Final Edition

FINAL 2021 EDITION THEMAGAZINEOFCOUNTRYMUSIC.COM 40 YEARS OF BRINGING A LITTLE COUNTRY TO MICHIGAN FINAL 2021 EDITION THEMAGAZINEOFCOUNTRYMUSIC.COM 40 YEARS OF BRINGING A LITTLE COUNTRY TO MICHIGAN — 2 — THE MAGAZINE OF COUNTRY MUSIC, P.O. BOX 1412, WARREN, MI 48090 (586) 755-0471 THE MAGAZINE OF COUNTRY MUSIC, P.O. BOX 1412, WARREN, MI 48090 (586) 755-0471 — 3 — THE HUMBLE MAJOR MUSICAL MAGAZINE BEGINNINGS INFLUENCES Tom was born in Findlay, “I saw Minnie Pearl at an OF COUNTRY Ohio in 1952 to very humble event in Findlay, but beginnings. His father, Bob, was unfortunately never had the MUSIC a steel lathe operator at Garwood pleasure of meeting her.” Like Industries and his mother, Sue, many other Baby Boomers in the CELEBRATES was a waitress and cook. Their 1960s, Tom was influenced by the modest house (out in a heavily Beatles, as well as Credence ITS 40TH wooded area) had no inside Clearwater Revival (CCR), plumbing; they didn’t have George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis ANNIVERSARY inside plumbing until Tom (interviewed by Tom later for this entered high school. He began magazine), Willie Nelson, Carl AND FINAL playing music at a young age Perkins, Jack Greene, Johnny with his two brothers, Larry and Cash, Merle Haggard, Waylon ISSUE! Ron, five and ten years older, Jennings, Roger Miller “King of By Martha Burczyk respectively. the Road”… and last but not least, “Elvis Presley, of course!” (With thanks to Traci, Tina, and Tommy Jr. for their contributions to the story) Tom got his first drum kit at the age of 13, but before that, his talent was revealed as he Willie Nelson and Tom drummed on one-, two-, and three-pound cans of Maxwell House coffee that his mom gave ON THE ROAD him - a true sign of someone born with the beat! His brothers, From 1971 to about 1975, Ron and Larry, and Tom formed brothers Tom and Larry Tesnow Publisher, Tom Tesnow, has the Tesnow Brothers Band. and Denny Lytle formed the band, decided to say farewell to his Green River. “We loved doing long-running publication after 40 CCR, and that was one of their years but has no plans to songs!” relinquish his band manager status just yet, continuing to book bands as he has done since the 1980s. He is planning two farewell parties on successive Saturdays in August - on the 14th They played at Tom’s high and 21st of the month - in school, campgrounds and bars. Center Line, Michigan (See His first paid gig with an outside inside back cover for address and band happen when he was 15. schedule of events.) The events Tom would sit in with local will include several bands each talent whenever he could. day along with four 50/50 raffles When his brother, Ron, at each event, with tickets to joined the Navy the brothers Tom left the band and hit the benefit The Center Line Lions began playing in different states road with his first wife, Beth, and Club on both dates. There will where Ron was stationed eight-week-old daughter, Traci, in also be a donation table for the including Virginia, Ohio, and the hopes of some day being Elvis Historical Society of Center Michigan. They played together Line. A good time will be had by Presley’s drummer. (“Boy was I until Ron was stationed out of ever naive back then”) joining all! the country. — 4 — THE MAGAZINE OF COUNTRY MUSIC, P.O. BOX 1412, WARREN, MI 48090 (586) 755-0471 Larry Lee and the Rascals in (bandleader) was from Waco, local known fiddler, Billy Minneapolis/St. Paul. They Texas and played fiddle, lead Hamblin (currently with Family performed there, St. Cloud, and guitar, and sang with a strong Tradition) also played in Vern other Minnesota cities. They low Texas voice. He was Thomson’s band a couple years performed covers from Elvis, formerly a drummer in Texas after Tom left the band. Then CCR, Merle Haggard, Waylon and moved up to Colorado Billy and Tom met later in the Jennings, and many more top Springs to front his own band. Detroit Metro Area and Billy has radio-played artists; Tom would He turned out to be a great played for Arizona Son, a band pull out the Gene Krupa drum friend and showed me how to that Tom has formed over 20 solo from Caravan. With the play Western Swing on the years ago. usual drama and bad habits bands drums. We played all over Tom took a job in Salina, tend to find while living on the Colorado and Texas. We were Kansas with Red Young and road, Tom eventually quit the a six-piece band and covered The Youngins. “I learned a lot band. most of the top country songs from Red and his band. He had Tom’s agent, Norm Forest, on the radio.” recorded a country song that got him an opportunity to form a “While living in Colorado was being played on local radio band to back up The Hager Springs, I also secretly stations in Kansas, and had a Twins from Hee-Haw fame, for moonlighted playing guitar and great style - not only country, a couple fair shows. singing during the afternoon but different kinds of music happy hours to make extra including the Grateful Dead. I money. Sometimes the job played with the band that interfered with band whole summer and felt I had rehearsals, until the band to leave for Ohio to try to save surprised me a couple months my marriage. The band didn’t later and came to the club in want me to leave the group, so the audience I was playing and they came with me. That was gave me an ultimatum to quit incredible even though there moonlighting or leave the band. wasn’t enough work for an out- I stayed with the band.” of-state band, and we didn’t “The band also was offered have an agent to help us at the to do some studio work in time.” Denver about 60 miles north of “Eventually, Red and the Colorado Springs with Jody band went back to Kansas. A “We rehearsed Jim and Copley and I played on ‘Ain’t few months later Red asked me John’s (Hager) album, That My Luck’ and the B Side to play drums with him for an ‘Motherhood, Apple Pie, and ‘I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in audition in Kansas City, the Flag’ and we had a great Love with You)’.” Missouri, which I did, and then time. The Hagers really I returned to Ohio. After a enjoyed my daughter, Traci; marriage separation for a although, she was too young to period of time, we ended up remember that time. Jim was getting a divorce. I stayed in the playing my Yamaha accoustic area performing to be in touch when he accidently bumped it with my daughter.” on a bleacher bench at the Traci, like her father, is fairground and made a little musically inclined (brass crack at the bottom of it. At the instruments) and is now 46 years time, I was just happy that he old. She attended Bowling Green was playing on it.” State University after high school Tom’s agent then contacted and has accomplished so much him to see if he was interested in in her personal and professional moving to Colorado Springs to Feeling the strain of the road life. Presently, she is the join The Vern Thomson Show with his wife and daughter, and Marketing and Business at a club known as, The trying to save the marriage, Tom Development Leader at Nooter Godfather, playing six days a left Vern Thomson and headed Toledo. She is also very involved week. Tom accepted and he and back East. “It was one of the in her community and serves as his young family headed for hardest things I ever had to do Vice President on her local Colorado Springs. “Being that I was to quit Vern and the band. school board. Traci has a was playing Country & We both were in tears and successful and supportive Western, Elvis songs, and Rock hoped that one day we could husband, Mike, who is also & Roll, I never really heard of perform together again. musical (played guitar in Western Swing, which I had to Unfortunately, that never numerous bands when he was learn in the band. Vern happened.” (Editor’s note: A younger) and is the Director of THE MAGAZINE OF COUNTRY MUSIC, P.O. BOX 1412, WARREN, MI 48090 (586) 755-0471 — 5 — Operations at a specialty metals didn’t know that he was on the Interstate when the “The company with locations in talking to the bass player One Who’s Always Cheating” Michigan and Arizona. They (Larry) and left. Larry (being came on the air, and we were have two beautiful and intelligent a guitar player) could not sing very happy and excited! Larry children. Tom’s grandson, Logan and play bass very well at the Lee changed his band name to (16), is a high honors student and same time. Larry said to Larry Lee Adkins and the plays the drums. His Junior and I, ‘What do you Hanging Tree. Larry went on to granddaughter, London (11), think of that? I told Larry that Nashville to record a number one loves school and joins the band he should give Paul an favorite on WCXI in Detroit, this year playing percussion or audition. He did and hired “Hey Mister (I’m In Love with the trombone (she’s undecided).

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