After Bebop A Lula: Utica Bands 50's 60's

[jon hynes]

Eric and the Chessmen - 1965

Chuck Schoneley - Organ Eric Thorngren - Guitar & Vocals

Dale Rider - Bass Wayne Bowling - Drums

[jon hynes]

Eric and the Chessmen - March 1965

Wayne Bowling - Drums Eric Thorngren - Guitar & Vocals

Norm Knapp - Guitar Dale Rider - Bass

[ChuckSchoenleyRIP]

The last photo is especially meaningful to me. Norm Knapp was the guy I replaced. I was in a starter group with his brother (a drummer) rehearsing at his house. Eric was over and heard me play. I don't remember the particulars but I got a call from Eric and he was interested in having me fill in until Norm got back with the group. I said "Sure - love to" and that was the start. We did some rehearsing, played a couple of clubs, and I caught on pretty quick. Then one evening after a gig, I found an out-of-tune piano in the club and started pounding out some rock and jazz. Eric asked if I could play organ.

Well, a keyboard is a keyboard - at least it was back then and I said "why not". So, I went out that next week and bought the single keyboard Farfisa. The rest was evolution and is now history.

FUN TIMES - GREAT EXPERINECE - would do it all over again if I had the opportunity.

--Chuck--

[jon hynes]

Chuck and Dale - Saranac

[jon hynes]

Eric and the Chessmen

Freddy Faccioli - Organ Eric Thorngren - Guitar Vocals

Slivers - Drums Dale Rider - Bass

Saratoga Springs

[jon hynes]

[jon hynes]

Eric and the Chessmen - Peppermint Lounge

Dale Rider - Bass Eric Thorngren - Guitar Vocals

Slivers - Drums Chuck Schoenley - Organ (hiding)

[jon hynes]

Eric and the Chessmen - Peppermint Lounge

Dale Rider - Bass Slivers - Drums

Eric Thorngren - Guitar Vocals Chuck Schoenley - Organ

[jon hynes]

Eric and the Chessmen - Peppermint Lounge

Slivers - Drums Dale Rider - Bass

Eric Thorngren - Guitar Vocals Chuck Schoenley - Organ (hiding)

[jon hynes]

Eric and the Chessmen - Peppermint Lounge

Dale Rider - Bass Slivers - Drums Chuck Schoenley - Organ

Eric Thorngren - Guitar Vocals (seated)

[jon hynes]

Stanwix Heights Field
Days Begin Today

ROME - Twenty-three trophies will be awarded by the Stanwix Heights Volunteer Fire Department for activities involving the annual field days which begin at 4 today and run through Sunday.

James Grago, field days chairman, said tonight's activities include the opening of an invitational softball tournament for which four trophies will be presented.

The tournament will continue at 10 a. m. tomorrow with finals expected about 2 p. m. Sunday.

The Country Gentlemen will play from 9 p. m. to 1 a. m. tonight and tomorrow.

Highlight of activities tomorrow, when the park will be open from 10 a. m. to 2 a. m., will be a 60-unit parade which will march along Colman Mills Road and Route 233 to Bartlett Road and the fireman's field, beginning at 6:30 p. m. in event of rain, it will be held at 12 p. m. Sunday.

[jon hynes]

The Country Wheels will be featured from 9 p. m. to 1 a.m. Sunday, when the field will be open from noon to 2 a. m.

Trophies to be presented for participation in the parade include three each for the best company with music, awards of $200, $100, and $50, best company without music, plus awards of $125, $75 and $30, and best fireman's ladies auxiliaries plus awards of $50, $30 and $15.

Trophies will also be awarded for the best drum and bugle corps, civic band, high school band, musical color guard, drum major, drum majorette, fire chief in march, ladies auxiliary in march and oldest fireman in march.

The only field days left in the county this summer are New London's and Oriskany Falls both next weekend, and Prospect on the first weekend in September.

Utica Daily Press Fri Aug 18, 1978

[jon hynes]

[starchild]

Happy Easter Everyone. I hope everyone enjoys their day

[kit]

StarChild,
Thanks for the happy Easter wishes. Could you wish the economic situation a little better for us while you're at it? And maybe that all the crooked politicians would go away? No, huh? At least I tried.

Chuck,
Wow! A long time ago. I remember Tess and us young Oxford Rd kids playing hide and seek with Maureen and Kathy way back when we were skinny and had pimples and there was nothing wrong with our knees. They lived next door to Don Graff and I was 3 houses up the street next to the Cooks. Seems like centuries ago on the one hand, but only last week on the other.

I joined The Nitecaps in about 1961, right out of high school, when Dale left the group. It was Ken Aikin-guitar, Jim Gaylord-drums, Dick Stone-organ, and me on the bass. A year or so later we went to NYC and Ken bought a cherry red Fender Jaguar and a beige piggyback Fender Showman amp. I bought a matching Fender Jazz Bass and piggyback Bassman amp. We did the local bars, college fraternity parties, a few out of town gigs, and did a summer at the beach in the Forrest. Then our agent, Gene Kipper, sent us on location to Ogdensburg on a 2 week contract. With various band members who came and went at the time, I was there a year and a half. Then my dad got sick and I came home to take care of him and that was pretty much the end of my band career. I was into photography and that’s pretty much been it for 48 years now.

The photos I took of you, Eric, Dale and Slivers were after I had returned from the Ogdensburg gig. I didn’t put a date on the negatives so I don’t know exactly when it was, but I think it was 1965 or 1966. I remember it was just before you went to the Peppermint Lounge.

Nice being in touch with you again. Will Eric or Dale be joining the thread? It would be nice to hear some of the old stories. And I don’t understand why that silly old Jim Gaylord doesn’t learn to use the computer. He doesn’t know what he’s missing.