Welcome to my Twin Cities Music Highlights page.  This is my attempt to gather information about the music scene that took place primarily in the mid-to-late 1960s in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area, with an emphasis on connections to St. Louis Park, my home town. This has snowballed into a pretty lengthy document, but you can skip to various sections. I invite additions and corrections, so feel free to contact me at jeanneandersen@comcast.net.

Please Note:  I do not list local bands because there are just hundreds of them.  I do keep a card file on them, however, so information on bands is still welcome.  See publications for Tom Tourville's book about local bands that recorded.
 

TC MUSIC TIMELINE

TEENAGE DANCE SHOWS OF THE '50s AND '60s

TWIN CITIES ROCK ANTHOLOGIES

PUBLICATIONS

DANCE VENUES

LOCAL DISK JOCKEYS OF THE '50s AND '60s

LOCAL ROCK 'N' ROLL STATIONS

MID-AMERICA MUSIC HALL OF FAME

INDIVIDUAL PAGES


TC MUSIC TIMELINE

In this section I try to list musical events that took place here in the Twin Cities.  The chronology generally stops at 1974, with a few exceptions, mostly for St. Louis Park-related people and events. 

We start in 1947 with the Ravens. This New York based R&B vocal group included one Leonard Puzey, whose career began when he won an amateur talent contest at the Apollo Theater in 1946. The group was most famous for their song “Old Man River,” and recorded several classic songs until they broke up in 1955. Puzey joined other groups, but eventually found himself stranded in St. Paul. Incredibly, he decided he liked Minnesota and started driving a bus for Talmud Torah. He and fellow Raven Maithe Marshall lived at Menorah Plaza (Marshall died in 1989). The Ravens were inducted into the R&B Hall of Fame in 1991. Leonard Puzey passed away on October 2, 2007 at the age of 83. 

There was some excitement in July 1952, when Johnnie Ray, the “Prince of Wails,” came to town for a week at the Radio City Theater. It seems Ray, his opening comic Gary Morton (Lucy’s husband?), and a “couple of thirsty local well wishers” were drinking heavily in his room on the 17th floor of the Radisson Hotel. According to his biographer, Jonny Whiteside, “Johnnie was inspired to pay a call at the gift shop in their hotel’s lobby. Naturally, he was drawn to the kiddies’ toy section – alcohol not only stimulated, it also seemed to regress him to his childhood. He obtained the perfect summer fun accoutrement: roller skates and water pistols for everyone in the party.” They proceeded to roller skate through the lobby and into the restaurant. Minneapolis detective/house dick Ray Williamson brought them to the station when they “squared off” when being asked to pipe down. They were charged with disorderly conduct, but his road manager bailed him out and they were released after about an hour.

The place to go for records in St. Louis Park, as early as 1954, was Don Leary "Drive In" Appliances at Miracle Mile. In 1956, Variety rated Leary one of the top 20 record dealers in the country. In 1958, E.F. Sandberg bought Don Leary’s store for his son Don to operate, and it became Don’s Records and Hi-Fi. The Grand Opening, held on April 24-26, 1958, featured 12,000 records and offered orchids to the ladies and candy for the kids. (Men apparently never got anything at these Grand Openings.) Appearances were made by Disk Jockeys Roy Carr (WTCN), Jim Boysen (WLOL), and Stanley Mack (WDGY). Beverly Reinicke, who had worked for Don Leary for the last 3 years, was announced as an employee of the new store.

May 13, 1956: Elvis, at the top of his form, performed two shows in the Cities and bombed. Bill Diehl reports that the 2:00 show at the St. Paul Auditorium drew only 800 fans, and the 8:00 show at the Minneapolis Auditorium drew a paltry 1,300. Mothers Day and tornado warnings kept the crowds away, and local booking agent T.B. Skarning lost his shirt. But three young reporters for the St. Louis Park H.S. Echo had nothing but good things to say about their hero, whom they got to hang out with before the concert. Sample interview: “He said he didn’t mind girls wearing jeans – ‘Ah just like girls.’” The set was only a half hour long, with nary a word to be heard above the screams, but according to our teenage reporters, everyone went away happy.  Elvis came back again in 1971 and 1976.

1957

On January 17, 1957, Alan Freed and the "musical" "Rock Rock Rock" appeared at the Tower Theater in St. Paul.  The show included the Moonglows, the Flamingos, Chuck Berry, Laverne Baker, and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.  The show was on the same bill as the movie "Naked Gun." 

At the Boulevard Beauty Shop at Minnetonka and Dakota, one could get an “Elvis Presley Haircut” for a mere $1.50. Described as “carefree, short, and brief – just like you. See it in Life Magazine.”

It was pandemonium when Ricky Nelson played the Minnesota State Fair.  He played to approximately 25,000 fans from a stage erected "a zip code away in the center of an enormous racetrack,." according to biographer Philip Basche. Also appearing were the Four Preps, who dressed in silver lame jackets in order to be seen, but all eyes were on Nelson, who wore a cream colored jacket, white and burgundy polka dot shirt, and a white tie.  With a limited repertoire, he also sang numbers by Elvis and the Everly Brothers. 

1958

On April  25, 1958, Alan Freed's Big Beat show rolled into Minneapolis.  On the bill that night at the Minneapolis Municipal Auditorium were 17 acts, including Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Chuck Berry, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, the Diamonds, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Frankie Lymon.  Tickets were $2.75.  In 2006, local musician Sherwin Linton sold a poster of the event to a collector for $20,000. 

Percy Mayfield performed at the Labor Temple on July 3, 1958.

In the fall of 1958, Pastime Arena manager Larry Tobin came before the St. Louis Park City Council to request permission to hold a public dance at the Arena on October 3 from 10-11:30. Only Councilman Jorvig voted nay. Subsequent dances were approved as well.

1959

On January 28, 1959, the ill-fated "Winter Dance Party" came to the Prom Ballroom in St. Paul.  In addition to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper, who died in a plane crash six days later, the show featured Dion and the Belmonts and Frankie Sardo.

In October 1959, one Rick London appeared before the St. Louis Park City Council to request a permit to promote a dance for young people in the area. The request was tabled.

Rollie Williams was a presence in St. Louis Park for many years. From November 1959 to November 1960, Northwest Guitar and Organ Studio (aka Northwest Guitar and Accordion) was located at 3699 Joppa “under personal supervision of Rollie Williams.” The company's Minneapolis office was located at 6436 Penn Avenue South. On November 18-26, 1960 the store had an open house at its new location at 4520 Excelsior Blvd., this time called Rollie Williams Music Company. It became R.W. Music Co., and was at that location until about 1974.

1960

"Muleskinner Blues," recorded in Minneapolis at SOMA, was released in May 1960.  On May 15, the Fendermen appeared at the Minneapolis Auditorium with the Johnny Cash Show.  Other performers were Johnny Horton and Kitty Wells.  The Fendermen were booked at the last minute because of their skyrocketing popularity in the Twin Cities.  On June 11, they appeared on American Bandstand.  The Fendermen consisted of Phil Humphrey and Jim Sundquist, from Madison, Wisconsin.  Amos Heilicher was their agent.

The "Biggest Show of Stars" came through the Cities, with 10-12 acts including Frankie Avalon, the Paris Sisters, and Cliff Richard.

1961

Record Lane was the house record store at Knollwood in 1961-62, M. Swaetz, prop.

1962

In February 1962, Ray Colihan booked the Beach Boys at Big Reggie’s Danceland for $400, before anyone had ever heard of them. Between the time they were booked and the time they arrived, however, they had a big record out that was #1 on WDGY. Thousands of kids showed up, and Colihan was afraid they would tear down the roller coaster.

1963

In 1963, WDGY DJ Bill Diehl was the mc at a Halloween dance at the St. Louis Park Roller Rink featuring The Trashmen, who had released their national smash hit, “Surfin’ Bird” earlier that month. Expecting about 800 kids, an estimated 2,100 showed up. The enthusiastic crowd shattered the building’s glass front wall, and reinforcements were sent for from the local constabulary. Even at only $2 a head, money was made in bucketfuls, and presumably St. Louis Park teens enjoyed its night with their favorite local surf band. Notes on the Trashmen:

· Despite their landlocked situation, three of the four band members actually did go to California the year before, where they absorbed the Dick Dale sound and rode the waves. Writer Larry LaPole never went to California but wrote his songs (notably "King of the Surf," the best surf song of all time) from a pamphlet of surf terms.

· The famous album cover in front of the trash truck was taken at Lindahl Olds at 494 and 35W. The dealership was later Wally McCarthy Olds, where scenes from “Fargo" were shot. It’s now a Best Buy.

On August 2, 1963, the Beach Boys played at the Prom Ballroom.

Does Johnny Mathis count as rock 'n' roll?  He played the Minneapolis Auditorium on November 15, 1963.

1964

Bill Diehl coordinated the WDGY Winter Carnival Spectacular, which drew 20,000 people: 16,000 inside the St. Paul Auditorium and 4,000 outside. It was the largest crowd in the auditorium's history. Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs was one of the acts.

Timothy D. Kehr began his career as a booking agent, music reviewer, record producer, magazine publisher, and more.

Beatlemania hit big when the Fab Four crossed the pond and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.  Local reviewers in the TV Times could hardly think of enough synonyms for "trash."  But some got on the bandwagon; in the February 22, 1964 edition of the TV Times there were extensive ads for Beatle wigs at two drug stores and a Ben Franklin in Wayzata.  Plus there was a coupon for 50 cents off on said Beatle wig. 

1964 was the breakout year for the Chancellors, which included two members from St. Louis Park:  David Rivkin and John Hughes. (the other members were Mike Judge and Dan Holm).  In October 1964 the band recorded their famous version of "Little Latin Lupe Lu" and also "YoYo" at Kay Bank Studios.  Rivkin was associated with three major Twin Cities bands, starting with four years with the Chancellors.  In 1965 David left the Chancellors to join the High Spirits In late 1968, David moved to join Stillroven. Now known as David Z, he had two brothers:  born Robert Rivkin, Bobby Z is a musician and producer, most famous for being Prince's drummer as a member of the Revolution. Steven E. Rivkin is a film editor and producer. 

On April 10, 1964, the Parkettes hosted the River City Talent Tournament at the Minneapolis Auditorium. Professional acts included Jimmie Rodgers and the Big Three, a group from Greenwich Village featuring Cass Elliot. The Castaways (pictured right) placed first in the rock and roll category, beating out the Blazemen from North High.

The Castaways consisted of Richard Robey, Robert Folschau, Roy Hensley, Jim Donna, and Denny “Ludwig” Craswell. They won the $50 prize with “(Turn On Your) Love Light.” This big win led to professional jobs, press interviews, and more, essentially launching their career. The band went on to have one huge monster national hit (“Liar Liar,” #12, written by Jim Donna and Denny Craswell and produced by Timothy D. Kehr), and one bubbling under (“Goodbye Babe,” #101), both in 1965. The momentum of “Liar Liar” was huge, and in '65 they went out to California to appear on "Where the Action Is," "The Lloyd Thaxton Show" and "American Bandstand." In 1967 they were even in a beach movie called “It’s a Bikini World.” (Only afterwards did the Beach Boys advise them never to do a beach movie.) The group performed on many rock 'n' roll TV shows - when they played on "Hollywood a Go Go," Roy Hensley ruptured a tonsil. 

In the Spring of 1964, Dove Recording Studio was opened by Don Peterson and Darold "Arv" Arvidson.  This was strictly a recording studio, not a record label.  At first it was located in St. Louis Park, on Lake Street, diagonal from the High School in a small office building (where exactly?).  The Novas recorded "The Crusher" there.  Another band that recorded there was the Surfers (although Robb Henry of the Surfers remembers recording in a small house south of Minnetonka Blvd. between Texas and Louisiana in 1966-67.)  The facility proved to be too small, and in early 1965 it was moved to 98th and James Ave. in Bloomington.  Rival studios were Candy Floss and Kay Bank.  Dove closed its doors in 1970, selling the equipment to Warren Kendrick, who started Audio City studio.  A compilation of unreleased Dove recordings called "Free Flight" was issued by Get Hip Records in 1998.. 

Jayne Malana, an assistant to Dick Shapiro remembers:

In (I think) 1964, although I don't remember the date, the Beach Boys played the Armory. After the show, we (the five band members -- Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike and Al, and their manager, who I think was their father, and I) went to dinner at Giovanni's on Hennepin Avenue. They were staying at the Inn Towne Motel near the Greyhound Station. I dropped them off there that night and went home like a good girl. The next morning I picked them up and drove them to the airport in my mom's '53 Plymouth. There must have been another car, too, but I don't remember it. I still have a picture strip of Dennis Wilson and me in a photo booth at the airport that day. Dennis left his sport coat in the car and I kept it for years. My mother finally got rid of it.

June 12, 1964: The Rolling Stones performed at Danceland.  There are so many versions of this story that I've made a separate page for the event. 
 

On December 16, 1964, religious radio station KUXL changed its programming to Rhythm and Blues. See Radio Stations below.

1965

1965 saw the High Spirits become major players in the local music scene. Over the lifespan of the band, it included up to six residents from St. Louis Park. Click for detailed information about this (mostly) St. Louis Park band.

January 9, 1965: The Novas debuted their seminal recording, “The Crusher.” 230 lb. lead singer Bobby Nolan lived on 44th Street, just over the St. Louis Park line in Edina. The band had been previously known as the Avons. The record was distributed on the Parrot Label (same as Tom Jones) and reached number 88 on the charts, appearing on the radar for three weeks. Apparently some in-fighting resulted in this genuine masterpiece not reaching #1.  The real Crusher was wrestler Reggie “The Crusher” Lisowski, who hailed from Milwaukee and performed on "All Star Wrestling," straight from the Calhoun Beach Hotel on Channel 11.

Larry O'Connell says the best Battle of the Bands took place at Aldrich Arena during the summer of '65:  noon to midnight!

The Beatles came to town on August 21, 1965 and had a terrible time.  See their separate page for the details.

Meanwhile, out here in the suburbs, Archie Walker had a Beatle wig (made by Hoigaard’s out of dyed mops) placed on the revolving Beetle at his Volkswagen dealership in homage to the visiting moptops.
 

The appearance of the Beatles created a huge market for guitars at local music stores, as every guy suddenly wanted to become a rock ‘n’ roll star, mostly for the chicks. At B-Sharp, guitar sales quintupled, jump starting the local music renaissance here in the mid 1960s.

The second Teen Age Fair was held at the Minnesota State Fair.

Horror producer William Castle made an unlikely appearance at a party at the Cascade 9 to celebrate the premier of an unnamed movie at the State Theater, according to Nancy Nelson's column in the Twin City a-Go-Go magazine, August 1965.

Dan Holm of the Chancellors reports that the band provided backup for Jan and Dean in a 1965 show at Danceland.  The group was given the wrong key, but because of their professional musicianship they were able to adapt onstage.

Little Stevie Wonder appeared at Carleton College in August.

Think of Wolfman Jack and you may think Mexico, but Bob Smith as the Wolfman had several ties in Minnesota.  In January 1965, the Wolfman made his first appearance in the Twin Cities when he and record store owner/record label owner George Garrett bought radio station KUXL AM  1570.  The Wolfman did not appear on the air, but he managed the station and from there he recorded his oldies shows he broadcast from border radio station XERF in Mexico.  He didn't own his share of the station for long, leaving the next year.  But in 1974, with newfound fame, he came back and bought a house in Minnetonka.  He made a deal with KDWB to broadcast live shows and also do a syndicated radio show.  That arrangement ended in January 1975.  He was back in 1980-82 to do occasional oldies shows on  station WWTC.  The Wolfman died in July 1995.

R&B station KUXL sponsored an appearance by Ike and Tina Turner at the Marigold Ballroom on August 1, 1965. The appearance brought 5,000 fans, apparently mostly black teenagers.  On September 12, the station sponsored BB King, and also in September the Four Tops, all at the Marigold Ballroom.  See below for more information about KUXL.

The Sir Douglas Quintet played the Prom Center on September 10, 1965.

The Byrds performed in St. Paul in August/September.

The Miss Teenage Twin Cities Pageant aired on September 28, 1965 on Channel 11.

Dee Dee Sharpe and Dick and Dee Dee performed at the Prom in September.  Dee Dee Lee/Sperling was born in Minneapolis.

A new shop called The Losers was opened up downtown next to Music City at Seventh and Hennepin.  Twin City a' GoGo reported "you won't believe it when you walk into the place.  They sell everything!  Contemporary greeting cards, tiki gods, lighters the size of a boulder, rare coins, and they even have an art gallery.  The proprietor is as unique as his establishment.  His name is Hal Krieger and he states that the motto of The Losers is, 'Where madness is a way of life.'" 

The Strangeloves and the McCoys appeared at the Prom Center in St. Paul.

Billy Joe Royal performed at the Prom the first week of October 1965, but attendance was low because there were a lot of homecomings that weekend. Backing Bobby were local act the Marvelous Marauders.

Bob Dylan appeared at the Minneapolis Auditorium on November 5, 1965. The Twin City a' Go Go reviewer was not impressed, calling the music "tedious, uninspired, and harsh."

On November 19, 1965, the "KDWBeach Boys" performed at the Minneapolis Auditorium.  Also appearing were the Gentrys, the Strangeloves, and the Castaways.  Ticket prices were $2.50, $3.50, and $4.50.  Roland Anderson reports that the concert was great and sent us this radio commercial for the event.

1966
 

The Kingston Trio performed on January 18, 1966.

WDGY sponsored a WDGY Spectacular on Sunday afternoon, January 30.  It was held at the St. Paul Auditorium as part of the 1966 Winter Carnival. Performing were the McCoys, Bobby Goldsboro and an Indiana group called the Boys Next Door.  Also on the bill were the Marvelous Marauders.  Marauder Jerry Cadwell is looking for information about the event, including newspaper accounts, other performers, and anyone who might have been directly involved with organizing the show.   

Dudley Riggs moved his Brave New Workshop to 2605 Hennepin in late '65/early '66.  The satire repertoire group was started in 1961.  In a Twin City a' Go Go interview, Riggs revealed that he had opened a coffeehouse in 1958, but in 1959 it became a haunt of beatniks, to Riggs' consternation. 

Marcia from Marcia and the Lynchmen reports that they were one of the teen bands highlighted in the St. Paul Pioneer Press Pictorial Magazine, June 5, 1966, “Those Teen Bands.” The article was entitled “Behind the Twang of the Guitar” and the text was by Bill Diehl.

June 10, 1966 was the fifth annual "School's Out Spectacular" at Aldrich Arena in St. Paul.  Over 5,000 kids attended the event, dancing to eight bands, including the Ides of March and Dee Jay and the Runaways.  Funds raised went to the Ramsey County Jr. Sheriff''s Patrol for rain coats, hats, and safety signs.

In the summer of 1966, Dayton's sponsored a "Youthquake Explosion" series of concerts in their 12th floor auditorium.  On Saturday, May 7th, 1966 (1:30-2 & 3:30-4pm)  Lou Christie was one of the performers of that series, backed by the Marvelous Marauders.  Marauder Jerry Cadwell reports that it was the first time he ever saw a man put on makeup (the dressing room was in the employee's men's room) and it kind of freaked him out! The Seeds and the Electric Prunes also played at Dayton's that year.

The Animals and Herman's Hermits played the Minneapolis Auditorium in July 1966, written up by Dave Mona in the Minneapolis Star/Tribune.  The opening act was the local band The Marvelous Marauders. 

The National Ballroom Operators Association awarded citations to the Castaways, the Hot Half Dozen, Michael's Mystics, and the Underbeats for being outstanding, neat and danceable bands. 

In the August 22, 1966 issue of Newsweek, Dayton's was named the Swingingest spot in Minneapolis due to the month-long series of "Super Youthquake" back-to-school concerts in the 8th floor auditorium.  Performers included Simon and Garfunkel, the [Chad] Mitchell Trio and the Yardbirds.  See an ad for the show in the '60s chapter of a book about Dayton's.

The Young America Center was featured at the State Fair. 

Chad and Jeremy walked out of the State Fair after finding out their performances would be in a "teen pavilion" rather than on the main stage with the Supremes and the Smothers Brothers. They found they were booked to play three shows a day in a hastily-erected tent, on the bill with local groups, to teenagers who got in for free. The graphic at right was found in the negatives of WCCO-TV, leading us to believe it was a pretty big brou ha-ha.

"Where The Action Is" came to Minneapolis for the Aquatennial in July 1966. 

Jeff Lonto:  "I have a video clip (from a kinescope) of a segment showing a turtle race at Lake Calhoun, and the band Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels performing at Lake Calhoun (probably just lipsyncing their hits, as they sound exactly like the record and it was a Dick Clark production)." Paul Revere and the Raiders were the victims of an airplane strike and were stranded in Minneapolis for two days after filming.  Their song "The Great Airplane Strike" resulted. 

Simon and Garfunkel were spotted at the Triangle Bar after a concert at Dayton's, some time in the fall of 1966.
 

In an October 1966 interview with the Underbeats in In-Beat magazine there is a telling paragraph:

"The group agreed that the rise of quality pop music has revived this country's interest in rhythm and blues but their interest is not desegregated. They pointed out that, ironically, it is difficult for Negro R and B bands to get jobs in the Twin Cities. This, they said, was because many places in the Twin Cities won't serve or hire Negroes. 'A lot of really good Negro musicians can't even get in groups because the group is afraid that if they take them, they won't get jobs.'"

The Temptations played the Marigold Ballroom on October 16.

The Mamas and Papas played the Minneapolis Auditorium on October 19.

The Cyrcle appeared at the Prom Ballroom on November 2.

Ray Charles played the Minneapolis Auditorium on November 6, 1966.

The Lovin' Spoonful played the Minneapolis Convention Center on November 27, 1966.

December 26, 1966 was billed as the "Biggest Dance in History," held at the Minneapolis Auditorium, Convention Center.  On the bill were the Fabulous Flippers, the Electras, the Underbeats, the Del Counts, T.C. Atlantic, the Castaways, Michael's Mystics, the Accents, and more.

Sonny and Cher were scheduled to perform at the Minneapolis Auditorium on December 30.

1967

Acts at the WDGY Spectacular (in conjunction with the Winter Carnival) included Paul Revere and the Raiders, Roy Head, Tina Mason, Steve Alaimo, and Keith Allison - most from the show "Where the Action Is."  Emcees were Johnny Canton and Scott Burton.




WCCO-TV aired this picture of Gary Lewis and his new wife, so we presume the happy couple were in the Cities on March 11, 1967, but there's no guarantee.

The Raiders may have returned to the Cities during the weekend of March 24-26.

James Brown - "Mr. One-Man Riot" - played the Minneapolis Auditorium on April 25.

The Turtles played the Prom on May 3 and August 16.

Vice President and Mrs. Humphrey attended a Minneapolis Symphony Ball on May 6 in Southdale's Garden Court.  "For the swinging ball-goers there was more lively dancing to the Underbeats in a separate room," reports The Music Scene.

An article in the Music Scene commented on how Twin Cities audience don't applaud performers.  One guess is that the Scandinavians don't want to bring attention to themselves.

On May 20, 1967, Dayton's Department Store sponsored a second "Sensations '67" show. Local heroes the High Spirits appeared with the likes of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band (which included Elvin Bishop on guitar and Mark Naftalin - son of Mpls. Mayor Naftalin - on keyboards). Music Scene promised that the psychedelic show would transform Dayton's 8th Floor Auditorium into an "'environmental envelope' of another time, space, and place." Shows were at 12, 2, and 4.

May 22, 1967 was the date of the first Connie Awards, thought up, organized by, and named after Connie Hechter, jazz drummer and editor of the Insider. 325 industry insiders attended the formal ceremony at the Sheraton-Ritz Hotel in Minneapolis, emceed by Charlie Boone. The nominees for best band were Danny’s Reasons, T.C. Atlantic, the Underbeats, the Hot Half Dozen, and the Del Counts. Winners were determined by the Midwest Academy of Contemporary Music. The Del Counts won best band that first year. Here's a U Tube Del Counts recording of "With Another Guy."  Also see pictures.
 

In May, the “Psychedelic Sound-Burst” took place at Aldrich Arena. The show, emceed by KDWB’s Charlee Brown and Earl L. Trout, featured the Grasshoppers, the Del-Counts, Danny’s Reasons, the Chancellors, the Hot Half Dozen, the Litter, the High Spirits, the Youngsters, and the Happy Days. The concert promised the world's best light show - the Fillmore Light Show.

Tommy James and the Shondells played the Prom Ballroom in June.

A third "Sensations '67 was scheduled for June 17. This may be the show Rich Hanson planned as “School’s Out Book Burning Blast.”

On June 25, the Beatles appeared on a BBC program "Our World," which was broadcast to 31 countries and an estimated 500 million people.

Ike and Tina Turner hit the stage (where?) on July 11.

Marcia and the Lynchmen were one of the opening bands at the Buckinghams concert when they played in Minneapolis on July 12, 1967.

WDGY persuaded Sonny and Cher to perform as an Aquatennial event at the Minneapolis Convention Hall on July 14.  From Johnny Canton:

Frankly, It was I who convinced Sonny to appear sans Cher at WDGY's Minneaplis Auditorium concert July 14th. Cher had just suffered a miscarriage a few days prior to our concert and Sonny was reluctant to appear without her, much less leave her. The night before he was to fly to Minnesota, I was on the phone with Sonny at their home. The doctor was with Cher and both Cher and the doctor convinced Sonny it would be OK for him to do the show. I applied some pressure and he acquiesced and came to Minnesota. In order to cover for Cher, I put Sonny on the air and we appealed to our female listeners to "audition" to sing with Sonny at the concert. We had several viable singing candidates and it turned out to be one heckuva show with that twist. It was the first time Sonny had ever appeared without Cher. I nearly experienced suffering from an ulcer considering it was a well-promoted WDGY show and had Sonny not appeared we would have had much egg on our faces.

WDGY sponsored a show by Aretha Franklin at the Minneapolis Auditorium on July 19. Johnny Canton introduced her.

KDWB and the Aquatennial sponsored "Happening '67" at the Minneapolis Auditorium. It was a "three day psychedelic feast," held on July 19-21.  Sheets of brilliant silver mylar and colorful fabrics decorated the auditorium.  Performers were Jefferson Airplane, Buffalo Springfield, the Electric Prunes, and the Shadows of Knight. 

Trestman Music Center's 2nd Annual Battle of the Bands drew 64 bands.

It was the summer of 1967, and the Chancellors were playing at Danceland.  Bandleader Dan Holm remembers that in the middle of "Wipeout," they saw "a group of dancers on the left of the stage, about 20 feet out, suddenly all fall down.  It wasn't at first apparent what had happened.  Dancers around the fallen continued dancing, pointing and laughing.  It turned out that a section of the dance floor had slumped about three feet and everyone who was dancing on it lost their balance and tumbled down. They got up.. and continued dancing.  After a few minutes, Big Reggie came out and had a look at the floor, then asked Dan to please announce for kids to stay off the area in case it collapsed some more.  The band finished the set and the night as if nothing happened.  It was no big deal."  Another version of the story says that the floor fell 11 feet into the basement!

Race riots and curfews in Milwaukee and Detroit brought the Monkees to Minneapolis a day early, so KDWB arranged for them to take over the airways on the afternoon before their concert at the St. Paul Auditorium.  Mike Nesmith had fun making fun of all the ads, including sacred Dayton's.  Peter Tork played some groovy tunes and B-sides.  Davy Jones was on for a nanosecond, and Mickey Dolenz was MIA.  It is now 15 Monkee Minutes past the hour.

A huge Battle of the Bands took place at the Mower County Fair, August 7-13.

KDWB presented "Super Sunday," starting with their third annual Drag Race Festival at Minnesota Dragways on August 20.  That night, they presented Herman's Hermits, the Blues Magoos, and the Who.  Ticket prices ranged from $3.25 to $5.25.  Also featured was a grudge match between Jimmy Reed and Tac Hammer.

The KDWBeat Magazine, August 26, 1967:  "KDWB - Where The Action Is!  For three nights the Jefferson Airplane, Buffalo Springfield, Electric Prunes and Shadows of Night filled the flour city with their flower music.  'Happening '67' was a total experience.  Each group wished they could have stayed longer, but about 11:30 each night, some guy would come in and yell, 'Hey, they're rolling up the sidewalk!'  On Friday all the groups were taken out to Lake Minnetonka for an afternoon on the largest boat on the lake.   Even though most of the people were from California, they were truly impressed.  The groups said they really hated to leave the twin cities. The Jefferson Airplane said that they wished they could have stayed longer, but they had to get out to the airport because someone had written 'Spirit of St. Louis' across the fuselage.  The Electric Prunes asked, 'Is St. Paul really putting Minneapolis on?' And then they were gone."

 

The Young America Center at the State Fair was the place to be, with performances by the Fabulous Flippers, the Kingsmen, the Sandpipers, and the Jade Set - an Oriental pop-variety group.  Performances ran from August 26 to September 4.

The Byrds performed at the Marigold Ballroom in Minneapolis (and also in Mankato), some time between September 10 and November 10, 1967.

Spanky and Our Gang performed in August at Dayton's 8th Floor Auditorium, and returned on September 21 to perform at the U of M.

In 1967 and '68, Timothy D. Kehr wrote a music column "Musically Yours" for the local TV Digest.

The Everly Brothers played the Prom on October 6.  Also Chicago's The Mob, and the Cities' System.

Nancy Sinatra and the Fifth Dimension participated in a Rat-Pack-type show with Frank Sinatra at the St. Paul Auditorium on October 8.

Simon and Garfunkel appeared at Augsburg College on November 10.

Dionne Warwick appeared at the Dayton's Skyroom on November 20.

The Young Rascals played the Minneapolis Auditorium on November 24.

The Shadows of Knight came to the New City Opera House on December 9.

Sergio Mendes and the Brazil '66 and Glen Campbell came to the new Metropolitan Sports Center on December 16.   Mendez had been here previously in the spring of 1966.

Don't know if this is true, but supposedly the Stillroven, Castaways, and the Litter played a show at the Mayo Auditorium in Rochester, and it was filmed. 

KDWB presented a Christmas Concert series that featured area high schools on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Each school presented a half hour concert. 13 schools participated.

1968

Ravi Shankar performed at the Guthrie on January 11, 1968.  The next day, the Lemon Pipers came to the New City Opera House and Magoos's. 

In the February 24, 1968 issue of The Beat, "KDWB Asks YOU To Help Bring The Beatles Back to U.S."  Earl Trout III spearheaded the letter writing effort to get the Beatles back.  At issue was the promise of the audience to be quiet so the music could be heard.  The goal was to send Trout to London with a million cards, letters, and petition signatures.  Alas..
 

On March 8, 1968, WDGY sponsored "Super Scene '68."  The show was at the Metropolitan Sports center and was mc'd by WDGY DJs JJ Bowman, Jerry Brooke, Scott Burton, and Johnny Canton.  The list of performers was impressive:  Wilson Pickett, the Hollies, Strawberry Alarm Clock, and local acts the Del Counts and Michael's Mystics.

The Temptations played the Minneapolis Armory on April 7, 1968.

An Easter Fair took place April 9 to 14, 1968 at the Minneapolis Auditorium, and featured the Electric Prunes and Blue Cheer, two of the noisiest national bands running.  Another band was The Mob, and local groups the Underbeats and Perspectives were slated to appear.  Also there were the gentler Buffalo Springfield -- and Pat Paulson.

Cream performed at the New City Opera House on May 5, 1968. The show was fraught with problems – the band was late, the equipment didn’t work, the show was less than an hour, and one report was that the musicians made out like they were doing the audience a big favor – but the music was superb. Our reviewer said the show was “worth the agony: the ecstasy was delicious.”  They may have jammed at Magoo's after the show.

Herb Alpert, Blue Cheer and the Castaways (an odd grouping to say the least) played Williams Arena at the U of M on May 11, 1968.  Nearly 17,000 attended.

Other May 1968 shows were the First Edition at the Carleton and Peter Paul and Mary at the Minneapolis Auditorium.

May 27 was the date of the 1968 Connie Awards, emceed by Bill Carlson of WCCO TV. Best band nominees were the Underbeats, Grasshoppers, Stillroven, Del Counts, Litter, TC Atlantic, and South 40. If you've never heard of the Grasshoppers, it's because they never really recorded.  The group was fronted by Jiggs Lee. 

Local musician and man-about-town Arne Fogel recorded a song back in ’68, kind of a Simon and Garfunkel/Chad and Jeremy type ditty called “I Once Had a Dream“ (aka “December Song”), recorded at Dove Studios with fellow singer/songwriter Steven Longman. The record never made it to the big time, but is available from Get Hip Records on a Dove Records compilation called Free Flight. Arne started his singing career when he was 17, and made his mark singing over 1,500 commercials and jingles. He owns every Bing Crosby record ever released, and shares his record collection on various radio shows around town.

Not exactly rock 'n' roll, but Tony Bennett appeared at the Minneapolis Auditorium on April 28, 1968.

The Beach Boys played the St. Paul Auditorium on July 9, 1968. Also on the bill were Gary Puckett and the Human Beinz.

Frank Sinatra and the Four Seasons played a benefit concert for the Citizens for Humphrey Committee at the Met Center on July 16, 1968.

Aretha Franklin appeared at the Minneapolis Auditorium on July 19, 1968 as part of the Aquatennial Teen Spectacular, sponsored by WDGY. Also on the bill were the Mystics and Things to Come. The Blues Cube, formerly Marcia and the Lynchmen, were also scheduled to appear, but Marcia was in a car accident on her way home from a gig in Eau Claire and was in the hospital for a month so they were unable to perform.  The Blues Cube played their final gig at the Prison in Burnsville on August 24.

The Temptations and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas played the Minneapolis Armory on August 6, 1968.

Simon and Garfunkel played the Minneapolis Auditorium on August 20, 1968.

Concerts and the Minnesota State Fair Young America Center included the First Edition and the Fifth Dimension.

Tiny Tim played the Metropolitan Sports Center on October 18, 1968.

A jazz festival at the Minneapolis Auditorium featured Hugh Masekela and Herbie Mann on November 29, 1968.

Andy Williams and Roger Miller played the Met Center on December 6.  Johnny Canton remembers:  "One of WDGY's largest concerts/shows starred then-popular Andy Williams along with Roger Miller at Met Center. It was our Christmas Concert and we filled Met Center. Of course, Andy was the pride of network TV at the time with his weekly show. Miller was no slouch either having had several hit songs. The entire WDGY air staff had a chance to take the stage and emcee. Great evening!"

The Brothers Four appeared at Melby Hall, Augsburg College, on December 7, 1968.

Jimi Hendrix was slated to play the Minneapolis Armory on August 11, 1968, but the date was moved to November 2.  The show may have actually taken place in December.

The Doors played the Minneapolis Auditorium on November 20, 2968.

Joe Cocker braved a snowstorm to perform at the Prison (at the Burnsville Bowl) in December. Tom Barbeau reports:  "There couldn't have been more than 2-300 hundred people there. Part of it was certainly the weather, but he was also a total unknown at that time. That was a small crowd in that room, as I recall a lot of empty space. My group of 6 or 7 guys who made the trip (packed into a '53 Ford coming from St. Paul, through a snow storm), had no trouble getting to within 20 to 30 feet of the stage with lots and lots of empty space behind us. Everything he had at Woodstock the following August, he showed us there, that night, and the crowd was totally blown away."

In his November 18, 1968 column "Musically Yours" in the TV Digest, Timothy D. Kehr writes of the group H.P. Lovecraft.  Was this local?  Can't find it anywhere.  But Howard Philips Lovecraft was a poet and novelist.

1969

Local Rock 'n' Roll Disk Jockey Barry McKinna started his career in radio in 1969 at KDWB.  His real name is Barry Siewert, and he is a 1965 graduate of Park High.  He's still on the air under his own name on KQQL 108.

The Grateful Dead played at the Labor temple on February 2, 1969. Other big concerts that year were the Mothers of Invention and Johnny Winter, both at the Guthrie, and Jimi Hendrix at the Minneapolis Auditorium.

’69 was also the year that Dale Menten and Frederick Gaines wrote and produced the rock musical “House of Leather.” It was a big hit here in Minneapolis, but closed after its only night in New York: March 18, 1970 at the Ellen Stewart Theater (off-Broadway).

The Mystics were crowned Best Band at the 1969 Connie Awards. Their song “Pain” made it up to 116 on the national Billboard charts.

Vanilla Fudge played the Metropolitan Sports Center on April 11, 1969.

Steppenwolf played the Minneapolis Armory on August 8.  Rod Wallace remembers:  "I was at that concert and it was the 1st time I heard a headliner mess up the sound system for the opening act. I'm not sure who it was but their sound was terrible. Then before Steppenwolf came on stage they announced that the keyboard player was out sick. So I was expecting a bad set from them also; but when they started playing the sound "magically" got perfect, and they sounded better than their records.

Something must have gone wrong, because in the next Connie's Insider, it was announced that KDWB was refusing to accept advertising for Danny's Reasons.

Sound 80 was founded; it became the first multi-track digital recording studio.

Ray Charles played the Minneapolis Auditorium on November 19.  The show was billed as a WDGY Thanksgiving Holiday Spectacular, promoted by Arnie Sagarsky of A & A Enterprises.  Sagarski was the force behind the "Purple Cigar" teen dance hall in St. Louis Park.  See Dance Venues below. 

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass played the Met Center on November 21. 

Janis Joplin played the Minneapolis Armory in November or December.  Opening act was local band Crow.

1970

Much music in 1970:
The New Christy Minstrels performed at Northrup Auditorium
The Grateful Dead at the Guthrie
The Band at the Guthrie
The Mothers of Invention at the Cedar Village Theater and the Labor Temple
Johnny Winter (with Edgar) at the Labor Temple
Doug Kershaw at the Cedar Village Theater
Glenn Yarborough at Augsburg College
Gordon Lightfoot at the Guthrie
Rod McKuen at the Minneapolis Auditorium
Peter, Paul and Mary at the Minneapolis Auditorium.
Blood Sweat & Tears at the Minneapolis Auditorium.  Bob Mikkelson was at the Blood Sweat & Tears concert and remembered that John Denver opened and no one cared. When Denver said it was his last number the place cheered. Denver just replied that he was as excited as the rest of us to hear BS&T.

A rock festival was held at the Met Sports Center on March 20, 1970. Featured acts included Canned Heat, Grand Funk Railroad, Buddy Miles, the Amboy Dukes (Ted Nugent), the Litter, Brownsville Station, and the Stooges (Iggy Pop). In all, there were 12 groups that went on for 8 hours, despite decidedly bad acoustics.

Concerts at the Met Center in 1970 included the Four Tops (February 6), Led Zeppelin (April 12), Crosby, Stills, and Nash (July 9), Tom Jones (July 19), Iron Butterfly ( November 13), and Grand Funk Railroad (November 22).

The Depot opened on April 3 and 4, 1970 (see below under venues). An estimated 2300 people came to the club over the first two days to see the Mad Dogs and Englishman tour. Johnny Canton was the emcee, and appeared in the "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" film that was made of the event.  That same month, the club hosted the Butterfield Blues Band and Poco.

The Sound Storm Rock Festival took place on April 24-26, 1970, featuring the Grateful Dead, Crow, and author Ken Kesey.

The Connie Awards presented the only non-musician award to producer and promoter Timothy D. Kehr.

In 1970, records could be found at the Musicland store at Knollwood. The Musicland chain, now trading as Sam Goody, opened in Minneapolis in 1956.

Jimi Hendrix played the St. Paul Auditorium on May 3.  The concert was taped by a member of the audience; read about it here. 

Jefferson Airplane played at the Minneapolis Auditorium on May 15, with local – now national - band Crow playing warmup.

An Open Air Rock Festival was held on July 19, 1970, attended by 6,000 people. Despite a cold, foggy day, the participants enjoyed performances by White Lightning (a local group), Sly and the Family Stone (who supposedly called Minneapolis “worthless”), Illinois Speed Press (subbing for the Amboy Dukes), and Johnny Winter. 150 cops made 20 arrests for gate crashing, etc.

Acts at the 1970 State Fair were: Johnny Cash, Petula Clark, Lawrence Welk, Jimmie Davis, Jeannie C. Riley, Charlie Pride, Fess Parker, Art Linkletter, Bobby Vinton, Sonny James, the Cowsills, and Faron Young.

The Judd Group formed in Rochester.  Lead singer Steve McLoone has lived in St. Louis Park since 1981.

1971

Jethro Tull played at the Guthrie on January 4, 1971.

“Hair” played sold-out performances at the St. Paul Civic Center Theater in February 1971, then the same cast returned for another engagement in May – the first show ever to be brought back to the Twin Cities for a second run in the same season. The February engagement broke box office records at the venue.

Two of three planned open air concerts were held in the summer of 1971.  The first featured It’s a Beautiful Day, the Allman Brothers, Little Richard, Richie Furay and Poco, and John Baldry. The M.C. was Dave Ray.

The Jefferson Airplane was scheduled to perform at the Met Center on August 22, 1971, a show that was originally supposed to be the third Open Air Concert. But the concert was cancelled  - by some accounts because the Mayor came out against it and the Bloomington Police refused to work it. There had been two previous shows at Midway Stadium in St. Paul, which were marred by gate crashers.  One of the promoters reports that it was cancelled because someone jumped off a high pole at the second concert.  The three promoters:  Timothy D. Kehr, Harry Beacom, and Walter Bush, had all their money tied up in the third concert and lost "tons of money." 

Elton John played the Minneapolis Auditorium on August 31, 1971.  That year, DJ Barry McKinna was the first person to play a song not on a record in the Twin Cities - a tape cartridge of Elton John's "Crocodile Rock."

On September 21, 1971 there was a Blues and Folk Marathon held at Memorial Stadium at the U of M. Featured performers were Leo Kottke, John Lee Hooker, Fred McDowell, Doc Watson and Son, and Charlie Musselwhite.

Concerts held in September – November 1971 featured John Baldry, the Allman Brothers, Roberta Flack, John Sebastian, Jeff Beck, and BB King. Still another concert in September 1971 featured Chase and Howlin’ Wolf.

Johnny Rivers and Fanny appeared at the Guthrie on October 16, 1971. Fanny, four girls featuring sisters Jean and June Millington, were known for their hit “Charity Ball.”

On September 9, 1971, a concert by the Doobie Brothers was performed in the Sound 80 studio and broadcast on WWTC-AM.

Howlin’ Wolf appeared with Chase on September 18, 1971 at the Minneapolis Auditorium.

Concerts held at the Met Center in 1971 include Three Dog Night (January 8), Savoy Brown & Grease Band & Small Faces (February 20), the Guess Who ( March 18), the Grass Roots (April 23), Tom Jones (June 3), the Who (August 15), the Jackson Five (September 8), the BeeGees (September 24), Three Dog Night ( October 15), Jesus Christ Superstar ( October 19), Grand Funk Railroad (October 27), Johnny Cash (October 29), and Elvis (see below).

Wolfman Jack was working with Three Dog Night, and Johnny Canton introduced him, presumably the night of the Met Center concert. 

Gate crashers surged every entrance at the Who concert at the Met (above), and the Bloomington Police Department used teargas for the first time.  Most of it blew in the cops' faces.

An ad indicated that Elvis was scheduled to appear at the Met Center November 5-8, 1971. That was probably a typo.  The book The King on the Road:  Elvis Live on Tour 1954 to 1977 indicates that he performed on November 5 at the Met Sports Center, and that the other dates were spent in Cleveland, Louisville, and Philadelphia.  The book was written by Robert Gordon (1996), St. Martin's Press, NY.  The only other times he came were in 1956 and 1976.

The Beach Boys (without Brian Wilson, of course) appeared at the Guthrie on November 21, 1971.

1972

Entertainers at the 1972 State Fair included: Sonny and Cher, Neil Diamond, John Denver, Bobby Goldsboro, Anne Murray, and Up With People.

Concerts held in 1972 at the Met Center include Deep Purple (January 21), Sly and the Family Stone (February 4), Joe Cocker (April 3), Ten Years After (April 19), James Brown (April 28), Credence Clearwater Revival (May 5), Jethro Tull (June 5), Rolling Stones (June 18), Three Dog Night (July 15), Osmond Brothers (August 19), Grand Funk Railroad (October 13), Moody Blues (October 29), Chicago (November 17), and Deep Purple (December 3). The Rolling Stones concert was marred by gate crashers and teargas, but the Stones were gentlemen. 

B.B. King entertained at the Minneapolis Auditorium on August 6.

Gentle Giant opened for Black Sabbath at the Minneapolis Armory on August 28.

Leon Russell appeared at the St. Paul Civic Center in September.

On September 23, a show at the Mpls. Armory featured the Eagles, Gentle Giant, and Yes.

The Beach Boys appeared at the Minneapolis Armory on November 8, 1972. 

1973

In 1973, St. Louis Park resident Jack Volinkaty, 29, wrote the song “Satin Sheets,” which country singer Jeanne Pruett brought to #1 on the country charts for three weeks. The song was also recorded by Bill Anderson and Jan Howard. Volinkaty was an accountant for Univac and lived at 27th and Florida.

“Dueling Banjos,” a song that first hit the charts in the Metro area, was performed by New York musician Eric Weissberg and the group Deliverance at O’Shaunessy Audtorium on May 4, 1973. 31 years later he would recreate the moment, this time with Peter Oshtrushko at the Pantages Theater on February 3, 2004.

The Grateful Dead appeared at the St. Paul Auditorium on February 17, and at the State Fairgrounds on May 13, 1973.

Stevie Wonder appeared at the Minneapolis Auditorium in June 1973.

Johnny Winter appeared at the St. Paul Civic Center on December 27, 1973.

Concerts held at the Met Center in 1973 include:  Neil Young (January 7), Sha Na Na (February 3), the Guess Who (February 16), Santana (March 19), Grateful Dead (October 23), Allman Brothers Band (November 11), Loggins and Messina (November 16), Doobie Brothers (November 28), Emerson, Lake and Palmer (December 1), and the Guess Who and Poco (December 7).

1974

Frank Zappa came to the St. Paul Auditorium in January.

Led Zeppelin performed in around June.

Cat Stevens played the St. Paul Civic Center in July 1974. 

A reportedly off-key Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young performed in St. Paul on July 22.

Bob Dylan, unsuccessfully incognito, was spotted at a Ry Cooder/Ben Sidran concert at the Marigold Ballroom.

Joni Mitchell performed on July 28 at the St. Paul Civic Center.

The Jackson 5 performed on August 16 at the St. Paul Civic Center.  A review  indicates that they were not yet superstars.

On August 17, Santana and Leon Russell shared the bill at the St. Paul Civic Center.
 

In September 1974, Bob Dylan recorded the tracks for his album "Blood on the Tracks" in New York.  During a visit home to Minneapolis, he was convinced that some of them needed to be redone, so his brother David assembled a group of local musicians.  That December, the Minneapolis musicians re-recorded several of the tracks, which were ultimately included on the album, albeit without any credit on the record jacket.  Those musicians were:  Kevin Odegard (now a St. Louis Park resident), Chris Weber, Billy Peterson, Gregg Inhofer, Bill Berg, Peter Ostroushko, and Jim Tardoff.  In 2005, this group, known collectively as the "Blood on the Tracks Studio Band," was inducted into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame.  Also in 2005, British journalist Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard co-authored a successful book  A Simple Twist of Fate: Bob Dylan and The Making of Blood On The Tracks, distributed worldwide by HarperCollins, published by DaCapo Press/Perseus Books, Cambridge, MA. The book is available in local libraries or on websites such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

The Band came to the St. Paul Civic Center on September 1.

The Guess Who and War performed at the St. Paul Civic Center on August 8, 1974, the night Nixon resigned.  They played to 22,060 fans, the best-attended single concert at the venue. 

Concerts held at the Met Center in 1974 include Yes (March 5), Seals and Crofts (March 20), Bachman Turner Overdrive (May 11), Ten Years After (May 31), Cat Stevens (July 6), Uriah Heep (July 28), Mac Davis (2 shows August 4), Steppenwolf (September 29), and Deep Purple (December 9).

October 16, 1974 brought a package that included Golden Earring, Mahogany, and Rush to the St. Paul Civic Center.

We also heard from an anonymous source about Elton John at the St. Paul Civic Center, Oct 31, 1974, Halloween night. "That show is still brought up occasionally in local newspaper music columns. I was there. They sold the place out, probably 18,000, and then sold an additional 10,000 standing room I believe the week of the show or so. Almost 30,000 in the Civic Center that night. Someone having to do with the show got in trouble for fire code violation I believe and that was the last of doing standing room only tickets. It was a madhouse, everyone having fun. Kiki Dee was Elton's opening act."

1975

On October 3-5, 1975, radio station U-100 sponsored “Fantasy Park,” billed as the ultimate rock concert featuring over 40 “super rock stars.” Ads did not elaborate.

1976

According to the book The King on the Road (see 1971), Elvis performed at the Met Sports Center on October 17, 1976.  He came two other times, in 1956 and 1971.

1979 was a big year for the Sussman Lawrence band. Members were Parkite Peter Himmelman (lead vocals, guitar), Andy Kamman (drums), Eric Moen (sax, keyboards, guitar, vocals), Jeff Victor (keyboards and vocals) and Al Wolovitch (bass, vocals). The band was known for playing a taped educational message before each performance…just as a joke. Peter Himmelman went on to make a name for himself in the music industry.

In 1980, Eric Clapton was confined to St. Paul's United Hospital for several weeks for ulcers.  He was on his way to a show at the St. Paul Civic Center when he was stricken.  His manager and his wife, Pattie Boyd, were "stuck in a hotel in Minneapolis with ten feet of snow outside.  Minneapolis in winter is not the most exciting place.  The lake (sic) is frozen and the locals' idea of fun is to drive a car into the middle and place bets when it will sink."  (from Pattie's autobiography) So what's wrong with that, Pattie? 

In the 1980s, Cliff Siegel of the High Spirits worked for Warner Brothers, and at some point Prince stayed at his house in St. Louis Park near Cobble Crest.  Bandmate Owen Husney was Prince's manager, and Cliff got him his first big record deal. 

1990 marked the debut of singer, songwriter, and St. Louis Park resident. Dan Israel.

In 1998, Minneapolis band Semisonic has a #1 hit with "Closing Time."

TEENAGE DANCE TV SHOWS OF THE '50s AND 60s

The following is a list of TV shows that featured rock 'n' roll music.   If you have any more specific information, please contact me.  The list does not include shows such as Ed Sullivan, Hollywood Palace, and the many variety shows hosted by big stars. Thanks to the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting for the use of their TV Guide collection.  Also see www.thevideobeat.com.

"American Bandstand" premiered in the Twin Cities on August 5, 1957, Channel 11.  The first song played was "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" by Jerry Lee Lewis.  In the early days, it could be seen daily at 4pm.  From October through December 1957, there was also a prime time version, airing on Mondays at 6:30.  From February 1958 to September 1960, the prime time "Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show" aired with the same format as "Bandstand."  "Bandstand" started as a local show in Philadelphia in 1952.  Dick Clark began hosting in 1956.  In 1963 it went to once a week on Saturdays.  In 1964 it moved to Los Angeles.  It ran until 1989.

"B-Sharp Beat" was sponsored by the B-Sharp Music Store.  It started sometime between July 1966 and April 1, 1967 (resources are limited).  It was broadcast on Saturday at 1:30, hosted by WDGY DJ Jimmy Reed.  Bands that performed on the show included the Still Roven, Hot Half Dozen, the Sir Raleighs, the System, the Underbeats and the Del Counts.  The Del Counts performed in April and on the last show, which was broadcast on June 10, 1967.

Bill Carlson had a weekly show that featured local bands.  The debut was on Saturday, January 5, 1963, and was for 15 minutes at 5:15 pm on Channel 4.  The description in the TV Guide was:  "Bill Carlson - Variety.  Host Bill Carlson presents teen-age talent, guest recording stars and reports on Youth Activities on this weekly 15 minute variety show.  This week, The "Galaxies," a teen-age combo from St. Paul, are featured." The January 12 show featured the Rovers folksingers and a piece on the Minneapolis Auto Show.  Subsequent shows were not described in the TV Guide, but Dan Holm of the Chancellors remembers being on the show.  On Saturday, March 16, 1963, the show moved to 12:30 and expanded to 30 minutes.  Alas, "American Bandstand" also expanded to Saturday afternoons at the same time slot on Channel 9, and the Bill Carlson Show on Channel 4 apparently chose not to compete.  We don't know if Carlson's show was moved or discontinued. Bill Carlson also had a nighttime show called "This Must be the Place," and We see in January 1968 he had a ten minute show called "Something Special."

"A Date With Dino" was a local rock 'n' roll show that was broadcast on Channel 9 at 4pm.  It started twice weekly on October 13, 1964, and on January 25, 1965, the show went daily.  It ran the school year to June 7, 1965.  (See Upbeat #1 below.)  Day, nee George Murphy, had been a radio DJ.  The ad at right is from December 1964.

David Jass, vice president of Young Adult Productions, remembers:  "Bruce Goldstein and myself created the 'Date with Dino' TV dance show. We got kids from the local high schools to dance on the show. They would all show up outside the studio. Bruce and I would 'screen' them. The turnout was easily 10 times what we needed. Dino Day was hired to mc the show. Our proposal was for me to do the honors. Oh well, so it goes. We also pitched a Teen Tonight show to channel 11. We got turned down."

The ad in the TV Times reads:  "Dino Day hosts television's swingest (sic) Dance Show...'live' from Channel 9 Studios... exciting top record stars perform their hit records... keep informed with Teen News International and Sports All-American."  Dino couldn't have been too "swingest:"  that's a Ray Conniff record behind him.  A teenage Nancy Nelson was in the cast doing teen news, as was Rod Person and Twins stadium announcer Bob Casey with "teen sports reports."    Someone with a very sad "Date With Dino" story remembered that Dino wore makeup and was not at all fond of "babysitting" his teenage costars.

"Happening '68" was hosted by Mark Lindsay and Paul Revere of the Raiders.  It ran here from January 6 to September 14, 1968, airing at Saturdays at 12:30 on Channel 9 (ABC).

"Hi-Five Time" shows up on December 31, 1959 at 4:30 Saturday on Channel 5.  On that episode, the teens were visited by George Montgomery, who was in town for the Winter Carnival - not exactly a rock 'n' roller. Resources are scarce, but we do not see the show in January 1960.

"Hollywood a-Go-Go" was a syndicated show based in Los Angeles and hosted by L.A. DJ Sam Riddle.  It featured the Gazzarri Dancers, from the nearby Gazzarri discotheque on the Sunset Strip.  The show ran in the Twin Cities from May 16, 1965 to June 4, 1966.  At first it was shown on Sunday at 7:30 pm, but then moved to Saturday at 3:30 pm, always on Channel 11.

"Hootenanny" was a folk music show from April 6, 1963 to September 12, 1964.  It was broadcast on Saturday nights on ABC.  Somewhere it says that the show honored the blacklist of the 1950s, so most of the big names (including the Kingston Trio, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Joan Baez) refused to appear, but the TV Guide doesn't exactly bear that out.  The host was Jack Linkletter, Art Linkletter's son.

"Hullaballoo" was a big time rock 'n' roll show that mixed adult schmaltz with great rock performers.  It was widely known for its frenetic dancers, including go-go dancer extraordinaire, Lada Edmund, Jr.  The show went on the air on January 12, 1965 on NBC (Channel 5).  It was on Tuesday nights until September 1965 when it moved to Monday nights.  The last show was August 29, 1966.

One of the first shows aired by WTCN was "Jack's Corner Drug Store," hosted by Jack Thayer at 4:00 pm.. It started just days after WTCN-TV went on the air: September 7, 1953. From the TV Guide: “Jack Thayer, emcee. The scene is the replica of a drug store. High School and college students are invited to the show.” Another description went: “jivey teen-age dance get-together. Dance contest $180. Tangos, rhumbas, and other South American Favorites.” Thayer had been a DJ at WLOL and WTCN radio. During the summers of 1954 and 1955, the show was alternately called “Jack Thayer’s Beach Party” and “Jack Thayer’s Sun Fest.” TV Guide again: “Broadcast from the veranda of the Calhoun Beach Hotel, overlooking beautiful Lake Calhoun.” After the 1955 Sun Fest, the show was renamed “Record Hop.” This is probably different from the "Record Hop" that started in 1957 (see below). It went off the air (partly because of the Mickey Mouse Club) on October 28, 1955. Jack Thayer also had a Saturday night show, just called the Jack Thayer Show. It was broadcast at 10pm on Saturday nights on Channel 11. It ran from February 13, 1954 to June 25, 1955.

"Lloyd Thaxton's Record Shop" was a local show in Los Angeles that started in 1959.  In 1964 it went into national syndication via video tape.  It debuted here on September 7, 1964 and featured Frankie Avalon.  It was seen on Channel 5 at 4:30 daily.  At least at first, the show ran 55 minutes, with the last 5 minutes for "Doctor's House Call" before the evening news.  The last show locally was on December 30, 1965, replaced by "Cheyenne."  Thaxton can be heard on the LP "Lloyd Thaxton Goes Surfing With the Challengers," released in 1963.

"Lucky 11 Dance Time" was apparently a show hosted by Channel 11's Brad Johnson. TV Guides for that time are scarce; what we found was "Dance Show," hosted by Brad Johnson and featuring 20 teen age couples who danced at the Calhoun Beach Hotel. The only evidence  we have is in the May 29, 1961 volume of TV Guide. (It is not in the February 11 edition nor the July 1 edition.)  It aired on Saturday at 2:00.  Brad Johnson substituted at least once for Dick Clark on "American Bandstand," presumably when the show was still broadcast from Philadelphia.

"Midnight Discotheque" was aired at the strike of midnight, December 31, 1964.  It promised the latest in dancing, with hostess Mary Davies (aka Carmen the Nurse).

"Music Scene" was broadcast by ABC for 17 episodes, from September 1969 to January 12, 1970.  It was hosted by David Steinberg, with guest hosts.  It aired on Mondays at 6:30 pm on Channel 9 - curiously for 45 minutes.

Shortly after "American Bandstand" went national, there was a local show called “Record Hop,” that appears to be a local teen show. Our records are spotty, but we see "Record Hop" with Jim Eddy listed in the local listings at 4:30 on Saturday on Channel 9, starting in October or November 1957. Jump to May 1958, and the host is Jere Smith. And in January 1959, Dan Anderson is the host.

"Shindig" was broadcast from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966 on Channel 9.  In the beginning it was broadcast at 7:30 on Wednesdays.

"Shivaree" began as a local Los Angeles-based program on KABC-LA. It became syndicated in April 1965 and aired in more than 150 markets in the U.S. and seven countries internationally. Shivaree was created and hosted by LA's top all-night DJ, Gene Weed, once a president of the Academy of Country Music.  As a senior VP at Dick Clark Productions, he produced many awards shows.  The show made its Twin Cities debut on Saturday, April 17, 1965, on Channel 11 at 9 pm.  At some point it moved to Sundays at 2:30 pm, still on Channel 11.  As far as we can tell, the last show was broadcast locally on May 15, 1966.

For one week in August/September 1964, there is a TV listing (presumably local) for "Teen Shindig," a special starring Jerry Smith (could this be Channel 9's Jere Smith?). The live, one-hour show featured teenage instrumental and folksinging groups - and five contestants for Miss Teen Northwest. By the end of the week, all the contestants were there, and one wonders whose shindig this is..

"Showcase '68" was a summer show that aired on Tuesdays at 7pm on KSTP.  Lloyd Thaxton was the host, and the show originated from a different city each week.

"Upbeat (#1)" came on in October 1965, hosted by Dino Day from "A Date With Dino" (See above.)  It was filmed on Friday nights at the Marigold Balroom, and aired on KMSP-TV on Saturday afternoons.  Some of the groups that appeared on the show at the end of 1965 were Cannibal and the Headhunters, Bobby Sherman, the Castaways, the Echomen, the Trolls, the Luvs. Also listed was Scott Burton, WDGY DJ.  The last broadcast was on February 19, 1966.

"Upbeat (#2)" was likely a nationally syndicated show, hosted by Don Webster.  It went on the air here in the Twin Cities on June 11, 1966, on Channel 11, Saturday afternoons.  It ended on January 27, 1968. 

"Where the Action Is" was a Dick Clark spinoff of "American Bandstand" that aired daily after school.   It debuted on June 28, 1965, and ran til March 31, 1967.  Locally it was aired at 3:30 on Channel 9, an ABC network show.  It was advertised as a show that "goes where the action is - on location to film big-beat performers."  On the first show they went to the beach (for the Beach Boys) and the Whiskey a Go-Go (for DeeDee Sharp-except she's from Philadelphia). Regulars on the show were Linda Scott, Steve Alaimo, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and the Action Dancers.  The show came to Minneapolis for the Aquatennial in 1966, and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels lip synched to their latest hits at Lake Calhoun. 

There were many local teen shows around the country, with names like "Shebang" (originated from Los Angeles and was hosted by Casey Kasem); Swingin' Time; and Steamroller.  We don't know if they were shown in the Twin Cities.


TWIN CITIES ROCK ANTHOLOGIES

This list pretty much centers on the Twin Cities area.  See Bird Dance Beat for tracks and pictures of the Minnesota Anthologies and a listing of outstate releases. 

Best of Metrobeat - Sundazed - 1990
Big Hits of Mid-America, Vol.1 and 2 (Soma)
Big Hits of Mid-America: The Soma Records Story 1963-67 (CD)
Bloodshot! Gaity Records Story, Vol. 1 and 2 - 1994
Changes - Import - 1980
Free Flight – Unreleased Dove Recording Studio Cuts 1964-69 (Get Hip) - 1998
Gathering at the Depot - 1970 (Beta)
Hipsville, Vol. 3: The Return of the Frozen Few - 1984
Hodad Hootenany
KDWB 21 All Time Dream Hits, Vol. 1
KDWB Disc/Coveries - @1961
KDWB – Solid Gold - 1972
Let’s Have a Ball: Early Rock ‘n’ Roll From the Midwest
Minnesota Rock-A-Billy-Rock
Money Music – August Records - 1967 - probably the best and most collectible of the bunch
1968 Minnesota Rockers, Vol. 1
Minnesota Rock-A-Billy Rock, Vol. 1-5 - White Label
Minnesota Rockers, Vol. 1 - Holland - 1995
Midwest vs. Canada
Midwest vs. The Rest
Monsters of the Midwest Vol. 1-4
When Time Ran Out (Italy)
Minnesota vs. Michigan Raw Cuts From 1965-67, Vol. 1]
Rockin’ Your Socks Off! Volumes 1 - 12
Root 66: The Frozen Few - 1982
The Scotty Story – Minnesota’s Legendary ‘60’s Rock Label! - 1993 (Arf Arf)
Soma Records Story Vol. 1: Shake it For Me - 1998
Soma Records Story Vol. 2: Bright Lights, Big City - 1998
Soma Records Story Vol. 3: A Man’s Gotta Be a Man - 1998
Surfin’ in the Midwest, Vol. 1-3
Top Teen Bands, Vol. 1 - Bud-Jet Records - 1965
Top Teen Bands, Vol. 2 - Bud-Jet Records - 1965
Top Teen Bands, Vol. 3 - Bud-Jet Records - 1966
WDGY Yesterhits from Yesterday, Vol. 1 and 2

From Johnny Canton:  It was my job to secure songs for these [WDGY] LPs. To get the good hits we had to agree we would not sell the albums. Since we were going to use them as a promo tool to give to our listeners, that was an easy concession. However, ABC Paramount/Dunhill records still sent me a 20 page contract to sign. They were an important label since one of the songs we wanted was by The Mamas & Papas - huge act at the time.

PUBLICATIONS
 

Here is a list of some of the local rock 'n' roll magazines and books of the 1960s.  Bird Dance Beat has a detailed list with pictures.

Beat Magazine:  John Pratt:  "I do remember Beat Magazine, which was a national publication that was sold through various top-40 stations around the country, with editions tailored to each station's markets. Here, it was KDWB Beat.  KRLA had the Los Angeles edition of Beat; [at right is] a cover photo of an October 1967 edition of KRLA Beat."  The address given is Beat Publications, 9125 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles.

We have copies of four issues of KDWB Beat.  Each has a "local" page centered on the station.  The local page from the August 26, 1967 issue ("Special Hippie History Issue") featured pictures of Twin Cities music industry folk with the Jefferson Airplane, the Electric Prunes, and the Shadows of Night during an outing on Lake Minnetonka.  (See detailed in chronology above.)

The local page from October 21, 1967 reports KDWB's Earl L. Trout III being "jailed" in a charity stunt. It shows him broadcasting live from the corner of 7th and Hennepin, and Minneapolis police "arresting" him and taking him to jail until enough money was raised for the Leukemia Foundation to "bail" him out.

The January 27, 1968 issue featured a silly "history" of KDWB going back to the cave men.    And the February 24, 1968 issue featured KDWB DJ Earl L. Trout III's national-but-futile letter-writing campaign to bring the Beatles back to the U.S.   

Flip Side:  Southern Minnesota Bands, 1955-1970; Jim Oldsberg


In-Beat Magazine ("That's What's Happening"):  This magazine was published monthly by Steven Kaplan out of his living room. Kaplan sold subscriptions at the Teen Age Fair at the State Fair [presumably August 66] for $2 - each subscriber got a free 45 rpm record, so the subscriptions were essentially free. In-Beat paid Twin City a Go Go (see below) $1500 not to compete. The first issue came out in September 1966.

Kaplan remembers:  "we were out only a few issues when we got some good national ads: Sprite automobiles and Clairol products among them. A coup for a small magazine.

"Also, a few months after we were out, the publisher of Where magazine called and wanted to meet. By this time our magazine was hot: I went from being a nerd to being hip in two issues (and back to being a nerd again after we stopped publishing). But we were hot and this publisher wanted us to associate our name with his, so he offered us an office — for free — and, this was

 the clincher, free meals every day at Luigi’s restaurant, which at that time was on the main floor of the Lumber Exchange, where Where was located (on the 12th floor). We took the office and were able to move out of my apartment. It was a big office and we always kept the doors closed because it reeked of marijuana fumes.

"One of our biggest coups came early in the season. Big names Chad & Jeremy (though, of course, no one today has any idea of who they were) were booked for the fair, but never showed up. It was an outrage and everyone — particularly the mainstream media — was trying to find out what happened. Chad & Jeremy called us, however, and sat down for an explanatory interview with us, the only interview they gave (and, perhaps, the last one anyone ever really cared about). [See 1966 above.]

"Our best time was with James Brown. He had come (maybe to the Flame Ballroom) and we made arrangements to photograph & interview him. Brown was my personal idol and I couldn’t wait to see him perform. We went to the concert and though it was sold out, there was hardly a white guy there: maybe 3 or 4 in the whole place (Danny & I were half of that). When the show was over we went back stage where Brown, who was indeed the hardest working guy in show business, was sitting at a chair with an attendant at both legs, each unlacing his high-laced boots. I started asking him my brilliant questions when he stopped me. “This is no place to do an interview,” he said, and, of course, he was right. “Why don’t you guys fly back with me to Cincinnati. That way we can do the interview on the plane, and it will be quiet and we won’t be rushed. After I’ll put you guys up in a hotel and in the morning we’ll tour King Records.” And that’s exactly what we did. We flew back in his Lear Jet, he, James Foxx, Danny & I. The plane’s interior was about as big as a restaurant booth, and the loudspeakers played Vivaldi."

The (final?) issue of In-Beat came out in August 1967.  Kaplan and friends went to San Francisco for the Monterey Pop concert in 1967, where hippies were in and teenage fanzines were out, and that was the end of In-Beat. Kaplan now edits the magazine Minnesota Law and Politics.

Insider:  The Insider began in about April 1966 as a mimeographed newsletter put out by Trestman Music Center, strictly a trade sheet for the burgeoning teenage musicians in the Twin Cities (one estimate was that there were 4,000 of them).  It had news about the groups, ads for TMC and band instruments, and featured an instructional column called "Drummers' Beat."  TMC issued the sheet until at least December 1967.  It was taken over by Colman “Connie” Hechter, a former publicist for Mercury Records. Connie's Insider published music industry trade news, and music, arts and lifestyle features for and about the people of Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin and the Dakotas.

Lost and Found: a '50s/'60s Rock & Roll 'Zine; Jim Oldsberg; 1993

     Volume 1:  Minnesota/Iowa
     Volume 2:  Minnesota/Wisconsin
     Volume 3:  Illinois/Minnesota
     Volume 4:  North and South Dakota
     Volume 5:  Northern Minnesota

Metanoia was a local arts magazine from the late '60s.
    
Minnesota Rocked!  The 1960s; Tom W. Tourville, 1966 (at least four subsequent editions). This is an amazing list of Minnesota bands and their recordings.

Music Legends: a Rewind on the Minnesota Music Scene; Martin Keller, D Media, Inc. 2007

In 1967, B Sharp Music published Music Scene, a competitor to the Insider. It had a wider audience than the first issues of the Insider, with bios of local and national musicians. The ninth issue was dated June, 1967; no information on how long it lasted after that. The newsletter was written by Timothy D. Kehr, who sharply criticized Connie Hechter for putting his name on the local Connie Awards. Kehr went on to publish the Insider that same year.

A Simple Twist of Fate:  Bob Dylan and the Making of Blood on the Tracks; Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard;  Da Capo Press, 2004.

Twin City a-GoGo ("The magazine for Twin City Young Adults on the Go"):  Editors were David Jass (vice-president of Young Adult Productions and son of Twin Cities television personality Mel Jass) and Bruce Goldstein (associated with Century Camera).  This was a jam-packed publication.  The first issue in May 1965 featured the Chancellors on the cover (see right).   Free subscriptions were available until October 1, 1965.  It grew to be a very popular publication:  In 1965 there were 3 staff members, and by January 1966 there were 30.

David Jass remembers: 

"We started all of this at the Teen Fair at the Minnesota State Fair [1965]. I think the teen fair only lasted that one time. We had a life-size display of the Beatles. Get your picture taken with the Beatles was a hit. It cost $.75. We also sold what we called go go hammers. The idea was to hit members of the opposite sex with them. It was a plastic hammer deal with accordion yellow ends that make a loud "pop" sound. We hired young ladies in swimming suits and tennis shoes to sell them. What a hit. By the 4th day of the Teen Fair we chartered an airplane to fly in more hammers. The last day of the fair I was in a cab going home. I had only one hammer left. Broken. The cab driver said his son had to have one. He paid me $1.75 for it. We also had kids sign up with name, phone, and address if they would be interested in a magazine for teens in Minnesota. Thus the list of finally 10,000 names.

"I have the original copy of a' GoGo . It is a small digest size mag of around 10 pages. Bruce and I wrote all the articles using pseudonyms. My fashion column "fling into spring" was my most memorable. We sold advertising to local businesses. Enough money was made to pay the rent for our office (above the Cascade 9 Bar and Grill in Mpls) and other expenses. Nancy Nelson was our secretary. We hired kids to call the rock n roll radio stations to plug our magazine. The radio stations started getting suspicious and stopped taking these calls. Kids would then call pretending some other "teen" topic and then slip in how much they loved Twin City A Go Go.

"When the Beatles came to the Twin Cities, I had a room one floor below them at some motel in Mpls. I met them, not much talking, but a thrill for me. I was 21 at the time. During their press conference one of our guys (Karnstedt) tossed some issues of our magazine (#2) at the interview table. The boys picked them up and started clowning around with them. Our 3rd issue shows them with our magazine. Kind of cool.

"I left the corporation shortly after this escapade. My partner Bruce Goldstein continued for maybe one more issue. He began selling our list of 10,000 subscribers. I think that he sold the magazine, which was to become InBeat.
 

"Well, lots of memories here. I' m now 64 years old. Have spent my working life as a teacher, social worker, and contractor. Have now lived in San Diego California for the last 30 years."

Thanks, David, for your memories!


Twin City Where was a nationally franchised magazine that published here in about 1966.  Howard Goldenberg was the editor.

Marcia from Marcia and the Lynchmen reports that they were one of the teen bands highlighted in the St. Paul Pioneer Press Pictorial Magazine, June 5, 1966, “Those Teen Bands.” The article was entitled “Behind the Twang of the Guitar” and the text was by Bill Diehl.

DANCE VENUES

Dance and music venues in the Twin Cities and surrounding area included:

The Alps:  801 E.78th Street in Bloomington.  A new (1999) building sits there today. 

Bamboo

The Barn:  494 and County Rd. 18 (now 169).  Phil Kitchen says it started out as the Barn and then became the Purple Barn to sound more psychedelic!  Bruce Glewwe thinks it was farther north than 494. "That whole area was probably farm land then. Went there only once…pretty freaky for a couple 16 year old guys from South St. Paul. The 'black lights' inside scared us off and we didn’t go in. We probably didn’t have the dollar or two it would have cost to enter either."

Bashland: St. Paul dancehall owned by WLOL DJ Throck Morton. House band the String Kings.

The Bel-Rae Ballroom was located at 5394 Edgewood Drive NW in New Brighton. At one time, Tuesday nights featured Michael's Mystics.

Bimbo’s was located at 243 Cedar Ave. - Seven Corners on the West Bank. It’s now the Theater in the Round.

Bloomington Roller Rink

Bobby's:  Lexington and Highway 55 in St. Paul

The Bullpen in Hopkins

The Burnsville Bowl - separate entrance was The Prison

The Cabooze, located at 917 Cedar Ave. on the West Bank.  Still there.

The Cascade 9, located at 829 Hennepin, hosted the Del Counts.

Casino Royale was located in Fridley, just north of Moore Lake on the east side of Hwy 65.  Steve Nelson remembers listening and dancing to Joker's Wild in '68/'69.

Mark Karnowski remembers:  "The Chisago City Community Center was rented by a couple of different promoters in the mid to late '60s. Both 'renamed' the building to suit their purposes. The first group called the location the 'Peppermint Club' (because the building was painted a hideous pink). The other group dubbed the place "The Hideaway." The groups that played their weekly included the Trashmen, Chancellors, T.C. Atlantic, High Spirits, Stillroven, Castaways, etc. The city stopped renting to the promoters because the events were marred by fights and other problems in the parking lot. I cut a deal with one of the promoters and put up flyers and posters in exchange for free admission."

Chubb’s Ballroom was located in Eagle Lake, Minnesota. Advertised in 1959 were “Teen Age Hops” at the Spring Lake Ballroom (west of Prior Lake on Highway 13), featuring the Jolly Musicians.

The Coffeehouse Extempore was on the West Bank.

The Coliseum Ballroom was located at 2708 E. Lake Street. It was built in 1917 and is still there!

Crystal Coliseum

Dania Hall was on the West Bank at 427 Cedar Ave. It was built in 1886 as a community center for the Danish community and hosted many cultural events.  It burned down on February 28, 2000.

Danceland. Excelsior Amusement Park, the site of many a Brookside School picnic and provider of Free Rides for Good Grades, opened on May 30, 1925, the brainchild of Fred W. Pearce, Sr., of Detroit. The streetcar that ran down 44th Street just south of Brookside took passengers from Minneapolis to the Park until 1932, when it was replaced by a bus from Hopkins. Danceland was the former casino from the Tonka Bay Hotel; it was acquired by Excelsior Park in 1928. Starting in 1961 it was run by Ray Colihan, aka "Big Reggie” and featured Big Reggie’s Dance Band.  (The then-rotund Colihan was named after a Reginald Van Gleason skit.) That gave way to “stomp” bands like the Trashmen. Danceland’s license was temporarily suspended from time to time for rowdy behavior: in 1966 the Minneapolis gang the “Suprees” mixed it up with a local with a baseball bat. The pavilion closed for good in 1968, and burned to the ground on July 8, 1973. The Park, still in the Pearce family, closed the weekend after Labor Day, 1973, and the carousel was sold to Valleyfair, which opened on May 25, 1976. The rickety rollercoaster was torn down.  Check out my separate page for the time the Rolling Stones came to Danceland.

Dayton's 1,500-seat 8th Floor Auditorium regularly sponsored dances by local bands.  “Dayton’s Top 10 Club” took place on Saturday afternoons, hosted by DJ Bill Diehl. Bands may have played at Dayton's fashion shows on the 5th floor as well.  Dayton's also sponsored "Youthquake" series of concerts in 1966 that featured national and local talent.

The former Greyhound Bus Station at 29 North 7th Street downtown opened as the Depot, a new rock venue, on April 3 and 4, 1970. An estimated 2300 people came to the club over the first two days to see the Mad Dogs and Englishman tour, featuring Joe Cocker, 30 Englishmen, 2 kids, and a dog. The club featured a wrap-around screen and light show. There was a nominal cost to get in, but there was a $10 charge to sit down, with much poaching of seats going on. The owner was Allan Fingerhut, who had the money, and Danny Stevens of Danny’s Reasons, who had the liquor license. Both "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" and "Purple Rain" were filmed in the facility.  

Perhaps the Depot was a little too popular, and got a reputation of being kind of rough. In 1972 it was franchised out to the American Events Company (AEC) from Cincinnati. In November AEC opened another of its Uncle Sam’s chain of discos. The enormous facility featured “famous movies and slides” for people to watch when the dancing got too dull. It had to be big to accommodate the newly-enfranchised 18-year old drinkers and the advent of Disco in 1976. In 1979 AEC returned the club to Fingerhut, and at this point it may have been called Sam’s Danceteria. Club Manager Steve McClellan started booking live acts in a smaller part of the building that used to be the bus station’s restaurant – this was known as Seventh Street Entry. As the punk era approached in 1980, the live music moved to the big hall and on New Year's Eve 1981, the club became First Avenue.

Eaton's Dude Ranch:  Cedar Ave., 4 miles south of the Minnesota River.   Arthur J. Eaton was the owner of the Roller Garden in St. Louis Park from 1939 to 1957. 

In the liner notes of the Soma anthology, Ira Heilicher recalls hanging out at the 15 Club in St. Louis Park, but as far as anyone can tell, it was not a place but a group of people (men?) who got together, usually at Mr. Q's on Excelsior Blvd.  It's now Zip Printing.

Fifth Dimension:  Mankato

Flamingo Club:  University Ave., St. Paul

The Gables was located at Franklyn and Lyndale – now Rudolph’s.

Gibbon Ballroom

The Grotto Ballroom was located in Winona. Was this the Ghora Kahn Grotto?

Herb's, Lyndale Ave.

Hideaway:  See Chicago City Community Center.  Bruce Glewwe remembers going to the Hideaway "and it was probably the High Spirits playing. The band put lighter fluid on the drums and lit them on fire with black lights and a strobe light flashing. WOW!"

The Hullaballoo Scene in St. Louis Park was the place to go in 1967.  We see in the 1967 City Council minutes that a woman named Mrs. Barbara Jacoby of Wayzata asked for a dance hall permit to operate a teenage night club. She said she held a $17,000 franchise from Teen Clubs International, and was negotiating a lease at 6520 Cambridge Ave. to open a club called “TV’s Hullabaloo Teen Scene,” one of 70 such clubs across the country. It was a tight vote, but the Park Council is always pretty ready to say yes, and it was approved. She said her goal was to be open on May 12, 1967. It must have happened, as the July 2, 1967 TMC Insider announced that "Bob Goffstein of Marsh Productions reports The Sparklers were voted by the Hullabaloo Scene as the Twin Cities most promising band, and that the group will act as a house band for the new St. Louis Park Club." She was approved to operate on a month-to-month basis, at least through October.

Other evidence of the Hullaballoo Scene:  there is an ad for a place with just such a name at 6514 Cambridge in the Robin Hood Days Program in August 1967. Still more evidence is in a tape of the day the Monkees took over KDWB for four hours the day of their concert at the St. Paul Auditorium, August 4, 1967. During the show it was announced that on the following day, admission to the Hullabaloo Scene in St. Louis Park was only 97 cents (plus tax) - and an empty carton of Fresca. City council minutes don't mention the place in 1968 except to say that Mrs. Jacoby owed them money.

Interlaken Ballroom, Farimount

Jewett's Point Ballroom in Faribault was owned by St. Louis Park dentist Irving Posnick.

Jordan Teen Town

The Kato Ballroom was a traditional Midwestern ballroom, located in Mankato.

King Solomon's Mines was located in the Foshay Tower.

The Labor Temple was known for booking national psychedelic acts.

The Lakeside Ballroom was in Glenwood, Minnesota.

The Lion's Den on Faust in Maplewood by Lake Phalen was home to the Deacons. 

The LoKates teen club in North St. Paul was run by Lowell Reiks.

Magoo’s Pizza: next door to Mr. Lucky's.  In 1965, Magoo's had a 21 and over side that featured jazz and a teen side that featured local bands.  Owned by Bob Roosen.
 

Maple Lake Pavillion was across from Maple Lake on Hwy 55 in Maple Lake, Minn. Owned and operated by Kay Schue.  It's now Maple Lake Antiques.

The Marian Ballroom in Bloomington showcased the High Spirits, Chancellors, Underbeats, Accents, and Gregory Dee and the Avanties, among others.

The Marigold Ballroom was at 1336 Nicollet. 1965 ad:  "Hey! It's Upbeat!  Dance every Friday nite at the Marigold Ballroom to top local and national groups."  The Marigold Ballroom was the site of many acts that R&B station KUXL brought in.  The venue held up to 5,000 people. 

The Marquee Lounge, located in Spirit Lake, Iowa, was run by Tom Brown, late of the band the Gas Company.

The Meadowbrook Roadhouse was in New Brighton.

The Medina Ballroom was built in 1956 by brothers Bob, Cliff, and Joe Raskob (along with friend Norm Vansion) near their home. The Raskobs saw a need for a place to dance in Western Hennepin County. The entertainment complex also included a bowling alley. In 1959 it was advertised as the “new Medina Ballroom” featuring a Teen Age Dance. Also playing was Whoopie John. In 1961, the Rock-o-Tones played at the Teen Age Dance. On June 17, 1974, the facility burned to the ground, killing two including the daughter of an owner. It was rebuilt, and remains in the family to this day.

The Minneapolis Auditorium was demolished in 1989.

Mr. Lucky's: 2935 Nicollet at Lake.  "Home of the '65 Swingables"  Opened in December 1962 as the only local night club devoted exclusively to teenagers.  In 1965 it was open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons.  In 1966 it and neighboring Magoo’s Pizza were owned by Bob Roosen.

Mr. Nib’s was at 2609 – 26th Ave. So. in Minneapolis.

More Down Stairs, located at Fifth and Hennepin, was the showcase for Danny’s Reasons in 1968.

The Monterrey Ballroom in Owatonna was owned by St. Louis Park dentist Irving Posnick.

Myrt’s Café opened at Minnetonka Blvd. and Dakota in St. Louis Park in 1957, catering to the teen-age trade. It was run by Mr. and Mrs. Truman Hedwell. It created some controversy as to whether the police were enforcing the law (re: drinking, smoking, curfew) even handedly at Myrt’s.

The New City Opera House was located at 29th and Nicollet, next door to Magoo’s Pizza Parlor. In 1968, New City was advertised as “The Upper Midwest’s only Psychedelic House of Rock!” and “Minnesota’s Own Electric Circus.”

The New Munich Ballroom was one of many small town venues, this one located 30 miles north of St. Cloud.

The Office Lounge at 217 South 6th Street featured Gary Nielsen and the Night-Caps. It was a 21 or older venue.

Pappa Joe's A-Go-Go was in Minneapolis in 1966.

Peppermint Club:  See Chicago City Community Center

Pink Pussycat:  1331 Hennepin Ave.

The Pla-Mor Ballroom was in Glencoe.

Playmore Ballroom was in Rochester.

The Prison was at the Burnsville Bowl.  Bruce Glewwe:  "Also went to the Prison a number of times. There was a band there I think called Show Time. Their sets would start with the white guys playing probably a Temptations song and then the 'cool' black guys would stroll in and join the band and sing a dance song that would fill the floor."

The Prom Ballroom was at 1190 University in St. Paul.  Glenn Miller and his Orchestra played the grand opening in 1941, to be followed by other well-known artists including Count Basie, and Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Swing, polka, jazz, and rock n' roll groups played the space, spanning such diverse musical acts from Lawrence Welk to Buddy Holly and Crickets, to The Police. The house orchestra was the Jules Herman Orchestra.  The Prom offered a 9000 square foot hard maple floor. Small booths and tables ringed the edge, where dancers could rest and order food. The ballroom was torn down in 1987 and a fitness center occupies the former location on University Ave.

The photo on the right is from October 1958,  at some Oktoberfest no doubt, but it does give a peek inside

Pudge’s was located at 2155 Ford Parkway in St. Paul.

The Purple Barn:  see the Barn.

The Purple Cigar, which was apparently the successor to the Hullaballoo Teen Scene, listed at 6514 Cambridge in St. Louis Park.   The club was owned by Arnie Sagarski, hence the name. We know that a teen dance (ages 16-20) was held at the "purple playground" as a part of Robin Hood Days in August 1967. For $1.50 you could dance to the Stillroven, and free records were offered for “the first 200 swingers.” Permission to hold "dances" had to be obtained from the City Council, which granted them on a month-to-month basis.  Neighbors from along Cambridge came to protest. The first mention in the City Council minutes comes in January 1968.  In March they were approved through June, but they had to have at least five Hennepin County Sheriffs on duty.  Sagarski was looking for an alternate site.  Renewal of the permit may have been due to the testimony of Victor Olson, Youth Director of Westwood Hills Lutheran Church, who said that Sagarski was doing a good job of operating the club.

From Johnny Canton: 

Arnie Sagarsky asked Scott Burton and myself if we could obtain some record talent for a show at Purple Cigar. I came up with Strawberry Alarm Clock ("Incense & Peppermints") and, if memory serves me, 5 Americans ("Western Union"). Even though it was heavily promoted on-air, the show bombed! Scott and I emceed.

From Ben Wilson:

The Purple Cigar and its predecessor were indeed located on Cambridge St. in a (then) white industrial-type building.  If no one has yet written you about this, I'm surprised, as the places were packed. All the big local acts catering to teens played there, including St. Louis Park's own High Spirits. The Litter used to smash their instruments at the end of each performance...   I always thought they should just give them to me instead, and wondered how they made a living that way.  Don't recall how many nights a week they were open, but certainly Fri. and Sat. and maybe some weeknights, especially in summer. The kids were pretty well-behaved...don't recall fights and the like. They may have come with a few beers in their bellies, but don't recall dope-dealing, at least in '67.  Didn't go there as often in '68. Never had real good luck cruising the place, but the music was great and the club was well-attended.

I believe Mr. Sagarski also ran the legendary teen club at 770 E. 7th St. in St. Paul, the name of which eludes me.  Or the SLP owner may have been his son. The older gent was a grandfatherly type, but one knew he must have been rather wordly to be running some of the hippest local venues of the time. Very friendly man, short and rotund, low-key but fearless.

Today, the closest thing to 6520 or 6514 Cambridge is 6530 Cambridge, an industrial and commercial building it the heart of Skunk Hollow, at the end of the street at Edgewood.  The building was built in 1959.  Here's what it looked like in 1960, courtesy of the City Tax Assessor:



NB: Morton Kaufman and Leo Fine, owners of Park Music Center at 7200 Minnetonka Blvd., voiced their disappointment that a permit was issued to an “outsider,” as they had tried without success to find a place to launch their own teen club.

River Road Club:  Mendota

The Roller Garden, located at 5622 West Lake Street in St. Louis Park, started life in 1930 as an arena built for horse shows.  In mid-1943, Arthur Eaton installed a wooden floor and added roller skating to the offerings at the arena. In 1946, the facility was called the Pastime Arena Roller Rink – “One of the world’s largest rinks” – Music by Tommy Arsenault. Eaton sold the arena in 1957. The 1964 directory referred to it as just the Roller Garden, and the facility became a part time rock ‘n’ roll dance to venue. In 1969, the building was purchased by current owner, Bill Sahly.

The Royal Court at the King's Inn (Excelsior Blvd. and Highway 100 in St. Louis Park) offered live entertainment.  A duo called the Quasi Kinship performed there in August 1969.

The Rusty Nail was in Crystal.

Ryan's Ballroom

Owen Husney of the High Spirits remembers that "St. Louis Park High School also had music. I first saw Koerner, Ray, and Glover there in '63 in the auditorium.. The Chancellors, High Spirits, Novas, etc. all played dances there on Friday nights. It was the place to play."

St. Paul Civic Center had both a theater and an auditorium.  One source indicates that it operated for 25 years, from 1973 to 1998.  It was demolished in April 1998 to make way for a new hockey arena. 

The Safari Club was on West 7th Street in St. Paul. [2 miles east of the Mendota Bridge on Highway 55].  It was a young adult club on Thursday to Saturday nights. 

Schlief's, Little City in West St. Paul

Seventh Street Rec was located in St. Paul. Open Friday and Saturday night, ages 16-20

Showboat – Lake Benton – owned by Jimmy Thomas

Someplace Else was located 'aha! In Robbinsdale.

Coffeehouses and other folkie hangouts were prolific as well, the most famous of which was the Ten O’ Clock Scholar in Dinkeytown, where Bob Dylan played for awhile early in his career. In a shrewd business move, the place was torn down to be replaced with a Red Barn burger joint, but they probably didn't make any money because the folkies boycotted and picketed. It is now a Burger King.

Terp Ballroom was located in Austin.
 

Tower Ballroom, Austin.

Tri-Angle Bar was on the West Bank.

Uncle Sam’s: see Depot

Vincent Van Go Go?  Really?  Supposedly in Minneapolis.

Wakota Arena in South St. Paul was the venue for the 1967 dance featuring nominees of the first annual Connie Awards.

Whisky a Go Go was an over 21 spot located at 435 St. Peter in St. Paul.

The Whole Coffee House was in Coffman Union at the U of M.

Windom Armory

YES Club in White Bear Lake (teen club)
 
LOCAL DISK JOCKEYS OF THE 1950s AND 60s

Herb Oscar Anderson - WDGY
Mark Anderson – KDWB
Preacher Paul Anthony (Ralph Hull) - KUXL, KDWB
Bill Armstrong - WDGY
Prime Minister Billy G. - KUXL
Sam Babcock - WDGY
Catman Tom Barnard - WDGY
Tal Bartell - WYOO
Bob Berglund - WDGY
Art Blaske – news – KDWB, WDGY
True Don Bleu – KDWB
Benny Blore - KDWB
Chuck Blore - KDWB
Gary Bridges - WDGY
Jerry Brooke - KDWB, WYOO
Charlee Brown - KDWB
Chuck Buell – KDWB
Scott Burton - WDGY
Charlie Bush - KSTP
Johnny Canton – WDGY from 1966-77
Scott Carpenter - WWTC
Captain Billy - WYOO
Bob Chase - WYOO
Bob Christie (Jim Larkin) - KRSI
Steve Cochran - KDWB
Randy Cook – KDWB
B.J. Crocker - WWTC
Evan Curfew (Curt Lundgren) - KUXL
Dan Daniel – WDGY
Jim Dandy (Jim Everts) – WDGY
Bobby Davis - KDWB
Bob Dayton - WDGY
Gary DeMaroney - WYOO
Bill Diehl – WDGY, WCCO
Johnny Dollar - WDGY
Michael J. Douglas - KDWB, WYOO
Dick Driscoll – WDGY ("Dracula"), WWTC, KLBB
Don Duchene - KDWB
Paul Evans (Curt Lundgren) - WMIN, KYMN (Northfield)
John Farrell - WDGY
Arne Fogel –WWTC
Charlie Fox - KDWB
Bob Friend – KDWB
Steve Gibbons/Steel - WYOO
Tony Glover - KDWB
Jo Jo Gunne - WYOO
Smokin' Joe Hager - KDWB
Sammy Hale - WDGY
Brother Bob Hall - WYOO
Dick Halvorson - KDWB
Dan Halyburton - WDGY
Lance “Tac” Hammer – KDWB (66-69), KRSI (69-74), KQRS (1974), WLOL-FM
Dick Harris - KDWB
Paul Hedberg – KDWB
Dean Johnson - KDWB
Red Jones - WDGY
T. Michael Jordan - KDWB
Don Kelly – WLOL, WDGY
Mesa "The Fox That Rocks" Kincaid - WYOO

Chuck Knapp - KSTP
Kevin Kollins - KDWB
Scott Kramer - KDWB
Bill Lake - WYOO
“Bullet” Bob Lange - KDWB
Jim Larkin – KRSI
Gene Leader - WDGY
Denny Long – KRSI, music director at WCCO
Curt Lundgren - WCCO FM, WCCO AM (see Paul Evans and Evan Curfew)
Mike McCormick - WDGY
Pat McKay - WYOO
Barry McKinna (Siewart) – KDWB
Stanley Mack – WDGY
Mike McCormick - WDGY
Doug MacKinnon - WYOO
Donald K. Martin – WDGY, KDWB
Peter Huntington “Hookshot” May – WDGY, KDWB, WCCO-FM - also produced and managed Stillroven)
King Michael – WDGY

Ken Mills - KRSI-FM, WCCO-FM
Chucker Morgan - WYOO
Throck Morton – WLOL
Hal Murray – KDWB
Adam North - (nee Edward Van Cleve, Ph.D.) KDWB, KRSI
James Francis Patrick “Professor” O’Neill – KDWB
“Sweet Michael” O’Shea - WYOO
Lorrin Palagi - KDWB
Steve Perrun - KDWB, U100, KSTP
Rod Person – KRSI
Carl Peterson - WLOL
Brad Piras - WWTC
Ted Randal - KDWB
Hal Raymond - WDGY

Jimmy Reed – KRSI, WDGY.   Probably from a St. Louis Park High School Echo:  Jimmy Rud was from St. Louis Park and went to Brookside School. He got his inspiration to pursue broadcasting when Bud Kraehling came for career day. He got the idea for his double entendres from Laugh-In; it was so successful he was hired from KRSI to WDGY.

Jack Reynolds (nee Reyelts) - KRSI
"Loveable" Lou Riegert - KDWB
Jeff "Mother" Robbins - WYOO
“Ugly” Del Roberts - KDWB, WWTC
Chris Roberts – KDWB aka Harley Worthit, Lord Douglas
Ron the Rajah of R&B (Ron Samuels) - KUXL
Nancy Rosen - KQRS, WWTC
Jackson Ross – KDWB
Mike “Records” Ryan - WWTC
Jerry St. James - WYOO
Perry St. John – WDGY
Harry Scarbourough - WDGY, KQRS
John Sebastian - KDWB
Mike Segal - KDWB
Barry Siewert - KDWB as Barry McKinna, KQQL
Bob Shannon - KDWB
Rob Sherwood - WDGY, KDWB, WYOO
Sam Sherwood – KDWB
Bob Smith - KUXL
Art Snow - WYOO
Gary Stephens - KDWB
Rick Stephenson - WDGY
Scott Stevens – KDWB, WWTC

Jim Stokes - KRSI
Dave Thomson - KDWB
Earl Trout - KDWB
“Cheerful Charlie” Van Dyke – WDGY
Fat Daddy Washington (Art Hoehn) - KUXL
Lou Waters (nee Riegert) – KDWB
Art Way - KDWB
Bobby Wayne – KDWB

Bob White (nee Montgomery) - KRSI
Bobby Wilde - KDWB
Wolfman Jack (Bob Smith) - KUXL
Tom Wynn – WLOL, WDGY, KRSI
Dr. George Young - WDGY
 

LOCAL ROCK 'N' ROLL STATIONS

This is just a summary - see Twin Cities Radio Timeline for more info:

WLOL

WLOL was the Rock 'n' Roll station in the mid '50s.  They were out of the market by the mid '60s. Located at 1330 AM

KUXL

On December 16, 1964, KUXL, 1570 am, changed its religious format to Rhythm and Blues  The station sponsored dances at the Marigold Ballroom, and brought in the likes of Ike and Tina Turner, the Four Tops, BB King, Solomon Burke, Chuck Jackson, the Temptations, Jimmy Reed, Jr. Walker, the Impressions, and Fats Domino.  In the mid-1960s, the station was operated by Marvin Kosofsky, who hired Bob Smith (a.k.a. Wolfman Jack), who relocated from Del Rio, Texas, to run the station. Also at KUXL at this time were Art Hoehn (a.k.a. Fat Daddy Washington) and former KDWB personality Ralph Hull (a.k.a. Preacher Paul Anthony and The Nazz). It was this trio of broadcasters who took control of "border blaster" station XERB 1090, in Baja California, in 1965. They operated the "Big X" from Minneapolis initially, then relocated to Southern California in 1966.  KUXL went to all religious programming in the 1970s.  The call letters of KUXL changed to KYCR in 1988.  (From Wikipedia)

WMIN

WMIN played rock 'n' roll in the 1950s, but adopted an all news format in mid-July 1962. In November, call letters were changed to KWTN. They were changed back the following August.  In 1967 it took on the country music format it had dabbled with since 1964. In 1972, WMIN changed its call letters to KEEY, discontinued its country format, and began playing “Beautiful Music." In 1982 the call letters were changed once again, to KLBB.

WDGY

Optometrist George W. Young started a radio station in 1923 at 1130 AM.  In August 1927, WDGY’s transmitter was moved to Superior Blvd. and Falvey Cross Road [Wayzata Blvd. and Louisiana] in St. Louis Park. This was on the grounds of the U.S. Silver Fox Farm, at the very northern border of the Village. In late 1935 a new non-directional 226 Truscan Steel Vertical Radiator (tower) was erected at the site. In 1949, the station moved its transmitter and studio to a new multi-tower array at 102nd and Bloomington Freeway in Bloomington.

Todd Storz (Mid-Continent) purchased WDGY on Feburary 6, 1956. It was at this point that the station adopted the “Top 40” format that characterized Storz stations. (Storz died in 1964 at age 39.)  “Wonderful WeeGee,” home of the "boss jocks" like Johnny Canton, hit its stride in the ‘60s, competing neck and neck with KDWB. WeeGee tended to be a little more conservative than KD – reportedly even their staff wore suits and ties, but that has been disputed. 

In the fall of 1977 the station changed its format to country, announcing the end of an era.

KDWB

The precursor to KDWB was founded in 1949 by the three Tedesco brothers in South St. Paul. One brother wanted to call it WPIG, another protested the barnyard connotation, but the third prevailed with WCOW. This was appropriate, since they played hillbilly music. The station was renamed WISK in 1957, and in 1958 it was moved to 630 kc (“Channel 63”). But the station was not exactly viable, and was sold to Crowell-Collier, owner of the legendary KFWB in Los Angeles. In 1961, when the KFWB was having labor trouble, the owner shipped some Minnesota DJ’s to LA to cover. Chuck Blore was Crowell-Collier’s national program director, and ran a disc jockey school that the DJ’s at KDWB attended.

KDWB, “the Good Guys,” went on the air on October 1, 1959 as a top 40 station. Don French was the first Program Director. John McCrae was the first General Manager, and original DJ Sam Sherwood held that position throughout the '60s. The FCC required that the station identify itself as “KDWB – Lake Elmo, also occasionally serving Minneapolis and St. Paul.”

Congress amended the FCC Act in September 1960 to provide penalties short of license revocation for violations of FCC rules. The first station in the country to receive disciplinary action was KDWB. The Twin Cities rock’n’roll station was fined in March 1961 for exceeding its authorized power in nighttime operations. Although authorized for only 500 watts from midnight to 4am, it had been broadcasting at full 5,000 watt strength since it went on the air in 1959.

The station's catch phrase was "KDWB-63 - That's easy to remember."  It had lots of crazy promotions, like the time Charlee Brown sat on a flagpole for 21 days at the corner of 9th and the Nicollet Mall. Brown also styled himself as the Emperor and threatened to take over the State of Wisconsin. A contest yielded the world's biggest Christmas Cookie, which was delivered in the back of a pickup truck and featured on the Tonight Show. The station was innovative in its promotions, had legendary DJs, features like Solid Gold Weekends, and at least two airings of "The History of Rock 'n' Roll," an all-encompassing "rockumentary."

In the July 2, 1967 edition of the TMC Insider, we learn that "KDWB went off the air last Friday when a 50-foot tower was blown down and fell on top of the station's studios.  As the tower hit, a light fixture fell and narrowly missed Bob Morgan, who was on the air talking about the weather." 

On August 13, 1968, KDWB started programming "underground music" from midnight to 5 am.

On November 30, 1969, fire spread through the KDWB studio, shutting it down for two days. See Rob Sherwood's blog for the whole story.

KRSI

KRSI Radio (“Request Station Inc.”) was located at 4500 Excelsior Blvd. in St. Louis Park from 1957 to October 1972. Its two towers were located in Eden prairie. It was owned by Radio Suburbia, which was a subsidiary of Red Owl Stores, Inc., thus the call letters.  Here's a story from Jim Stokes:  "KRSI originated Red Owl Stores 'storecast' from their transmitter on what is called 'subcarrier.' You can look it up. It’s complex. So they had to have an engineer on duty at the KRSI transmitter to change the store announcements that interrupted the music. The music ran a slow speed on gigantic tape reels. The music was my kind of music, actually—other than classical music. It was Percy Faith type music. So if you went into a Red Owl store to shop, there would be a voice saying something like, 'Want to perk up family meals. Try some Red Owl green beans.' {blah blah)"

In 1964-65 the station was playing "Memory Music."  The request line was started in February 1968, with oldies – and not just the same old ones - being their mainstay. Every sixth song was current. This station was pretty freewheeling and one could hear Jimmy Dean in the same breath as the Supremes. An ad in the June 14, 1969 TV Digest pictures Tac Hammer, Rick Easton, Anthony Gee, Jim Reed, and Don Shore.  They look really young.  In 1971 the station moved away from the oldies and more toward the current music. In March 1973 the station became the first affiliate of Drake-Chenault’s automated “Great American Country” format and the studio moved out to Eden Prairie.

Jeff Lonto:  "AM station (950) was KRSI from the time they went on the air until January 1986. In their last year on the air they brought back Request Radio after a long secession of format changes.  The ratings started to go up and so ownership and management had the bright idea of pulling the plug on the whole thing, changing the calls to KJJO-AM, and simulcasting FM sister station KJJO-FM (104.1). KRSI personalities in their second Request Radio stint from 1985-86 included Don Thompson, Jerry Anderson, Mike Records Ryan, Ray Walby and Bill Hutchinson."  The AM station was never called KFMX.

"FM station (104.1) was KRSI-FM from 1962 or so until 1974. It was KFMX from 1974 to 1980, KRSI-FM again from 1980-1981 and then KJJO-FM from 1981 until the mid-90s.  After that they've changed calls as often as formats and that's pretty frequent."

LOL wins Mustang, 1966

 

KQRS

KQ 92.5 FM didn’t start out to be a rock station- more like beautiful music, but in 1967 it made its first foray with its “Night Watch” program, broadcasting R&B, jazz, and psychedelic sounds from midnight to 5 am. John Tollefson was at the controls in 1968.  By the end of the year, the entire station went over to free-form/progressive rock.  The station is now the premiere Classic Rock station in town.

WYOO/U100

Originally staid WPBC, from 1972-74, the station at 980 AM played oldies as WYOO.  In 1974, the format became "boogie," with KDWB alumnus Rob Sherwood heading up a wild and crazy format as U100.  Sherwood and the rest were at their antic best, cooking up contests and announcing test answers to kids.  Be sure to read the story of this station, written by Jeff Lonto.  Also check out airchecks from the station.

KSTP-AM

Jeff Lonto:  Regarding KSTP as a rock station, they had been a "middle-of-the-road" music station for years, also carrying NBC news and NBC's "Monitor" on weekends. Steve Cannon was one of their personalities in their pre-rock era. In the summer of 1973 they entered the top-40 competition with Chuck Knapp and Charlie Bush in the morning, Machine Gun Kelly and others. The slogan was "15 KSTP--THE MUSIC STATION." John Hines replaced Knapp a few years later, and Rob Sherwood didn't go over there until 1976, after U100 was sold. He stayed until February 1978. The station started changing around the fall of 1979 when they went to more soft pop, and they also picked up Bob Allard's and Larry King's talk shows in the late evening. Soon they added Monday Night Sports Talk with Reusse and Soucheray but continued to play music until news and talk completely took over in August 1981. So the switch to talk was gradual over two years.

WRCR

The Twin City a' Go Go January 1966 issue mentioned this station (1010) and its DJs:   Dean Alexander, Dave Charles, Will Grassman, Myrna Jean, Oliver Towne, Don Riley, Bob Leonard, and Charles Conrad.  Jeff Lonto provides this info:  "The station became WJSW "Polka Power" around 1969, and they picked up the WMIN calls in November 1973 after being dropped a year earlier by 1400 AM. I actually have a WRCR pinback button that says 'I'M A TEN-TEN TUNER WRCR 10-10 ST. PAUL, MINN.'"

Aircheck sites:

http://radiotapes.com/

http://www.twincitiesradioairchecks.com/
http://www.reelradio.com/af/index.html#twwdgy61

MID-AMERICA MUSIC HALL OF FAME

Doug Spartz and his group have created the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame (formerly the Minnesota Rock/Country Hall of Fame) to recognize local artists and national artists with Minnesota ties. In addition to the annual induction ceremonies, which feature live reunion performances of the honorees, the Hall of Fame has put out eight volumes of local music called “Rockin’ Your Socks Off!” The following is a listing of the acts and industry pioneers so honored: (there was no ceremony in 2009)

Adris Wells Ranch Pals - 2005
Mary Jane Alm - 2007
Amazers - 2008
Casey Anderson - 2008
Liz Anderson - 2008
Lynn Anderson - 2008
Andrews Sisters – 2006
Cleo Bee - 2007
Eddie Berger - 2007
Blackwood Apology - 2007
Blood on the Tracks Studio Band - 2005
Dave Brady and the Stars - 2007
Mojo Buford - 2005
C.A. Quintet - 2008
Canoise - 2005
Paulette Carlson - 2007
Chuck Carson - 2005
Castaways – 2005
Baby Doo Caston – 2006
Chancellors - 2008
Charms - 2007
City Mouse - 2007
Eddie Cochran - 2006
Crow – 2005
Curtis A - 2008
Daisy Dillman Band - 2006
Jimmy Wells and the Dakota Roundup - 2005
DeZurik Sisters
Dave Dudley - 2004
Dee Jay and the Runaways - 2004
Del Counts - 2006
Doc Holliday Band - 2008
Dr. Mamb's Combo -2008
Bob Dylan
Jonathan Edwards – 2006
Epicurians - 2005
Art Essery - 2007
Fendermen - 2005
Maury Finney - 2007
Flamin' Oh's - 2007
Arne Fogel- 2008
Billy Folger - 2006
Don Robert Formanek - 2008
Free and Easy - 2008
Augie Garcia - 2005
Gestures - 2007
Jordan Gish - 2008
Mike Gleiden and the Rhythm Kings - 2008
Barry Thomas Goldberg - 2008
Jim Greenwell - 2008
Gregory Dee and the Avanties – 2006
Gypsy - 2007
Steve Hall and Shotgun Red - 2006
Amos Heilicher – 2006
High Noon - 2008
High Spirits - 2006
Hill-Dillies - 2005
Ken Horst - 2008
Hot Half Dozen – 2006
Houle Brothers - 2006
Barb Huber – 2006
Ipso Facto - 2008
Slim Jim Iverson - 2005
Johnny Green and the Greenmen - 2004
Michael Johnson - 2008
Red Johnson - 2005
Phyllis Jones - 2007
The Judd Group - 2008
Kan Dells - 2008
Killer Hayseeds - 2007
KSTP Barndance - 2004
Peter Lang - 2008
Jerry Lemire - 2008
Sherwin Linton - 2004
Lipps, Inc. - 2007
Litter - 2007
Jim Lopezio - 2007
Mary Macgregor - 2008
Magpies - 2007
Carole Martin - 2008
Marvelous Marauders - 2005
Kim Martin - 2007
Dale Menten - 2008
Middle Spunk Creek Boys -2007
Joey Molland - 2007
More-Tishians - 2008
Dennis Morgan - 2007
Willie Murphy - 1008
Mystics - 2006
North Sisters - 2005
Northern Light - 2007
Novas - 2007
Alex Parenteau and Silver Wings - 2007
Parrish Brothers – 2006
Passage - 2007
Gary Paulak - 2008
Peterson Family - 2008
Platte Valley Boys - 2007
Marvin Rainwater - 2004
Renowns - 2005
Rio Nido Band - 2007
Rockin' Hollywoods - 2007
Sonny Rodgers - 2007
Charlie Ryan - 2005
Betty Rydell – 2006
Marilyn Sellars - 2004
Shadows - 2005
Kenny Schossow - 2008
Dick Shapiro - 2008
Shaw Allen Shaw - 2006
Showtime I and II - 2008
Sky Blue Water Boys - 2005
Big Walter Smith – 2006
Stagebrush – 2006
Jan Stark – 2006
Peter Steinberg - 2008
Bob and Dale Strength - 2008
Texas Bill Strength - 2006
Suicide Commandos – 2006
Joe Sun - 2005
Titans - 2004
Tommy Lee and the Orbits – 2004
Tornados - 2004
Trashmen - 2004
Unbelievable Uglies - 2004
Underbeats - 2004
Bobby Vee - 2004
Larry Verne - 2006
John Voit - 2004
Mike Waggoner and the Bops - 2008
Willie Walker - 20008
Westbound - 2008
Johnny Western - 2006
Whiskey River - 2008
Irv Williams - 2008
Jo Jo Williams - 2006
Steve Wroe and the Furys
David Z - 2008
Keith Zeller - 2008


INDIVIDUAL PAGES

Very occasionally, if there is a critical mass of information, I create a separate page for a person, place or things.  Many of them have connections to St. Louis Park.  Here are links to those pages:

Beatles in Minneapolis

Chancellors

Bill Diehl

High Spirits

Peter Himmelman

Dan Israel

Judd Group

Timothy D. Kehr

Rivkin Brothers

Rolling Stones at Danceland

Barry Siewert (McKinna)