A reader sent in scans of the ticket and photos from a benefit dance at the El Monte Legion Stadium at 11151 Monte Vista, on July 30, 1964. The dance was hosted by Arlan Sanders, DJ with KRLA, and featured the Safaris, the Rivingtons, the Coasters, Jody Miller, The Blendells, Johnny Burnette, Ray Peterson, Bobby Sox & the Blue Jeans, The Olympics and Lucille Starr, among others.
My Mother Velma Pulbrook was once the President of a Pony/Colt Baseball League in So Cal (I might add the first woman in the country to be one). In 1964 she organized a fund raiser that played at the El Monte Legion Hall in El Monte, CA. Unfortunately she passed away about 5 years ago but as I was going through some of her pictures and stuff I ran across a ticket to the event.
There were some tremendous performers that showed up. She asked Little Richard to make it that night. He said he couldn’t but he had a couple of friends that would come by and those friends were Ike and Tina Turner. They aren’t billed because they were last minute add ons.
She always told me that a group called Jack and the Rippers played that night (although they are not listed on the attached ticket). I did find a photo though that I believe is them: it’s blurry and not fully in the picture but the bass drum appears to have the band’s name on it.
I sent the photo of a girl singing [to] Jody Miller; she was nice enough to reply that it was her. Jody Miller and Lucille Starr went on to become more famous with recordings shortly after this appearance. “The French Song” by Lucille Starr was released in early 1965 and Jody’s “Queen of the House” released in May of 1965. One of the fascinating things is that Johnny Burnette played that night and that was [possibly] his last event since he died in a boating accident on August 14, 1964.
I am still trying to determine who a few acts are, especially the black performer with the two guitar players (I am thinking it might be Bobby Sheen of the Bobby Sox and the Blue Jeans fame).
The dance was a flop if you can believe it even with all these performers. The attendance was only about 50-60 couples in total.
Steve Pulbrook
If anyone can help identify the performers in these photos please get in contact!
