23 lipca 2007
Tommy Walker
I read this morning that Tommy Walker, guitarist for the legendary Dearly Beloved, died. Walker had also been a sometime member of Chuck Wagon and the Wheels.
This morning's Arizona Daily Star has an article on Walker. The Dearly Beloved were one of a legion of Farfisa drenched garage rock bands in the late 1960's and their sound resembled that of bands like the Seeds and the Electric Prunes. Their stuff holds up today along with the better songs of the genre. Their near-hit, "Peep Peep Pop Pop," skirted the bottom of the Billboard Hot 100 and is covered as a part of the Okmonics' regular set.
The Dearly Beloved's career tragically ended in 1967 when they were hurrying back from gigs in California and they had a car accident that killed lead singer Larry Cox (to make things even more tragic, they were trying to make it back in time for Cox's wedding). They put out one more single, "Flight 13," but decided to hang it up. They put out only seven singles in all, but they along with the Grodes, the Lewallen Brothers and the Sot Weed Factor formed the nucleus of a proto-scene in Tucson that laid the groundwork for the explosion of Tucson bands in the early 1980's.
Walker continued to play in local groups, including some time in Chuck Wagon and the Wheels but more recently with various bar bands around town. His growing health problems made it difficult to do so in recent years.
This morning's Arizona Daily Star has an article on Walker. The Dearly Beloved were one of a legion of Farfisa drenched garage rock bands in the late 1960's and their sound resembled that of bands like the Seeds and the Electric Prunes. Their stuff holds up today along with the better songs of the genre. Their near-hit, "Peep Peep Pop Pop," skirted the bottom of the Billboard Hot 100 and is covered as a part of the Okmonics' regular set.
The Dearly Beloved's career tragically ended in 1967 when they were hurrying back from gigs in California and they had a car accident that killed lead singer Larry Cox (to make things even more tragic, they were trying to make it back in time for Cox's wedding). They put out one more single, "Flight 13," but decided to hang it up. They put out only seven singles in all, but they along with the Grodes, the Lewallen Brothers and the Sot Weed Factor formed the nucleus of a proto-scene in Tucson that laid the groundwork for the explosion of Tucson bands in the early 1980's.
Walker continued to play in local groups, including some time in Chuck Wagon and the Wheels but more recently with various bar bands around town. His growing health problems made it difficult to do so in recent years.
Hasta la proxima. Do zobaczenia.
