Tom Pinkerman, bass, Sonny, guitar/vocals, Gary, guitar/vocals, Dave Plank, drums...looks like Chamberlain Gym to me

A "scrapbook" page of items from 1961, from an update I did  back in the '80s of the old 'book,...

Business card my brother hung on to...Music You Like...

Many a weeknight "practice" (rehearsal) in mom's, dad's living room...

 

Unfortunately, one channel is distorted in the copies sent to me of the original live recording

A response to Les Eads...

I was sent mp3's from a performance I taped in Naperville, IL in 1968. I'd "lost" the original 7-1/2" ips reel to reel tape somewhere and couldn't believe it reappeared. Unfortunately, the right track is distorted (I think I made another, better recording at another time there but memory doesn't serve me.

Sounds like you're having fun playing. I play once in a while with musician buddies. Tried out a couple of bands in the last few years but I felt like the (much) older keyboard guy.

I've received quite a few emails the last few years from Dukes fans. My friend, former Duke bass player after Skip and band "roady", fan, all around cool music fanatic, Micheal Kiser just reminded me how cool it is that the band touched many lives.

The band you saw at Dukeskeller/Rogers Park was probably:

Dave Workman, sax/vocals/"emcee", last I heard is in Texas, schoolteacher
Andy Purvis (Jay Andrew) on the west coast, Washington State I believe.
"Skip" Walters, bass, who knows where he is, years ago I heard Hawaii
Keith Kilmer, drums, passed away, or
Dave Carbeener, drums after Keith, not known

Soon after we got our Vox equipment—2 Super Beatle Amps, 1 Bristol Bass Amp, later replaced with a Foundation Bass Amp—and of course, my Continental Organ. Micheal Kiser and I agree...when the Super Beatles were running the heat from the head smelled like rock and roll!

The "old schoolhouse" photo sometime in summer of 1966 (Photo by Gordon Moore)

The Dukes Around 1959-60

Probably 7th, 8th grade…I wouldn't say "prodigy". I had "perfect" pitch—it's not quite as perfect these days—I played piano, then drums for the Dukes. Then dad made me quit so I could "apply myself in high school". But Keith Kilmer, Geoff Hartzler and I started a band when we were sophomores, becoming the new Dukes band when brother Gary and Dave Workman joined in.

L-R, top: Gary Jones, me, Dave Plank, Sonny Cripe, L-R, bottom: Dick Coy, Dave Redding and Tom Pinkerman.

Ready to cut our first record in 1965

Photo with our "D" letter sweaters.

...though Gary Jones (guitar, top, middle…whe started the original band in 1959-60) and Geoff Hartzler (bass, bottom, right) weren't on this recording it's good to see them here. This picture taken by photographer Gordon Moore after the Dukes regrouped. Gene Jones, piano, Keith Kilmer, drums and Geoff won a Goshen Moose Lodge talent show, Gary joined the "new" Dukes and we hired Dave Workman (top right, saxophone).