Sanz, Inc released two 45s on the Skoop label, “My Baby’s Eyes” / “I’m Gonna Leave You” in December of 1966 and “I Just Want You” / “I’ll Never Forget” in May of 1967.
“I’m Gonna Leave You” starts with a catchy bass and drum rhythm, then the vocals and organ combine for a haunting effect. A fast organ sequence and a howling guitar riff open “I Just Want You”, which features a busy, popping rhythm. “I’ll Never Forget” is a slow ballad, very much an early ’60s doo wop vocal style.
Members were:
Steve Ficklin, vocals
Bob Ficklin, keyboards
Brent Ficklin, vocals
Dave Adams, guitar
Larry Adams, bass guitar
Ron Hale, drums
Keyboard player Bob Ficklin wrote to me about the band and sent in the great photos you see here:
I was part of a band called Sanz, Inc. from Petersburg, Indiana. Sanz, Inc. was a popular group that performed in the tri-state area (IN, KY & IL).
We all attended the same high school (Petersburg High). The name Sanz was derived as a word play on the Sands Hotel in Vegas. The “Inc.” was added later.
We played many local street dances and teen centers in the area. Some other venues were a prom at the Sheraton Hotel in French Lick, IN; area county fairs; a political rally in Princeton, IN; Chieftain Restaurant, Lawrenceville, IL; several gigs at Lake Lawrence, also in Lawrenceville, IL; Teen Center in Morganfield, KY; among others. We usually played top 40 hits of the day and original material. Although there were a few other area groups, we were not acquainted with them and were never in competition.
“My Baby’s Eyes”/”I’m Gonna Leave You” was recorded in Santa Claus, IN, home of the first theme park in the U.S. (Santa Claus Land, now known as “Holiday World”) in 1966. Santa Claus, being about one hour away was the best opportunity for recording. “I Just Want You”/”I’ll Never Forget” was recorded on the same label in 1967.
On the way to record “I Just Want You”, we didn’t have “I’ll Never Forget” completed. So, we finished it in the car and recorded it on the flip side. All four songs were written by Bob and Steve Ficklin.
When recording “I Just Want You” and “I’ll Never Forget”, after the music and vocals (Bob and Steve Ficklin) were completed on the first track, Bob and Steve also added background vocal parts. We paid for the session times and the records that were pressed. Both projects were completed in a very short period of time (a matter of a few hours).
The records were played on several area stations in surrounding counties. “My Baby’s Eyes” received air play on WLS/Chicago. We did sell records at performances, at school and at a local retailer.
As older members of the band graduated the band dissolved. Larry Adams played bass with another area group for a time. Steve Ficklin sang with various gospel groups through the years and continues today. While in the Air Force, I sang with a couple of bands. In recent years I have sung with a local group and continue singing with a duet partner. Thanks for keeping the memories alive; it was a great era.
Bob Ficklin
Thank you to Bob Ficklin for sharing his photos and history of Sanz, Inc.
Thanks so much for sharing this! I am cousins with the Ficklins and also remember listening to the record (OK…over and over)! Have enjoyed sharing the music and stories with my daughter as we await the overdue birth of our first granddaughter! Kind of hope the music and joy brings on labor too! Barb
My dad’s brother sure had some cool kids! I loved it when the Sanz would come to Sullivan and play at the teen center. I was only 12 or so, but I was so excited to tell all my friends that my cousins were in this group and I played the records over and over. Thanks to this website for bringing back such happy memories for me. As I replayed the songs tonight, I was surprised to be able to sing along and I knew every word. Brent was a year older than me and I miss him too. Hello to Steve, Linda, and Bob. I am now playing your songs for my kids and grandkids. They didn’t know they had famous relatives!!! Debbie Ficklin Olson
Wow! It is such a thrill to see and hear Sanz again! As nephew to the Ficklin boys I remember those clothes and hairdos from my childhood…and those harmonies. Those were great times. Thank you so very much for preserving them for everyone and reminding us all of a fun and carefree time in our lives!
Matt
I was married to the youngest of the Ficklin boys, Brent, who passed away in 1980. We had one son, Truitt Scott Ficklin, who is now 31 years old. Linda who is Brent’s sister had sent this website to Truitt and he in turn sent it to me. What a thrill it was to see the pictures and hear the music of the Sanz,Inc. For some reason everyone looks sooo young! Thank you to Chris for giving me the opportunity to go back in time and once again remember a wonderful time in my life.
Bob,
Thanks!!!! You guys were really good!!! I was impressed. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you and your family. Carmen is in Clarksville,TN, Tonyia is in Shoals,IN and my family and I are in Aiken,SC. It would be nice for all of us to somehow get together and sing a little bit. I did not know about Brent’s illness. I’m sure that you all miss him very much. Tell Steve and Linda that I said hello. God bless you. By the way, we’re all still gospel music fans and we can still take right off and sing when we get together.
Dwain Kline
The three Ficklin boys are my brothers. I was the only girl and the oldest. I was in college when the Sanz, Inc. were doing most of their performances. I played piano with them once or twice when they first started performing…I remember a performance at the VFW when I played with them. They were great kids and LOVED music. Steve and Bob are both wonderful, caring brothers, and fine men. To our great heartache and sadness our youngest brother, Brent, (who was also the youngest in the group) passed away at age 27 from Hodgkins Disease (a lymph cancer) …he fought a good fight to the end…he was a wonderful young man. We miss him dearly to this day. It is great to have such wonderful memories of the boys to view on this site. Thanks guys.
Hello Dwain,
Thanks for your comment on the Sanz, Inc. I remember hearing you and your sisters sing as we were all growing up and always enjoyed your music very much. Hope you are still singing today and blessing others with your gospel music. Say “hello” to Carmen and Tonya for me when you see them. As you say it is a small world. Take care. God bless you. Bob Ficklin
Great site!!! I’m actually related to the Ficklin boys in the group. We all went to the same high school and were all either in the high school band or sang in a group…in my case gospel. My sisters and I recorded an LP at Santa Claus too in 1965 with Ron Hale on the drums. Small world!!!
Dwain Kline
It’s great to see these guys from back then and think of them now.
What a blast from the past! So much fun and brought back alot of memories for both of us!
Thanks for the smiles!
stunning, simply stunning.
This brings back alot of memories when we all went to street dances and the 4h building and skating place here in Petersburg. I knew these guys real well lived next to Steve and his wife Caroyln, I would here them singing over there all the time. Bob lives a block from me today. Its so good to read this today and see these pictures. They were really good at what they did. Keep up the good work today.
Ron Hale is a math teacher?!!!!!!!!!! Oh My Goodness!! (mine, not Ron’s) Working in math doesn’t surprise me, but teaching ! I think I’m more dazed by that than I was by anything in the 70s! Actually, I would have figured he was still playing – drums, that is.
It’s good seeing the photos of all the guys; not sure now how I got to this site but am glad I did.
These guys were freinds and classmates. What great memories. After all these years, Bob Ficklin is now part of my life for which I am thankful.
Mr Hale way back then! It’s awesome… i actually believe his stories now, lol!
The drummer is my math teacher. He has told the stories about being in bands for years, but this is the first piece of evidence any of us has ever seen!
Ron Hale had retired just a year ago, and it was such a sad time :'( I loved his drum concerts, even though I only went to one, and he even showed my Algebra 2 class some of his band’s music that had been put on YouTube. At least a friend and I had gotten a goodbye hug from him before he left.
Wow, where has time gone but oh such great memories. Grew up with Ron and his sister Brenda. We were part of the Goosehill gang. I bet his students did get a kick out of the pics and music. Didn’t know you were a school teacher Ron, I take my hat off to you.
I was the drummer for Sanz. Since a few people have responded to the Sanz page I just wanted to answer a few questions.
I continue to play drums to this day. I give clinics and perform demonstrations at high schools in North Carolina. After the Sanz (and Air Force) I played in some bands that toured and eventually did a lot of studio work in Philadelphia as a session drummer. I also got a degree in math and although I continued to play I supplemented my playing with a stable teaching job. To all my friends and former band mates I say “If you’re ever near Murphy, North Carolina look me up, I’m in the phone book.” I have great memories of my time with the Sanz.
Ron Hale
Mr. Hale was my math teacher WAYYY back over a decade ago. I’ve been trying to look him up for a long time. I always thought he was a pretty cool dude and it was interesting to see these pictures. Murphy, huh? My folks live over the border in Sevierville, Tn. Will look you up Mr. H. :o)
Oh my what memories. I grew up with the drummer. We grew up on Goosehill, which we were all called the Goosehill Gang, or the 3 “H’s” Heiples, Hawkins’ and Hales. What a innocent time we all grew up in and didn’t know it. Ronnie I loved the comments your students made, cute!! Hope you see this post its been so many years. Remember our famous Rainbow Beach summers? Well for old time sake, love ya.
Hey, Dwain,
I don’t know if you’ll remember me, but I sang with a group called the Collegiates Quartet in Evansville Indiana. We frequently appeared on programs with you and your sisters.
Recently, I listened to your excellent recording (circa 1965 or so), and the memories came back.
I hope you are well.
Jim Loving
drlovj@hotmail.com
Jim….great to hear from you! Lots of memories from that time in our lives. Where are you now?
Mr. Hale is the greatest math teacher ever. And he tells all these amazing stories and has one of those group pictures hanging on his wall in the classroom!! He is an amazing teacher and does these awesome drum clinics were he brings in his drum kit, sets it up and plays for us. He is quite intimidating and scares the freshman, so i see why you would be surprised he is a teacher, but he like, my favorite ever.
I sure enjoyed being a groupie and hanging out with my best friend, Larry, and good pal Bob (leaders of the six pack) and having my brother-in-law on drums. Good old days for sure.
Being 14 and playing in a rock group is about as good as it gets! A lot of great memories came from those years…After Sanz Incorporated, I played in an established band from Washington, Indiana The Legends for two years. I eventually played for country groups for a few years playing at bars and mostly weddings.