West Michigan Mid-Sixties Bands

Dave:
Yes, I am the long lost Jim Wilson
from day's of yore. Drop me an E-mail
and let me know how you are doing. My
family and myself are doing quite well.
I finally retired from music about 5 years
ago. No interest in playing again.

Hope you receive this:

Jim Wilson

As I recall, my brother said the band practiced and recorded in the old Midtown theater in downtown Grand Rapids (on Pearl street) after the theater closed at night. The organ sound on "Blue Down" is from the big old theater organ. Com'on Jim, fill us in on the details!

Jim,

Are you the "Jim Wilson" from Creston High class of '66?

T

THIS IS TO JIM WILSON. I'M SURE YOU DON'T REMEMBER ME BUT I SURE REMBER YOU. IN MY MIND YOU WERE GRAND RAPIDS 1st GREAT GUITAR PLAYER. I REMEMBER COMING TO YOUR HOUSE, OUT BY THE OLD AIRPORT WITH LARRY COOK, STILL ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS, NOW TEACHING MISIC IN THE LOS ANGLES SCHOOL SYSTEM. I SEE SOMEBODY CALLED THE SONG BLUE DAWN " BLUE DOWN ". I THINK I'M RIGHT WITH BLUE DAWN, RIGHT. IT WAS THE FIRST SONG I LEARNED IN THE STYLE OF CHET ATKINS. I WAS YOUNG AND AGONIZED OVER IT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IT WAS A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN MY LEARNING TO PLAY GUITAR. YOU WERE GREAT. SO NICE TO SEE YOUR NAME ON THIS SITE. AND NO THIS IS NOT THE JIM WILSON FROM CRESTON, I GRADUATED WITH THAT ONE. HE NOW OWNS CHEERS ON PLAINFIELD. ANYWAY JIM YOU ARE REMBERED, GOOD LUCK. BOB REILLY

Oh, there is lots I remember.
I was the original Bass Player for Dave and the Shadows. Besides the singles (btw it was Blue Dawn not Down) there was a Christmas Album that Jack Hazwinkel got the acknowledgement (per Mrs. Kalmbach - David's mother) for on bass when I did most of it. I still have the original jacket and could probably scan it if anyone is interested. Members that I remember are besides Jim Wilson and myself and of course Jack Hazwinkel are David Kalmbach the leader, Rick Sutherland (deceased) Drummer. Larry Cook of course and Sue Griner(spelling). The recording studio was in the OUR Theatre not the Midtown. The Our was on Bridge if I remember correctly and had a 25 rank Page Pipe Organ in it. I work with D&tS from about '61 to '63 when marriage and other responsibilities caught up with me. Last I heard, Dave Kalmbach was an engineer in Chicago. More info. on his whereabouts would be good. Got email from Jim, no longer plays and hasn't for about 5 years now. Would love to hear from Larry Cook.
Tom Marvin

TO TOM MARVIN: LARRY COOK IS NOW A MUSIC TEACHER IN L A CA. LIVES IN THE DESERT NORTH OF TOWN. I PLAYED MANY YEARS WITH LARRY IN COMMON PEOPLE AND WE STILL KEEP IN TOUCH. SHOCKED TO HEAR RICK SOUTHERLAND IS GONE. HE WAS A GOOD FRIEND, ALTHOUGH I HADENT SEEN HIM IN MANY YEARS.I SEE YOU ALSO CAUGHT THE BLUE DAWN OVERSIGHT. IT WAS A SONG I TOILED OVER IN MY YOUTH. JIM WAS QUITE A GUITAR PLAER, BEST IN TOWN AT THE TIME THATS FOR SURE. IF YOU WILL E-MAIL ME I WILL PASS YOUR ADDRESS ALONG TO LARRY, I'M SURE HE WOULD LIKE TO GET IN TOUCH. BOB REILLY

You guys had a single out that had alot of organ in it,can't remember the name.Also do you still sell any of the old tapes? Thanks!!!!

To Dave Pitzer:

Dave and the Shadows did a few Singles like:
Faith 7 on Fenton
another on on CheckMate records out of Chicago and probably more that I don't remember.

Tom Marvin

Regarding Dave & The Shadows; "Blue Dawn" was misprinted as "Blue Down" on the copy I had which must explain the confusion about that title.

Does anyone remember other the other Dave & The Shadows songs? "At The Fair"? "Playboy"? All good!

P.S., the "Our" theater is on Leonard Street NW. Seven-hundred block.

Does anyone remember the Jerry Steinport Orchestra. Jerry played every Saturday night at the old Phil Oosterhouse Ballroom above Moore's Hobby Shop across from Herpolsheimers on Division and Fulton. The band was comprised of students from many of the area high schools, and we received $6.00 for playing four hours. Afterwards, we would go to Hattems for Chicken In the Rough. Those were good days.

Roger Plafkin--Plafkin Farms--1-616-676-0590--plafkin@juno.com

Did David Kalmbach have a studio in the old Meritta PA theater in the late 70's early 80"s? If it's the same guy...I'd like to find him for ripping off me and my backers. His picture is in a newspaper article in my picture section at
www.myspace.com/marlaworleythehoustonwellsband
I beleive the studio was called Atlantic Sound. Please send me info if you can...

Thanks

sorry to here jim willson stop playing,always liked him and his many stiles of playing,i wonder how dan mouer is doing?

I just found and listened to "The Two Sides of Christmas" on tape from 1961. I had a habit of recording the first play of a record and then listen to the tape instead. I have the record also. Dave was my best man in 1962.

The Our theatre was his recording studio. It contained two AMPEX 602 stereo recorders and a steel plate EMT reverb system. Dave let me play guitar through his Leslie organ speaker. What a great sound. Later I went to Detroit and saw Chet Atkins in person. I asked him if he had ever played through a Leslie speaker and Chet said no. THE very next album that Chet produced had 4-6 songs played through a Leslie speaker.

The record jacket does not say where it was recorded but the picture of the organ console is on the left hand side of the stage where is was located at the Our Theatre.

Dave packed up that Page pipe organ and trailered it to the Sparta Theatre (which he purchased) behind his Corvette in the winter. I lost touch at that point and don't know what recordings were produced there.

Ken Fingleton

I happen to be the singer (Sue Greiner) featured on the Christmas Album that Dave and the Shadows produced in the 60's entitled 'The Two Sides of Christmas.' I, too, am looking at the cover of the album and it was recorded at 'The Our' Theater - if you have the album, you will notice on Side Two, one of the songs is the Theme to The Our. I don't ever recall Jack Hazewinkel being with us! He was with the Eschelons during the time I sang with them, however, and hear they are still playing! I left the Eschelons to sing with Dave and the Shadows. Jim Wilson, you are one of the best guitarists! Do any of you remember recording at my parents home in the bathroom - it was huge with great acoustics! I went on to write and record radio commercials for many businesses in the GR area then sang with an orchestra in San Luis Obispo, California for a while. Great memories. Would enjoy hearing from any of you. Have been married for 40 years and have a son and two little grandchildren. Life is good - hope the same for all of you. Sorry to hear of Rick's passing.

Hey Bob Reilly, Been thinking about you lately how you been?

I was surfing the web and somehow ran across this page. I remember a lot of the names: Larry Cook, Dave Kalmbach, Rick Sutherland and of course my old good buddy"Bob Reilly".I dont know if anyone even remembers me from the 60's.Lead Guitar with the "Flintstones: then later we formed the Avengers. I haven;t played a note in 25 years.
Great to read the names of the old bands again.
Gene Anderson

5/31/2011 - Finally made contact with Dave Kalmbach. Anyone that is interested, please contact me at thomasa.marvin@gmail.com

Do any of you remember another great guitarist by the name of Mel Plumley? Mel passed away two years ago of Mesothelioma. Heard he had moved back to West Virginia where he was originally from and worked in the mines before his retirement. Was sad to learn of his passing.

Bob, I'd like to get in touch with Larry Cook. Can you help me? Thanks, Kim Rush

BOB REILLY HERE TO SAY HI. I'M IN NASHVILLE NOW , GET UP NORTH AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. I'LL TRY AND LOOK UP SOME PEOPLE NEXT TIME I AM IN TOWN. IF YOU SEE THE MUFFIN MAN TELL HIM I SAID HEY. BOB R.

Bob, I thought that you were the muffin man!!!

Hello! This is Bob Van Sprange, looking to connect with Larry Cook - we went to school through high school together and I majored in music as well he did. Heard he is living in Southern California and I am out here often, so would enjoy catching up one of these times if he is around the area. Would appreciate an email address is someone has one for him.

Bob Van Sprange, Contact me on Larry Cook, I possibly can help you with an e-mail addy. Also visit www.WestMichMusicHystericalSociety.com

Bob Van Sprange, Contact me on Larry Cook, I possibly can help you with an e-mail addy. Also visit www.WestMichMusicHystericalSociety.com

I KNOW WHO I AM, I AM BOB REILLY WHO ARE YOU?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT YOU KNOW?
I AM BOB REILLY AND I KNOW AND UNDERSTAND. AND REMEMBER TO SAY HI TO THE MUFFIN MAN!!!

Mel Plumley was my dad. He did pass away on December 23,2004 with Mesothelioma. He didnt work in the mines though.I have heard him talk about Dave and the Shadows :) So cool to see people talk about him. If yall have anymore info about him or pics Id like to see :)

I AM MEL PLUMLEYS SISTER WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU ALL I REMEMBER YOU GUYS BUT I WAS YOUNG MEL WAS NOT ONLY A GREAT GUITAR PLAYER BUT THE BEST BROTHER IN THE WORLD I MISS HIM GALE PLUMLEY 1-616-532-4252

Mel Plumley was my Dad love and miss him so glad we found this site.

I knew Dave Kalmbach in the early 60's, went to electronics school with him in Hollywood CA. Want to know if he is still with us..
J. Whitman

Hi,
Looking for any info available on a band called The Frogs out of GR late 60's early 70's. Ted Jones band member ran an underground radio station and did recordings GF's name was Crystal, am looking for his Les Paul it's a family heirloom along with his music collection.
Thanks in advance for your help.