Mark Markham and His Jesters came from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and only released one single, “I Don’t Need You” / “Marlboro Country”.
Both songs were originals by Markham. The 45 was first released in September, 1966 on the local Power label, then picked up by RCA Victor.
An announcement of his RCA contract in the Fort Lauderdale News on September 30, 1966, listed the the Jesters lineup at the time:
Bob Ungerer – rhythm guitar
Burns Weick – organ
Mike Sherlock – bass
Bill Fariello – drums
Other notices gives different spelling for a couple names: Bob Weick or Burns Wieck, and Billy Farnello
The Power single lists the group as Mark Markham and The Jesters, but there were a couple other Jesters playing the area at the time, which may have been why they were sometimes billed as Mark Markham and His Jesters.
I’ve found a couple photos of Mark Markham alone, but none that feature the Jesters.
Anyone have a photo of the group?
Marlboro Country was covered in the ’80s by his cousin Charlie Pickett.
Great stuff.
Thanks
Actually we got to number 1 on WQAM in the 60’s
We’re you a jester?
This did come out on a black-label stock copy as well. ‘Twas a top 30 hit on WFUN in Miami in ’66!
Marks nephew said he had been playing at a few spots. Is there a date list out there? Love to see the updated version. Maggie
I wouldn’t call this “underrated.” Both sides have been acknowledged as “garage classics” for 20+ years now. I first heard it on the radio in the 1980s! “I Don’t Need You” is great.
I played in a band called The Body Shoppe(formerly The Calientes) who did several gigs with The Jesters- (we thought Mark was the best frontman going in the local scene, and the band was pretty hot too;(they did a killer version of One Two Brown Eyes by Them).South Florida in ’65 and ’66 was a great scene with a lot of cool venues, especially the radio sponsored teen clubs on weekends.
If Mark is still playing gigs, I’m sure he’s still cool…
Hi Kit, I played in a no name garage band at a band clash at the fort lauderdale war memorial auditorium and the body shop was our competition. Anywho y’all won and thats that. A guy named Bob put us together who went on to perform in Las Vegas. Long ago; it impressed my high school sweetheart Leslie Lahman enjoyed it. Turn turn turn was my favorite song , we also did some Moby Grape no original stuff. God bless! Chris
Back then, Mark was the local Bad Boy, of the Band Scene. Everyone went to The Jester’s Gigs, to see What Crazy Thing Mark would DO Next!! Kinda like Jim Morrison. Mark was Great Friends with Mr. Fields, who owned” Lauderdale Music” in DownTown Ft. Lauderdale.
i bought my very first , and best 12string electric from MR>FEILDS, a DANELECTRO 12 string, teardrop , with nocase…it rocked! covered early STONES, and wish I could thank him for putting me on the right track.doing NETFLIX, series and working with state of the art digital studio equipment…just cant compare with those days, a neighbor of mine in Lauderdale, drummed with MARK…and MARK was a crazy, talented performer…who set the bar for other guitar players like myself. and i bow!
I played in a band in fort Lauderdale called the tor-quays at war memorial and at the beach for spring break with mark and the jesters, it was a fun time in 1964 and 1965.
I played in The Jesters with Mark,Dean and Scott in the late sixties! They were great guys and we had the time of our lives. The bank should have gone all the way to the TOP! Mark and Dean and Scott were incredible and I just hung on. I hope they are all doing great. Thanks for the memories! Bob Karney, Charlotte N.C.
Hey Bro, where is Mark? I was in the original Jesters when Mark was just a little tyke.
In fact I taught him a few licks on the guitar. I’d love to reconnect with him. If you have
updated info on him drop me a line.
Bruce
I met Mark in NYC in the late ’60’s when he was trying a solo career. We were both from Lauderdale, so there was some king of connection, though we were never close friends. We all lived in the East Village and I was working in the light show at the Electric Circus on St. Marks. We went to see him perform solo at (I think) the Bitter End – no band, just solo with a guitar – tough to pull off. But, due to all the chemicals floating around Astor Place then, it is all a little fuzzy! My wife and I went back to University in Florida and Mark and a stoned side kick rode down with us. Never saw him again, but try and Google him to see where he ended up. He definitely had the Charisma.
Saturday May 7, 2011, Mark Markham and the Jesters will be playing at the Kiwanis Club in Wilton Manors from 5:30 – 10:00pm. It is a Derby Day Party. Three original members of the group Mark , Joe and Dean will be there along with Chip, Dave Morgan and Michael Beeson. Good food ” All you can eat “, cover charge $10 advance (call Cheryl) or $15 at the door.
Kiwanis Club Wilton Manors
2749 N.E. 14th Ave .
954-561-9785
I grew up in Lauderdale and saw the Jesters a number of times at the Armory on State Rd 84 in FLL. They were very cool and a great garage band and I am blown away that there is info out there on them. Another great teen venue from the mid to late sixties in Lauderdale was Code 1, which had been the Winterhurst ice skating rink . The Who came to Code 1 in 66 or 65 but regrettably I was not present.
Hi Mark,It has been many years since I have even heard your name again. And then I saw something about you and The Jesters on my facebook on a friends post. We lived in Ft. lauderdale in the 50’s and 60’s and we moved to Atlanta in 1965 and have been here ever since. My oldest sister was Sharon Moore and I remember you guys being friends. I was a kid then but I remember you. Sharon passed away in March 2002. She battled lung cancer for about 3 years before she left us. She was happily married and had 4 beautiful girls. I miss her dearly. Do you guys ever get up to Atalnta???????? Karen Moore Smith
I remember an amazing song called “The Hands of Time” with a killer Farfisa. Same Jesters?
I knew Mark, Dean and the rest of the guys. I went to BCC with them. I was in a local garage band then too. Other local bands of note were The Misfits, The Traveling Shoes, Chuck Kirkpatrick and The Aerovons. All of em played the teen clubs. The Jesters played more Adult Venues!
I believe that there was a Jester member, named Scott Cooper, A Drummer??
Wow, I can’t believe this! I graduated from S. Broward High in 65 and had a working band at that time. We were doing the local AM radio circuit weekend dances and opened for Mark a few times. There were usually 4 or 5 bands if I remember correctly. I do remember the Knickerbockers coming to the Ft. Lauderdale Armory as well. We also played the N. Miami Beach Armory as well as a spot in South Miami. Some of you may also remember The World in Miami. We were lucky enough to be one of the bands opening for The Young Rascals. Still playing and gigging at 67 years old as well as teaching. There are many a fond memory of those days in south Florida.
Mark truly was special though, top notch in those days! Good Luck !!
if you are the
if you are the Steve, i remember, from Lauderdale, didnt you also play when NIEL DIAMOND, rolled in from New York and needed a band to help him through his appearance one evening…lets all put it online and get this website a video, audio, show online.
Remember ‘The Image’, in Maimi? It was a converted Bowling Ally! I saw The Yardbirds there, as well as others!
Hi Roy, The Image rings a bell but not sure about that one. I do recall another teen dance spot in Lauderdale not far off highway 1. It was a sprawling place and may have been a bowling alley as well. So many years ago !
Could you be thinking of the ‘Tiger’s Den’? It was some kind of old warehouse-type building south of state road 84 and a couple blocks west of US 1.
Rick Shaw and Robey Young (WQAM) were there often (for publicity). I saw Neil Diamond perform there before he was famous…his guitar strap broke while he was onstage.
Jill, A late reply but I believe that’s the place I was thinking of. The Lauderdale Armory and the Tigers Den were 2 of my favorite spots in those days. A lot of really good bands.
the whole music senes owes thanx to RICK SHAE, the hottest am jock ever, and to WQAM for giving him the greenlight to have his show, and be the promoter for those venues……,PEACE
yes, the first psychedelic venue, opening act…THE MOTERS OF INVENTION, and QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE…and so it goes….before the HENDRIX appearance at the Miami Pop Festival, and before Woodstock!
i
Code 1 was a converted skating rink in North Fl. Lauderdale, on U.S.1./
I’m sitting here with Mark Markham right now, my dad played bass in The Jesters
the two drumers, set the stage for later bands MARK, Bill McClellen, and old neighbor hipped me to the JESTERS, and the rest is history, thank you man! after playin with so many guys from Lauderdale, its time to let the world in on that eastcoast sound! wish to thank you in person someday….
I see a few people posting on here were either members of the band or in contact with Mark. Interested in doing a reissue and would like to get in contact with the right people to make that happen. Please respond if you can help
Had a remote on his guitar ran around the armory on SR 84 playing I’m going back to Chicago in 1941. Theme and variations, the best.
It was great hearing the names of so many bands I was familiar with back in the day. Our band, Soul Inc., played at Lenny’s in 1968. We had a ‘very’ young base player named Jaco Pastorius who became quite famous later on. We also played at Plus 1 (The Parrot), The World, Tiger’s Den North, Jilly’s South and quite a few other places. I remember playing at one of the 1967 college dances on Ft. Lauderdale Beach when we got a little too raunchy and the life guards pulled the plug.
I saw Mark and the Jesters a couple times, I think once at my high school (Northeast) in Fort Lauderdale, and for sure at the swimming hall of fame pool along with the Las Olas Brass, that had my junior high and high school friend Jaco Pastorius on bass. I used to hang out at their practices in a rented mini-warehouse space. The organ player in the Las Olas Brass, Mike Thibodeau, was another friend. When the Young Rascals played at Code One, for some reason Felix Cavaliere’s Hammond B-3 didn’t arrive, and he used Mike’s for the show (which I attended). I went to Thee Image a few times, most notably in February 1969 for Led Zeppelin and Mothers of Invention shows (recordings of both of those nights are on YouTube). Great memories!
Does anyone know anything more about “Power Records”. I can only find 1 single, but with cat number… 4225!
Scott won Mr. Fort Lauderdale bodybuilding contest”””’inherited a lot of money….and died young…….one of our local legends……
I have a 1967 Nova High Schook Yearbook with Mark Markham and the Jesters playing at the Homecoming Dance