Entertainment Magazine: Entertaining Tucson Vol. 1

Tucson music scene in the 1970s


Entertaining Tucson

This is a page from the 3-volume series of "Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades," covering 50 years of Tucson local entertainment and music.


(Photo: left) 1970s standout was the Bob Meighan Band with members (r-l): Bob Meighan, Rodney Bryce, Richard Howard, Milt Miller and Dick Furlow. On “The Dancer” was Meighan’s first release, recorded at Lee Furr’s Studio. Chuck Graham even contributed handclaps and tap dancing. February 8, 1985, Newsreal.

 


 


 

Tucson Entertainment Review

By Caylah Eddleblute
Originally published in February 8-March 18, 1985 – Newsreal. Page 20

I remember it as if the entire decade unfolded just a moment ago, like a crisp snapshot just taken. The ‘70s, perhaps so memorable because I was finally what every kid dreams of… out on my own. When you’re 17, everything is vivid.

The summer nights sweated excitement, especially in 1973. Fourth Avenue buzzed with anticipation. Choo Choo’s had come into its own months earlier, at that time under the guide of Jon Miller. Destined for fame as rock and roll’s cathedral, Choo Choo’s would later become the Night Train, where Doc (Michael Zucker [1]) and Shag created a legend that made music and dreams of the times, larger than life. Ray and   Red’s [2] stood crookedly on the corner of 4th and 6th Street, a beacon to transient heaven. A crumbling bar, it still had a quality that tempted one’s curiosity to sit ... and watch.

“Doc,” owner of the Night Train. Newsreal photo, February 1985.

And Merlin’s (what many of us probably remember as the Backstage) was what would now be called a “preppie” bar, filled with warm light and cherubic faces, drinking pitchers of suds, while a band would play an occasional gig. Of course, down the street, at 4th Avenue and 9th Street, The Shanty now thrives in yuppieness. But in those days, no one kicked around 9th Street. Not unless you wanted to take a walk down Heroin Avenue.

Down on Miracle Mile there was Jeckle & Hyde’s, the other rock club and dealers’ bar. The Strip brashly displayed all of its wonderfully trashy hotels too, where all the out-of-town musicians stayed in those days.

And after Jeckle’s changed its clientele, The Pawnbroker became the most crucial of venues for musicians during the mid to late ‘70s. Just ask Bob Meighan. Someone happened to watch him perform there. That someone was Veronique, famous European singing star and (at the time) wife of Steven Stills. She watched Bob’s band perform and hired them the same night to play as her backup group for two treks to Europe. Meighan’s band was undoubtedly one of the most popular. With three LP’s to his credit (two on Capitol, produced by himself and Jerry Biopene) he had a following that, for the most part, monopolized the Pawnbroker.

So, the 1970s was a decade that claimed the popularity of country-rock. Chuck Wagon and the Wheels, released five, count ‘em, five albums that gained them some national attention as well. Bluegrass was cool too, and Summerdog was its pet.

And there were countless bar bands. The decade began with the Dusty Chaps, Firehouse and Stinky Felix. Other names run through my mind ... Weasel, Cash McCall, Husky Baby, Larkspur, Rooty Kazootie and the Bendover Band. Somewhere in the beginning was Ethyl, whose original drummer was David Bromberg, and Gamera, with Bill Cashman on synthesizers. Marx Loeb was in that one too. He called the band an artistic triumph, otherwise a failure.

Then the Eastside era was upon us. Seems it was around that time pianist Jeff Daniels split. Sam Burkes and Steve Itule played the Solarium (on Tanque Verde). And various forms of the breathable stuff were performing.

There was, of course, Central Air and the Air Brothers. Meanwhile Frank and Woody were causing a raucous at the Oxbow. Then somewhere along the line, Greg White and Richie Cavanaugh formed Rock Doktor. The Dusty Chaps finally hung up their spurs in 1978. But it wasn’t so long after that the spark of Los Lasers was ignited.

So came the end of a decade, and with it a change on the horizon. A new generation of minds was stirring, coming with a razor’s edge and spirit not really felt since the ‘60s. Yet in the ‘70s, the skill and musicianship of a number of talented people was cultivated, as was an appreciation by those of us who listened.

Special thanks to Fred Porter, Roger King, Marx Loeb, Jeff Rudrug, Tom Itule, Richie Cavanaugh, Ernie Rigole, Bob Meighan, and especially, Doc Zucker and Shag.

Album covers of Dusty Chaps, Bob Meighan Band and Loose Boots. February 8, 1985, Newsreal


[1] Michael “Doc” Zucker has a thriving optometric practice, started in 1991, on Tucson’s Northwest side.

[2] Ray & Red’s eventually became Café Sweetwater and refined its taste. It’s now known as Plush.


Now Available From Amazon.com

Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades
Volume 1

by Robert E. Zucker

The local entertainment scene in Tucson, Arizona during the 1950s through 1985 was vibrant– from the ‘50s rock and roll of the Dearly Beloved to the ‘80s with the Pills, Giant Sandworms and everything in between– classic rock, disco, alternative, punk, hard core, country, swing and Big Band. Hundreds of bands and thousands of entertainers over three decades. Within these pages are the memories and the experiences of those people and places.

These are the original articles and interviews published in several local newspapers that covered the Tucson entertainment scene over the decades. Follow their stories through the years– the big breaks, record releases, hot performances and duds, break ups, tragedies, personal insights and struggles.

Purchase copies of Entertaining Tucson Across the DecadesEntertaining Tucson on amazon.com.

2024 © Entertainment Magazine and BZB Publishing, Inc., Robert Zucker and Newsreal, Jonathan L. All rights are reserved. These are the compiled works of contributed materials from writers and photographers previously published in the Tucson Teen, Magazine, Entertainment Magazine and Newsreal newspapers, and from Entertainment Magazine On Line (EMOL.org). No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or utilized in any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher.

Permission is granted to use quotes and cite references to the contents in this book with proper credit noted: “Entertaining Tucson Across the Decades,” © 2014 Entertainment Magazine.”


Return to Entertaining Tucson
Volume 1 Home | Main Index


From Google

 


Entertainment Magazine

© 2014-2018 BZB Publishing, Entertainment Magazine. All rights reserved.