The Reasons Why cut one of the top Texas records in the ’60s, “Don’t Be That Way” on Sound Track ST-2000. I don’t own a copy, but I found this article on the group from the Waco, and since I don’t remember seeing this photo of the group before.

Members of the Reasons Why were:

Frank Kalenda – rhythm guitar and vocals
John Inmon – lead guitar and vocals
Johnny Schwertner – organ and vocals
Ronnie Miller – bass, vocals – replaced by Tommy Langford
Donny Dolon – drums and vocals

The article is very informative, noting “The group has just completed a session at the Delta recording studios in Fort Worth” [Delta Recording Center].

“W.F. Temple, president of Sound Track Records, was in Waco recently to audition this popular group and was so impressed that he immediately offered The Reasons Why, a recording contract.

The group is from Temple, and has been playing together for seven months. Their name comes from the first three words of “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better”, a recording by the Byrds.”

Most of the group attended Temple Junior College, except John Inmon: “Before joining the group John had played with bands on the west coast. He is a student at Temple High School.”

Carl Sachs managed the band and brought them to the Sound Track label. Bill Temple and Mickey Moody produced the single, released on Sound Track in late 1966 with a SoN 39531/2 mastering code.

“Melinda” was the A-side, written by Denis Jones who does not appear to have been a band member. Dennis Jones seems to have been a song-writer published through Sound-Age or Soundage, Bigtop and Le Bill Music. I suppose Bill Temple had publishing on “Melinda” and had the Reasons Why do the song. Luckily the Reasons Why were allowed to put their own song on the flip side.

Bassist and vocalist Ronald Miller wrote “Don’t Be That Way”. He seems to have left the group shortly after the single’s release, as most photos I’ve seen show Tommy Langford instead.

“The Reasons Why played … Fat City in Kilgore, Catacombs in Houston, LouAnn’s in Dallas, Pussy Cat a Go Go in San Antonio, and the New Orleans Club, Swingers a-Go-Go and Jade Room in Austin.”

John Schwertner is quoted:

The Beyersville SPJST was a great club, all the bands from Austin and Temple would play there: the Wig, Baby Cakes, Elevators … and all these kids from all the little towns in the area would pack the place.

John described the Baby Cakes:

We had always looked up to them ’cause they were the first band I remember to play English style rock and roll. A real scruffy looking band, sort of the Texas Rolling Stones I guess. They helped us get some bookings and they’d come to our shows and tell us how to improve our band, really helped us alot.

1967 recordings at Robin Hood Brian’s studio in Tyler have never been released.

In the fall of 1967 Frank Kalenda left the band and John Schwertner joined the Lavender Hill Express as vocalist. Other members of the Reasons Why changed their name to the Feast of Stephen. Not Fade Away states that others joined the South Canadian Overflow, a band I’ve found notices for as early as November, 1967.

Schwertner, Donnie Dolan and John Inmon would later form Plymouth Rock.

In the 1970s, Inmon joined the Lost Gonzo Band.

Sound/Age Music published both songs on their Sound Track single. The only other single I know of with Dennis Jones’ credit is the Industrial Image “Living in the Middle Ages” by D.A. Jones on Epic 5-10096, published by Bigtop Records & Soundage Music. The Industrial Age were from the Glen Rose, Texas area, and had been known as the Heartbeats. One member may have been Larry Witt.

Thank you to Matthew B. for helping me access the news clipping, and to Enrico Benassi for scans of the Not Fade Away article.