Church Mouse Enjoyed Our Blog!

 

Saturday, September 24, 2011

ChurchMouse, from Britain, Likes Moline Memories

churchmousec (http://churchmousec.wordpress.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Moline Memories - MHS 66 Friends: Mike Collins - O...":

What a great blog -- hope you keep Moline Memories going after reunion. Have only tuned in today ...

Enjoy your 45th reunion. Have a great time next weekend!

Churchmouse

Larry Easter - MHS 1966 - Was Gifted in Music.Christine and I Enjoyed Larry's Visit in Phoenix

 

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Linn County - Larry Easter - Iowa Rock N Roll Hall of Fame

Larry Easter is in the upper left corner.

Larry Easter achieved some fame in Linn County. They received an award not too long ago. The story is posted below.

Here is a link to their music.

Wikipedia.

Album cover.

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Iowa Rock N Roll

The Prophets/Linn County

Inducted Members:	Stephen Miller, Dino Long, Fred Walk, Larry Easter, Al Hendricks, Ron DeWitte, Perry Welsh, Tommy(T-Bone)Giblin, Ed Adkins, Tom Krejci, John Cabalka, Bob Miskimen, Joe Eberline,Clark Pierson and Jerry(Snake) McAndrew
Home Town:	Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Linn County had its roots in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with Danceland and Armar Ballrooms providing a meeting place for musicians.

Linn County emerged out of groups such as the Bopcats with Floyd (Al) Hendricks, Kenny Thompson and Bob Schloss. Kenny formed the Prophets with Stephen Miller (keyboards) of Cedar Rapids, Ron Lustic (reeds) also of Cedar Rapids and Jerry (Snake) McAndrew (drums) from Chicago in the early mid-sixties. Eventually, Kenny became the manager, Ron left and Fred Walk (guitar), of Webster, Ia., who had also played in a group with Floyd Hendricks, and Bob Miskimen (Bass) were added. Soon, Larry Easter (reeds) of Davenport, Ia. joined the group.

The Prophets played primarily R&B and Rock in clubs around the Midwest, working out of the Twilight Room and the Cougar Lounge in Cedar Rapids, Jimmy’s Lounge in Waterloo, as well as many ballroom, College and University dates. During this time, Bob Miskimen left and was replaced by Dino Long of Spencer, Ia.

The group then moved to Chicago, changed its name to the Linn County Blues Band, since all of the members had played in Cedar Rapids at some time. They soon became the house band at the famous Mother Blues club on Wells Street, following the path of Spanky and Our Gang and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band while sharing the stage with Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Howling Wolf, James Cotton, and many others.

John Cabalka, a friend and artist from Cedar Rapids, who was working in Chicago for Mercury Records, assumed the role of manager with Ed Adkins of Cedar Rapids as road manager. The band signed with Dunwich Records of Chicago and were working on an LP at Chess Studios when Mercury discovered them, bought their contract, and signed them. Mercury asked them to shorten the name to Linn County to avoid the stigma, at that time, of being type-casted as a blues band.

Mercury then moved the band from Chicago to San Francisco to live and record.

Jerry McAndrew left the group and Clark Pierson was added. Linn County was the only band with Iowa roots to play such venues as The Avalon Ballroom, Fillmore West, The Matrix, (San Francisco) The Bank (Los Angeles) Thee Experience (Hollywood) Fillmore East & The Scene, (New York City) The Grande Ballroom (Detroit) as well as clubs and concert venues in Montreal, Cleveland, Chicago, Sacramento, and Pittsburgh etc. Linn County, to this date, also signed the highest paying recording contract of any group from Iowa: the group was paid approximately $50,000.00 to sign with Mercury Records – an enormous sum in the mid ‘60’s when most groups had to pay the record company in order to record!

After three albums recorded in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, a solo album by Stephen, and extensive touring in the early 70’s Stephen left the band to record and tour with Elvin Bishop. Clark recorded and toured with Janis Joplin and the remainder of the Linn County tried different combinations of personnel and played around the California area until the band briefly dissolved in the early 70’s.

Stephen Miller moved to the Lisbon, Ia. in 1974 and reformed Linn County with Ron Dewitte (guitar) Perry Welsh (mouth harp) Johnny (Ace) Acerno (bass) Joe Eberline (later replaced by Walter Salwitz) on drums. Tom Krejci, a Cedar Rapids entrepreneur, assumed manager duties. Later, Stephen left to tour and record with Grinderswitch on Capricorn Records and Tommy Giblin, another Cedar Rapidian (organ) was added. This group played extensively in the Cedar Rapids- Iowa City area as well as major cities in the Midwest with great success and popularity. Linn County finally disbanded in 1977.

Many of the members of Linn County have continued to play, write and record with other groups. All the members were part of a very unique band that had an impact on many musicians and fans from the middle sixties until the mid- seventies across the USA and Canada.

February 3rd - The Day the Music Died: Davenport Was Part of the Tour

 

Sunday, January 31, 2010

February 3rd - The Day the Music Died:
Davenport Was Part of the Tour

On February 3rd, 1959, a small plane took off in a winter storm and crashed immediately, killing Buddy Holly, J. P. Richardson (The Big Bopper), Ritchie Valens, and the pilot.

On a Winter Dance Tour, their last concert was at Clear Lake, Iowa, near Mason City, hometown of the Music Man, Meredith Wilson.

Holly's early death was especially tragic, because he was a musical pioneer with great talent and a young wife. She was expecting but lost the child.

Don McLean coined the term the day the music died in his song "American Pie." The song became a perennial hit, encouraging the fad of inexplicable lyrics. One attempt to decode the song is located here.

Holly's songs are classic pop, simple and evocative.

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Dave Coopman has left a new comment on your post "February 3rd - The Day the Music Died":

The Winter Dance Tour played the Capitol Theater in Davenport on January 29, 1959. It was sponsored by KSTT, and for this appearance it was called the Concert of Stars, since it was the only venue where dancing could not take place. There was an ice storm in the Quint Cities that night, but the show was still sold out.

Strangely, no pictures of that night have ever turned up. There must be some somewhere.

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https://fiftiesweb.com/music/crash-report/

Proud of Our Town and Our Veterans

 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Proud of Our Town and Our Veterans

Kathy Wilcox Kapetanakis provided the Norton prints.
This is the Arsenal Clock Tower.

In reading over many biographies from our class I was struck by how many served in the military, some as a career, and worked at the Arsenal.

Many classmates are posting photos of their family members who served. The photo below expresses thoughts of many about those who were lost in warfare.

Garfield Gashouse Gang

 

Garfield Gashouse Gang

Front row from left: Jeff Hall, George Small, unknown girl, unknown boy, unknown girl, Steve Hall, Linda Wiley, Greg Jackson. Middle row: Kathleen Wilcox, unknown boy, Mary Gail Laverenz, Perry Hobart, unknown girl, unknown boy, unknown girl, Billy Black. Back row: Ann Pascall, Carol Murrell, PhD, Greg Keller, Jane Rosborough, Terry Carlson, unknown girl, unknown girl, Ann Rizor I think, Sally Swanson. Corrections are welcome, including spelling.

Mr. McAllister, at John Deere Junior High, called us the Garfield Gashouse Gang. He said we were not like any other grade school kids going into junior high. We had a unity and spirit that drew us together.

Three of us, all friends, went to Yale. Larry Eyre went to Yale College and Yale Divinity. I went to Yale Divinity. Ann Johnson went to the Yale School of Music. At our 40th reunion she was playing music in Germany.*

Bruce Johnson and Larry Eyre seemed to clean up the awards when graduating from Moline High School.

My mother taught at Garfield for many years. She said our class was one of the smartest she ever taught. She meant the whole cohort - three sixth grade classes that year. She had one. Miss Maynard had one. Liz Copeland's mother, Mary, had the other class.

Mrs. Hallie Emory was one of our fifth grade teachers. She was strict, organized, and a great teacher. One basilisk stare from her could paralyze anyone. She made it clear that physical punishment was always an option. She liked to pinch the trapezius muscle, as debilitating as the future Vulcan death-grip.

We had wonderful teachers at Garfield: Mrs. McMillen, Mrs. Parks, Mrs. Woods, Mrs. Emory. One was famous for her great singing voice (name?). My mother was enormously popular with students and parents, especially those parents whose children changed under her discipline. She preferred the knuckle-knock on the head, seldom used but always effective.

When one student spit at another student, my mother said, "Spit on my hand." He said, "Why?" She said, "Nevermind, spit." She got a good handful and rubbed it all over his face. The same student (name withheld) said, more than 40 years later: "Write a book about your mother. She was a remarkable teacher."

*"After graduating from Yale, Charles Deere Wiman returned to Moline to take over the reins of Deere & Company from his uncle, William Butterworth."

Leave It To Beaver

 

Leave It To Beaver

Eddie Haskel, Beaver Cleaver, Wally Cleaver
Ken Osmond, Jerry Mathers, Tony Dow
1957 - 1963


This show has endured because of its classic situations, based on the experiences of the writers.

"Leave It To Beaver" brings back memories of Moline situations. Here is one:

Wally: "Beav. You didn't brush your teeth."
Beaver: "How did you know?"
Wally: "Your toothbrush is still dry."
Beaver: "OK. I will go back and get it wet."

The demonstration on how to make the tube dirty, to fake a bath, was another classic, and taken right out of the Jackson playbook. I wondered at the time, "Who told?"

Mathers is still collecting from the show.
He cut a deal to share in the merchandising.
Lumpy is his investment advisor!

A Modest Proposal for Annual MHS66 Gatherings

 

Friday, October 14, 2011

A Modest Proposal for Annual MHS66 Gatherings

Some of us were discussing future gatherings, assuming a big one for our 50th anniversary gathering.

I asked the reunion committee to consider an informal gathering on an annual basis. A number of people seemed favorably disposed.

Many of us were happy to have a time when we could plan some small-group activities, such as a trip to Lago's, golfing, and a solo walk along the river.

The reunion committee, energized by their wildly successful 45th events, could set a date for 2012, like the 60th birthday party. We could have a picnic or whatever else is simple to set up. That way, people could plan to see a lot of their friends at once, since many of us travel a long way to Moline.

This assumes that not everyone could make it each year. Nor would everyone be expected to attend. But - with a fixed date, we can make plans for that and quietly encourage friends and relatives to avoid marriages, reunions, and crises during that time.

The annual gathering can easily be promoted with this blog, Facebook, and the MHS66 website. We might keep better track of each other with annual events, too.

One of our servicemen noted that his group's annual events drew together a number of wives in friendships. My wife had a great time this year and would not miss Moline reunions for anything.

Objections?
I thought not.

Garfield Elementary School Was Just Like That in the 1950s.

  And still stand proud with my h

and over my heart when I hear the NationAnthe

Americana Wire

soepnrdSto2uutiglh31hgfh0ac803f119if05g4328il4hha5638agighgc ·

Every single morning started exactly the same way.

The bell would ring.

We would stand up straight by our wooden desks.

We placed our right hands firmly over our hearts.

We looked at Old Glory hanging in the corner.

Then, we sang with everything we had.

The classroom was filled with young voices united in one song.

Nobody told us to feel guilty about our heritage.

We were taught to honor the sacrifices of those who came before us.

Patriotism was not a political statement.

It was a shared heartbeat.

Look at picture.

It reminds us of a time when unity started in childhood.

We truly loved our country.

See less

August, 2021 - Almost Five Years Ago

 

John Getz, Ken Berry, - Say Hello

 

Saturday, February 20, 2010

John Getz, Ken Berry, - Say Hello

John Getz is known for Blood Simple, The Fly, and many other roles.
Dr. Pascall did his early dental work.

Ken Berry is known for F Troop, Mayberry RFD, and dancing.

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GJ - John and Ken, when you are Googling your names or "Moline" one night and land on this blog, send in a comment. I know someone from Hollywood is often reading Moline Memories.

It would be fun to hear from our celebrities.

Wednesday, May 5 2010, First Aid,

 

First Aid

Moline Viet Nam Hero To Appear on Fox

 

Moline Viet Nam Hero To Appear on Fox

Author Bill Albracht earned three Silver Stars.

http://www.qconline.com/news/local/bill-albracht-co-writes-book-on-vietnam/article_048cddaa-2c29-5292-9d0b-3c8164665900.html

By John Marx, jmarx@qconline.com

Moline's Bill Albracht and the book circuit are about to get close.

Mr. Albracht has co-authored "Abandoned in Hell: The Fight for Vietnam's Fire Base Kate,'' with Marvin Wolf. It details his days at Vietnam's Fire Base Kate and is scheduled for release by Penguin Press on Feb. 3.

Mr. Albracht will discuss the book and his experiences in Vietnam during a Feb. 4 appearance on "Fox & Friends," a talk show that appears locally on Fox News Live at 5 a.m. and is the top-rated cable morning show nationally.

It features Steve Doocy, Elisabeth Hasselbeck,  Brian Kilmeade, Tucker Carlson. Anna Kooiman and Clayton Morris. Mr. Albracht has yet to learn his interview time slot.

"I am excited on many fronts,'' he said. "First, that a show of this caliber feels I am worthy enough to come in and sit down is amazing. The other is the exposure for the book.''

Transcripts say that in October 1969, Mr. Albracht, the youngest Green Beret captain in Vietnam, took command of a remote hilltop outpost called Fire Base Kate, held by 27 American soldiers and 150 Montagnard militiamen.

At dawn the next morning, three North Vietnamese Army regiments -- some 6,000 men -- crossed the Cambodian border and attacked.

Outnumbered three dozen to one, Mr. Albracht's men held off repeated ground assaults by communist forces with hand-to-hand fighting, air support and a dangerously close B-52 strike.

For days, the North Vietnamese blanketed Kate in a rain of fire from rockets, mortars, artillery, machine guns and small arms, blocking efforts to supply, reinforce or evacuate the outpost.

Mr. Albracht exposed himself to enemy fire to direct air strikes and guide supply helicopters, hoping to distribute ammunition and water to his men. Wounded by rocket shrapnel, he refused medical attention or evacuation. Exhausted from days without sleep, he continued to rally his men to fend off each new enemy attack.

After five days, Kate's defenders were out of ammo and water. Aerial supply failed, and reinforcements were denied by military commanders who had written off Kate.

Mr. Albracht refused to surrender or die where he stood, leading his troops, including many wounded, off the hill and on a daring night march through enemy lines.

Mr. Albracht, later received a Purple Heart and two Silver Stars for his leadership at Kate.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Abandoned in Hell - New Review of Moliner William Albracht's Viet Nam Book

Order Abandoned in Hell here.