The TIME MACHINE – A Fleeting Peek at “Da Way We Wuz”

by admin

Many, many years ago, “da boys” of The NEW EARTH BAND were merely incorrigible rough-necks from the wrong side of the tracks – stealing hubcaps (does anyone remember those things?) and viciously mugging defenseless senior citizens in the park. 

Noooo, just joking!  But isn’t this a great picture, anyway?

Three rough-necks

 O.K., no more jokes!  The remainder of these classic shots are the real deal, no foolin” …

Below, the late, beloved Warren “Mose” Boyer, saws away with lightning precision on “The Orange Blossom Special” at the now defunct, blue-collar haven, The Mohnton Navy Yard Galley, which was tucked away in the gentle hills of Mohnton, PA.

Here’s “Marvelous Mark Miller”, below, picking guitar and belting out the lead vocal with Kitty Merkel’s   “Berks Pals”,  with roots of origin dating back to the 1940’s!   And yes, Miss Kitty, to Mark’s left, is still crooning old-time, “roots” country music to this very day!

And that’s “The Marvelous Markster” again; this time over there, snapping and slapping that bull-fiddle on the extreme right-hand side, in a shot from his previous Bluegrass life with the band “New-Found Grass”.

Now, take a good look at this dashing, debonair, desperately-handsome, prime-time individual, and give us your level-best guess who this could possibly be.   If we were to roll back the clock about 35 years, can you see The NEW EARTH BAND’s bassist, Stan Witinski (a.k.a. “Stan Smith”), in this professional promotional shot?   That’s Stan – and he IS “the man”!

Now, here’s a classic shot of Tom and Slim “Booger”, of the bye-gone Booger Brothers Band, grinding out the blues standard, “Night Train”.   You’ll likely think we’re making this up, but that “Little Booger”, blowing harp on the right, is The NEW EARTH BAND’s  own Rick “Slim” Guinan !  Ooooh, yes it is!  Absolutely!  Trust us!

And here’s a snap of The NEW EARTH BAND, taken following a concert at the Zerbe Sisters’ home in late 2010, or the beginning of 2011.

 

Stan Witinski,  Lee Schappell,  Mark Miller,  Mose Boyer,  and  Rick Guinan

 

Jes’ look at ’em!  Those sassy, little “tween-aged”, adolescent, whipper-snappers!  I can smell the Clearasil  from here, I tell ya!  They’re juvenile delinquents, every last one of ’em!  And you say they’re called … what?   LeRoy & the … whaaaat?

Yup!  That’s Little Buford  on the far left, 56 dusty years ago!  And that motley-looking mob of record-hoppers was tagged, would you believe, LeRoy & the Spades.  Left to right are: Lee Schappell, Ted Wolff, Ken Hipple, John Allardyce, and Frank Page.  Yikes!   Where’s a truant officer when you need one?

 And here they come again …

BAND - Spades

… that’s Ted Wolff, Bill Dougherty, and Frank Page  in the back, with LeRoy, Ken Hipple,  and John Cupani  up front.

Now, what have we here?  Below, that looks like Little Buford and a couple of “still-wet-behind-the-ears” co-horts Frank Page and Bill Dougherty, just mugging for the camera  –  for no logical reason other than simply because they knew how  –  long ago, and far away, in that bye-gone year of 1960 !

Now we’ll fast-forward another year and find ourselves smack-dab in the middle of “American Graffiti” and “Happy Days”!  Below we see LeRoy & His Rockin’ Fellers, in September of 1961, at Chez Vouz, West Philadelphia.

Where have you gone, Richie Cunningham and Arthur Fonzarelli?

 “The Time Machine”  is designed strictly for your enjoyment, and engineered to induce a few chuckles  and perhaps a good guffaw!  So, knock yourself out – enjoy!

{ 0 comments… add one now }