Count Basie      Wikipedia

Central Standard Time      website

Central Standard Time evolved out of the last of the original Red Dogs in January of 1970. Kent Leopold, Evan Johnson, Randy Shaw, Bob Meyerhoeffer, Roger Walls and Richard Tade were all members of the last original Roarin' Red Dogs Band when they decided to leave the mid-west on their quest to make it big in the music business. Since not all of the Red Dogs wanted to make this move, Mitch Bible, Mike Redd and Larry Church were added to the band that would soon become Central Standard Time. Kent Leopold and Evan Johnson were the leadership behind the band that landed the band it's first gig in Boston in February of 1970. Before leaving Kansas, the band changed it's name to Central Standard Time.
Below are the original members of Central Standard Time, instruments played and home town.

Kent Leopold - Sax and Flute (Coffeeville, Kansas)
Evan Johnson - Drums (Topeka, Kansas)
Bob Meyerhoeffer - Vocals & Guitar (Hastings, Nebraska)
Randy Shaw - Drums and Vocals (Council Grove, Kansas)
Mike Redd - Bass Guitar and Vocals (Wichita, Kansas)
Richard Tade - Hammond B-3 & Piano (Wichita, Kansas)
Mitch Bible - Lead Guitar and Vocals (Mulvane, Kansas)
Roger Walls - Trumpet & Vocals (Rose Hill, Kansas)
Larry Church - Trumpet (Wichita, Kansas)

Below are CST band members that played in later editions of the band.
Bob Eckhoff (trumpet)
Greg Ayers (trombone)
Doug Owen (vocals)
Jim Doherty (drums)
Dave Ferguson (lead guitar)
Moose (drums)
Robbie Barker (organ)

James Gadson      myspace

Drummer, producer, singer, and songwriter -- James was born in Kansas City, MO, in 1939. As a teen he naturally took to the drums with the influence of his father Harold, who was a drummer in the legendary Kansas City scene. James eventually found his way to L.A. and joined the legendary 60's funky soul group, Dyke & the Blazers, where he laid down drums on "let a woman be a woman" which later would be sampled by the Bomb Squad for Public Enemy's "Welcome to the Terrodome." After Dyke's tragic murder and still in L.A., he and other members of the Blazers would end up forming The Watts 103rd Street Band and with the help of Bill Cosby hooked a record deal with Warner Bros. He wrote and sang on some songs like the soulful "dance a kiss & a song". He played on the best known 103rd Street cuts like "Express yourself," which was sampled by Dre for NWA's "Express Yourself". This was just the beginning for Gadson's prolific career, which next found him in the mix with Bill Withers producing, writing, and playing on the soulcessful Still Bill LP, which featured "Use Me," "Lean on Me," and the funky "Kissing my Love," which has been sampled to no end. The Jungle Brothers cut up his drums live for "Straight out the Jungle." From there he became one the most sought out studio drummers, playing on 300 gold records at last count, though you would never suspect it from his ever-humble disposition. He played on Marvin Gaye's "Let's get it on," the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, Herbie Hancock's Manchild, and most recently Beck, Paul McCartney, and Ray Charles discs. Currently he is doing more sessions and is a founding drummer of the Keepintime project with photographer B+.

Rudy Love      biography

Rudy Love & the Love Family were a sibling group headed by older brother Rudy. Over the years, non-siblings performed under the name, but Rudy remained the driving force; Love Family blood members are Bob, Gerald, Peggy, Denise, and Shirley. Rudy was born September 15, 1948, in Oklahoma and the family moved to Wichita, KS; it was a large brood as Rudy has 14 brothers and sisters.

He developed a love for singing and performing from his gospel singing/musician father, Robert, and went from there. A touring singer, Robert crisscrossed the country as a performing musician with gospel and R&B artists. Rudy, the eldest son, became the man of the house while dad was away playing. Through his father, Rudy met many of the top names in music when they passed through Wichita. He formed his first group in grade school and went through many others before settling on Rudy Love & the Love Family in college. The group performed locally, but didn't record since Wichita wasn't and isn't exactly a music mecca.

Pat McJimsey      website

Wichita's Pat McJimsey began heading up bands at the age of 17 with Velvet Honey. Later he formed the Bear Valley Blues, the Entire British Navy and Four Brothers. Pat toured with John Manning, Finnegan & Wood, Leon Russell and Freddy King. Upon his death the PAT (Performers Assistance Trust) was established by the Wichita Blues Society to offer financial help to musicians who can' t play due to major illness, accident or medical emergency or to their survivors to help with final expenses.


Shortly before his death and due to many requests from his fans, Pat McJimsey digitally re-mastered the "I Dig Girls" Album originally released in the 80's.

He was very excited about this re-release and had plans to come out with a new, "all blues album", later in the year. Thanks to the magic of the internet,
and the devotion of his family and friends, Pat's extrordinary talent lives on to be experienced here by old and new fans alike.

Charlie Parker      wikipedia

Childhood -- Charlie Parker was born in Kansas City, Kansas and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, the only child of Charles and Addie Parker. Charles, an alcoholic, was often absent. Parker attended Lincoln High School. He enrolled in September 1934 and withdrew in December 1935 about the time he joined the local Musicians Union.

Parker displayed no sign of musical talent as a child. His father presumably provided some musical influence; he was a pianist, dancer and singer on the T.O.B.A. circuit, although he later became a Pullman waiter or chef on the railways. His mother worked nights at the local Western Union. His biggest influence however was a young trombone player who taught him the basics of improvisation.

Parker began playing the saxophone at age 11 and at age 14 joined his school's band using a rented school instrument. One story holds that, without formal training, he was terrible, and thrown out of the band. Experiencing periodic setbacks of this sort, at one point he broke off from his constant practicing.

Early career -- It has been said that, in early 1936, Parker participated in a 'cutting contest' that included Jo Jones on drums, who tossed a cymbal at Parker's feet in impatience with his playing. However, in the numerous interviews throughout his life, Jones made no mention of this incident. At this time Parker began to practice with great diligence and rigor, learning the blues, "Cherokee" and "rhythm changes" in all twelve keys. In this woodshedding period, Parker mastered improvisation and developed some of the ideas of be-bop. In an interview with Paul Desmond, he said he spent 3--4 years practicing up to 15 hours a day. It has been said that he used to play many other tunes in all twelve keys. The story, though undocumented, would help to explain the fact that he often played in unconventional concert pitch key signatures, like E (which transposes to C# for the alto sax).

Groups led by Count Basie and Bennie Moten were the leading Kansas City ensembles, and undoubtedly influenced Parker. He continued to play with local bands in jazz clubs around Kansas City, Missouri, where he perfected his technique with the assistance of Buster Smith, whose dynamic transitions to double and triple time certainly influenced Parker's developing style.

In 1938, Parker joined pianist Jay McShann's territory band. The band toured nightclubs and other venues of the southwest, as well as Chicago and New York City. Parker made his professional recording debut with McShann's band. It was said at one point in McShann's band that he "sounded like a machine", owing to his highly virtuosic yet nonetheless musical playing.

As a teenager, Parker developed a morphine addiction while in hospital after an automobile accident, and subsequently became addicted to heroin. Heroin would haunt him throughout his life and ultimately contribute to his death.

The Rainmakers      website

Missouri has long boasted of being the home of two of America's greatest artists, Mark Twain and Chuck Berry. However, it wasn't until The Rainmakers thundered into the national music spotlight in 1986, had anyone combined the guitar power of Berry with the social wit of Twain into a unique brand of Missouri rock n' roll.

Originally formed in 1983 as a 3-piece bar band known as "Steve, Bob, & Rich," these Kansas City rockers became an instant favorite throughout the Midwest. Soon, fans were standing in line to see this trio they described as "energetic," "intense," but most importantly "fun." Within months of finishing their first independent release, "Steve, Bob, and Rich" had signed a multi-album contract with Polygram Records, added a fourth member, and had changed their name to The Rainmakers.

Heralded as "America's Great Next Band" by Newsday, The Rainmakers were soon drenched in critical acclaim. Feature articles in Newsweek, Rolling Stone, CMJ, USA Today and others poured in singing the praises of this hard working Midwest band who provided new life to a traditional rock format.

Critics particularly enjoyed the unique writing style of Bob Walkenhorst, whose talent for choosing unusual and sometimes controversial subjects provided an eye-opening perspective of life, sprinkled with sarcastic humor. The Rainmakers received notoriety for their songs' lyrical content, including Music Connection's award for Lyric Line of the Year: "The generation that would change the world is still looking for its car keys," and in the unlikely source of author Stephen King, who twice quoted lyrics from Rainmakers songs in his best seller "The Tommyknockers," and again in his 1991 novel "Gerald's Game."

But success did not stop at the U.S. borders, as European countries supported the band increasingly with each new release. The song "Let My People Go-Go" gave the Rainmakers their first Top-20 single on the British charts. Critics abroad sang the band's praises, with feature articles in New Musical Express, Kerrang, Rock Power, etc. Frequently, The Rainmakers could be spotted on European television with live appearances on "Top Of The Pops," and "The Tube," and video play on MTV Europe.

European concert dates grew in number each year, with The Rainmakers often enjoying headline status on festival bills. Their reputation as an electrifying concert act eventually led to the recording of a live album at a sold-out show in Oslo, Norway for release solely in Scandinavian markets.

In 1990, after 4 albums, 5 videos, 500,000+ records sold, and concert dates too numerous to count, The Rainmakers put band business on hold to allow time for their personal lives and agendas. In 1994, the band returned to the studio to record a new album, entitled "Flirting With The Universe" - an album which achieved GOLD certification in Norway within 2 months of release.

Overwhelmed by the response to "Flirting...," The Rainmakers reemerged from the studio in 1996 with "Skin." With this effort, Bob Walkenhorst has again proved that no subject matter is too controversial by taking aim at pornography and its societal impact, via his unique perspectives - a Rainmakers trademark. A release, which in true Rainmaker form, is designed to provoke.

The Rainmakers are: Bob Walkenhorst (Vocals, Guitar); Steve Phillips (Lead Guitar, Vocals); Michael Bliss (Bass, Vocals); Pat Tomek (Drums)

Riverrock      website

Riverrock is "one of the most popular bands in Kansas City History," says the Kansas City Star/Times. Since 1974, Riverrock has been a name country music fans could count on for an exciting show of hot pickin', tight harmonies and spontaneous fun. They have shared the stage with dozens of recording stars, the likes of Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Hank Williams, Jr., Alabama, Suzy Bogguss, The Oak Ridge Boys, Minnie Pearl, Charlie Daniels, Wanda Jackson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tanya Tucker, Tracy Byrd and Emmylou Harris. Many of these performances were at state and county fairs, concert halls, music festivals, rodeos, college campuses and popular night clubs.

Bobby Watson      website

Jimmy Wilson

Saxophonist Jimmy Wilson has been part of the NE Kansas music scene for many years, beginning with Larry Emmett & The Sliders in the late Fifties. In the Seventies, he was part Lawrence's Used Parts and other groups. More recently he has spent several years playing in Johnny I & The Receders.

Chely Wright      website

Lifted off the Ground may be Chely Wright's seventh album, but on a number of levels it feels and sounds like her first, revealing an artist who has undergone a dramatic artistic transformation, emerging as a singer/songwriter of the first order. But the new album would never have come to be were it not for an equally dramatic personal transformation, which she has candidly and painstakingly documented. Lifted Off the Ground will be released on Vanguard Records May 4, the same day Random House publishes Wright's autobiography, Like Me.

Garth Fundis, 2011 Directors Award      biography

An independent record producer, Fundis' credits include some of country music's cream of the crop; Trisha Yearwood, Keith Whitley, Don Williams, Sugarland, Terri Clark, Alabama, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris as well as New Grass Revival, Doc and Merle Watson, Sheryl Crow and Townes Van Zandt. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for NARAS (01-03), past Trustee and President of the Nashville Chapter, serves on the boards of the GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares, Alumnus of Leadership Music. Fundis owns the renowned Sound Emporium Recording Studios. His latest project with Trisha Yearwood, "Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love" is scheduled for release on November 13, 2007 on Big Machine Records.

Jesse Stone, 2011 Bob Hapgood Award     

 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee (2010)

Born in Kansas, Jesse Stone began performing in his family's minstrel show at the age of four. By the Twenties he was leading a jazz band that included saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, a future jazz legend. Jesse Stone and His Blue Serenaders became a fixture on the Kansas City jazz scene.

Jesse Stone was one of the greatest songwriters of the rhythm & blues and rock and roll era. Much of his best-known work was done at Atlantic Records, where he wrote, arranged and played on some key sessions. For the Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, he came up with "Money Honey," which topped the R&B and pop charts for 11 weeks in 1953 and was covered by Elvis Presley early in his career. Another of Stone's songs - "Sh-Boom," by the Chords -- was a doo-wop classic from 1954. "Shake, Rattle and Roll" - recorded by Big Joe Turner, Bill Haley and His Comets, and many others - became a turning point in early rock and roll history. The song served as a bridge to R&B for white teenagers, who accepted it as rock and roll.

Another standout from the era, "Your Cash Ain't Nothing But Trash," was a hit for the Clovers. As a musician, Stone led the house band on Chuck Wills' rocking update of blues singer Ma Rainey's "C.C. Rider." On the jazz side, he wrote "Idaho," which became a standard. Benny Goodman's version topped the charts and Guy Lombardo's version reportedly sold more than 3 million copies. Stone penned "Smack Dab in the Middle," which became the signature song of Joe Williams, vocalist with Count Basie's band in the mid-Fifties. Other R&B classics written by Stone include "Flip, Flop and Fly" (Big Joe Turner), "Cole Slaw" (Louis Jordan) and "Don't Let Go" (Roy Hamilton). Ray Charles recorded Stone's "Losing Hand" and "Smack Dab in the Middle."

Oleta Adams, Kansas City     website     "Get Here" video

This popular singer was a regular performer on the Kansas City club scene before being discovered by the British band Tears For Fears . Her platinum debut album Circle of One produced her biggest hit, the Grammy nominated "Get Here," which was the unofficial anthem of the 1991 Gulf War .

The Commancheros, Lawrence - 2010 Bob Hapgood Award

This year's Bob Hapgood Award inductees are Lawrence early-rockers The Commancheros. Two members went on to play in The Red Dogs, while another was a member of Wellington 's Fantabulous Jags.

Conny and The Bellhops, Pittsburg     story

Beginning in 1958, this group spread their brand of rockabilly over the region in live shows and on record. Many of their old recordings continue to find fans on European compilations. Lead guitarist Gene Woods died recently in Arma, leaving only one original member, Russell Pryer.

Gary 'Igor' Crawford, Kansas City - 2010 Directors Award

The late Gary "Igor" Crawford was a long-time road manager for Mid-Continent Entertainment, and eventually became the owner of that booking agency. He later founded AME Entertainment, an agency in Kansas City.

Green River Ordinance, Emporia

The Green River Ordinance began in Emporia , Kansas as a four-piece and played mostly British pop originally.  The Green River Ordinance was the opening act for The Outsiders when they toured through the area in 1966.  When the band grew to six members the style was focused on West Coast rock and roll including the San Francisco sound.  The band toured extensively throughout the Midwest playing in eight states over the years while advertising gigs on KOMA out of Oklahoma City including a series of performances in Grand Teton National Park .  They were frequent performers at The Red Dog Inn in Lawrence and Wichita, the Store in Emporia, The Fireside Inn in Hutchinson, The Dark Horse Inn in Hays, The Lampliter in Salina, Me and Ed's in Manhattan, The Hilltop Club in Atchison, as well as many other clubs, VFW Halls, And armories throughout the Midwest. The band had a reunion recently and is looking forward to another opportunity to perform live for their many fans.

Bill Lee, Lawrence - Special Directors Award

Kansas Music Hall of Fame founder and president, Bill Lee, was surprised at this year's induction show when his fellow board members joined him onstage and announced that he was being inducted into the Hall of Fame for all of his efforts on behalf of Kansas music over the years. 

Lee spent 25 years as a radio disc jockey and program director; wrote a book about Kansas music in 1999 called Kansas Rockers...the First Generation ; moderates a Yahoo group devoted to discussing old  Kansas and Kansas City music ; and for all he has done with the Kansas Music Hall of Fame.

Moanin' Glories, Wichita     website    bio

They played a British flavored r&b similar to the Stones and Rascals from 1965 to 1971. Too good to be confined to Wichita , they toured as far away as Boston and Tokyo before breaking up. Recent reunions have drawn large, appreciative crowds.

Morning Dew, Topeka    website

The Dew led the Topeka music scene in the late 60s with cover versions of the latest hits and original songs. Their fuzz and feedback were featured on an album released by Roulette Records , which has been reissued several times over the years. Copies of the original vinyl sell for big bucks on eBay .  Cicadelic Records of Tucson has two Morning Dew CDs out currently.

Plain Jane, Manhattan

Beginning in 1971, this party band went through personnel and style changes, but were always one of the hottest bands around. Based in Topeka , Manhattan and Kansas City over about a decade, they were led by Jimmy Bond and appeared on the soundtrack to the movie "Zapped." Bond was later a part of KC's Liverpool , a Beatles tribute band , until his health forced him to drop out a couple of years ago.

Pott County Pork & Bean Band, St. Mary's     website

Favorites in Manhattan , Topeka and Lawrence back in the mid-70s, they were a hard drivin' country/bluegrass/rock band. Even with a mandolin and fiddle in the band, they never forgot to rock with a sound that owed a lot to the Dirt Band and the Grateful Dead .

Vernon Sandusky, Edna

This sensational guitarist began his career with Bobby Poe & the Poe Kats in Coffeyville back in the mid-50s. A decade later, Vernon was leading the Chartbusters in Washington , DC , with whom he had a top 40 national hit called "She's The One." He later joined Rodney Lay's band the Wild West and spent many years playing behind Roy Clark , both on TV's " Hee Haw " and in Branson , MO.

If you lived in Lawrence in the '70s and you liked bands like The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and The Flying Burrito Brothers, Tree Frog was the band to see. Known locally for their epic four-hour performances at places like The Lawrence Opera House (now Liberty Hall) and Off-the-Wall Hall (now The Bottleneck), Tree Frog was actually a nationally touring band that was just one big break away from the big time. They never did catch that break, but they did spend a decade on the road playing every college campus and bar-alley bar from Athens, Georgia to Missoula, Montana. Though Tree Frog disbanded shortly after the disco craze hit, the members reunite every couple years to play at Liberty Hall (the former Red Dog Inn) in Lawrence.

A singer and actor from Cincinnati who has made Kansas City his home for most of the past four decades, Danny was a big part of the Vanguard/Cowtown folk music scene in KC and has recorded for national labels. He's acted onstage and appeared in feature films.

Their two novelty songs on the Sully label are favorites with record collectors, it's their song ?Penny A Tear Drop? that was a hit with Kansas fans. Beginning as the Raging Regattas, they became the Dinks at their first recording session in 1966. They were not a horn band, as many Kansas bands were back then.

In a long career that took him from bands in his hometown to singing and playing with two bands already inducted into the Hall of Fame, Topeka's Jerms and Lawrence's Fabulous Flippers, Larry ended up in Los Angeles disco bands before spending 1981 to 1993 as one of Frankie Valli's Four Seasons.

One of the best harmonica players around, this gravelly voiced blues singer has a regular gig every Sunday at BB's Lawnside BBQ in Kansas City . He's recorded under his own name and fronting the Dallas band Mike Morgan & The Crawl.

A succession of bands using this name played in Kansas from the mid-'60s into the mid-'70s. The three lineups who were together the longest and are best remembered by the music fans of Kansas are the ones chosen for induction. The original group from Concordia were at the ceremony along with the two later versions who have had reunion performances in recent years. The final lineup of the Showmen, from Parsons & Pittsburg, performed at the induction ceremony.

Formed in 1965 at his KU fraternity house, this was Mike Finnigan's first band in Kansas , but it wouldn't be his last. Mike was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005, but the entire band deserves consideration for its blues-based music, much of it written by Topeka native Lane Tietgen. While recording their album for Capitol in New York City , three of the guys were invited to jam with Jimi Hendrix, and they became a part of history when two tracks from the jam appeared on Jimi's Electric Ladyland .

This Overland Park band was on the verge of superstardom more than once during the 80s. Their fresh, original material got them record deals with Virgin and Geffen. Recently they introduced a new lead singer (Ronnie Platt) and new violinist (Janet Jameson) for a series of live dates. A new album is in the works.

Fiddler Billy Spears began playing professionally back in the early-50s and traveled with top country acts including Ferlin Husky, Jean Shepard and T. Texas Tyler before settling in Lawrence , where he continues to live and perform. His bands have included many of the area's top players, and many have gone on to successful careers in county music. The best know of those is guit-steel player Junior Brown.

This band took up where the original Rising Suns left off. After losing their equipment in a wreck and giving up the band name, the guys decided to go back out on the road as the Young Raiders. Eventually about a hundred of the best musicians in Kansas would serve time in the band. Many of them are still playing music for a living.

Jim Halsey's career spans over 50 active years as artist manager, agent and impresario, discovering and/or guiding the careers of such illustrious personalities as Roy Clark, The Oak Ridge Boys, Waylon Jennings, The Judds, Reba McEntire, Minnie Pearl, Clint Black, Tammy Wynette, Mel Tillis, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakum, The Judds, Lee Greenwood, Hank Thompson and many others.

He has organized and presented country music performances all over the world, in many places, for the first time. His efforts have expanded the horizons of country music into Europe and Asia, while maintaining one of the most highly skilled and motivated booking and management companies in the world.

Jim Halsey has received many honors and awards, is prominent in business, arts and entertainment, and lectures and teaches extensively at colleges and universities around the world.