Jack Benner, drummer with the Veskants and the Silvertones wrote to me about his career:

I started out playing piano as a kid, but didn’t like conventional music lessons. After a couple of years with Mamie B. Forkel (I swear), I quit. Later I found Geneva Hamilton, about as round as she was tall, well into her 60’s, coal-black dyed hair and smoked Camels, but she could PLAY piano! That was my start-out instrument (professionally). The problem with piano in a “movable” band back then was the equipment you had to buy and carry. Not every place you needed to play had a piano and if it did, it usually meant re-tuning the whole band.

When I met Mickey Sharp in the 9th grade and I was so impressed with his natural style on drums, I asked if he would teach me as much as he could. We struck up a life-long friendship and he taught me as much as I could learn. I was never quite in his league … he was the best, I was just good.

I started playing professionally while attending Richfield High School. My first job was with Jeweldine Taylor & The Rockets and first job was at James Connally AFB. Later we played at The Flame Room Lounge. When I was with the band, Augie Roundtree was on bass and I think Wallace Pelton may have been on lead guitar, she played rhythm guitar (Fender Jaguar). Started on piano but Rex Boehme took a radio DJ job in Dallas, so I took over drums.

Q. Did you play on her 45, “Look Who’s Talking (About Love)” on the TRC (Texas Record Company) label, backed by Bogle & the Beaumen?

Did not play on the Jeweldine Taylor record. Don’t remember hearing it or knowing about it until now. Her dad was her booking agent and manager and he repaired typewriters for a living. A few years after I worked for her, she went deeply religious and carried a Bible around with her. If you spoke to her, just a “hello”, you got “saved”!

I worked part-time at Waco Music Center in Southgate for a short time. Later we formed a band called Veskants with Larry Nichols (keyboard/sax), Ted Richardson (guitar), Richard Travis (bass), me on drums and Ronnie Byrd as vocalist. We recorded “Little Miss Heartbreaker” and “More Than Love” at Goodson McKee’s recording studio. Songs were written in part by Byrd. “More Than Love” was supposed to be the “A” side of the record but for some reason “Heartbreaker” got the most request/play, go figure. Pressed a few hundred records on W.M.C. label. Sold a few – gave away most. I still have a couple. Larry Nichols made up the name Veskants … who knows what goes through that mind of his!

Next band was The Silvertones featuring Little Anthony. He claimed his real name was Anthony Fontaine, who knows, but we were soon packing them in at The Red Carpet Club. Several talented players came and went in this band. I played trumpet, Mickey Sharp drums, Rick Jensen tenor sax, Ronny Cawthon lead guitar for a while, later Ted Richardson, Richard Travis bass (got drafted) so Jerry Rierson took bass – later Frank Tate. Larry Nichols played keyboard and for a while we had a 3rd horn (bari-sax) but can’t remember his name.

While in school, I took “Band” and learned to play the Coronet. Never really figured on using it professionally – weren’t many bands at that time using brass. Then as if by magic, Herb Alpert came along and then the R&B (soul) bands and all of a sudden there was a need for brass-players. It was light and easy to transport and I loved it for traveling all over the country. I can’t tell you the number of times I played “Lonely Bull”! Because I could play several instruments fairly well, I was never without “work” if I wanted it. That was nice.

Q. Was the Silvertones you were with the same group that recorded with Gaylan Ladd, “Get Out of Town” / “Something Is Strange”?

The Silvertones I played with did not record while I was with them but Gaylan came along after I left the band and the band Heather Black had a core of Silvertones in it so that’s possible. When we picked up Little Anthony and the extra instruments we were mainly a “showband”.

We toured many clubs & military bases. Gaylon Christy was our first agent but we got picked up by Sam Gibbs – Wichita Falls. Lots of work/travel! After band broke up (Dec. ’68) I moved to Arlington, took a day job and started working as “fill” on drums or keyboards, got married and was transferred to Wichita Kansas where I formed a 3-piece club band to keep my sanity.

When I got back to Texas (Hurst) I quit playing for a while. Then got a call from Frank Tate and Richard Travis to play organ/front a band called Bandana. Their rhythm guitar got transferred and they had a contract at Franks Lakeview Inn on Lake Belton. Just wanted me to help them out to the end of the contract – about 10 weeks. This was in 1973 – four years later we were still going strong.

Smil’n Jack Benner

Thanks to Mike Markesich for the scans and transfers of the Veskants single.