PIECES OF EIGHT feature from SOUTHERN GARAGE BANDS (includes a picture of the bus with a girl waving from behind the windshield. IS THAT YOU?) http://southerngaragebands.com/piecesofeight.html
LONELY DRIFTER by THE PIECES OF EIGHT https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L33IclCiPrw
personnel history of the PIECES OF EIGHT http://www.heybabydays.com/Pieces_Of_Eight.pdf
The Villagers were the opening act for THE PIECES OF EIGHT @ THE RED ROOSTER during the summer of '69 http://heybabydays.bizland.com/Villagers_Union.pdf
The Early Times out of Troy State played @ THE RED ROOSTER http://heybabydays.bizland.com/The_Early_Times.pdf
About half way down this HEEEY BABY DAYS blog page, a discussion about Pieces of Eight personnel changes occurs between Greg Haynes and former P.O.E. member Frank Rountree. http://heybabydays.blogspot.com/2009/10/persians-reuniting-fabulous-five.html
The original Villagers broke up in the fall of '69 after a gig at BAMA http://originalvillagers.blogspot.com/
This is Bruce Hopper's reminiscences of Omen and Their Luv. They played the Red Rooster when it was called The Cork and Bottle Club. Bruce is an old Tuscaloosa friend of mine. http://www.garagehangover.com/omenandtheirluv/
A 2004 discussion between Greg Haynes and myself about the origin of THE PIECES OF EIGHT. (two members from THE MEDALLIONS, six members from THE TASSLES)
I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING EMAIL FROM GREG HAYNES THE AUTHOR OF THE HEEY BABY DAYS OF BEACH MUSIC. PLEASE CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE AND BUY THE BOOK!!!!
To:
"robert register"
Subject:
Re: You Right. I Wrong.
Date:
Tue, 20 Jul 2004 11:43:14 -0400
Robert,
Quote from "The Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music": "You can't always
believe what you read or find on the Internet, but if it's in 'The Heeey
Baby Days of Beach Music'it's probably true." Thanks to many of your
fellow Alabamans, the story of the era of R&B and the "party" in the South
in the 60's is being told factually and with a little color.
Contributors to the book whose bands were prominent in Alabama and who have
written narratives for the book or have provided substantial quotes include
John Wyker, John Townsend, (Rubber Band) Cliff Ellis (Villagers) Tommy
Mann (K-Otics) Marvin Taylor (K-Otics) Bobby Dupree ( Rockin'
Gilbraltars) Jimmy Dean (James Gang) Wilbur Walton (James Gang) Rodney Justo (
Candymen) plus Buddy Buie, Bill J. Moody, Tiger Jack Garrett, and Dave
Roddy and others. We have been given great material for use as well by
the Tyn Tymes, The Bleus, The Inn, and others. The input from Alabama
for "The Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music" has been tremendous. We always
considered when it came to Beach Music, there were two coasts: The East
Coast and the Gulf Coast. One of the book's largest chapters is titled
"The Party at P.C." The section of the book that deals with the bands
is generally found in the chapter with other bands from the same state
but we include the Swingin' Medallions with the bands from Alabama
because of their close identification with the state in their break out
years. A noted Beach Music historian,Chris Beachley, from Charlotte,
N.C.is quoted in the book: "The Medallions did not come around here that
often in the mid 60's." We responded in the book: "The Swingin' Medallions
were under house arrest in the state of Alabama in the mid 60's and
were not allowed to leave the state under the party was over."
Regarding the great showman,Charlie Webber, he was the consummate cutup
with a flair for entertaining. He and guitarist, Jimbo Doares, worked
in tandem to create hilarity. His work on "Along Came Jones" was worth
the price of admission. Charlie by virtue of being on the Double Shot is
considered an Original Swingin' Medallion but did not actually join the
group until 1965. The band was founded by John McElrath and Joe Morris
and the first SIX members were John, Joe, Carroll Bledsoe, Steve
Caldwell, Brent Fortson, and Cubby Culbertson. Cubby was the first to leave
the Original Six and was replaced by Perrin Gleaton at guitar. The
Medallions then expanded to EIGHT with the addition of two more horn players
bringing the number of horns in the Eight man group to FIVE. Those
added horn players were Fred Pugh (Sax) and Rick Godwin(Trumpet)In 1965,
Gleaton, Pugh, and Godwin left and were replaced by Charlie Webber, Jimbo
Doares, and Jimmy Perkins. It was these EIGHT ( McElarth, Morris,
Bledsoe, Fortson, Caldwell, Perkins, Doares,& Webber)who recorded Double Shot and are considered the original band. In 1967, Fortson and Caldwell
left and joined with a group from Raleigh, N.C. called The Tassles.
These talented performers consisting on Carlie Barbour (Guitar), Jim
Baumgartner (Bass) Mark Wrenn (Sax)Irvin Hicks (Drums) Wally Woods
(Keyboards) and Ken Helser (Trumpet and lead Vocalist)along with Fortson and
Caldwell were the Original Pieces of Eight. It was very simple math:Two Medallions plus Six Tassles equal the
Pieces of Eight. Meanwhile; the remaining Six Original Swingin' Medallions
got two more great saxophonists, Hack Bartley and Johnny Cox, and kept
right on SYWITUP
(Screaming, Yelling, and Whooping it Up). The rest of the story is in
the book.
So, Roberto, that's the skinny...and I am sticking to my story unless
someone comes up with a better one.
Regards,
Greg Haynes
author of "The Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music"
> From: robert register <robertoreg2003@yahoo.com>
> Date: 2004/07/20 Tue AM 09:45:48 EDT
> To: rarereads@bellsouth.net
> Subject: You Right. I Wrong.
>
> Greg:
> I ran into Charlie's obit while I was looking for Steve Caldwell.
That's how I mixed up on the founding member of Pieces of Eight but
doesn't the obit say that Charlie was a founding member of Pieces of
Eight?
> With your help, I'll straighten evahthang out dis evening.
> 'preciate it.
> robert
Monday, July 19, 2004
Swingin' Medallions' founding member turned SLED agent Charlie Webber dies of cancer at age 58
GREENWOOD, SC (AP) - Charlie Webber, who played saxophone for the Swingin' Medallions at the time of the band's 1966 hit "Double Shot (of My Baby's Love)," has died. He was 58.
Webber died of cancer at his Greenwood home Friday, Jan. 17, 2003.
An original member of the Swingin' Medallions, Webber left the group in 1969 for a career in law enforcement. He worked for a sheriff's office before he joined the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) in 1978.
Webber was a senior agent with SLED's Fugitive Task Force when he received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor, in November, 2002.
John McElrath, who has been with the Swingin' Medallions since
the early '60s, said the band was thinking about Webber when
they played at Gov. Mark Sanford's inauguration barbecue
Wednesday night.
"I had talked with his wife, Vicki, that morning and knew he
wasn't doing too well," McElrath said.
****************
Charlie Webber, trumpet player (the AP erroneously said he played sax) and original member of The Swingin' Medallions passed away Jan 17th, 2003, from cancer at his home in Greenwood, SC. He was 58. Charlie was an integral part of the band's reputation as a "party band" and was their resident "cut-up".
He is the second member of the group, who recorded "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love), to pass away recently. Steve Caldwell, saxophone player, passed away 11 days short of one year prior to Webber's death.
Webber was also a co-founder of the band "Pieces of Eight" who recorded "Lonely Drifter", another beach music classic hit.
****************
Charles D. Webber, 58, of 715 W. Deadfall Road, husband of Victoria Capps Webber, died Friday, Jan. 17, 2003 at his home.
Born in Kingstree, he was a son of Louise Easler Webber and the late Carlisle L. Webber.
A resident of Greenwood since 1950, he graduated from Greenwood High School and Lander College and attended Clemson College. He was employed by The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and was an original member of the Swingin' Medallions.
In November 2002, he received the Order of the Palmetto. He was a member of Main Street United Methodist Church and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association.
Survivors include his wife of the home; his mother of Greenwood; a son, Charles Carlisle Webber and a daughter, Amanda Kathryn Webber, both of the home; two brothers, James C. Webber of Heathsville, Va., and Thomas Michael Webber of Anderson.
Services are 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003, at Main Street United Methodist Church. The body will be placed in the church at 2 p.m. A private family burial is in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
Pallbearers are James William Webber, Robert Edward Webber, William “Bubba” Easler, William David Webber, Marty Easler and Chuck Easler. Visitation is 5-8 Jan. 18, 2003, at Blyth Funeral Home. The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to the Lander Foundation for the Criminal Justice Program. 320 Stanley Ave., Greenwood, SC 29649. Blyth Funeral Home is in charge.
(back row left to right) *Charlie Webber-trumpet, vocals *Steve Caldwell-saxophone, vocals *Jimmy Perkins-saxophone, bass guitar, vocals *John McElrath-keyboards, vocals *Carroll Bledsoe-trumpet,vocals *Jim Doares-guitar, vocals (front row) *Brent Fortson-saxophone, flute, vocals *Joe Morris-drums, vocals
When Steve Caldwell and Brent Fortson formed the Pieces of Eight in 1967, they were replaced by Hack Bartley and Johnny Cox. Grainger (Brother) Hines was added to the band in late 1967, when Michael Huey became the Drummer
Lewis Grizzard wrote in a 1993 article that, "Even today, when I hear the Swingin' Medallions sing "Double Shot of My Baby's Love", , it makes me want to stand outside in the hot sun with a milkshake cup full of beer in one hand and a slightly-drenched nineteen-year-old coed in the other."
http://www.medallions.com
