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I went into this Web Site, which features 1951-1964 Labels, Artists, and Song Titles and it all began to come back to me. I have been there and I have done that! Terry Gordon (the compiler of all of this info) named Las Vegas Records of Stockton, CA and Oro Records of Modesto.
Circa 1961.
Las Vegas Records
of Stockton, CA, was owned by Stoney Herpich. "Stoney" referred to his hearing, and he was the engineer!
Stoney let me sing in his studio, which was a very basic affair with concrete block walls. The echo effect was a speaker
at one end of the room, and about 20 feet from the microphone I was singing into.
Only the delayed signal of my voice came back to me - at about 2/10 of a second - and this was very confusing to sing against,
but it sounded wild. Stoney was an innovator for sure. His partner,
Jack McFadden,
also did a few things in Bakersfield, CA. Trivia question: What?
Stoney Herpich later became the manager of a local group, the Del Reys, led by Mel Sanguinetti on vocals and guitar. The Hammond B3 was played by Dallas, and a drummer made it a trio.
The Stockton, CA (population then about 120,000) union wages were $19 a night and most of the clubs were only Friday and Saturday. If a club wanted to add a night it would be Wednesday and the next night added was Sunday, which would be a jam session.
The Indigos (circa 1963 - 64) were Mike Smith, lead guitar, David Smith, bass, and Terry Graham, drums. We all sang, with me doing most of the lead singing and Dave and Terry singing harmony by ear. Terry was a tenor and took the high part above me, and Dave could sing parts that made us sound like five people. We did comedy and became the talk of Stockton for months when Terry Graham hand-vaulted over the piano bar at the West Lane Bowl and splattered a lemon merengue pie into my face. The room went dead silent and then erupted into laughter.
The Indigos mostly played the Wed - Fri - Sat schedule, and did not host a Sunday jam session. We started out at $65 a night
and worked our way up to $90 a night. These were very good wages in the clubs at that time. Stockton union scale was $19 a night.
Not to brag, but The Indigos was the best rock/pop band in Stockton, but only when the Del Reys, managed by Stoney Herpich of
Las Vegas Records were out of town. When the Del Reys played Stockton there was no second place band. The Del Reys ruled!
At the Maverick Queen (circa 1978 - 79) in Stockton, CA, Joe Maphis and Rose Maphis did a show with us. I was lead guitar for the Kountry Rebels (or was it Rebel Kountry?): Leon Womack, (who is an oldy and goody on Ebay - "When she Turns Me Off" - and is still jobbing in Northern California.) bass - vocal - leader; Ralph Flores - drums - vocals; Mike Smith (me) - lead guitar - vocal. Joe Maphis hung his double neck guitar on me and I played a boogie line on the bottom neck while Joe played lead on the top neck.
I was invited to join a band (don't remember the name, but three of the members were Dave Allen, drums, Bobby Wayne, lead guitar, and Paul Adams, rhythm and vocals) that was playing the pizza joint (Blinky's) that later became the Blue Moon Club in Stockton, CA, but declined to wait until my bro was 21 to work with him.
The band went to Modesto and bought a club. At that time (circa 1960) Modesto was about 20,000 and the club scene was hot. Several clubs had music 6 nights a week and this meant that the players kept their chops up. When someone had a tour to do, or a Nevada club gig, they would recruit in Modesto.
(This is from faulty memory, but I kept it in for the link to Mr. Freddy Hart.)
Freddy Hart came by and heard them and asked them to be his backup band.
Freddy Hart:
This is a fascinating man!
*** Actually, THIS IS WRONG - The band was Wynn Stewart Wikipedia Good Source for records. The only way to really know Wynn Stewart is to hear him sing. Nobody phrased like Wynn Stewart - buy "Angels Don't Lie" and hear purity. The boys from Stockton/Modesto are on this.
Blanche, the Musicians Union Secretary of the Modesto local, was very sharp and kept the pay scale at a reasonable rate so that the clubs could stay open and thrive, and the musicians could make a living. Players were making $12 to $15 a night in Modesto and drinks were 50 cents (60 cents with live music).
At that time minimum wages for a day gig were about $1.00 an hour - maybe $10 a day.
Another example of a local boy doing well was Jim Burgett. He took some Modesto pickers to Lake Tahoe and played during the summer at the American Legion Hall. They did so well that they were cutting into the downtown casino action. So, Harrah's Club hired Jim Burgett with a contract (so I heard) of $5000 a week for 16 weeks scattered through the year. Not bad for $15 a night pickers from little Modesto. From $90 a week to $90,000 a year.
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