Pittsburgh Music Scene in the 1960's

Welcome to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I’m your host, Jumpin’ John.  In this podcast episode we will travel back 60 years, where I will discuss the influence of radio personalities, music, and musicians from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area in the 1960’s.  In particular I will focus on Lou Christie, The Vogues, and Sonny DiNunzio!

All podcasts on the Rock and Roll Flashback Podcast are produced by brothers-in-law Bill Price and "Jumpin' John" McDermott. The Podcast Theme Song, "You Essay", was written by John. It was initially recorded by Bill and John on April 1, 2004 with several revisions since then.
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Transcript

Welcome to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I’m your host, Jumpin’ John.  In this podcast episode we will travel back 60 years, where I will discuss the influence of radio personalities, music, and musicians from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area in the 1960’s. 

Since the early days of radio broadcasting, the disc jockey has been an essential part of radio, not just playing records but serving as an intermediary between the listening audience and the stars of popular music.  DJ's enjoyed the most influence on their listeners in the 1950's and 1960's, when they introduced new music to Americans and made rock and roll the dominant force in youth culture.  The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania radio market was no different from other major metros.  I was a teenager living in that radio market during the 1960's.  So let me share some information about six of those influential AM radio personalities who came to prominence in the Pittsburgh radio market during the 1960's.

George "Porky" Chedwick was an active DJ on WHOD/WAMO from 1956 to 1984.  "Porky" was known by several nicknames:  "The Daddio of the Raddio", "The Platter Pushin' Papa", "The Bossman", and "Pork the Tork".  In addition to his radio DJ duties, Porky also produced several local record hops.  He was among the first DJ's in the United States to play racially diverse R&B music in a major metro market.  Chedwick was among a group of radio disc jockeys honored in the "Dedicated to the One I Love" exhibit at Cleveland, Ohio's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in 1996.  He was the only Pittsburgh DJ to be recognized in the Hall of Fame.

Clark Race was an active DJ on KDKA from 1959 to 1970.  At its height, Race's show captured more than 50 percent of the Pittsburgh area radio audience.  On the radio he is credited with breaking several songs nationally including Lou Christie's "Lightning Strikes," Bobby Vinton’s "Roses Are Red", and the Royal Guardsmen's "Snoopy and the Red Baron."  Other songs that he spotlighted included "Hanky Panky" by Tommy James, "Because Of You" by Rome & Paris, "It Ain't No Big Thing" by the Electrons, "Cross My Heart" by Billy Stewart, "Hung Up" by the Racket Squad, and many others.  In 1963, KDKA-TV began airing Clark Race's "Dance Party," a knock-off of Dick Clark's "American Bandstand".  "Dance Party" aired every Saturday until 1966.

Chuck Brinkman was an active DJ on KQV from 1960 to 1972.   While there, he was part of KQV's "Fun Lovin' Five" with Hal Murray, Steve Rizen, Dave Scott, & Dexter Allen.  In 1964 Brinkman introduced the Beatles to the crowd at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena concert.  He was known for his "Pick of the Week".  Brinkman is credited with breaking nationally songs like "Sitting in The Park" by Billy Stewart, "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry, "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" by Crazy elephant, and several songs by the Vogues and the Jaggerz.

Terry Lee Trunzo was active in all areas of the music and broadcasting businesses in the Pittsburgh area.  Terry Lee was a radio and TV host, DJ, record producer, band manager, concert promoter and emcee, club owner, and later in his career, as a radio station owner.  He was an active DJ on WMCK/WIXZ from 1964 to 1971.  His "TL Sound" was a mix of R&B, soulful ballads, and doo-wop.  Terry Lee is credited with breaking nationally songs like "Nobody But Me" by the Human Beinz, "Dry Your eyes" by Brenda and the Tabulations, "High on a Hill" by Scott English, "Because of You" by Rome and Paris, "You" by The Initials, "69" by The Arondies, "Love on a Two Way Street" by the Moments, and "Mr. Starlight" by Johnny Barfield.  He also claimed to have played "Hanky Panky" by Tommy James & the Shondells on his radio show and at dances before other Pittsburgh radio stations.   In 1966, he opened a club called Nite Train in West Elizabeth, which hosted both national and local acts.  In the late '60s throughout the '70s, TL hosted dance shows on TV: "Come Alive" on the former WIIC (now WPXI) and "The Terry Lee Show" on WPGH and later on KDKA.  TL promoted concerts at Three Rivers Stadium and the Civic arena and was also a frequent concert emcee at the Syria Mosque and Civic Arena from 1970 through 1974.  TL was cousin to Sebastian "Sonny" DiNunzio, whose career I will go into greater detail later in this podcast.  Terry also produced and engineered recordings by the Swamp Rats, the Fantastic Dee Jays, and the Arondies that he released on his own record labels Sherry and Stone.  He also managed those bands, along with the Racket Squad, Chrome Flower, Lucy Blue, the Chains, Six Av Us, and many others.

Robert McConnell, aka Bob Mack, was a record collector turned DJ.  Mack operated a record store in town on Smithfield and Liberty, the Tri-State Record Shop.  Bob Mack was an active DJ on WZUM from 1962 to 1964.   At WZUM Bob Mack's Wax Museum featured lots of obscure R&B and doo-wop.  The Museum took off, featuring "Mac's Monsters," and was one of the most popular shows on local airwaves within a few months.  In addition to running a record shop, he eventually played and booked dances, operated a string of hop halls, and owned a label or two.  He was known for the "Pittsburgh Sound".  Mack built a chain of teen clubs and DJ'd dances at venues he ran and other dance halls throughout Western Pennsylvania.  He later would open adult dance clubs Infiniti, Zodiac, and Frontier where he showcased lived national acts.  Mack also ran two small record labels:  Romac ("Lonely Heart" by The Enchantments) and Viscount ("Comes Love" by The Skyliners.  He produced records with the two lead singers of the Flamingos (as the Starglows), the Skyliners, Tommy James & the Shondells, Jimmy Mack & the Music Factory, Leroy and the Enchantments, and other artists.  Bob Mack also founded Atlantis Productions, which produced rock concerts in multiple venues.  He subsequently opened several night clubs for adults in Pittsburgh, including the highly successful Zodiac and Frontier clubs.  Bob Mack was one of the earliest DJ's to promote Tommy James in the Pittsburgh market.  He booked dates and helped Tommy get his backing band.  As was discussed in my other Pittsburgh episode of Rock and Roll Flashback podcast, after Tommy saw The Raconteurs play at Greensburg's Thunderbird Lounge The Raconteurs were hired to replace the original broken-up Shondells.  Mack also took Tommy to New York City where James signed a deal with Morris Levy and Roulette Records.  In fact, the "Hanky Panky" record label on Roulette lists "Bob Mack Presents" as part of the credits.

Mad Mike Metrovich was a DJ on WZUM from 1964 to 1972.  He had met fellow record collector Bob Mack at a New York City record shop, and they became friends.  Mike started selecting records for Bob Mack at Bob's Tri-State Record Shop in Pittsburgh.  Mack then hired Mike as the house deejay at the Wildwood Lodge club in the North Hills.  Metrovich became known for off-chart music and playing "Moldy Oldies" at Pittsburgh area dances.  In 1964 Mike became the sole owner of Tri-State records.  The National Record Mart chain made a deal with Mike. They agreed to sponsor Mike’s radio show, give him a job at their record chain and release a series of albums featuring Mad Mike’s “moldie oldies”.  As part of the deal, Mike agreed to close Tri State, and give up the DJ job at the Wildwood Lodge.  National celebrity Casey Kasem credited Mad Mike with breaking  "Hanky Panky" by Tommy James & the Shondells nationally.

Western Pennsylvania has been home to countless talented musicians.  Jazz greats like Art Blakely and Billy Eckstine and crooners like Perry Como all hailed from The Steel City region.  In the 1950’s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania played a significant role in the development of Doo Wop.  Local groups from the area began to have an impact on airwaves across the country when Pittsburgh label Fee Bee released the Del Vikings’ “Come Go With Me,” in 1957 and it hit #4 on the charts.  In 1958 The Skyliners hit single, “Since I Don’t Have You” reached #12 in the Billboard Hot 100.  The next year it climbed to #5 on the R&B chart.  In 1961, the Marcels released a doo-wop cover of the ballad "Blue Moon".  The disc went to #1 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. “Blue Moon” sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.  It is featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.  The Pittsburgh area sound of the 1960’s featured, among other things, blue-eyed soul backed with a rock beat.  Three prominent examples that I will discuss were Lou Christie, The Vogues, and Sonny DiNunzio.

First up:  Lou Christie.  In 1943 Lou Christie was born Luigi Alfredo Giovanni Sacco in Glenwillard, Pennsylvania.  Sacco grew up in suburban Pittsburgh and attended Moon Area High School.  There he studied music and voice, served as student conductor of the choir, and sang solos at holiday concerts.  Sacco performed with several vocal groups between 1959 and 1962.  With the Lugee & The Lions group he achieved a local Pittsburgh hit with "The Jury".  After graduating from high school in 1961, Sacco traveled to New York City and worked as a session vocalist.

In 1962, Sacco returned to Pittsburgh and approached Nick Cenci with some demo tapes.  Cenci liked Sacco's falsetto voice and suggested that he listen to the Four Seasons' recent hit "Sherry".  Using that song as a model, Sacco and his songwriting partner Twyla Herbert wrote an original song called "The Gypsy Cried".  Cenci produced a recording of Sacco performing the song at the Gateway Studio in Pittsburgh.  Cenci initially released it on his own C & C label as a single in 1962, credited to "Lou Christie," the name Sacco used thereafter.  The name "Lou Christie" was chosen by C & C Records, and "The Gypsy Cried" was credited to "Lou Christie" before they had consulted with Sacco about the name.

"The Gypsy Cried" became a regional hit, selling 30,000 copies in Pittsburgh.  Cenci contacted Morris Levy of Roulette Records, and Levy released the single on Roulette.  Airplay slowly spread across the country, and "The Gypsy Cried" reached #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, selling over one million copies.  Cenci produced additional recording sessions for Christie in 1963 that generated two more singles.  "Two Faces Have I", his second million-seller, reached #6 on the chart in June 1963.  Roulette released an album of 12 Lou Christie songs in 1963 that reached #124 on the Billboard 200.  With those hits, Christie joined Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars Tour, and he made numerous TV appearances, including on Where the Action Is and on American Bandstand.  Christie's third Roulette release, "How Many Teardrops" only reached #46 in the charts.  Then Lou Christie was inducted into the US Army and did not have another charting single for two and a half years.  

After his discharge from the military Christie signed with the MGM label.  His first single with MGM, "Lightnin' Strikes", would become his biggest hit.  "Lightnin' Strikes" reached #1 in the US on Christie's 23rd birthday on February 19, 1966.  It also entered the UK Top 20, becoming his first hit in that country, and peaked at #1 in Canada.  Christie's next release in the spring of 1966 was "Rhapsody in the Rain" which reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The next year MGM dropped Christie.  He went first to Columbia Records and then joined Buddah Records in 1968.  He had a hit with  "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" in the early autumn of 1969.  Backed by vocalists Linda Scott, Lesley Gore, and Valerie Simpson, the song peaked at #10 in the US.  "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming his biggest hit in the UK.  

Christie spent the early 1970's in London, England and in New York City.  He also lived for a time in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  In 1974, he tried a new musical style, going country on his album Lou Christie.  In the spring of 1978 Christie returned home to Pittsburgh to head a new record label.  It was called "2001 Records", and was a branch of the 2001 and VIP nightclubs nationwide.  Christie became active on the oldies circuit starting in the early 1980s, and had his final US chart hit in 1981, credited as "Summer '81 Medley" by The Cantina Band (featuring Lou Christie).  In 1986, he recorded a duet with Lesley Gore of a medley of "Since I Don't Have You"/"It's Only Make Believe".  Lou Christie  would continue to record occasionally well into the 21st Century.

Second up:  The Vogues.  The Vogues were a four member vocal rock and roll group from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.  In 1958 at Turtle Creek High School four young men formed a vocal group called the Val-Aires.  The original lineup consisted of Bill Burkette (lead baritone), Don Miller (baritone), Hugh Geyer (first tenor), and Chuck Blasko (second tenor).  They signed with Pittsburgh manager Elmer Willet, who produced their first recorded release "Which One Will It Be?" backed with "Launie My Love".  Pittsburgh DJ Porky Chedwick became a supporter, booking the group for his rock and roll shows and record hops.  Chedwick put them on bills with the Drifters, the Platters, and the Dells.  Clark Race of KDKA radio also promoted the group on his KDKA-TV dance show.

After high school, members of the group variously joined the Army or went to college.  After their enlistments and college degrees were completed, they decided to record again.  They hired Nick Cenci to produce their recordings.  Cenci - as I have already mentioned - had helped bring Lou Christie mainstream success.  So, in 1965 Cenci produced recording sessions for the Val-Aires at Gateway Studios in Pittsburgh.  One of those songs was a cover of the Petula Clark song "You're the One".  The single was released on the band's own Blue Star label.  With local airplay and sales in the Pittsburgh area,  Cenci signed them to the Co & Ce label as the "Vogues" and secured national distribution.  "You're the One"became their first hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 in Canada.  Later in 1965, Cenci produced another Vogues recording session.  The resulting single, "Five O'Clock World", reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 in Canada.

In 1966, Co & Ce Records released two singles "Magic Town", which reached #21 in February of that year, and "The Land of Milk and Honey" which reached #29.  The singles "Summer Afternoon" and "Lovers of the World Unite" were released on Co & Ce in 1967.  Co & Ce leased the Vogues to Reprise Records.  With Reprise they found success with cover versions of "Turn Around, Look at Me" and "My Special Angel", both of which reached #7 on the Billboard chart.  The Vogues also charted five other Reprise releases:  "Till", "No, Not Much", "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)", "Moments to Remember", and "Green Fields" .  The original group appeared on popular TV shows in the 1960s, including The Tonight Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, Shindig, The Red Skelton Show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, American Bandstand, Hullabaloo, and The Mike Douglas Show.

In 1971 the Vogues signed a recording contract with Bell Records and recorded three singles:  "Love Song", "Take Time to Tell Her", and "American Family".  In 1972, the group released one single on Mainstream Records called "Need You".  By 1973, Geyer had left the group.  Switching to 20th Century Records, the group released three singles: "My Prayer", "Wonderful Summer", and "Prisoner of Love".  Those three were commercially unsuccessful and represented the last singles released by The Vogues.  In 2001 the Vogues were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

Third up:  Sebastian "Sonny" DiNunzio.

•Jumpin' John (JJ):  Welcome back to Rock and Roll Flashback Podcasts!  I'm Jumpin' John, and I'm pleased to have my friend Floyd Frank Trunzo with me in the studio today.  

•Floyd Frank (FF):  Hi there, John!

•JJ:  Hello!  I think that a full disclosure is in order before we get started here.  I have actually known Floyd since 1962, when we were both in 7th grade at South Junior High School in Monroeville, Pennsylvania.  Even though we would be in the same schools for 6 years, I don't believe we ever had any classes or study halls together.  Does that seem right to you?

•FF:  Um hum.

•JJ:  However, we both tried out unsuccessfully for South Junior High's football team (but that's a long, sad story for another day).  Additionally, Floyd and I were both on Gateway High School's track and cross country teams.  In fact, our 1967 cross country team was undefeated and won the Pennsylvania State Championship.  I would like to say that the 1967 cross country team's success was due to the efforts of Floyd and me, but admittedly our team had other fine runners who were the actual reason for the team winning the State Championship.  Floyd is now happily retired after a productive career as a school teacher.  Additionally, Floyd was known for his many years as a very talented high school soccer coach here in Pennsylvania.  His soccer teams competed successfully statewide and won their District Title.  Floyd was also a volunteer soccer coach in several Keystone State Games.  But we're not here to talk about teaching or about soccer, because Floyd is also a purported expert on Pittsburgh area rock and roll during the 1960's.  His expertise is in large part due to the fact that he was the cousin of one of the Pittsburgh area's most talented rock and roll singers of the 1960's and early 1970's:  Sonny DiNunzio!  So, welcome, Floyd, to Rock and Roll Flashback!

•FF:  Thank you, John.  Wow, what a welcome!  Good to be here.  

•JJ:  I can confirm for our listeners that Sonny's mother was your father's sister, making Sonny your first cousin.  There was also a Washington County native and famous McKeesport radio and Pittsburgh TV personality named Terry Lee Trunzo.  I read somewhere that Terry Lee said that he was also was the cousin to Sebastian "Sonny" DiNunzio.  Do you know your genealogical relationship to Terry Lee?

•FF:  You know, I still haven't figured out that one yet.  Terry Lee Trunzo was related to me and Sonny.  It may go back to our ancestors in Italy.  

•JJ:  OK.  I see that you have come prepared with notes and a newspaper article.  As you are my resident authority on Sonny and the Pittsburgh Music Scene, what can you tell our listeners about his early life?

•FF:  My cousin "Sonny", Sebastian DiNunzio, was born in Apollo, Pennsylvania on November 15th, 1940.  Sonny began singing at an early age and was quite active during the high school years at Apollo High School.  As early as 1955 he was playing cornet in the school band.  In 1956 he was singing in a 9th grade Boys Quartet.  As a high school sophomore in 1957 he sang in the Senior Chorus.  By his senior year he was also playing running back on the football team, hitting game winning shots on the basketball team, and acting as Secretary for the Apollo High School Varsity Club.

•JJ:  He certainly was quite active.  How did his music career begin after graduating high school?

•FF:  In 1959 Sonny joined the acappelo group called the Three Chaps.  The three members besides Sonny were Joe Cesario, George Esposito, and Bob Savastano, all from Vandergrift.  When Sonny joined, they simply became the Chaps.  The Chaps quartet played lots of dances in the Kiski Valley area.  

•JJ:  Did the Chaps cut any records?

•FF:  Nick Cenci of Co and Ce Records had been working with the Val-Aires and Lou Christie.  The Val-Aires would later become the Vogues.  Cenci liked a couple of the Chaps' demos, and they cut a 45 record.  It was "One Lovely Yesterday", backed with "Perfect Night For Love."  The 45 was released on New York's Brent label in 1960.  They followed with "Heaven Must Have Run Out Of Angels", backed with "They'll Never Be," released by Matador Records.  The high parts of "Heaven Must Have Run Out Of Angels" were sung actually by Lou Christie.  

•JJ:  That's very interesting.  Of course, Lou Christie was famous for his high-pitched falsetto voice, as I mentioned earlier in the podcast.  Lou would eventually became a nationwide star on Nick Cenci's labels with songs like "Two Faces Have I" and "The Gypsy Cried."  Sonny's older sister Shirley would also be your first cousin.  I have seen a couple places on the internet claiming that Shirley worked for Nick Cenci, and that Shirley was responsible for her employer, Nick Cenci, taking the Chaps under his wing.

•FF:  I'm unsure how Cenci first became aware of the Chaps, but the rumor of Sonny's sister's involvement is incorrect.  I recently spoke with my cousin Shirley, and she emphatically denied ever working for Cenci.

•JJ:  OK.  Did the Chaps receive any national radio airplay?

•FF:  Not really.  Despite the fact that Lou Christie sang back-up for the "Heaven" record, it never went anywhere except locally, and the Chaps eventually folded.

•JJ:  What did Sonny do after the songs failed to chart nationally?

•FF:  Well, on October 8th, 1960 Sonny married LaVerne Kocon at St. Gertrude Church in Vandergrift.  After their Philadelphia honeymoon, Sonny and LaVerne resided on 2nd  Street in Apollo.

•JJ:  So I would say his priorities changed a little!

•FF:  Yes.  The original Three Chaps moved to the West Coast, and they eventually called for Sonny.  He joined them.  This time they became the Four Chaps.  I'm unsure if LaVerne accompanied Sonny out West, but by 1964 Sonny had returned to Western Pennsylvania and that was the end of the Chaps era.  The best Four Chaps tune was actually released in 1965 after Sonny’s departure and return to Western Pennsylvania.  It was a song Sonny wrote with Nick Cenci called "True Lovers," backed with "Will Ya Or Won't Ya".  "True Lovers" was a mid-tempo soul song that was later covered by the Vogues.  

•JJ:  Do you know any interesting back stories about the Chaps?

•FF:  Sonny's brief Los Angeles sojourn was interesting.  Terry Melcher, who was Doris Day's son, was a record producer at Capitol Records.  He apparently listened to the Four Chaps, but he passed on recording them.  They had auditioned for Bob Keene at Del-Fi Records, and Keene liked what he heard.  Then the Four Chaps got a manager and began playing around Los Angeles.  Keene had learned about a new TV show that was being planned.  The Four Chaps auditioned for producer Jack Good, who cast them in the first of three pilot shows on the CBS TV show called Shindig.  The first pilot was called "Young America Swings the World".  In addition to the Four chaps the 1964 pilot featured Jackie DeShannon, P.J. Proby, the Chambers Brothers, Dionne Warwick, and Leon Russell Band, and several others.  Supposedly the Four Chaps dressed alike in red jackets and sang "Lonesome Traveler," with guitar support from Glen Campbell.

•JJ:  Glen Campbell!  So the Four Chaps performed on CBS in front of a nationwide TV audience?

•FF:  Unfortunately, no.  The producer decided to use the third pilot for the initial broadcast of Shindig.

•JJ:  Well,that's unfortunate.  Have you seen footage of the first pilot?

•FF:  No I haven't.  I believe that there may be a VHS copy of it somewhere in UCLA's Cinema Library.

•JJ:  What was next in Sonny's music career?

•FF:  Once he settled back in Western Pennsylvania, Sonny formed a group called the Townsmen.  They eventually became the Fenways.  The Fenways initially consisted of four members:  Sonny DiNunzio on guitar and lead vocals, Ron George on bass and backup vocals, Bob "Hop" Ainsworth on lead guitar and backup vocals, and Alan "Dale" Bill on drums.  Alan Bill would later be replaced on drums by Joey Covington.  

•JJ:  I had read that Joey Covington was quite a colorful character.  

•FF:  Covington's birth name was actually Joseph Michno.  Joey stayed with the band when the Fenways evolved into the Racket Squad, but left soon afterwards.  Joey then moved to Los Angeles and later became a big drummer with bands like the Jefferson Airplane, Electric Hot Tuna, and Jefferson Starship.

•JJ:  What sort of music did the Fenways play?

•FF:  The Fenways music could best be described either as northern blue-eyed soul or as rhythm and blues doo wop.  

•JJ:  How did things start out for the Fenways?

•FF:  I should mention that Sonny wrote several songs with Herb Cohen.  Herb Cohen, like Nick Cenci, was a Pittsburgh record distributor.  The "C & O" of Co and Ce Records was Herb Cohen, and the "C - E" was Nick Cenci.  Of course, Nick already knew Sonny from the Chaps, so the Fenways had enough potential that Cenci put them on the primary Co and Ce Label, along with the Vogues.  

•JJ:  What was the Fenways first recorded song?

•FF:  The Fenways first release was in October 1963 on Nick Cenci's "Ricky C" label.  The song was called "Nothing to Offer You", written by Cohen and DiNunzio.  Two years later in October 1965 the Vogues would cover this song that Sonny co-wrote.  "Nothing to Offer You" was on the flip side of the Vogues' hit "Five O'Clock World".  

•JJ:  So the Fenways were getting big in the local Pittsburgh market?

•FF:  Yes.  The Fenways quickly became the hottest local act of the mid-sixties in Pittsburgh.  They had many appearances on Terry Lee's local TV dance show "Come Alive". 

•JJ:  How would you describe the stage presence and style of the Fenways?

•FF:  As I mentioned earlier, Sonny played cornet in his high school band, and he could play several instruments.  Like John Lennon and George Harrison, Sonny played a Rickenbacker guitar, in addition to singing lead.  The band also wore stylish clothes.  Lead guitarist Ainsworth liked wearing a serape and a sombrero, while the rest of the band would dress in Barnaby Street style fashions.  

•JJ:  Did the early Fenways perform in any concerts?

•FF:  In 1964 the Fenways opened for the Dave Clark Five at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena on June 5th.  Then they opened for the Rolling Stones on June 17th at the West View Park Danceland.  In December 1964 the Fenways opened for The Four Seasons & Roy Orbison at the Civic Arena.  Other acts they shared a bill with were the Shangri-La's, Lee Dorsey, Lou Christie, Chad and Jeremy, and the Skyliners.  They worked the clubs, too, sometimes playing seven nights a week.  

•JJ:  You mentioned their single "Nothing To Offer You".  What were some of their other early songs?

•FF:  The Fenways recorded several tunes by Nick Cenci's various labels.  Over a three year time period, from 1964 through 1966, they recorded "Be Careful Little Girl", "Humpty Dumpty", "The Number One Song In The Country", "Satisfied", "Love Me For Myself", "I'm A Mover", "A-Go-Go", "I Move Around", "Theme For Pammy", and "I'm Your Toy" - to name a few.  

•JJ:  I believe that a couple of those songs were written by Cohen and DiNunzio.  

•FF:  Yes, and they also had another big Pittsburgh hit in early 1965 that really jump-started their career.

•JJ:  So what was the Fenway's big hit?

•FF:  The Fenways hit the big time when they recorded the song "Walk" in 1965.  The 45 was backed with "Whip and Jerk" and was released on Imperial Records.  "Walk" had a sort of "Pretty Woman" style baseline, and it became the Fenways' most successful single.  By February 9th, 1965, "Walk" topped the charts on both Pittsburgh's major pop radio outlets, KQV and KDKA, along with WMCK.  WMCK's top DJ just happened to be Terry Lee Trunzo, who has said that he was also Sonny's cousin!

[Here is a sample of the song "Walk" by the Fenways!]

•JJ:  You brought along a newspaper article about the Fenways.  Do you know which paper ran this article?

•FF:  I believe it was a local Kiski Valley paper.

•JJ:  OK.  The photo at the top of the article is titled "Vandergrift's Own Mop Tops", an obvious shout out reference to the Beatles.  All four band members have longish hair styles.  I see that Ron, Alan, and "Hop" are gathered behind Sonny, with "Hop" Ainsworth pretending to comb Sonny's hair with an oversized comb.  Could you please read what the caption says under the photo?

•FF:  Under the photo caption, it reads:

It's been quite a while since the scissors really got into the act.  Sonny DiNunzio, who sings the lead and plays rhythm guitar with The Fenways, popular Vandergrift quartet which hopes to follow in the footsteps of The Beatles, reminds his buddies to use only the comb when they got him into the barber's chair for this photo.  The boys, who are riding high with the recording, "Walk," are from the left: Ronald George, bass guitarist, Alan Bills, drummer, and Bobby Ainsworth, lead guitarist.

•JJ:  Would you please read the full article for our listeners?

•FF:  The main article has the heading:  Recording Quartet:  Fenways "Walk" to Top.  It reads:

   You might say the Fenways are on the "walk" to success.  That's the name of their latest recording, "Walk."  In the one week since its release, it has tended to belie its title a bit and is making a "run" for the heights - at least in the Pittsburgh area.

   Nick Cenci of the Fenway Record Corp. - which is where the Fenways picked up their name - said 4,000 copies have been ordered and 2,000 of these have been sold.  "Walk" already has taken a firm stance in the Pittsburgh area's top 50 discs, and Billboard, one of the larger trade magazines, last week selected the number as a "top pick."  Cenci, who is manager of the Fenways, feels the record has "great movement" and thinks the shaggy haired quartet from Vandergrift "has a real good chance" to move into the national limelight with this recording.

   It is probable the record will surpass sales of the Fenways two most successful discs, written by Eddie Restelli of Oakmont, Humpty Dumpty" which sold about 5,000 copies and "Be Careful Little Girl" which sold about 8,000 in the Pittsburgh area.  For being less than a year old, the Fenways (guitarists Sonny DiNunzio, Bob Ainsworth, and Ron George of Vandergrift and drummer Alan Bills of Park Township) have done quite well.

   DiNunzio, who sings lead, says they are "booked solid," with the exceptions of Sundays, and they have made about 15 television appearances in Detroit, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh.

   But it wasn't all quite this simple.  Ainsworth, George and DiNunzio use to be members of a quartet called the Townsmen.  And before that, DiNunzio was a member of The Chaps.  Neither of these groups was able to create the momentum that has marked the Fenways sharp rise.

   The Fenways actually came about after the drummer for the Townsmen,  Gene Strazzera, entered the military service.  "We gotta eat," says DiNunzio.  So the trio found another drummer, Bills, who is a junior in Kiski Area High School.  They picked up a new manager.  They changed names.  And they let their hair grow, a la Beatles.

   "Our biggest break," DiNunzio feels, "was playing in the Civic Arena on a program with the Dave Clark Five last spring."  The Fenways think "Walk" has a good chance of being a national hit.  They have a couple of other irons in the fire, too.

   DiNunzio, who was an outstanding basketball and football player at Apollo Area Joint High several years ago despite his diminutive size, said the Fenways "may get a crack" at going on a cross-country tour with the Dick Clark Caravan and also have a possibility of appearing on television's "Shindig."  They will appear at the Civic Arena Monday on a card that will feature the Four Seasons and a number of other recording artists.

   Ainsworth sings tenor, Bills, second tenor, and George, baritone.  While three of the Fenways call Vandergrift home, none are originally from the town.  Ainsworth and George formerly lived in Parks Township and DiNunzio in Apollo.  But the three now live nearby in the same street "like a big family," says DiNunzio.  All depend on their musical abilities for livings.

   "Walk" is the first number the Fenways have cut with Imperial Records of Los Angeles.  The tune was received through a New York publishing firm.  With a "run" of luck, "Walk" could be a successful venture for the Fenways. 

•JJ:  Thanks for reading that!  It was quite lengthy.  I see that the article corroborated what you mentioned about Sonny's athletic abilities and about the Dave Clark Five and Four Seasons concerts.  Sonny was certainly a talented singer, and "Walk" became a big hit locally.  Did it get national exposure?

•FF:  It did receive some national airplay, but never really became anything more than a Pittsburgh hit.  On page 41 of the Billboard Magazine on March 13th, 1965 the Fenways were billed as "Pittsburgh's answer to the Beatles".  This may have been a reference to the newspaper article I just read.  

•JJ:  For the year 1965 "Walk" ended up being the #11 song on KQV's 1965 Top 100 Chart.  Also in 1965 the Fenways recorded a song for Blue Cat records called "The Fight", backed with "Hard Road Ahead".  Do you know any interesting back stories about the Fenways?

•FF:  The Fenways were from Vandergrift and the Vogues were from Turtle Creek.  Both groups worked with Co and Ce recording, so their early careers were somewhat intertwined.  The Fenways recorded a Tony Hatch/Petula Clark song called "You're The One."  At that time the Vogues were known as the Val-Aires.  Supposedly Nick Cenci felt that Bill Burkette of the Val-Aires would sing the song better than Sonny DiNunzio of the Fenways had.  So Sonny's vocals were removed and replaced by the harmonies of the Val-Aires.  The Fenway's instrumental backing remained on the revised version of "You're The One", and that Val-Aires sung version was released in July 1965.  The song received local play, the Val-Aires became the Vogues, and the Vogues were soon off and running nationally with a huge hit.  It was a big break for the Vogues, but a tough break for Sonny.  Also the Fenways received no official credit for their instrumental backing on the tune. 

•JJ:  That's amazing that a song that was that big nationally, and I believe as I said earlier in the podcast it went to #4 in the nation, had the Fenways playing in the background!   Imagine what could have been had Cenci released the version with Sonny singing!  That was a tough break, indeed!  What became of the Fenways?

•FF:  By 1967 the group had sort of evolved into The Racket Squad.  The Racket Squad initially consisted of  Sonny DiNunzio on vocals, guitar, keyboards, and horn; Bob "Hop" Ainsworth on lead guitar; Ronnie George on bass, sax, and backing vocals; and Joey Covington on drums and percussion.  As I mentioned earlier, by 1968 Covington had left the band to go to L. A.  Gene Molinaro replaced Joey on drums and percussion.

•JJ:  What sort of music did the Racket Squad produce?

•FF:  As a sign of the times, they moved away from doo wop into a more hard rocking, psychedelic act.  They released two LP's and 9 singles on the Jubilee record label.  

•JJ:  I see from my notes that the first album, Racket Squad, came out in 1968 and was entirely made up of song covers.  Tunes on the LP included the Skyliners' "The Loser," "Romeo and Juliet", "We've Got A Groovy Thing Going", and "No Fair At All".  

[Here is a sample of the song, “The Loser,” by the Racket Squad.]

The second LP, Corners of Your Mind, came out in 1969.  It was a mixed bag of tunes, highlighted by "Suburban Life" and "Sweet Little Smoke".  Jubilee also issued singles from the LPs.  They were "Hung Up" backed with "Higher Than High", "Just Like Romeo and Juliet" backed with "Little Red Wagon", and "Suburban Life" backed with "The Loser". 

[Here is a sample of the song, “Hung Up,” by the Racket Squad.]

•JJ:  Unfortunately none of the singles charted nationally.

[That was "Suburban Life", as performed by the Racket Squad on a 1968 TV performance on Terry Lee's "Come Alive" show.]

•JJ:  What did the Racket Squad do after 1969?

•FF:  After that, the Racket Squad toured nationally.  Jubilee also released four more Racket Squad 45's.  In 1969 they released three:  "That's How Much I Love My Baby" (which Sonny wrote for his wife LaVerne) backed with "Moving In", "I'll Never Forget Your Love" backed with "Maybe Tomorrow", and "In Your Arms" backed with "Coal Town".  Their final release was 1970's "Coal Town" backed with "Roller Coaster Ride".  

[Here is a sample of "Coal Town" by the Racket Squad.] 

•JJ:  I saw in the early 1970 Billboard and Record World trade magazines that Sonny DiNunzio was going to be producing some more Racket Squad songs that were coming out in February 1970.  They referred to DiNunzio as an "indie producer".  The magazines were most likely referring to the last single, "Coal Town" and "Roller Coaster Ride".  What happened to the band?

•FF:  The band members were frustrated by the failure to chart records nationally, so the Racket Squad called it quits in 1970.  

•JJ:  Was Sonny's music career over? 

•FF:  Oh no.  Sonny put together a lounge act called Sebastian, and continued to play the Pittsburgh area, going solo after a while.  He released an album under his own name, and things were looking up for him.  Sadly, Sonny died in a car accident on October 22nd, 1978.  

•JJ:  Sad news to lose such a talent.  I understand that a tribute album came out after Sonny's untimely death.

•FF:  Yes.  Almost a year after his death, radio and TV personality Terry Lee Trunzo produced a memorial album called Sonny on the local Keystone Records label.  The album was a mix of 6 original DiNunzio tunes and 4 cover tunes.  Proceeds from the album sales, after costs, went to Sonny DiNunzio’s widow LaVerne and his five children.  A  memorial concert was held at the old Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh.  Several Pittsburgh artists performed at the concert, including the Skyliners, the Vogues, the Marcels, and Sonny’s final band, Sebastian.

•JJ:  Floyd Frank Trunzo, thank you very much for appearing on this edition of Rock and Roll Flashback podcasts and for detailing some background information about one of Pittsburgh area's premier vocalists during the 1960's and 1970's, Sonny DiNunzio!

•FF:  My pleasure.  Thank you!

Thank you for traveling back in time with me on this episode of Rock and Roll Flashback!  This flashback covered some of the influence of radio personalities, music, and musicians from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area in the 1960’s.  Be sure to check out my other Pittsburgh podcast, called the Pittsburgh Music Scene from 1968 through 1974, where I interviewed David Shannon.  David shared his personal perspective on the Pittsburgh music scene in the late 1960's and early 1970's.  I'm Jumpin' John McDermott, and until next time...Rock On!