Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 19, 1981)
Hair Loft ^ forMenandW*nen yft ■/yrri/i * RIP-ROARIN’ PERM SPECIAL Reg. 3500 Through February ^ ^ ^ 00 (Cuts not included) Two convenient campus locations 1239 Alder 485-1202 1461 E. 19th 484-2565 STOP BEING A STUDENT BECOME A TEACHER EVERYBODY has something to offer. This is what the SEARCH program is all about. In the past 14 years we have sponsored over 1000 courses. Over 25,000 students have taken such classes as: War In The Nuclear Age, Hot Air Ballooning, Tai Chi, Watergate, the History of Rock and Roll and Finding a job in the "real world." If you have something you’d like to teach, come by Suite 1 in the EMU and talk it over with us. The process of approval is easy. For more information Call 686-4377. Cultural Forum Presents Photo Gallery A special exhibit featuring selected photos by Bernard L. Freemesser Late Professor of Art at the University of Oregon, 1955-78 Reception 2:00 p.m. Sunday, February 22nd through March 19. — / V/////, Cruisin’ with the Whitetones “A cappella! What is it? Starts with an A. Ends with an A . " Jerry Lawson of the Persua sions A cappella. Two decades ago it filled the streets of the cities Four, maybe five singers on a street corner, their voices harmonizing on the latest rhythm and blues hits, not a musical instrument in sight. Twenty years later it's hard to doo-wop to "My Sharona." A cappella rhythm and blues has lost its chic. But there's still life in them old bones. A few a cappella groups, the Persuasions the most famous among them, still carry on the tradition. And Eugene has a doo-wop group of its own: the Whitetones. The Whitetones range in age from late 20’s to late 30 s. Of the group s four members, two grew up on the East Coast, two on the West Coast. All share a love for doo-wop and rhythm and blues music. The lead singer of the Whi tetones, Looney Lenny Gold berg, began his singing career at Brooklyn’s New Utrecht High School with a group called Lincoln Chandler and the Lost Knights, and later sang with the Soul Stoppers. According to the Whitetones' official biography, the Soul Stoppers recorded a single called "Let’s Sit Down,” which "sold an amazing 31 copies." After moving to the Bay Area in 1970, Goldberg ran a couple of collectors’ record stores, and edited an oldies magazine called Stormy Weather. In his ‘spare time he co-hosted "Cruisin’,” an oldies radio program which can now be heard on Eugene’s KLCC. In 1975, Lenny, his records, and “Cruisin' " moved to Oregon. The current version of his record store, Diana’s, is scheduled to open in March, with the Whitetones singing at the grand opening When it comes to music, says first tenor Paul Fried lander, "Looney Lenny knows everything." Friedlander, also known as Pablo Tone, is the Whitetones’ other New Yorker. According to the bio, his first doo-wop group, the Chapters, "were a rage on the hospital-nursing home circuit, performing their music to the defenseless ger iatrics.” Friedlander left doo wop to try his hand at blue grass (performing onstage with folk-legend Phil Ochs in 1965). He recorded two al bums with a group called Bal derdash before moving to Oregon. The Whitetones singing in a kitchen/dressing room: a cappella gold. Second Tenor Bill “Guido” Chilla is a university voice major and candle maker when he’s not singing with the Whi tetones. His musical exper ience ranges from opera to summer stock to rock and roll, though he claims that his best performance to date has been as a starting guard for the Tacoma High School football team. The Whitetones are an-i chored by the youngest member of the group, bass man Little Davey Diego. He began as a California folk mu sician, did a stint as a bass player for Hoe Down, and as lead guitarist and vocalist in Talk is Cheap Diego recently cut the sleeves off his White tones T-shirt and announced plans to begin weight training. Existing as a concept for several years, the Whitetones waited until last summer before Looney Lenny, Pablo, Guido, and Little Davey ac tually took to the stage. In November, the Persua sions, who bill themselves as the ‘‘Kings of A Cappella,” came to Eugene. The White tones, dubbing themselves “The Knaves of A Cappella,” opened the show and later sang “What's Your Name’’ onstage with the Persuasions. The Whitetones’ most recent appearance came on Valentine’s Night at B.J. Kel ley's, singing between sets of a band called Slowtrain. The audience was the sort that ap preciated Slowtrain’s bland, middle-of-the-road dance mu sic, and there was some ques tion as to how they would react to a doo-wop group As the Whitetones began to warm up in a kitchen, which doubled as a dressing room, Lenny announced that he’d forgotten "all of the words to all of the songs.” Asked if he thought the crowd would ac cept their music, Friedlander said, “No. We'll have to make 'em go for it. I’m always scared when it's not an oldies crowd.” As the Whitetones opened with “In the Still of the Night,” 150 B.J. Kelly’s patrons looked up from their beers in disbelief. Their disbelief turned to ap plause as they realized that these guys could sing. As the 'tones started into the Del-Vik ings’ “Come Go With Me,” the dance floor began to fill up. Next was “Book of Love”, and then it was China's turn in "I Believe.” As Lenny, Pablo, and Little Davey crooned behind him, Guido began his monologue: “People always come up to me after I sing this song, and they ask me/Guido, what do you really believe?’ And I look at them, and I answer. . . ‘Who the fuck cares, anyway?”’ There was much laughter and applause as they went into the final verse. The show was a qualified success. A portion of the crowd still has no idea what to make of them, but the White tones have managed to pull a positive reception from an audience that could have turned hostile. The Whitetones plan to take some time off from performing to work up some new material. Long-range plans have them playing the Northwest college circuit, and possibly playing some shows in California, where a Whitetones' promo tional tape has been heard on the syndicated ‘‘Cruisin' ” show. The Whitetones have no il lusions of making it big, but as Lenny puts it, “That doesn't mean we aren’t serious.” The Whitetones live for the day when you’ll be able to walk down the street and hear four voices under a corner lamp post. A cappella. By Phil Bernstein Photos by Steve Dykes Open 8:30 - 5:30 M-F Subaru Datsun Honda Toyota BMW Porsche Audi VW Mercedes Jaguar Factory Trained Mechanics DATSUN TOYOTA & HONDA CVCC ♦4-CYL TUNE-UP SPECIAL Includes: valve adjustment, tune-up, points, plugs, condenser, plus carburator & scope adjustment. ♦BRAKE SPECIAL Includes: replacement of front-brake pads PARTS AND LABOR FOR EITHER only 134.95 Tony Chilton 11th & Chambers, Eugene Lee Wcrthamer 345-2222
