(10-26-23) Anybody who lived in the Niles, Michigan area during the 1960’s realized that they had a lot of local talented bands.

The most famous of course is Tommy James and the Shondells and know of the miraculous success story of how a song ‘Hanky Panky’ would find its way into rock & roll history.

The Shondells – Hanky Panky [Snap 102, 45 rpm, restored audio]

Tom Daly You Tube Video

Today Tommy and the Shondells are still making music and touring the US.

Two other local groups made some great music in the 1960’s, including one of the original Shondells…Larry Coverdale.

Coverdale is credited with the B-side instrumental of Hanky Panky ‘Thunderbolt‘

Tommy James & The Shondells – Thunderbolt

Poison Ivy Lovers – You Tube Lovers

Coverdale, although he didn’t rejoin Tommy in the group after they had disbanded, would form Larry Coverdale and the Four Horseman and released a single…depending on who you might talk with, both sides were pretty good.

Larry Coverdale And The Four Horsemen – Say You Really Love Me

Appaloosa – You Tube Video

With the glut of music during the 1960’s the song was overlooked, it’s a shame this was a song that given the chance might have gone a long way.

Another group that started from Niles High School was the Sixth Generation, who had a lot of local and regional success. One single… ‘This Is The Time‘, faced the same problem as Larry Coverdale’s song and was overlooked nationally. Getting a break like Tommy did…just didn’t happen to everybody.

The group during their run shared the stage with The Kingsmen, The Buckinghams, The Box Tops, The Ides Of March, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels and The Electric Prunes.

In 2011 the group was inducted to the Michigan Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

This Is The Time

Dave Schmidt – You Tube Video

The Sixth Generation was formed in Niles, Michigan in 1966. They released their first single “This Is The Time” by GMA Records in August 1967. The song was recorded at Sound Studios in Chicago, and it became a number one hit locally. “This Is the Time”, written by Ron Hamrick and Fred Bachman, hit the # 1 spot in Niles and also in Pittsburgh, the city that had first broke “Hanky Panky”.

RELATED:

Did you know…

Before the Shondells….

Tom & The Tornadoes (Tommy James) – Judy / Long Pony Tail – Norway Sound 1007 – 1962

4JUKEBOXSATURDAYNIT – You Tube Video