Early in 1971, I worked part time in my parents' restaurant while I was trying to assemble a decent band. I injured my right hand working in the kitchen and was unable to play the piano for quite some time. I did pick up part time work doing sound reinforcement with a local sound company. This enabled me to meet many big name artists such as Jimmy Page and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton with Blind Faith, members of The Fifth Dimension, Ian Anderson and the rest of Jethro Tull, many of the members of Chicago, Leslie West and Mountain, Three Dog Night, Johnny and Edgar Winters and their band members, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers Band, Sly and The Family Stone, The Brooklyn Bridge, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and many others. I was learning a lot about sound. |
It was around this time that I met a college student who was an excellent singer-songwriter named Dane Donohue. He was working in a duo called Jeff and Dane , with an ald schoolmate of mine, Jeff Fenholt. I ended up doing the sound for this duo. Lots of special effects went into their show. The duo broke up in early in 1971 when Dane was offered the lead role in a production of "Jesus Christ - Superstar" that was planning to tour. I remember feeling pretty left out at this point. My hand was still not 100% so playing music was not an option. Just for something to do, I went to one of the rehearsals. I looked over to see the owner of the sound company I had worked for, doing the sound for the show. I immediately went up to him and asked him if I could join as an audio tech for his company. He worked it out with the owners of the production and I was in.
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Early in the tour, the cast and musicians recorded our version of "Jesus Christ - Superstar" at Jack Clement's Recording Studios in Nashville. We needed a product that could be sold at the shows. The entire 80 minute, 2 album recording was done in one, 12-hour night! Three of the musicians in the band for Superstar were also musicians in The 1967 Northland Battle Of The Bands. The organist (whose band placed 5th), the bassist (who almost got his 1st Place band disqualified) and the drummer, (whose band came in 3rd). |
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Merv Shiner and Tony Moon were the producers. Once the recording was done, a deal was struck between Shiner, Moon and the owners of the National Rock Opera Company to use portions of this recording for a single album version called "Outstanding Songs From Jesus Christ Superstar" by...get this..."The Brown County Chorale" and "Country Music Ensemble", two totally fictitious groups! They took the original recordings of about half of the songs and created a new, country music album. |
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Briefly after the tour, I worked with Dane in a duo. A local agent, whose family fame came from the Marzetti Salad Dressing Company, booked us. We were called "The Smith Brothers". (Remember the cough drops?) Later, Dane went on to a solo career, recording an album for Columbia Records. The album is now with Sony. He had many well-known artists appear on this recording with him such as Stevie Nicks, Steve Gadd, Larry Carlton, Don Henley, John David Souther, Tim Schmit, Steve Lukater, Ernie Watts, Mike Porcaro and many others. It is a great album that is now having success overseas in Europe and Japan. |
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