Thee Kavaliers had four singles on the Pharaoh label, the most releases of any artist on that label.
Their first was under the plainer moniker The Cavaliers and features a good garage vocal “Pride” composed by Billy Rowe backed with the surf instrumental “Sea Weed”. My copy has an inscription by Billy Rowe on the A-side that unfortunately got smeared to near-illegibility before I came to own it.
A clipping (see below) includes Mike Dunn, Gary Vandiver, Jeanne Hatfield, Kelly Ramirez, Richard Mancilla as the Cavaliers. Frank Barrera’s name isn’t included but by the time they made their single, he was lead guitar and composer of “Sea Weed”. The photo at top shows six members, and doesn’t include Jeanne Hatfield.
Members of the Cavaliers on the “Pride” / “Sea Weed” single included:
Billy Rowe – lead vocals
Frank Barrera – lead guitar
Gary Vandever – drums
“Shorty” Salinas – backing vocals
Over time as the group became Thee Kavaliers, the lineup changed. By the time of their last single, “Congregation for Anti-Flirts, Inc” / “Back to You” the only original member seems to have been Frank Barrera on lead guitar.
Frank Barrera – lead guitar
Mike Dunn – rhythm guitar
Louis Gomez – bass
Kelly Ramirez – keyboards
Billy Reed – drums
Javier Rios – lead vocals
I don’t think Thee Kavaliers backed Jeanne Hatfield on her single on Pharaoh, which features a keyboard prominently.
In any case, they were a strong group with a wide repertoire. “Congregation for Anti-Flirts, Inc” is considered their best work, but all of it is strong. “Symbols of Sin” is a take on “Land of 1,000 Dances” but really gets moving once the guitar break starts.
Pharaoh 137 – The Cavaliers – “Pride” (Billy Rowe) / “Sea Weed” (Frank Barrera) (Oct. ’65)
Pharaoh 146 – Thee Kavaliers – “That Hurts” / “Symbols of Sin” (both by Javier Rios, July ’66)
Pharaoh 150 – Thee Kavaliers – “The Last Four Words” / “Ballad Of Thee Kavaliers” (Sept. ’66)
Pharaoh 154 – Thee Kavaliers – “Congregation for Anti-Flirts, Inc” / “Back to You” (Jan. ’67)
Their entire output of eight songs, along with songs by other bands on Pharaoh, can be found on the Cicadelic CD Congregation for Anti-Flirts: The McAllen, Texas Teen Scene 1965-67.
David Lott of the Souls sent in the clipping below, featuring the Souls with the Marauders and the Cavaliers:
Top row – The Cavaliers, l-r: Mike Dunn, Gary Vandiver, Javier Rios, Jeanne Hatfield, Kelly Ramirez, Richard Mancilla
Middle row – l-r: The Marauders, with Mitch Watkins on lead guitar at left, Phil Veale, Eric Mancilla, Jimmy Parker, Lloyd Allen.
Bottom row – The Souls, l-r: Murray Schlesinger, Jerry Ebensberger, David Smith, David Lott and Allen Kirsh.
The number of records that a group recorded on Pharaoh only means that the group had money to pay for the studio time and the pressing. I don’t know of any group where the label paid for everything. The Playboys might be an exception but Jimmy Nichols was a business man first. One of your blanks will be “Turn Your Light On Me” by Arturo & Pat and the Stowaways. I played drums on that record, financed by Arturo’s father. I was also a member of Number 8 Productions, that produced POE’s album.
I would love to know and be able to learn any and everything I can regarding Thee Kavaliers as Javier Rios was my father.