mark IV cigars). We started playing local YMCA, church and High School dances and the band took off from there. My Dad kept us working every weekend for almost 4 years, branching out into dance clubs in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, upstate New York and New York City. Jimmy left the band in 1966 and was replaced by Butch Loreto. Jimmy later rejoined the group and we became 5 members but kept the name The Mark IV because the band was so popular and known by that name in most of the northeast. From 1965 to 1968 we also played concerts with Eric Burden and the Animals, Jay and the Americans, The Dixie Cups, The Angels, The Tyme and many other groups, We also had a female singer for a while named Rae Ann Panzera. She could definitely belt out a song and was instrumental in our group winning our first Battle of the Bands. She is also the female voice on Hey Girl. I have sent you my email address incase you have any questions about my band or any of the other bands or clubs of that time. Anyone can feel free to contact me at my email address which is smoothinsa@yahoo.com. That you so much for the recognition and for bringing back fond memories.
There was just something magical about those early years ! Not a care in the world did we have ! Maybe thats what made it happen so effortlessly! I was so blessed to have been a part of the MarkIV now that i look back on it! Those experiences we had are irreplaceable and everlasting ! Nice to know we made our own little footprint , small as it may be! God bless Emory Ruger and John Ackert rest in peace guys , your in my heart forever! J.J. Marino ! P.S. Eddie Gilroy be well my friend and thank you for helping to document our band The MarkIV
I’m John Ackert’s brother. That’s also how I was known in the 60’s when my brother’s band was very popular, John Ackert’s brother. It is really great to see that the existence of his band the Mark IV is preserved here on this website. I have albums full of pictures of the band. If anyone is ever interested in more information please feel free to contact me.
HI Kevin Saw your response and wanted to acknowledge your comments! Just realized the MarkIV has been documented, much to my surprise! I remember you as being Johns younger brother and can understand ,believe me ! Just remember we were all young and dumb , none of us knew anything! I wanted to say that your dad Harry worked with my dad !We all in the band really liked him! He helped us with the equipment trailer and was supportive! Your mom was a little unique , correct me , was her name malita probably not spelled wright ! She loved you guys! Most of all your brother John was so gifted and talented he made the rest of us look good ! It was my good fortune to ever have known him! May he rest in peace along with Emory who passed a year or so ago! anyway best to you J.J. Marino
Hi Kevin,
I have been updating this page and saw your comment from years ago about your brother’s involvement in the Mark IV. If you still have info or photos on the band, I would definitely like to hear from you.
Best, Chris
Hi Chris. Reading this in 2021. I’ll be in touch soon
Well….I am Jimmy Marino’s cousin from Poughkeepsie but now live in pleasanton CA.
I remember the battle of the bands around 1967 or 1968 or so at Arlington Jr high School. You guys were great! I believe you did Back in the USSR by the Beatles which makes it 1968. My mind is fuzzy on it. I also remember asking you guys to do a song for me probably 1965 or 1966 called Good Lovin by the Little Rascals.
Hi Mike how are you ! Hope all is well with you and your family ! Funny thing is I didn`t even know this site existed ! Just googled the other day , much to my surprise , lots of documentation popped up ! Saw your response so I wanted to say hello and thank you for your comments! I do remember playing the Arlington Jr High battle of the bands ! I remember being excited to be a part of it all! Those were the best times ! Thanks for remembering! Be well Love to all Jim Marino
I found some old film footage, there is no soundtrack, but the face of the drum set says MARK IV, and it looks to be shot around the late 1960s. I was trying to find out more about the footage, and it led me to this page. Is this the same Mark IV?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1jWt1vR2zOw
Sorry that is not us!! I wish someone did have old footage of our group playing though. If anyone does please contact me!!!
Hi Ed remember playing the old colonial theatre in arlington ! The Shang ra las , meeting with them was cool ! BE well my friend Best Jim Marino !
Jimmy, my brother from another mother. I hope you are well. I live in Central Florida now in a town called Tavares. I retired in Dec 2010 and live with my oldest son Jason. I love this site. Brings back great memories. I miss John and Emery. I am not ashamed to say that The Mark IV was one of the best, most popular, and hardest working bands in the Hudson Valley and beyond in 1965-1967. Hope to hear from you again one day. Last time we were together was in 2006 when I was visiting from Texas for my Mom’s 80th birthday. You, Emery and I met at Emery’s home in Rhinebeck and had a great few hours reminiscing together and honoring John’s memory. The stories we could tell….and some we can’t, lol! Anyway my friend. Be safe, be healthy and be blessed.
My mom use to sing for a group called Mark lV and I have spent years trying to find albums, footage, photos, band members.
KMBC was a Kansas City, MO station.
Radio and TV stations west of the Mississippi start with “K” .
Stations east of the Mississippi start with “W”.
Wowie zowie! I first met john and Jay at the IBM country club. I believe it was 1965. Me and my girlfriends were big fans of the Mark IV. I think Jay was the first guy I ever made out with ! Whoa! Too much info. Anyway…WHATS IT TO YA!?!
I remember the night John and I met Judy and her friends ! John and I sang and played Ticket to Ride , and some others ! A warm summer night I remember it like it was yesterday ! We thought we were so cool and I know we were ! We were high on being young and the times were right ! I’m glad for what we had , wouldn’t change a thing ! John rest in peace brother! You were a very talented guy , who made the rest of us look good ! But most of all you were a friend! J.J. I think Judy was a good kisser!
I was looking for another band and found the Mark IV. The first time i saw the Mark IV was at the La Grange fire hall. Rae Ann is my cousin and that’s how i knew them. What great memories.
Hi Rikk. The is Ed Gilroy of the original band. How is Rae-Ann? I haven’t heard anything about her in a long time. I have looked for her on the internet with no luck. She was a great edition to the band at that time and I missed her when she left us!!!
Hi Rick My name is Jim Marino an original member of the MarkIV ! I was quite surprised to see , the documentation of our band ! Can`t say I remember you from back when dinosaurs roamed the earth , I`m sure I would recall if i saw you! Anyway wanted to say your cousin Rae Ann, what a little stick of Dynomite ! She could really belt it out with great quality. With Rae Ann / John Ackert / and I we had killer vocals ! Great times with her / have a picture of her and I in the studio making goofy faces ! I remember when she left / kinda let the air out of me ! She was that good! Bless her where ever she may be! Thank you for sharing Rikk! P.S. I do remember playing the lagrange fire house ! all the Best Jim Marino
Hi Chris , I want to send you out a big Thank You for the work you do. Preserving and archiving the various bands and their music of the sixties! Without your caring and effort , much would be lost ! It was great connecting with you and I wish you great success in all you do! Best J.J. Marino.
It was great finding this ! I love history and after all this is history ! I remember coming to dances in Poughkeepsie where the Mark 1V played ! You were all talented !You are very fortunate to have had great experiences and now everlasting memories !
Hi Kathy It`s great to hear from you / and seeing your response , regarding the MarkIV ! It brings me back to 1966 ! Thinking of how kind your mom and dad were to me . Hanging out with your brother Phil and the good times I had with him and your family! I miss them and will always have fond memories! God Bless ! Best Jimmy Marino
Well it’s now Sept 11, 2022 and I have been reading all the comments here. I stay in touch with Kevin Ackert on Facebook and I had gotten together with my brothers from other mothers, JJ and Emory, in 2006 before Emory passed away. We met at Emory’s home and had a blast reminiscing about the good old days, going through my 2 band scrapbooks that my mom had put together and singing some of our old songs. One unknown fact that hasn’t been mentioned is that when the band first started I couldn’t sing very good so JJ and John did most of the lead vocals and I wasn’t allowed to sing. About 3 months later, after some voice practice, I started singing some background vocals in harmonies. Eventually I became a lead singer along with JJ and John and even Emory provided some background harmonies. I left the band in 1968 when I got drafted and did 2 tours, back to back in Vietnam, then rejoined the “new” Mark IV in Feb of 1971 as lead singer when I got out of the Army. This version of the band had 7 members and a horn section and my dad was still the manager. Members were Ed Gilroy (Lead vocals, percussion), John Lockwood (Lead guitar & vocals), John McCormick (Bass guitar, Sax, vocals), Steve Wanzer (Keyboards, Trombone, Vocals), Joe Vadala (Trumpet, Flute, Flugelhorn, vocals), Mike Fletcher (Trumpet, vocals), Paul Gilroy (Drums, vocals). In 1975 I left the Mark IV and the music business and re-enlisted in the Army again. Jimmy, if you see this I hope you are well my friend. Love you brother. After Kidney failure 2 years ago and a major heart attack last year I’m still here brother. We had some great times as teens and great memories as band members of arguably the best band in the Poughkeepsie from 1965 – 1968 & 1971 – 1974.
Ed It`s wonderful to read your comments , and to know that your still hanging in! Suffice to say only the good die young ha ha! Thats why were still here! Don`t know if either you or Kevin posted the pictures ,but it`s a great addtion for our little story! Pleasantly surprised to see them ! Be well and think of all the good memories , that we are fortunate to have! Best / your friend J J
I’m still hanging around my friend. I posted the pictures from the 2 scrapbooks my mom kept. Mostly of the original band from the 60’s. Ron Piccolo is living down here in Florida selling real estate and also Reggie Ward but I heard he passed away a few years ago. I miss your dad. He was one of a kind. Anyway, God bless and protect you and hope to see again one day either here or in heaven to get the band back together. Love you brother!
Hi just saw this and felt bad to see Emery had passed . My sister Carrie and I loved the Mark 1V and always went to see them when they played in Carbondale PA Such sweet memories of a great band and fun sweet guys. Hope all of you are well. God Bless you, Betty