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MA DURA'S DA NCELA ND

and "Falling Leaves." The second "20th Jubilee" appearance was by and the twenty-four-piece Orchestra on Saturday, April 9, 1949. Some of the hit tunes of the Beneke-Miller band were such classics as "," "," "Tuxedo Junc­ tion," "," "Little Brown Jug," "," "Ida," and "Kalamazoo." Thenext band was trombonist Russ Morgan's on May 19, 1949. Morgan's hits included "So Tired," "Does Yo ur Heart Beat fo r Me?" and "Cruising Down the River." By the mid- popular­ ity was declining, and the few surviving ballrooms were beginning to close. Instead of going out to dance, people stayed home A policeman tries to direct traffic as ft_reft_ghters battle the blaze that erupted at Dance land to watch the new attraction-television. on July 23, 1967. Mike returned to his old job, ironwork­ ing, to supplement his income. Danceland with the offspring of the couples who Baby Boomers will recall some of the needed something new to sustain itself. met there in the 1930s and 1940s. The classic hits of the bands that played at Mick suggested the sale of alcohol, but his first "record hop" was held on January 8, Madura's between 1960 and 1967: Bobby father objected. Perhaps it was his age-he 1960, with Jim Lounsbury of Chicago's Ve e with "Take Good Care of My Baby," was sixty-eight-or maybe his health. The WGN-TV as the master of ceremonies. "Run to H.1m, " "Rose s A re Re d , M y L ove, " end of an era came when Mike suffered a The musician's union objected to the lack and "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes;" heart attack and died on November 20, of live musicians hired fo r this venture, yet Lou Christie with "The Gypsy Cried," 1956. most were unable to play the new music. "Two Faces Have I," and "Lightnin' After Mike's death, Mick took over Lounsbury proceeded to hire fo ur young Strikes;" Johnny Tillotson with "Poetry the business. Though wary of how rock rock and roll musicians per show, which in Motion;" Conway Tw itty with "It's music would go over on a fo xtrot floor, was the beginning of live rock-band music Only Make Believe;" the Kingsmen with he watched the ballroom come alive again in and near Chicago. "Louie Louie;" Jimmy Gilmer with "Sugar Shack" and "Suzie Q;" Bobby Goldsboro Mick Madura (right, with "See the Funny Little Clown;" the with hands on hips) surveys the damage Ve ntures with "Walk Don't Run," "Per­ after the 1967 ft_re. fidia," and "The 2000 Pound Bee;" Jay and "It was terrible," the Americans with "Come a Little Bit remembered Ko­ Closer" and "Let's Lock the Door;" Sam zlowski. "I was living the Sham and the Pharaohs with "Wooly in Indianapolis. We Bully" and "Lil' Red Riding Hood;" the received the phone call, and I got in the Guess Who with "She's Come Undone;" car and came home. the Vo gues with "Five 0' clock Wo rld;" the This was all my fa ther Buckinghams with "Kind of a Drag;" and did from when he was the Cryan' Shames with "Sugar and Spice." 17 I didn't even know John Higgerson, who played bass with the what to say to him." Wilshires and later went on to record a hit

TRACES 12 I I Summer 2011