Stuck in the 50s, 60s…or 70s…Heck, Maybe Even The 80s

My son AJ actually accused me of hopelessly floundering in a sea of music oldies. Well, based on today’s music, I think this generation of kids and young adults is floundering in a sea of really bad music. Of course, the generation gap couldn’t possibly have anything to do with this difference in opinion, right?

We have Sirius/XM radio in our vehicles and way more stations than we will ever care to listen to. But it is so nice not having to endure stupid, irritating advertising and having the option of tuning into just the kind of music we want to hear. Which means the stations that I wear out are right in a row- 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, along with Elvis, B.B. King’s Bluesville, and Willie’s Roadhouse. See, there’s that generation gap again-Willie’s Roadhouse plays old country music, not this current stuff that is too many times pop masquerading as country. I will have to say, though, that when Willie’s station plays some of the really old stuff, I switch stations. Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, Bob Wills and early Ray Price are about as far back as I care to go. And I will also have to admit that some of the 50s stuff  sounds corny now. Pat Boone, some of those stupid girl group songs, and Lesley Gore?  Yuk!  Chuck Berry, early Elvis, Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly-now we’re talking classic rock and roll.

I found a music soul mate in Don Drachenberg  when I was gathering information on the Triumphs (“Let Me Tell You About The Triumphs,” August 21). He and I are stuck in about the same music time warp, and we had a lively conversation about music trends and what we thought was good music.We are both fans of old rock and roll, songs that had a good beat, an actual melody, were sing-able, and weren’t all gloom and doom lyrics.

Live concerts performed by bands like the Triumphs used to be about the music, not production extravaganzas. I told him about our trip to Lubbock to see George Strait, Reba McEntire, and Lee Ann Womack (“George, Reba, and Lee Ann Sing for Us,” March 29, 2011). Let me recap for those of you who probably didn’t read that post. Lee Ann I was not familiar with, but the crowd was, as she had been a music student at South Plains College in Levelland, near Lubbock, and she did a nice warm-up set, nothing out of the ordinary. Reba, apparently always the showman, even dating back to her early days when I saw her open for the recently discussed BJ Thomas in Clovis, New Mexico, in 1984, was resplendent in a sequined gown and billowing clouds of dry ice. In the Lubbock show she was still the showman,  with costume changes, lights, and a slide show. When it was George’s turn, he came out with trademark cowboy hat and guitar, and just stood there and sang. And the crowd ate it up. My point to all this is that in most of today’s concerts, a show is perhaps more important than the music and can mask less than spectacular music. And I guess that is fine if a show is what you are after, as most people today seem to be.  But we older generation are perfectly happy with groups like the Triumphs who basically stand there and sing good songs.

I have seen Elton John four times, the first time being with Billy Joel on the Face to Face Tour in Las Vegas in 1995, which was mostly the two of them and their pianos. I can remember at each of the following three concerts the whistles and bells were in full force which is probably to be expected since  Elton John is known for that sort of thing.  But he also plays music that has a melody and interesting lyrics. I would have gone to just see him, the band, and his piano.

I don’t know what category to put the music in that seems to be the dead-air filler of choice at various restaurants and businesses these days. For me it is mostly whiny voices wandering aimlessly trying to follow some tune with no real point and sappy lyrics. These are singers, and I use the term loosely, whose mothers must have told them how wonderful they were and to make a record. So they did. And obviously someone bought them, so what do I know?

Don was not a fan of disco at all, and I tend to agree, but I will have to admit that one of my favorite albums of the 70s is the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. And we both lean toward rock and roll that came from blues roots, like Bobby Blue Bland, Bo Diddley, Ray Charles, even early Elvis.

And rap? Well, by now you could tell we don’t even consider that music. To me it is basically a monotone beat with a lead singer-and again I use the term loosely-who is only adept at grabbing his crotch and making in-your-face hand gestures. In the beginning some rap was tolerable because it was usually mixed with actual song, but it sounds like a distant cousin to today’s noise. One song comes to mind that does bring a smile to my face when I hear it, and that is Tone Loc’s 1988 hit, Wild Thing. I was teaching a leadership class at the time, and the kids were doing seat work that was appropriate for working with background music, so I turned on the radio, turned down the volume, and we were all happily busy when that song came on. It happened to be the first time I had heard it, or had bothered to pay attention to it, I suppose, and I became aware of the kids squirming around in their desks and watching me. By the time he got to the part about “I get paid for doin’ the wild thing…,” I couldn’t help but smile and look up to be greeted by a sea of grinning faces eagerly awaiting my full reaction. They laughed, I rolled my eyes, and work resumed eventually.

Which brings me back to why people make the musical choices they do. I hear certain songs and they bring back memories that make me smile or laugh or reflect or even cry. That’s why I choose to stay stuck in the music of those years. That and the fact I have yet to hear much that tempts me to listen elsewhere. That’s why my parents’ generation liked their brand of music and wondered why on earth I was listening to Elvis. And so AJ will make his music choices and I will never understand why, either. And his children will make choices he won’t understand. Ha!

Now, all of that being said, I am about to load a new CD I just bought by Bruno Mars and give a new artist a try. But, really, when I heard him play on the Grammys he sounded sort of like old time rock and roll, so I am not really straying that far from my roots, I suspect.

I guess we are who we are, and some things never change.

Let Me Tell You About The Triumphs

If you read last week’s blog, “I Saw Old People!,” you know we attended a Lamar Consolidated High School All 60s Class Reunion and had the pleasure of listening to the music of The Triumphs and a special appearance by BJ Thomas, who used to sing with the band back in the early days. If you are about my age and  from my part of the world, the Texas Gulf Coast, you know who I am talking about. If not, read on to learn about the quintessential circuit band of that era.

1960-Tim Griffith, Denny Zatyka, BJ Thomas, Teddy Mensik, Don Drachenberg, Tom Griffith.

2009-left to right, front row-Tim Griffith, Gary Koeppen, Don Drachenberg, Tom Griffith; middle row-Jim Criswell, Steve Wendtland, Walt Wendtland; back row- Ron Petersen, Doug Griffith. This is the band as we know them today.

In the summer of 1959 the Griffith brothers’ dad came home with an electric guitar and amplifier a man had offered him as collateral on a loan. The man never returned to reclaim the guitar, so Mr. Griffith gave it to Tim, who started messing around with it, learning to play. One thing led to another and before long friends Denver Zatyka and Teddy Mensik joined in, and they decided to start a band.

By December of 1959, the band added members Don Drachenberg and BJ Thomas, and  now had a name, The Triumphs, thanks to Denny and Teddy, inspired by the car of that name and the fact that car names for groups were popular back then. Their first public performance was in January of 1960 at the Teen Canteen in Richmond, and they actually got paid for their next performance in February at a CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) dance, a whopping $5 apiece!

Don Drachenberg shared with me that Denny Zatyka’s dad, Felix, who  owned the Lone Star beer distributorship in Rosenberg, was always very generous with the boys, allowing them to practice in the warehouse, which worked out really well. They had a clean concrete floor to set up the equipment, plenty of electrical outlets, fans, and plenty of room to make as much noise as they needed without bothering neighbors like they would have in someone’s garage. Having the beer franchise made Mr. Zatyka a very comfortable living, which meant he had money to spend on the boys when they needed something in the early days, like a station wagon to drive to their gigs, gas money, and other incidentals along the way. As BJ fondly joked at the concert, having a beer warehouse in Fort Bend County was like having a license to print money, and Mr. Zatyka was happy to share with the band when they needed something.

By 1962 Tom Griffith and Gary Koeppen had joined the band, and they were making a name for themselves playing for dances in places like Riverside Hall in East Bernard, Pecan Grove in Wharton, Swiss Alp Dance Hall between La Grange and  Schulenburg. They had recorded some songs that did well in the Houston area, I Know It’s Wrong,  Lazy Man, and I’ve Got A Feeling, the last two making it to the top 10 of Houston’s top 40 list. In 1964 Fred Carney joined the band to play keyboards, and in 1965 they recorded an area favorite, Garner State Park, written by friend Mark Sharon specifically for them, reaching number.1 in Houston and number 5 in the national charts.

The band’s success with these songs and the popularity of I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, which was a national number 1 hit in 1966, was the catalyst that convinced BJ to leave the band in March of 1966 and go solo, eventually earning  five Grammies and building a solid fan base.

1967-Tim Griffith, Ron Petersen, Don Drachenberg, Fred Carney, Tom Griffith, Gary Koeppen, Teddy Mensik.

After BJ left, there were other changes in the band. Denny Zatyka left to honor his father’s wishes that he continue the family business. Ron Petersen joined in 1967 followed by the youngest Griffith brother, Doug, in the mid-70s. Fred Carney, Sam Boswell, Steve Haygood,  Albert Gonzales, Bill Pace, Jon Perry, Mike Taylor took their turns with the band for a while as well.

1976-Tim Griffith, Steve Haygood, Tom Griffith, Bill Pace, Don Drachenberg, Doug Griffith, Albert Gonzales.

1978- Tim Griffith, Jon Perry, Don Drachenberg, Doug Griffith, Tom Griffith, Sam Boswell, Mike Taylor.

By 1980 the band had enjoyed 20 years of success working the Gulf Coast circuit and covering the hits of their musical influences like Chuck Berry, Bobby Bland, Jimmy Reed, Bo Diddley, Wilson PIckett, and others from that era.  But they had also watched the world embrace disco, they missed spending time with their families, and they were tired working weekends and holidays. It just seemed like time to pack it in. So they did.

But, as Don said, once a musician, always a musician, and by 1992 the principal players were ready to give it another go, with the addition of  brothers Steve and Walt Wendtland, and Jim Criswell, but losing original drummer Teddy Mensik who was ready for a break. This time they played to their strength, good solid rock and roll, 60s hits from their heyday, popular 50s and 70s classic songs, and an occasional hit from the 80s.

Walt and Steve Wendtland both graduated from Lamar, and it just so happens that their dad, Dr. Walt Wendtland, was the band director at Lamar for many years and was my band director. I can’t help but believe that he was pleased that his sons went on to make music, and I think it is neat that they both chose to be a part of the Triumphs’ legacy.

Fans still follow the Triumphs and pack the house. The Summer Reunion Tour of 1992 became the start of a revival for the band, and now they enjoy an average of 18 bookings a year. Expanding from the original five members to nine over the years (most of them still having ties with Lamar) and adding instruments has given the band the versatility to expand their playlist, including big band hits such as In The Mood, which they do quite well and is fun for them and the fans. Many fans have a long history following the band and the band enjoys seeing those familiar faces over the years and talking to people who still enjoy the music.

While the Triumphs were enjoying their own brand of fame, BJ, meanwhile, was making a name for himself as well. After I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry came hits such as Eyes of a New York Woman, Hooked on a Feeling, Rock and Roll Lullaby, and I Just Can”t Help Believing. He has enjoyed success not only in rock and roll and pop, but also on the country charts as well as some Christian music. He earned his fourth gold record for Hey Won’t You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song, which holds the distinction of being the longest titled number 1 hit on the Hot 100, just so you know for your next trivia game. That song happens to be one of my personal favorites and was a real crowd-pleaser at the Lamar reunion when he invited the crowd to sing along, and boy, did we!

Don and BJ at the Fort Bend Country Fair in 2008.

BJ at the Lamar All 60s reunion August 11, 2012.

The Triumphs and BJ have teamed up more than once since the old days and plans are afoot to do it more in the future. Even though he left the band, they are all still friends. When that all happened people wondered why the Triumphs didn’t go with him. To some it looked sort of like the high school quarterback who gets recruited while the line who defended him gets to stay home and take regular jobs.  According to Don, they were all happy for his success and were equally happy to stay right where they were, doing their own thing. I suggest that their relationship was a two-way street, each helping the other find their place in the musical world. And we, the fans, benefit on both sides.

Being a circuit band was what has made it fun for the Triumphs all these years. Don said they tried, very briefly, their hand at the club scene, a situation where a club hires a different band to play each night of the week on a regular basis. They didn’t like the smoky stale smell of the bars, the drunks, the attitude in general. That lasted about three weeks, and they gave it up. Playing favorite dance halls, county fairs, reunions, weddings, birthdays, and  festivals was much more fun and personable for the guys, and actually made them more money than the club scene. But the money was not the issue; it was enjoying the music and the people that kept them in the game.

So if you need a band for a special event or want to enjoy some great music that is good for listening or dancing, google the Original Triumphs, check out their upcoming performances,  and knock yourself out!

 

Thank you to Doug Griffith and Ron Petersen for helping with this article. 

A very special thanks to Don Drachenberg, who was so generous with his time to answer my phone calls, emails, and to share pictures with me.