West Michigan Mid-Sixties Bands

Who were the Bel-Aires

The Bel-aires had a minor hit called "If you love me" in September 1967. WERX was the only station to play it. It made about 30 on the WERX 15+30 Platter Poll Survey. Great song!!!!!

the only one i know for sure was bobby speak , he played keys.

Michael C. Howard was the lead singer.

my daddy was the drummer of that band :D

I'd like to talk to someone from the "Bellaires". I think they played a gig at one of Creston High School's pep rallys in the early sixties. The band was great! I want to see if was, indeed, them.

Anyone?

I played with the Bel-Aires in 1965 and 1966.
The Bel-Aires at that time included Mike Howard who sang lead and played rhythm guitar, George (Joey) Waters on drums, Wes Cogan played lead guitar and Farfisa keyboard and I played electric bass. We all sang back-up harmony.
We had a lot of fun practicing at Mike's and performing in the Grand Rapids area.
I don't know how well we performed but I know we had a nice following of really nice people.
The band had different members throughout it's history. It was Mike's band and he would be the definitive source for more information about The Bel-Aires.
I believe he lives in the Grand Rapids area.
I ran into him at the Alpine Meijer's a few times in the late 1990's.
I've since moved to the Traverse City area.
Since there were different members of The Bel-Aires throughout it's history I don't know who who Taylor's dad is. I'd be interested in finding that information out.

My buddy Wes Wolosecky played rhythm guitar and backup vocals on their record. He played with them in the 1967-68ish years. I still see him every day.

Visit Michael J. Howard's Facebook fan page for up-to-date details on what Mike is doing these days.

www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-J-Howard-formerly-of-The-Bel-Aires/131870270557

Hey, Jerry Van K., Wes was a very good friend of mine, too, during that time.

I have knowen Michael Howard. My Wife and I Ran a
Dj Bussiness for 13 yrs.( We where called the CJ's ) and played his song. his sister I whent to school with at Union High School. One day I whent down to his house ( about a block away from me.)and asked him if he any of his records left, so I could play them for our show. and he gave me 2 mint 45 rpms. I still have them. I also have a photo that he gave me, With the records he gave me.

I live two blocks up hill from mike. I had his sister in one of my classes. In the 1990's My wife and I ran a DJ business called the CJ's.
I whent down to mike's house and asked if he still had any of his records and he gave me two of them. one I played at the geggs,and the other I stored. And I still have them both.
You should have seen the re-action every time I played that record.

I was the bass player in the group from 1967 to 1969 and was in the group when they recorded their two records, If you Love Me and Ya Ha Be Be.

The members of the band from 1967 to 1969 were Mike Howard,Jim Ponchaud,Bob Speak,Dick Norgrove (Drums) and myself.
We recorded the two songs at a studio on West Leonard in Grand Rapids in a couple hours.A total of 1500 copies were made.

Jack Ropoleski, can you post "If you Love Me" on YouToob so we can all hear it? "Ya Ha Be Be" is already on YouToob and in a Garage compilation LP/ CD called "Back From The Grave".

Mike and I started playing music in the early 60's. The first gig Mike did was when he and I played on stage at the Parent-Teacher-Student assembly at Harrison Park Jr High school. Mike sang and I played a borrowed drum from the band teacher. After that we would practice up in my room, he with a hollow body guitar and I on a set of set up boxes of various sizes and a bent cymbal we found in the trash behind the music store in down town Grand Rapids. George Howard saw the great talent Mike had and poor as we all were back then, bought Mike an electric guitar and amp and a basic set of drums for me to play. We two-summed for a while then Bill Marlett came in and played base. We played many places in the local G.R area and at St.Judes Band-a-Thon. We thought of MANY names for our small band and then one day My dad bought a New Chevy Belair car and Mike and I thought that would be a cool name for a band. The Bel Aires :) I then went into the Marine Corps and Mike continued with the band and music. When I returned back home I funded the first record Mike made and went to many of his gigs. I was not into music at all after Nam but always loved to here Mike sing. He sang at my sons funeral in 2012 and was so grateful for that. I loved him much and will miss him so. Mike died February 26, 2015. May God always be with you Mike. John Voshel, your friend forever.

Obit: http://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/grandrapids/obituary.aspx?pid=174278780

Does anyone out there have a picture of the band with George Joey Waters as the drummer?