Gayville Hall Provides Venue for Area Musicians
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November 22, 2013 www.plaintalk.net Plain Talk: Heritage Edition B7 Gayville Hall provides n ROCKIN’ From Page B5 venue for area musicians serious about getting my Editor’s note: Portions of was so great.” we’re still here, that undergraduate degree, and this story, written by Travis The Hank Williams show something like this would when I was working on my Gulbrandson, first appeared was so successful that it’s take off and grow,” she said. graduate degree, I was in the Yankton Press & been performed again in “We have some really playing four nights a week Dakotan on March 11, 2010. different versions through wonderful patrons. It’s and studying at the same the years. It will be exciting. They respond, and time. It was grueling.” GAYVILLE — When performed again this season we respond to them.” In the early 1970s, he Doug Sharples went to a on March 27. Gayville Hall has featured decided to bring The building auction in 1997, he Doug Sharples said they a great variety of music over Chateaux Band back had no idea he would be the even called it, “The show that the years. Robin and Linda together as a three piece one who came away with the saved Gayville Hall.” Williams and Their Fine power group along with building. Since that time, the venue Group, of Prairie Home two other members, Gary He and his wife Judi were has hosted “celebrations” of Companion and Grand Ole Knutson on guitar and friends of the previous other artists, including Opry fame, are perhaps the Doug Test on drums. The owner, who had passed away, Johnny Cash and fiddler most widely known band eventually traveled to and Sharples said he went to Chet Olsen, which was musicians who have played Memphis, TN and recorded the auction strictly as a broadcast by South Dakota the hall, which they have the song “Reference Man” spectator. Public Television. done twice. The South on the Sun Records label. It “They were trying to get These performances have Dakota Jazz Quintet, with received national airplay on the first bid, and I just (rose been among Gayville Hall’s C.J. Kocher on saxes and stations in Oklahoma City, my hand) to bid on it, just to most popular. Dave Olson on piano, has OK, Little Rock, AK, and get it going,” he said. “Then “The most we ever had in played four times. Other most Top 40 stations there was no other bid. That here was the first time we did favorites have included the throughout the Midwest. opening bid was below what the Johnny Cash show. We off-Broadway and former With success as they would find acceptable, had 270 paid people in here. Red Clay Rambler composer, recording artists, The In the mid-1960s, Ellison changed the name of The Shattoes so they told me what their It was just crazy,” Doug piano player, and singer, Chateaux Band enjoyed to The Chateaux Band. The band’s look changed along with minimal would be, and it Sharples said. Mike Craver, who has played numerous sold out concerts the times, adopting the clothing and hairstyles of that era. Pic- was a darn good price.” On average, most twice; the great guitar player and dance engagements. tured are Ellison, Doug Test, and Gary Knutson. Ellison and Knutson both hailed from Vermillion; Test, from Mitchell, was When he returned home, performances attract more Harvey Reid; the North Letting go a classmate of Ellison’s at USD. Judi asked him, “Who than 100 people, although Dakota troubadour Chuck (Photo courtesy of Bob Ellison) bought the building?” some attract many more Suchy; old-time country Ellison never abandoned “Guess what?” he told her. than that. music stars Bob and Sheila his studies for he knew the and Mike Yondrich from vice president of real estate “I did.” “Our last show of the Everhart; Nashville singer- time might come to Sioux City, IA. and new store The Sharples owned the season had 230 people in songwriter Laurie McClain; eventually step away from After 14 years of musical development. He now building for four years before here,” he said. “They were folk musicians Curtis and his role as a rock and roll performances, with two devotes a few hours each they ever thought to hold a even sitting in the aisle and Loretta, Bob Bovee and Gail bandleader. degrees from USD, day to his work as a concert there. This was into the gallery.” Heil; alternative country and “I retired when I was including a master’s in commercial real estate because it was the home of a Sharples said the concerts folk artist Joe West; singer- 30,” he said. “I always had medieval history, he developer in Omaha. grocery store, which closed have attracted “a lot of songwriter Gordy Pratt; and this vision of Christmas disbanded his rock and roll He was thrilled when he in 2001. regulars” over the years, some many others. Day in a funky motel, group in 1976 and was received the news in 2011 During this time, the of whom travel long A very popular show in waiting to play the next gig. making plans to travel to that his musical groups couple were making a film distances to attend. 2010 was the appearance of I didn’t see myself fitting Connecticut to work on his were to be honored by the about Omaha resident and “We have customers that the Rapid City-based Beatles that scenario so I pretty doctorate. South Dakota Rock & Roll jazz musician Preston Love, come as far as 150 miles on a tribute band, Abbey Road. much told myself if I make “I had my graduation Music Association. who died in 2004 and spent fairly regular basis,” he said. Of course, Gayville Hall’s it big by the time I’m 30, pictures developed at the “It shows some thanks, I his career playing with artists “Not every show, but they’ll “Fab Four” (John & Susan great. And if not, I have a Gibson’s store in guess, for all of the hard like Count Basie and Ray pick out four or five shows a McNeill, Owen DeJong, and great career to fall back on.” Vermillion, which work that you’ve put in, Charles. Love also performed year and they’ll come that Nick Schwebach) continue to Ellison’s life has more or eventually became Pamida, and it’s a recognition of in smaller venues across the distance.” be the main attraction at less played out just as he and the manager there, who being one of the better Midwest. Apart from music, art is Gayville Hall. had scripted it. During the I knew somewhat, asked me bands during that era,” “I thought to represent also a very important part of Any crowd of over about last few years of his band’s what I was going to do Ellison said. that … I wanted to get him Gayville Hall. Its walls are 160 persons appears to be a existence, several next,” he said. Interviewed before the playing in the hinterlands of lined with posters from past full house at Gayville Hall, outstanding members When Ellison told him ceremony, he said he South Dakota, so I got him a shows, vintage sheet music, and more than ten times joined his group before about his plans to continue planned to dust off his gig playing at the National signage and albums. during the first five seasons moving on to play with his studies, the manager guitar and perform five Music Museum, and then he There’s also a gallery that Gayville Hall had 200 or national acts. asked him to consider songs at the ceremony. “It said, ‘I want to play features a revolving schedule more patrons. The biggest Mark Craney and Mike working for Gibson's. will be a fun evening. The someplace at night,’” Doug of art exhibitions. crowd was about 270 persons Miller of Sioux Falls played Company officials in group that I put together Sharples said. Some works of art have at the first presentation of "A in the group and eventually Omaha, NE eventually are all either former The store had been even been donated by Celebration of Johnny Cash" left to perform with interviewed him. “I went to musicians or sons or cleared out by that time and attendees of the concerts. on October 15, 2003, when Santana, Deep Purple, and work a couple weeks later, brothers of former the acoustics of the building “At the Johnny Cash an overflow crowd (at a Geno Vinelli. and I never looked back.” musicians who are no were good, so a stage was show, there was a person in discounted ticket price for The final members of Ellison retired at age 54 longer with me,” Ellison built, and the concert was the audience (April the poor seats) sat in the the group joining Ellison in after serving as Pamida’s said. held Wednesday, May 16, Dawboy),” Judi Sharples said. gallery and at the farthest the mid-70s were Rusty Gill 2001. The show still remains “We didn’t even know her. ends of the hall, where there one of the Sharples’ favorites. And she came to us and said, was hardly a glimpse of the “It was quite an event,” ‘I was inspired by that stage. The second largest Judi Sharples said. “He was concert.’” crowd, about 250, occurred wonderful.” Since that time, Dawboy the second time that Gayville The show attracted has painted a number of Hall presented "A .(@=033,/(33 approximately 100 people, portraits of musicians, many Celebration of Chester and the Sharples decided to of which are on display in the Olsen," in April of 2005.