The Jersey Chains hail from Ft. Wayne.From Wil (Bill Babcock):
"The original band members.
Left /right:
Dale Newman - Rhythm,
Bill Blosser - Bass,
Mike Hanson - Drums and lead Vocal,
Bill Babcock - Lead Guitar.
That was my 57' Olds we are standing in front of. When we originally got the name, we wore football jerseys and chains for belts. We played all over the Fort Wayne and surrounding area. We played several times at Tri-lakes, just north of Columbia City, IN. Had a ball doing it but we worked our butts off. The pic has to be circa 1966."
A later (March 1967) photo from the Ft. Wayne Gazette show a few new band members, and announcements that they had dates scheduled for San Diego, Houston, Des Moines, and more.Pictured (I know the photo is horrible, but at least I have it):
Mike Chenoweth - organ
Dale Richhart - rhythm guitar
Steve Muldoon - bass
Dale Newman - lead guitar
Mike Hanson - drums
Let's give the boys a hand for doing it, and thanks to Wil for the great pic!
5 comments:
Most people don't know but Dale Neuman went on to move to the west coast and became the long-time touring guitar tech for Genesis and is even mentioned in liner notes to several early albums.
The Jersey Chains were a great band in the middle and late 60's. I know because me and my husband managed and booked the Jersey Chains.
Anyone remember the Surf Sons? LOL
How about the Swinging Gate Teen Club in downtown Fort Wayne?
Playing at the Armory? Or, playing at the Lantern?
Anyone remember any of the big concerts in Fort Wayne out at the Jack and Jill Amusement Park?
I remember dozens of dances at the LANTERN, THE VAN ORMAN HOTEL, THE COLISEUM BASEMENT, the Flame, the Scotish Rite in the mid to late 60's. Does anyone remember the Byrds playing at the Flame during the summer of '66? Or the Hollies playing at the National Guard Armory during the Fall of '67?
I was in the middle of it. I saw The Byrds at the Flame and The Hollies at the Armory and Jethro Tull at the Coliseum and Jimi Hendrix in Muncie, etc. I played keyboard in The Boys in 1966 and joined the Surf Suns in 1967. We played everywhere and for very good money. The name was changed to Boston Creme Pie and we exchanged striped shirts for tie-dyed with bell bottom pants. After college I was in a band called Walden in the 70s and there were many, many more.
.....and 50 years later I fondly remember playing with those guys in Jersey Chains. Wil Babcock (lead guitar) and I (drums - vocals) later played with Mike Taylor (lead vocal), Bill Blosser (bass) , and Steve (?) (Guitar) in a band called LOVELY SUNDAY. This band won the Allen County 4 H battle of the bands in 1967 and ended up having a very busy summer playing numerous gigs around Northern Indiana.
Over the next 40 years I played in several bands. From 1979 to 1982 I played with a local Ft. Wayne band, SUNDANCE. This band consisted of Me on drums, Frank Toth on lead guitar, Bill Strong on guitar, Bobby Rice on bass, and Jodi (?) on keys. Jodi and Bill left the band and and Deb Ross stepped in on guitar. Bobby Rice departed and was replaced Doug Nussbaum and later by Joe Bunting. An album was recorded and featured covers and two original songs, one by Deb, LIFE WITHOUT LOVE, and one by me, YOU CAN'T LOSE SOMETHING (You never had).
In 1982 I moved to Indianapolis and did not play at all again until 1999, when I filled in with FULL CIRCLE and The JOHN SOUTHERN BLUES band. From that point forward I played with MOONDOG, BOOMERS REVENGE, FLASHBACK, ACME ROCK SUPPLY, all cover bands. In these bands I had the honor to play with Doug Sweeney, Dave Ingalls, Dave Horner, Pete Buttram, Terry Scanland, Will Stockwell, Doug Wimer, and Kenny Crouch. It was during my time with ACME that I switched from drums to keyboards. Over time drummers Perry Curtis, Omar Adams, and Steve Sulkey played drums. From 2000 to 2001 I played in a jazz group called BURGUNDY, with Garry Lauziere on trumpet, Leo Thompson on bass, Me on drums, Tim Howsare on Keys, and and Sherry White (Gibbons) on vocals. This group recorded 2 CDs: MAKE MINE BURGUNDY and BAREFOOT IN A BIRDBATH. The later contained 2 covers and the balance were originals. Two of those originals were written by me: SHANNON'S THEME and NOT YET. The balance of the originals were composed by Garry.
I quit playing in a band in 2014 and concentrated on composing and recording my own material. I have 2 CDs on the internet under Michael Hanson Music: INSTRUMENTALLY SPEAKING and ARTWORK FOR THE EAR (medication for the mind) The first is an easy listening jazz inspired effort and the latter is an electronic free form album.
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since 1966 until today. In retrospect, it was a pretty good ride.
Respectfully,
Mike Hnson
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