A4 SUNDAY, August 18, 2013 HISTORY The Dunn County News Right be-‘4’ they were The Mamas & The Papas “Honeycomb”. Stellar performance As to the rest of the half-dozen single and group musicians, there JOHN RUSSELL were no “big names” in Scenes of Yesteryear the group. But all per- formed well, responding to They were, and still are, the crowd’s obvious enjoy- called “hootenannys” — ment. One group of four informal public gatherings musicians that had a and performances of folk rather uninspiring title, singers and musicians who “The Big Four.”A group often encouraged the consisting of two men and audiences to join in. Back two ladies who performed in early 1965, the citizens so well, as I recall, they of Menomonie had a great brought the audience to its opportunity to enjoy and feet and with applause to participate in one that match. It was a stellar per- arrived in town for one of formance. the most memorable per- One of the group, Ellen formances in the city’s Naomi Cohen, obviously SUBMITTED PHOTO history. overweight, but featuring THE UNFORGETTABLE MAMAS & THE PAPAS OF THE LATE 1960S: Their rise in popular music began when the “Big Four” On a spring evening, a beautiful singing voice, found a new name and a larger audience after its brief appearance on the basketball court of Menomonie High School in area music lovers flocked had just joined the quartet spring 1965. Left to right: Michelle Phillips, Cass Elliot, Dennis Doherty and John Phillips. into the gymnasium of the after spending a year with Menomonie High School singers Tim Rose and called the Mugwumps, a group, so it is possible that A few years later, when memorable reunion with to experience and, in some James Hendricks in a trio short-lived venture that one of the very first per- my wife and I were speak- Rodgers, recalling that measure, even “joined in” called “The Big Three.”It folded when he left to join formances of the newly ing at professional pho- musical evening in with the musical perform- is obvious that Ellen with another musician, formed group was in tographer conventions Menomonie when the Big ances of six or seven per- Cohen was responsible for John Phillips and his wife, Menomonie. throughout the states, we Four became the unforget- formers who had come to the rather drab, unpromis- Michelle, to form the This appearance in were staying in a hotel in table Mamas & the Papas. the city. Most of the names ing “Big Four” title of the group known as the New Menomonie turned out to an unremembered city in of the groups or individual group appearing that night Journeymen. be the last performance as Louisiana. When we went John Russell, a local performers meant little to in Menomonie. It was during the winter the “Big Four.”Within 48 for dinner in the hotel, we photographer and Dunn members in the audience, It turned out that this of 1964-65 while vaca- hours, the group left the passed a familiar person County resident, writes a except possibly one youth- Menomonie appearance tioning and performing in tour and quickly changed making sound checks in on weekly column for The ful pop singer named also included Denny the Virgin Islands that the name to The Mamas & the performing venue of Dunn County News. He is Jimmie Rodgers, who was Doherty who had joined Doherty convinced the the Papas and made the hotel. It was Jimmie curator emeritus of the well on his way to success Ellen Cohen, better known Phillips that Cass Elliot unforgettable history in Rodgers. Dunn County Historical with his top hit, as Cass Elliot, in a group should join the “Big Four” American folk music. We shared a brief but Society.

Discount days for Miraco and Ritchie Waterers Discounts Good Friday August 23rd Make your chores easier for yourself and Saturday August 24th

rItCHIE OmnI SErIES MIRaco LIL SpRIng autoMatIc WateReRS • Easy to maintain • Large Access panel • 10 year Limited #2801 #2901 Warranty 110V 110V Heated Heated rItCHIE AC SErIES 2061990920”W 16”L 19”H 5 year Warranty • All purpose • Heavy Steel 30”W 16.5”L 19”H • 10 year Limited Warranty 6 X 6.00#3001 #3101 110V 110V CAttlE FOunt SErIES Heated Heated • Heavy Duty Steel construction 22”W 24”L 22”H 5 year Warranty • Limited Supply AD COPY. 22”W 36”L 27”H In store Discounts Visit stockmanfarmsupply.com for online ads Annie has had a tough week with an infection back that has her in a lot of pain. good rain & up to this point my rain dances have gone unnoticed. Annie has while you watch. But don’t be fooled, cause I’m here to tell you that they make Eddie’s I’ve been anxious to get back to the store to work, but it sounds like Annie noticed me though. She laughs at my dancing & says it looks more like I have just downright terrible pickles! We’ve kept the wood ticks at bay for most of STOCKMANSisn’t the only one hurting. Almost everyone is sick down there with one thing to go potty & sheFARMwas wondering if I called that rain. Geez, aren’t kids great?SUPPLYI the summer, but it will soon be time for them to make their last stand & jump two or another so I think I’ll just stay put. Nellie is content at home as long as she think I’m a pretty good dancer; maybe she’s just a little jealous because she’s into some nice warm fur. Don’t forget to keep your best friend protected from Scents can be outside doing her sheriffing. It’s pretty funny though because most of off her dancing legs right now. Anyway, I hope I embarrass her because I think these monsters with the LIBERTY 50. Besides telling the ticks to bug off, it also the time I catch her sleeping on the job. When we go out I see her napping that’s one of a mother’s most important jobs! The plant that is growing like works on fleas, mosquitoes, lice, & mites. What more could a dog ask for? And Worth in the garage, but as soon as she sees us she takes off running into the yard mad in spite of the lack of rain is the wild cucumber vine. Those babies grab this week you can pick up your LIBERTY 50 FOR ONLY $9.99 A BOX! Just tell barking! It really makes her look guilty for goofing off! We sure could use a on to the pine trees with their strong tendrils & can climb 20 feet practically the cashier you don’t want anyone hitching a ride on your buddy!

Sign up for excluSive online couponS Mon-fri 8AM to 8:00pM Monthly e-couponS Store WWW.StOCkmAnFArmSupply.COm hourS SAturdAy 8AM to 5:30pM Just east of I-94 on Hwy. 10 - Exit 88, Osseo, WI 1/2 mile South of I-94 on Highway 128 SundAy 9AM to 4:00pM (15 short miles from Eau Claire) Glenwood City - Spring Valley Exit 28, Wilson, WI 715-597-2805 FAX 715-597-2715 715-772-3128 FAX 715-772-3134

ANSWERS TO LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD Weekly Sudoku by Linda Thistle

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each col- umn down and each small 9- box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

SEE NEXT SUNDAY’S ISSUE FOR THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS