Kansas Day Presentation, 2011

Fall 2010

Kansas Studies Courses Spring Semester 2011 Tom Schmiedeler, Director 785-670-1559 GL 103A, Historical Geology (with Kansas emphasis) MW 1–2:15, [email protected] Tanbra Eifert GL 103B, Historical Geology (with Kansas emphasis) MW 2:30– Deborah Altus, Human Services 3:15, Tanbra Eifert Sharon Ashworth, Biology GL 103C, Historical Geology (with Kansas emphasis) MW 5:30– Tom Averill, English 6:45, Will Gilliland Bob Beatty, Political Science HI 322A, Kansas History TR 11-12:15, Bruce MacTavish Patti Bender, Health PO 106B, U.S. Government MWF 12-12:50, Bob Beatty Roy Bird, KS State Library PO 107A, American State & Local Government TR 11-12:15, Marcia Cebulska, Playwright Mark Peterson Jeannie Chinn, KSHS PO 307A, Intern-State and Local Govenment PO 107 & Jr/Sr or Marion Cott, KHC Charles Cranston, Mass Media consent of instructor, Mark Peterson Virgil Dean, KSHS PO 309A, Kansas Legislative Experience TR 3-4:15, Bob Beatty Paul Fecteau, English William Gilliland, Geology Rachel Goossen, History Chris Hamilton, Political Science Kansas Day Presentation, 2011 Robert Hull, Finance Reinhild Janzen, Art he Center for Kansas Studies will sponsor its annual Kan- Jim Kelly, KTWU T sas Day presentation on Friday, January 28, 2011, at 3:30 p.m. David Kendall, KTWU in room 208, Henderson Hall on the Washburn campus, Topeka. Robert Lawson, English Our speaker will be John W. Carlin, former Gabrielle Lunte, Modern Languages Bruce Mactavish, History Kansas governor (1979-1987) and current Judith McConnell-Farmer, Education Visiting Professor, Executive-in-Residence, Eric McHenry, English in the Political Science Department at Kan- Jay Memmott, Social Work sas State University. Marguerite Perret, Art Carlin's talk is entitled “Kansas at 150: Mark Peterson, Political Science What Looking at the Past Can Tell Us J. Karen Ray, English Leslie Reynard, Communication about Moving Forward.” His service as an William Roach, Business Archivist of the United States for the National Betsy Kanabe Roe, Art Archives and Records Administration Tom Schmiedeler, Geography from 1995 to 2005, and as chair of Robin Shrimplin, History the National Historical Publications Bradley Siebert, English Sarah Smarsh, English and Records Commission during the John Margaret Stewart, English same time period, provide him with Carlin, William Wagnon, History the historical perspective needed Kansas Day Marydorsey Wanless, Art for evaulating Kansas at its sesqui- Speaker, 2011 David Winchester, Mabee Library centennial. Visit Carlin's website: Margaret Wood, Soc./Anthropology www.k-state.edu/polsci/faculty/car- Carol Yoho, Art lin-john.html Center for Kansas Studies This presentation is free and www.washburn.edu/cks refreshments will be served.

1 Fellows News

Sarah Smarsh, assistant professor, Department of their setting here: from pre-Civil War battles, to English, read from her new book, It Happened in homesteader/rancher conflicts, to famed outlaws of Kansas, and also addressed her other new book, Abilene and Dodge City, to Western expansion and Outlaw Tales of Kansas, at 7 p.m., Monday, Sep- Indian removal. tember 20, 2010, at the Lawrence Public Library. The iconic Kansas film is also America's most- The Raven Bookstore sold copies of both books. viewed movie: The Wizard of Oz, whether watched It Happened in Kansas has been selected by on the big screen, annually on television, or paired the Kansas Humanities Council for an upcoming, with Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. statewide book-discussion series on Kansas his- Kansas became a movie location in the mid-1950s, tory as we prepare to celebrate most importantly with Willliam Inge's Picnic. Soon the 150th anniversary of our after, Gordon Parks (The Learning Tree), Rich- statehood. The series is part ard Brooks (In Cold Blood) and Peter Bogdanovich of the successful program (Paper Moon) gave us three more ways of looking TALK, or Talking About Litera- at Kansas. ture in Kansas. Sarah chatted Our film heritage, from Western about the book with J. Scha- (Dark Command), to Small Town fer on Kansas Public Radio (Gypsy Moths), to Con Man (Leap prior to the library event. of Faith), to Science Fiction (A Boy and His Dog), to Horror (Carnival of Souls), is rich. Robert N. Lawson, professor This site hopes to enrich the emeritus of the Department of history, heritage and future of English, discussed his novel, Kansas in the Movies. The Bridge of Dreams, on Visit: http://www.washburn.edu/reference/cks/mapping/ Tuesday, November 23, 2010, movies/ in the Mabee Library iRead Site categories include: Lounge, Washburn University. • Map of Movies Filmed in Kansas Twenty-four of the sonnets • Listing of Movies Filmed in Kansas from The Collected Sonnets • Listing of Movies Set in Kansas of Robert N. Lawson open • Map of Movies Set in Kansas the chapters in the novel. Both • List of Kansans in the Movies titles were published by The Bob Woodley Memo- • Directors of Kansas Movies rial Press, Washburn University. Dr. Lawson also • List of all movies related to Kansas discussed his editing of the novel, Cry to Dream • Kansas Literature in the Movies Again, by Bob L. Woodley, for whom the Woodley Press is named. Dr. Lawson and Other News AMPAS Dr. Woodley shared an office at ® Washburn University for thirteen The 15th Annual Kansas Silent Film Festi- years. Following the presenta- val will be held in White Concert Hall, Washburn tion, copies of the books were University, February 25-27, 2011. This free public available for sale and autograph- event is sponsored by Kansas Silent Film Festival, ing. A companion website to The Inc., a local non-profit arts agency. The theme is Bridge of Dreams is accessible “The First Academy Awards, 1927-28.” These first on-line: http://www.washburn.edu/ awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Pic- reference/bridge24/ ture Arts and Sciences, were from the only year when all nominees were silent. Thomas Fox Averill, professor, Department of For event details visit http://www.kssilentfilmfest.org English, writes: Kansas has been a key state from For details about the First Academy Awards ceremony visit the beginning of the movies. Early Westerns found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Academy_Awards

2 On the Road with Green River Ordinance

he 1960s was had come ashore at mid decade, one of the most a number of rock and roll bands by Tom Schmiedeler T tumultuous decades in had sprouted from the prai- American history. The demand Professor of Geography, rie towns and cities of Kansas. for political and social change Dept. of Political Science Among them was a group of was in large part led by the four youths from Emporia who nation’s youth, many of whom, called themselves The Invad- as part of the baby-boom gen- ers. Stories of Kansas bands eration, became teenagers and young adults during like The Invaders can now be accessed at a variety the decade. In rejecting the social norms of pre- of websites, but there is limited information from vious generations, they forged new directions in these sources concerning the day-to-day life of a politics, lifestyles, and the arts. Music, in particu- Kansas rock band while touring. The road experi- lar rock-and-roll music, became one of the most ences of these bands—the logistics of travel, who popular avenues of youthful expression. Rock was they encountered and where they performed—are born in the 1950s from a variety of influences and important because they are a means of measuring more or less matured in the 1960s into a number of the pulse of change in the state at a critical time, genres, among them folk, rhythm and blues, soul, not only because it involved a potential clash of psychedelic and heavy metal. But unlike the swing generational values, but also because Kansas was music of the previous generation, “rock was accom- experiencing large-scale economic transformation panied by an ideological strain” and, along with the during the decade. In this essay, I explore this sub- associated “life-style and social creed,” it became ject through the reminiscence of Bob Yoos, one of contemptible to many older Americans because the guitarists and vocalists of The Invaders, who they interpreted it as unpatriotic and immoral.i became the better known and more widely travelled And so it was claimed by a youthful generation as Green River Ordinance.ii I got to know Bob while we its own with its popularity and accessibility greatly both pursued master’s degrees in geography at the enhanced by amplified sound and an evolving tech- University of Kansas. My approach is focused geo- nology that produced and recorded it in both visual graphically on the spaces and places utilized and and audio formats. encountered while the band toured Kansas during By the dawn of the decade it reached nearly a five year period from 1966 to 1971. everywhere and by the time the British Invasion Continued on p. 4…

Figure 1. The six-piece Green River Ordinance band at a park along the Arkansas River in Wichita in 1970. From left to right, Steve Graves, Jimi Pritchett, Greg Taft (back), Dana Bennett (front), Glen Andrews and Bob Yoos. Photo, Green River Ordinance Archives.

3 On the Road with Green River Ordinance —cont.

Beginnings at family gatherings. The Invaders thus began, The Invaders were originally a four-piece band that like so many others, as a raw but talented group plunged into the pool of budding Kansas rockers in of individuals who needed to hone their personal the spring of 1966 with Bob on guitar and vocals; skills while learning to play together. It was not an Tom Baysinger on bass and vocals; Glen Andrews easy task particularly as it required commitment on guitar and vocals; and Dwight Andrews, Glen’s and discipline at a time when rebelliousness was as brother, on drums. They attended two Emporia thick in the air as pot smoke. And the message to high schools: Bob and Tom went to Emporia High improve could be acridly delivered. As Bob recalled, and the Andrews brothers went to Roosevelt High, We were rotten when we started. When you get a private school associated with Emporia State Uni- out and start playing for people, you learn pretty versity until it closed in 1970. Through time, band quick what works and what doesn’t. You think members left and were replaced by others, all of you might sound good when you’re just listening whom were Kansans and, with one exception, came to each other in a garage and then you get out to Emporia to attend Emporia State. Sometime in and you have to play into a bigger space—whoa! the late fall of 1968 or early winter of 1969 the four- Playing in the basement for a bunch of teens, piece band had evolved into a six-piece band that well there’s a whole different level of forgiveness included Bob and Glen Andrews from the origi- there. Either we need better equipment or these nal group, Jimi Pritchett (drums and vocals) from people aren’t liking it—you can tell by their body Overland Park, Steve “Ruby” Graves (keyboards, language that this isn’t that good. trumpet and vocals) from Eureka, Greg Taft (lead guitar) from Salina, and Dana Bennett (bass and Even the most successful groups have had simi- vocals) from Ottawa. These six were the band when lar experiences when they walk on to a bigger stage. it disbanded in the spring of 1971 (Figure 1). iii As Paul Williams, a member of the Temptations told Finding replacement members was not usually his fellow band members after watching Gladys too difficult as a kinship of musicians had already Knight and the Pips perform their synchronized evolved by the mid 1960s in college towns. Musi- gyrations on a shared bill in Cleveland in 1964, cians often knew and heard each other play prior “Fellas, we’ve got to go back to Detroit and do some to performing together so when an opening became more rehearsing.”iv And so, like the Temptations, available, it was usually filled by someone whose The Invaders rehearsed and gradually became more abilities were known to the group. An exception to proficient so that they soon went from playing small this practice for Green River Ordinance occurred local gatherings when band members placed notices on bulletin to playing high boards for a keyboard player as they transitioned to school dances And so, like the the six-piece band. As Bob recalled Steve “just came on Friday and Temptations, The Invad- there [to Emporia] and he thought that that might Saturday nights ers rehearsed and be fun. Came and knocked on my door and intro- in nearby towns gradually became more duced himself and we invited him to sit in with us.” like Olpe, Madi- proficient... Prior to band formation, members had little for- son, Hamilton mal training other than learning an instrument in and Cottonwood a high school band or perhaps music lessons as Falls. They then began slipping through the doors youngsters. Their first “stage” experiences came of clubs, and dance halls including Renfro’s, a size- from playing for high school friends at parties and able, local hotspot for the Emporia State crowd.

4 On the Road with Green River Ordinance —cont.

By this time, they had learned about “promotion- pay scale of $300-$600, “which was a pretty good als” by which bands would promote themselves, rate for the time.” Sometimes they played for much contract to rent a variety of town buildings—com- less when the opportunity arose to fill in a “dead munity centers, V.F.W. and American Legion day,” for example, on a Sunday afternoon at the halls, and National Guard armories—and then Meadow Lake Resort in Derby that had a teen swim hire someone local to put up posters advertising beach and concession area.v On the high end of the the engagement. As Bob recalled, “Surprisingly it pay scale were the gigs they least enjoyed playing: worked pretty well,” in no small part because the band musically had become more polished, which enabled them to expand their reach into larger towns and venues beyond Kansas, but it was also a function of advertising on KOMA, a powerhouse of a radio station that transmitted from Oklahoma City. As a clear-channel station, KOMA operated at night with 50,000 watts of broadcast power with minimal interference and thus could be heard booming from car and transistor radios throughout the Heartland. Numerous Kansas bands advertised there because it was so effective in reaching their audience—the kids of the smaller towns and cities who had limited Figure 2. Playing “formal” at the Roosevelt High School choices of rock radio stations (WLS in Chicago and Prom, Broadview Hotel Ballroom, Emporia, May, 1968. Members of the four-piece band from right to left: Bob KAAY in Little Rock were two others) at night—as Yoos, Glen Andrews, Tom Baysinger. opposed to those in large cities, like Kansas City, Photo, Green River Ordinance Archives. who generally listened to local stations that advertised their own rotation of bands. high school proms that were such staid and formal The band used Western Union to contact station affairs (“We don’t do ‘Love is Blue’ ”), that they “felt management with updated itineraries and to send like work” (Figure 2). On the other hand, the fes- them money that, according to Bob’s recollection, tive New Year’s Eve gig was another high paying job. was around $200-$250 for a week’s worth of ads The larger clubs that could attract the patrons to fill that played in prime time for about a minute each them, also paid reasonably well. Among them was night. That was a considerable operating expense at the Red Dog Inn in Lawrence, Renfro’s in Emporia, the time, but the advertising enabled the group to and the Lamplighter in Salina. The Lamplighter, charge a little more because the band was becom- built in the early 1960s on the western perimeter ing popular and playing in larger venues to which of Salina, usually hired the same band to perform return engagements became the norm. As Bob on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. When recalled, “that blossomed to where, rather than just Green River Ordinance played there, they averaged playing pretty much in Kansas, we ended up play- around $200 per night, which was not as much as ing in eight states and did a lot of that till the last of in some other venues, but a short stay in any place the band.” reduced the costs and stress of daily travel, plus the In the early days, the band would get $50-$60 for band enjoyed playing there. an evening but as they started playing at higher- The largest place at which Bob recalled playing paying venues, they commanded in their heyday a was at the Sterling Municipal Continued on p. 6…

5 On the Road with Green River Ordinance —cont.

Auditorium in Sterling, Colorado, which at the time “There wasn’t room for more than maybe twenty was a developing regional center for Northeastern or thirty people and only four or five showed up. Colorado with a population of about 11,000 in the I never understood that one.” Perhaps the sparse late 1960s. Built by the American Legion to honor crowd was reflective of just a slow night for caravans World War I veterans, this multi-purpose building at the Oasis or perhaps it signified something more was located in the old downtown core where streets chronic—what economic relics aging county-seat and blocks were oriented to the Union Pacific Rail- hotels had become by the 1960s.vi In any event, the road upon which the proprietor, Minos King, band never played there again and the Barons was platted the town in 1881. It held 804 people in per- razed in December of 1979 only to be apparently manent balcony seating and could hold as many revivified, in one anecdotal account, in the chorus as four hundred seats on the basketball floor. Bob of the Garth Brooks song “Friends in Low Places”: remembered the band’s first engagement there, a ‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places promotional, as a great success: “That was a big Where the whiskey drowns place and we had a big crowd there...It was one And the beer chases my blues away of our best nights and we went back there several And I’ll be okay times after that. It was always good. It varied, but it I’m not big on social graces was always good.” Think I’ll slip on down to the Oasis Bob’s recollection of the smallest venue at which Oh, I’ve got friends in low places viii the band played was vague, but “it was in a little club in the basement of an old hotel in Concordia” Apparently, some of Brooks’ friends in low places included Jim Garver, guitarist from his band who was from Concordia and, according to one web site, shared stories about the bar that supposedly became the inspiration for the song. Other web sites, however, offer different interpretations of the song’s origins. ix Just as the band began to “invade” new territory, somewhere along a road to a Kansas job they lost their name. With a variety of catchy names of Kansas bands—the Devastating Figure 3. The Barons House (Hotel), Concordia, c. 1940. Dinks, the Blue Things, Photo courtesy of Cloud County Historical Museum, the Fabulous Flippers, Concordia, Kansas the Jerms, and Spider and the Crabs—that were where the band stayed that night as guests of man- emerging on the Kansas agement as part of their contract. The hotel was rock scene, The Invad- Figure 4. Rusting “Green River The Barons House, a colossal structure for such a ers sounded a bit stale. Ordinance Enforced” sign, relatively small town, that stood on the northeast And so when they passed south end of Main St., Tipton. corner of Fifth and Washington (Figure 3). The club, Photo courtesy of Zoe Schmie- one of the many signs— deler. the Oasis Bar, was so cozy that, according to Bob, “Green River Ordinance

6 On the Road with Green River Ordinance —cont.

Enforced”—that anchored the ends of the principal bunks behind the driver’s seat, with a closet behind thoroughfares of many small Kansas towns, one of them. Along the right side behind the entry way them exclaimed, “Hey, how about Green River Ordi- was space for a propane heater followed by a sofa nance?” (Figure 4). At the time, the name was unique sleeper. Across the rear of the bus was equipment and geographically appealing so they adopted it storage space topped by a double mattress. immediately. And it was seemingly appropriate, The four-piece band played more or less continu- too. The Green River Ordinance, which originated ously during the summer and mostly on weekends in Green River, Wyoming, in 1931, prohibited door- during the rest of 1967, but as Bob related, the to-door salesmen from entering homes without an six-piece band played year round to the point that invitation. It was in response to a prolific number “we’d have stretches were we might go 22-23 nights of Depression-era folk who began to infiltrate small without a night off...we pretty much kept on going… towns trying to sell just about anything. Green you’d get home for a few days and then you’d head River began as a railroad town on the Union Pacific out again.” This strenuous schedule ultimately took and many of its workers worked in the rail yards at its toll on the band members and the bus, but the nights and thus were awakened during the day by bus died first. As the miles rapidly accumulated “nuisance” peddlers.x And so here came the Green and the band kept moving, routine maintenance River Ordinance peddling their musical wares, but inevitably fell behind schedule. The resultant at night and to a more enthusiastic and apprecia- breakdowns—several engines had to be replaced— tive audience than sleeping railroad workers. were frustrating but remarkably the band missed “maybe but one job” because others would come On the Road to their rescue with the loan of a vehicle to pull a The band’s original transportation was a 1950s trailer until the bus got back on the road. Another Chevrolet bus, challenge to road travel was the heat of summer. but it was too As one might expect, the only “air conditioning” on small and became a 1963 school bus, was the ventilation provided by unreliable. They open windows. But as Bob recalled, “We tolerated replaced it with it pretty well because we were young and most of a 48-passen- us grew up that way anyway, but there were times ger, 1963, school when it was pretty stifling.” bus with a Blue When the bus wore out, the group bought two Bird body and identical VW vans and split themselves and their a Chevy chassis equipment between them (Figure 6, p. 8). Of course, (Figure 5). They by doing so, they gained more reliable transpor- painted it green tation, but lost the advantages of the bus space. with “The Green Obviously among them was the greater freedom River Ordinance, of movement in a vehicle that had effectively func- Emporia, Kan- tioned as a scaled-down motor home. And, as it sas” in two lines Figure 5. On the road in the old Chevy tooled on down the road, the bus had provided the bus in June, 1967. Members of the four- of highlighted, piece band: drummer Dwight Andrews opportunity for members to learn informally the semi-gold, letter- driving, bassist Tom Baysinger sleeping basic chording of new songs or rehearse the intri- and guitarist Glen Andrews picking. ing on each side. Photo, Green River Ordinance Archives. cacies of more complex ones already part of their They removed the repertoire. This advantage was of some importance seats and installed because although there Continued on p. 8…

7 On the Road with Green River Ordinance —cont.

was no sub- motels, particularly after the installation of propane stitute for tanks and a heating unit that kept it “warm enough” it, full-stage during the winter months. Decisions on where to rehears- spend the night evolved into a pattern of alternate als at their nights between the bus and a motel. Bus-sleeping road venues nights were often travel nights with the band usually were not leaving immediately after loading equipment and always pos- then driving all night. A standard rule, implemented sible given after a driver woke up off the road, was to always the time have someone awake with the driver. After awhile constraints the driver would pull the bus over and awaken the imposed by next pair for their turn. “We were pretty good about long-dis- it,” as Bob recalled. “Everybody knew when it was tance travel. their turn. It wasn’t regimented….” And if it was a When pos- long haul—and it could be as much as five hundred sible the miles—to the next cluster of engagements, the band Figure 6. Six-piece band with roadie on and band tried around one of their two VW vans, location may well spend consecutive nights on the bus utiliz- to squeeze unknown, 1969. ing truck stop shower facilities along the way. in proper Photo, Green River Ordinance Archives. On the days when they were to spend the night rehearsals at a motel, the band tried to get a room as early as in the afternoons before evening performances. possible at a “mom and pop” to take showers and Rehearsing at home was undoubtedly more relaxed, sleep if necessary or, during the hot months, use the but it took away from the time members needed swimming pool. Although the quality of these rooms away from their music and from each other. varied as they do now in the very few that remain, Green River Ordinance usually had a revolving the band never splurged on anything substantially play list of about fifty songs. The band would play better because it simply was not important to them 30-40 of them at an engagement that usually lasted and then, again, they never had “a lot to compare it three hours. A typical performance pattern was to with anyway.” They were more interested in acquir- play forty-five minutes followed by a break of ten to ing one of the large inexpensive “family rooms” with fifteen minutes. The band tried to play songs that they enjoyed playing, were familiar to the audience and, of course, danceable. They sometimes ventured “We stayed in a lot of places into the realm of more obscure music, however. For more than one time, example, they enjoyed playing a Spooky Tooth song, and so if we got the trust of the “Evil Woman” but “people weren’t familiar with it motel owner, we didn’t want generally; it was an exception if somebody knew to blow it." where that came from. But people would like it. We just tried to keep it good music, we tried not get too far off that it wasn’t acceptable because then you three beds and a roll away that were fairly common start shrinking your audience.” in motels then. Although the band did get kicked out Perhaps the greatest advantage of the bus was of a motel in Sublette, it was an exception because that it provided alternative accommodation to as Bob described their situation, “We stayed in a lot

8 On the Road with Green River Ordinance —cont.

of places more than one time, and so if we got the Figure 7. Near Green River, Wyoming on August 2, 1967. trust of the motel owner, Pictured here are Dwight An- we didn’t want to blow it. drews (rear) and roadie Mike And in some places, we Coleman. Photo, Green River Ordinance Archives. got to know the people.” When the band finished a gig, they were usu- From the perspec- ally too wired to return tive of natural scenery, to the motel so the local though, the highlights twenty-four-hour diners of their travels were to were popular late-night several engagements in spots for them. Although towns along the front fast-food places were range of the Colorado becoming common in the and Wyoming Rock- late 1960s, Bob remem- ies including Jackson bers that they frequented near Grand Teton the diners and truck National Park, their stops more often. On the furtherest venture low rungs of the cuisine from home, were they ladder were bologna sandwiches as luncheon fare played a couple of nights (Figure 7). Although some at stops along the road. If the band splurged at all bands played the Dakotas, Green River Ordinance on food, it was “usually a truck-stop steak…if that never did; beyond the trips to Wyoming, they flowed can be called a splurge.” out from the center of Emporia like the grooves of Because the band played frequently in Kansas, an old 45 record. The exception was the larger cit- they had plenty of opportunities to see various ies—Kansas City, Omaha, Tulsa and Oklahoma attractions in different parts of the state and they City—where they seldom if ever played. willing took advantage of them. As a result, they The band knew members of other bands and their learned its physical and historical geography more paths did cross occasionally, but they rarely heard than most Kansans, especially those their age. Bob them play while touring. There were several, very recalled their fascination with the butte and mesa good, Kansas bands touring the Midwest in the late country of the Red Hills and the various geologic ‘60s; Bob was most impressed with the Blue Things, formations of the High Plains. At one impromptu Eric and the Norsemen and the “Germs [who] were stop, they rolled out of the bus for a chat with a really a fun band...and, of course, the Red Dogs and geologist from Ft. Hays State who was picking away Flippers. They had their own sound and they were at a fossil find in one of the Niobrara chalk forma- good.” Musically, one of the more memorable times tions somewhere south of Hays. They walked down for Green River Ordinance occurred when they to the bottom of The World’s Largest Hand-Dug were asked to be the opening act for the Outsiders, Well at Greensburg, and strolled the grounds of old a Chicago-based band (Sonny Geraci, lead singer) Ft. Hays. And if the situation allowed it, they would that had four records on Billboard’s Top 100, all in find a state lake and “park the bus there to sleep, 1966, including “Time Won’t Let Me,” which peaked xi buy hot dogs and make a good time of it.” at number five in April. Continued on p. 10…

9 On the Road with Green River Ordinance —cont.

Green River Ordinance opened for them in Wichita, End of the Road Manhattan and Lawrence on consecutive nights. As The end of the road was not like a sudden blow Bob recollected, “We felt pretty honored to be asked out, but more like a slow leak that over the last sev- to be their opening act, so that was exciting...And eral months gradually brought the band to a halt they were pretty normal guys. And really they were in the spring of 1971. Part of it was triggered by the just struggling to make a buck too. They hadn’t arrival of disco on the national music scene. The made that much money and they were out touring.” surge in popularity of this dreadful music allowed Traveling in rural areas, the band had the inevi- club owners to drastically reduce a major part of table conflicts with provincials including a couple their nightly operating costs with a one-time cap- of unfortunate, after-event confrontations in south- ital outlay on a light show and sound system. In east Colorado. As Bob noted, the venues that adopted disco, live bands became You’d run into that sometimes. But on the superfluous to the point that as Bob recollected other hand, most of our memories of peo- “financially we were seeing a lot harder times. All ple—and we played a lot through western of a sudden it was a lot harder getting bookings.” Kansas—were really how nice the local people An additional economic issue was that 1970 was a would treat us...they might kid you about your recession year so the band ran into the first wave hair, but we very seldom had out and out ani- of somewhat higher fuel prices and “people not mosities. There were always some people who quite as willing to spend money.” Although band would do a drive by and see you standing on the members made what could be described as “good corner and yell something out, but the people money” at times, supporting themselves both on we interacted with were amazingly great. the road and at home was challenging in the best of times. Yet another factor worked hand in glove Bob recalled a western Kansas local who lent the with the changing economic conditions. It was what group an old pickup so they could travel a bit fur- Bob called the paradox of touring: the great cloak ther down the road while the bus underwent repair of exhilarating adventure that concealed the daily and, at another time, “some guy spending the good grind of the road. Breakdowns, nasty weather, part of an afternoon working on the engine.” And it separations, fitful nights, and the weariness of was “amazing how many times we heard from some near constant travel eventually “caught up and it 30-35 year-olds working somewhere out in western was pretty easy to say ‘Well, you know, it’s run its Kansas saying ‘I wish I could go do what you guys course.’” are doing’ or ‘I wish I’d done what you are doing, Although the end of the road for Green River gotten out of here for a bit.’” Whether recognizing Ordinance was not the end musically for band the spirit of adventure in themselves that could members, as they all went on to do something dif- not easily be satisfied by their humdrum existence ferent at least for awhile, it was the end to their on the isolated High Plains or perhaps lamenting “informal fraternity” whose membership had lost opportunities for another path in life, the per- required specific traits.xii From what I have learned spective from locals was often highly romanticized. from Bob’s reminiscence, among them would have The band knew full well that life on the road was to be a tolerance for others, a spirit of cooperation, not all “Peaches ‘N’ Cream” (Ikettes, 1965) and the an acceptance of individual responsibility and a challenges of five, grueling years in the business willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. As Bob ultimately led to the end of the road. explained, the experience was “like being in a family

10 On the Road with Green River Ordinance —cont.

(Figure 8). There were times when you did not get at Lawrence’s Liberty Hall, the former Red Dog Inn along. We would work through them and move on.” at which the band had performed numerous times. As for their legacy, keyboard player Steve Graves expressed it best when he wrote:

The memories will obviously last a lifetime, could never be bought with money, but had to be lived at the time. I am really proud of what we accomplished; it was more important than any college degree. We learned the music of the day, and pushed it a little, espoused politics and social consciousness on stage and in life, learned about group dynamics and what a variety of personalities we would run into in the future.xiii Figure 8. Bob Yoos and renovated “Green River Ordinance En- As testimonial to this legacy, the six-piece Green forced” sign on state highway 232 approaching Wilson, Kansas from the north, August, 2010. River Ordinance band was inducted into the Photo courtesy of Joanne Bergman. Kansas Music Hall of Fame on March 6, 2010,

i William Manchester, The Glory and the viii From the album No Fences, Garth Brooks, Dream, New York: Bantam Books, 1973, p. 1990. 1,171. ix Some accounts dispute the validity of this ii Interview conducted on August 12, 2010. story, noting that DeWayne Blackwell iii An exception to this statement is that Jimi and Earl Lee wrote the first two verses of Pritchett was drafted into the army and the song with a third verse, sung at con- replaced by Mike Banks for a short time just cert performances, added later by Brooks. before the group disbanded. See http://www.songfacts.com/detail. iv php?id=2167 The Motown Story, Motown Record Corpora- x tion, 1970. See Marna Grubb, “1931 Green River Ordinance: Railroad Workers Demand Pro- v The band played at this resort in June and tection of Their Daytime Sleep,” Green River August, 1969. They were guaranteed $100 Historic Preservation Commission, n.d., for each performance. http://www.cityofgreenriver.org/index. vi Information from Lana Tramp, Overland aspx?NID=241 Trail Museum, Sterling, Colorado. Informa- xi Joel Whitburn, Joel Whitburn’s Top Pop Art- tion on town proprietor from original town ists and Singles, 1955-1978, Menomonee plat, Register of Deeds Office, Sterling, Colo- Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc., rado. 1979, p. 312. vii The band played at the Oasis on Friday and xii Email, Steve Graves to Bob Yoos, August, Saturday nights, August 26 and 27, 1966. 12, 2010. Along with their free board, they received xiii $50 for the two nights. Ibid.

11 CKS Meeting Summaries, Fall 2010

November 11, 2010

ellows met for a breakfast 12. Tom also mentioned that he zen, Bob Beatty, Will Gilliland, meeting on Thursday morn- has been working with student Tambra Eifert, David Winchester, Fing, November 11, 2010, Rachael Metzger on updating the Bill Roach, Patti Bender, Rachael at 7:15. Attending the meeting Map of Kansas Literature and on Metzger, Carol Yoho, Virgil Dean, were Tom Averill, Will Gilliland, a new map of Kansas Movies that Marcia Cebulska, Tom Prasch, David Winchester, Bob Law- will soon be loaded on the Center Robert Lawson and Tom Schmie- son, Carol Yoho, Bradley Siebert web site. Tom announced a forth- deler. Because some participants and Tom Schmiedeler. After the coming reading by Gary Jackson, had to leave early for classes, round-the-table discussion of author of Missing You, Metropolis, the meeting began with a dis- activities and projects, Director at Mabee Library on April 4 and cussion of agenda items rather Tom Schmiedeler reported that that Dave Kendall of KTWU has than the usual round-the-table funds remain from this year’s been working on loading episodes conversations about summer budget. He encouraged Fellows of “Sunflower Journeys” on You- activities and research projects. to submit proposals for funding Tube. Tom Prasch began the discus- at the January meeting. He also Bob Lawson announced that sions with a request for funding announced that John Carlin, the he is scheduled for two library in the amount of $1,000 to assist Center’s Kansas Day speaker, discussions of two novels he in launching a Kansas sesqui- has titled his presentation: “Kan- has published this past year: at centennial reading series for sas at 150: What Looking at the Mabee Library, Tuesday, Novem- the Kansas Humanities Coun- Past Can Tell Us about Moving ber 23 from 1-2:30 p.m. and at cil’s TALK (Talk Abut Literature Forward.” The presentation is the Topeka Public Library (Sunday in Kansas) program. The pro- scheduled for Friday, January Afternoon with a Kansas Author) posed program, which will be 28, beginning at 3:30. Build- December 5 from 2-3 p.m. conducted in libraries and other ing and room is forthcoming. Carol Yoho announced the KHC sites across the state, both Tom also encouraged Fellows to 15th annual Kansas Silent Film promotes Kansas history and lit- send their Newsletter contribu- Festival will be held in White erature and highlights Washburn tions to Carol Yoho by next week. Concert Hall, Washburn, Feb- contributions to Kansas studies. On behalf of Kim Morse and ruary 25-27, 2011. The theme Tom’s request, which will be used Dona Walker, Tom also brought to this year is “The First Acad- to partially cover the cost of pur- the table a request to co-sponsor emy Awards, 1927-28.” Special chasing forty copies each of four a performance by Penny Musco, guest at the 2011 festival will be book titles, was approved. who performs a one-woman show Annette D’Agostino Lloyd, expert Tom Averill introduced Wash- about a little-known migration on the film career of comedian burn student Rachael Metzger of African Americans, which she Harold Lloyd. who will be working with Carol wrote and performed as Artist-in- The meeting was adjourned at Yoho to learn techniques needed Residence of the National Park 8:45 a.m. to place various books online. Service. Fellows approved the Fellows approved Tom’s request request for partial funding in the — Minutes submitted by in the amount of $100 to be paid amount of $200. Tom Schmiedeler, Director to Carol for her efforts in train- Tom Averill discussed the visit ing Rachael. Tom also requested by John Reimringer, author of funding ($200) for several “Speak- the highly acclaimed novel, Vest- September 9, 2010 ing of Kansas” honorariums for ments. John gave a fiction reading the academic year including one at 7 p.m. on Thursday, November ellows of the Center for Kan- for John Reimringer, who grew 11 in the Kansas Room of the as Studies formally opened the up in Topeka and is returning for Memorial Union. John grew up in Fnew academic year with a a reading from his novel. He will Topeka, attended Washburn and luncheon meeting on Thursday, also be visiting classes. He also was a student in Tom’s very first September 9, beginning at 12:30. requested $200 toward a collab- creative writing class. John also In attendance were Jay Memmott, orative effort (Law School, History gave a reading at the First Con- Tom Averill, Sarah Smarsh, Judy Department) to bring a staged gregational Church on November McConnell-Farmer, Reinhild Jan- reading of Marcia Cebulska’s

12 play, Visions of Right, to cam- books, Sarah will be presenting to pay for costs associated with pus. The play treats issues raised a reading on Monday, Septem- choreography and photography by a Phelps-like minister, and is ber 20, at the Lawrence Public illustrating the play in Sarah’s thoughtful, complicated and of Library at which The Raven book- book. Marcia also announced great interest to our community. store will have her books that a reading of Visions of Right, Fellows approved these funding available for sale. Sarah will also written in response to the anti- requests also. be the editor of a book which will gay ministry of Reverend Fred In regard to a potential Kan- serve as a catalog for the collab- Phelps, will be held on Septem- sas Day activity, Tom mentioned orative art exhibit “The Waiting ber 20, at 7:30 P.M. at The Point that he had received an email Room,” which opens in St. Paul Annex, 915 W. 44th Street in from Haydn Reiss, producer of this fall. The Waiting Room is a Kansas City, Missouri. A group two films on Kansas poet William project involving a national col- of Kansas City actors will give the Stafford entitled William Stafford laboration of individuals, but reading in a casual atmosphere. and Robert Bly: A Literary Friend- one that relies largely on Kan- All are welcomed! ship (1964) and Every War has sas artists, writers, scholars and In other action, Fellows Two Losers: A Poet’s Meditation health professionals. The project approved a request in the on Peace (2009). Tom suggested at large is spearheaded by Wash- amount of $500 by Reinhild Jan- that a screening of one or both burn University art professors zen to support publication of the films might be appropriate for Marguerite Perret and Stephanie art faculty exhibition brochure. the Center’s Kansas Day event. Lanter. Sarah’s contribution, A The exhibit will open at the Mul- Director Tom Schmiedeler said Waiting Room of One’s Own, will vane on October 15. Carol Yoho that he will be announcing this be published in 2011. She invites reported that her husband, Max possibility and others in a forth- everyone to join the conversation Yoho, has published a new book coming message to Fellows. at the Facebook group page, “The of humorous fiction, With the Wis- Sarah Smarsh announced Waiting Room.” dom of Owls. Max will have his that her recently penned books Marcia Cebulska, the Center’s first book signing Friday, Septem- on Kansas history published by active playwright, is also part of ber 17, at Hastings in Fairlawn Globe Pequot Press, It Happened the Waiting Room team. Her part Plaza, Topeka, 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Kansas and Outlaw Tales focuses on Tick Tock, the play she The meeting adjourned at 1:45 of Kansas are now available in wrote to accompany the installa- p.m. paperback or readers can access tion when it travels around the the Kindle Edition. In conjunc- country. Fellows approved Mar- — Minutes submitted by tion with the publication of these cia’s request for funding ($400) Tom Schmiedeler, Director

A J.E. Dunn Construction tower crane is involved in the Kansas Statehouse preservation and restoration project. The Comansa 21 LC 400 tower crane is being used during the exterior masonry restoration project. The crane is the tallest free-standing tower crane in North America and stands 340 feet above ground to permit the horizontal boom to pass above the Ad Astra statue on top of the dome. Read more at cjonline.com “Tall crane to loom over Capitol,” August 18, 2010. Photo, looking south across 8th St. at Van Buren St., was taken by Fellow Carol Yoho.

13 WASHBURN UNIVERSITY 1700 SW COLLEGE AV TOPEKA, KANSAS 66621

Department: Geography

Center for Kansas Studies Speaking of Kansas

Fall 2010

www.washburn.edu/reference/cks/ on-line: us Visit

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