The Legends
The following email was sent to me by Dale Sievert.
"My three favorite earlier songs are: "Rave On" by Buddy Holly, "Walk, Don't Run" by the Ventures, and "Lariat," by The Legends, a Milwaukee band of the 60s. The lead guitarist, Sam McCue, was the lead guitarist from 1963-1973 for the Everly Brothers (we saw The Legends as a pre-act for the EB in July 1963, after which he was hired). He did the song around 2000 with another local band, and that version has higher quality recording."
OK Dale . . . Let's start with "Lariat" (The Legends 1961)
"My three favorite earlier songs are: "Rave On" by Buddy Holly, "Walk, Don't Run" by the Ventures, and "Lariat," by The Legends, a Milwaukee band of the 60s. The lead guitarist, Sam McCue, was the lead guitarist from 1963-1973 for the Everly Brothers (we saw The Legends as a pre-act for the EB in July 1963, after which he was hired). He did the song around 2000 with another local band, and that version has higher quality recording."
OK Dale . . . Let's start with "Lariat" (The Legends 1961)
Artist Biography by Bruce Eder
"Sam McCue has been compared to James Burton by music writers who know whereof they speak, and has played alongside such luminaries as The Everly Brothers. Born into a musical family -- his father played the trumpet semi-professionally and his mother sang and played the fiddle -- he took up the ukulele at age six and later switched to the guitar. By the early '60s, he was a member of the Legends, a Milwaukee-based outfit that rocked the city with their early single releases of "Lariat," "Bop-a-Lena," and "Say Mama" on the Ermine label, all of which topped the local charts. The group was good enough to get signed by Capitol Records, through which they released two LPs and a single in 1962 and 1963. And even though none of those records charted nationally, the exposure was enough to get McCue -- by then recognized as the main driving force within the group -- snapped up by the Everly Brothers, for the lead guitar spot in their backing band, and was with them into the start of the 1970s. During the latter decade, he also joined Crowfoot for their final LP. He remains a guitar hero in Milwaukee and the surrounding area -- it's amazing no one ever tried getting him onto That 70's Show for some verisimilitude -- in addition to playing guitar for various artists (Atlee Yeager, et al.), he has also served as a producer for artists such as Steve Cohen."
"Uploaded on Dec 29, 2007
Remember the dances at Muskego Beach? Then you will remember these 2 Milwaukee Music Icons, Larry Lynne of The Skunks and Sam McCue of The Legends. Watch them play together along with the Doo Wop Daddies this summer in Wauwatosa." Youtube
Interesting stuff Dale. I never heard of these guys before but they sound good and seem to be having a really fun time. This segment must have been from 2007 or thereabouts. So here they are performing 2 great songs from the 50's!
"Sam McCue has been compared to James Burton by music writers who know whereof they speak, and has played alongside such luminaries as The Everly Brothers. Born into a musical family -- his father played the trumpet semi-professionally and his mother sang and played the fiddle -- he took up the ukulele at age six and later switched to the guitar. By the early '60s, he was a member of the Legends, a Milwaukee-based outfit that rocked the city with their early single releases of "Lariat," "Bop-a-Lena," and "Say Mama" on the Ermine label, all of which topped the local charts. The group was good enough to get signed by Capitol Records, through which they released two LPs and a single in 1962 and 1963. And even though none of those records charted nationally, the exposure was enough to get McCue -- by then recognized as the main driving force within the group -- snapped up by the Everly Brothers, for the lead guitar spot in their backing band, and was with them into the start of the 1970s. During the latter decade, he also joined Crowfoot for their final LP. He remains a guitar hero in Milwaukee and the surrounding area -- it's amazing no one ever tried getting him onto That 70's Show for some verisimilitude -- in addition to playing guitar for various artists (Atlee Yeager, et al.), he has also served as a producer for artists such as Steve Cohen."
"Uploaded on Dec 29, 2007
Remember the dances at Muskego Beach? Then you will remember these 2 Milwaukee Music Icons, Larry Lynne of The Skunks and Sam McCue of The Legends. Watch them play together along with the Doo Wop Daddies this summer in Wauwatosa." Youtube
Interesting stuff Dale. I never heard of these guys before but they sound good and seem to be having a really fun time. This segment must have been from 2007 or thereabouts. So here they are performing 2 great songs from the 50's!
And now your 2 "other" favorites from the 50's / 60's. Buddy Holly and The Ventures!
Hope everyone enjoyed this walk down memory lane with Dale!
Till Next Week
Harv
Till Next Week
Harv