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Not sure where she went to h.s., but her folks house was at 2014 E. Prince Rd. I was their mailman for 7 years. I believe it is condos or apts. now. It was an old hacienda type house set back from the road. This was in the '70's. So, like Prince rd. drive in I'm sure the land was worth a bundle. Prince and Jackson to be exact. On the northeast side. I used to live a few blocks from there on Wilson. Great neighborhood. You lived close by, do you remember the original Boondocks lounge on Campbell near Prince. It's part of that mall now. My mail route was all around the U/A farm and 1st ave. to the west. Hills Saloon. Rowdy place when they were running the track at Rillito Downs.
Wow, hard to believe I lived just a couple of blocks from them and didn't know it. I've been a big fan of hers from the first Stone Poneys album. Wikipedia says she grew up on a 10 acre ranch, so the family must have moved to Prince Rd later.
Our "routes" must have overlapped: I delivered the AZ Daily Star (the morning paper) in the "dirt roads" area bounded by Ft Lowell, Mountain Ave, Campbell and Prince. I think most of that area is still dirt roads.
I wasn't really into clubs or bars so don't remember Boondocks.
More stories about one of the geezer guys - wonder if anyone will ever happen onto this forum and identify these guys? Wouldn't you love to know more about them?
I would love to have someone give us the personal history of some of these people. I'll bet they have led very interesting lives.
I have done a search using terms that might match some of these individuals, such as "Tucson Umbrella Oracle Rd." etc., and I have found some more info on some obscure forum thread. It seems others have noticed these people and would like to know more, too. They mention many of the people mentioned here, such as Speedo Guy, etc.
One person said he once knew the history of the blonde guy pushing a cart with the huge umbrella, but he has since forgotten.
My search has turned up a more recent character: Umbrella Lady. She has been seen all along Oracle Rd. wearing long dresses and carrying an umbrella. One story has her having had a bad car accident which killed some family members, and her vowing never to drive again. Another has her walking daily from Catalina to Holy Hope Cemetery. Another says she is transgendered and very shy.
[B:Sluggo:[/b] Tried checking out Historic Aerials. Not for long, only took a few minutes, and it was kind of difficult to see, esp. Windsor, back in the day, but what a cool thing! Wonder where they are getting their data? How they are verifying it? Very interesting.
I don't know where they source their imagery. In my current job I have access to GIS aerial imagery dating back to the 40s, very poor resolution. Multiple commercial and government sources. Even the 90s NETR stuff is a bit hard to see weIl, I can't make out much detail of my old place in West Tucson, out in Rancho del Cerro. The black-and-white imagery is harder to see as well, less contrast.
I was lead singer and songwriter for The Grodes/Tongues of Truth/Spring Fever from 1965-1968. I would appreciate (definition: pay for) ANY footage of our band in action. Also looking for any info re clubs at the time: Dunes, Dollhouse, Smiley's Embers -- SUNSET ROLLERAMA, where we backed Wilson Picket and opened for Gary Lewis & The Playboys during the summer of '66, when our Love Is A Sad Song was doing well on KTKT. Please contact me at nuggitz@aol.com.
mfreiser: I was excited to read your post tonite since your time frame and mine match - I started going to clubs in '65. Living on the north side, I didn't make it to the Sunset Rollerama often (way out on Swan I think?) but do remember when Gary Lewis was there: my GF got to go and I didn't The name of your song is familiar to me but the youtube vid must be outdated: there is just a portrait there of a young man (you??) and no sound. I was able to find one of The Grodes' songs, "Uh-Huh Girl", which has a familiar sound to me - maybe it got some airplay on KTKT also? I was a KTKT junkie, and always picked up their Top 40 list from the record store: remember those, printed on pastel colored paper? I wish I had kept them all!
The clubs I attended the most were Teen Town (Pastime Roller Rink?) the Hi-Ho Club, The Webb, The Monterey - pretty much wherever my friends, The Panics (band from Amphi) had a gig. Another band I remember well is The Intruders, guys from Catalina. They were quite good but I did not like them because of the competition they gave my friends' band ... The Intruders beat out The Panics in a local Battle of the Bands, around '65-'66. They went on to do pretty well and I think even got a record deal. But then, I think they went downhill when their lead vocalist, Larry Cox, was killed after falling asleep at the wheel driving home after a gig in L.A. I think this was in '67 or '68. I felt terrible for them.
I remember a band called The Occasionals getting alot of gigs and also The Llewallens (sp?) and of course Linda and her Stone Poneys, who we have been reminiscing about in recent months.
I hope you find someone who has some memorabilia for you - we didn't have much to work with back in those days - I had a hard enough time getting my dad to let me go out to the clubs, let alone with the family movie camera- hah!
mfreiser: I was excited to read your post tonite since your time frame and mine match - I started going to clubs in '65. Living on the north side, I didn't make it to the Sunset Rollerama often (way out on Swan I think?) but do remember when Gary Lewis was there: my GF got to go and I didn't The name of your song is familiar to me but the youtube vid must be outdated: there is just a portrait there of a young man (you??) and no sound. I was able to find one of The Grodes' songs, "Uh-Huh Girl", which has a familiar sound to me - maybe it got some airplay on KTKT also? I was a KTKT junkie, and always picked up their Top 40 list from the record store: remember those, printed on pastel colored paper? I wish I had kept them all!
The clubs I attended the most were Teen Town (Pastime Roller Rink?) the Hi-Ho Club, The Webb, The Monterey - pretty much wherever my friends, The Panics (band from Amphi) had a gig. Another band I remember well is The Intruders, guys from Catalina. They were quite good but I did not like them because of the competition they gave my friends' band ... The Intruders beat out The Panics in a local Battle of the Bands, around '65-'66. They went on to do pretty well and I think even got a record deal. But then, I think they went downhill when their lead vocalist, Larry Cox, was killed after falling asleep at the wheel driving home after a gig in L.A. I think this was in '67 or '68. I felt terrible for them.
I remember a band called The Occasionals getting alot of gigs and also The Llewallens (sp?) and of course Linda and her Stone Poneys, who we have been reminiscing about in recent months.
I hope you find someone who has some memorabilia for you - we didn't have much to work with back in those days - I had a hard enough time getting my dad to let me go out to the clubs, let alone with the family movie camera- hah!
Colt Cassidy: Thanks for posting that link - what fun to see all that - and what a walk down memory lane! Makes me wish all the more that I had all my Top 40 charts from back then - that would be history in itself! Mostly, I picked them up at Mars-Hall but I think they were available a few other places where records were sold, like Woolworth's - I've always been a record keeper
I remember my GF and I winning an on-air contest and going down to the station to pick up our prize - could have been tickets for The Animals show - I can't recall - it was a big deal, tho', and Frank Kalil asked us to dance for him, while a local news team filmed us. My friend was able to manage a few moves (I think The Jerk is what we were doing at the time!) but I absolutely froze and couldn't do anything! My mom and sibs were home watching the news and asked me later "How come you didn't dance? You never stop dancing around here!" What a dork, huh - Hah!
I remember Frank Kalil would be on on Saturday A.M.s, too, and it would be a struggle to try and catch American Bandstand on TV (to see the newest bands and the latest dances, of course!) and hear the Top 40, too! On top of getting chores done in order to get to go out that evening ... sigh, the good ol' days ...
Wow, it's been a month since anyone posted and now we have a plea to do so
Is everyone on vacation or no one has anything else to say about our ol' stomping grounds?
I've nothing new to add but I'm happy to say that we are getting some much-needed rain here is SoCal: how about in AZ? Any effects of the hurricane reaching you there?
Here's an article today in the Arizona Daily Star, timely because of redevelopment plans in the Ronstadt Transit Block, which some of you may remember from its earlier days as well.
Downtown development proposals to be revealed Wednesday
Buy Now
Tucson Citizen 1965
The northeast corner of Sixth Avenue and Congress Street included Dee’s Shoes, Nationwide Finance, Johnny Gibson’s Gym Equipment and the Manhattan bar. It’s now the Ronstadt Transit Center.
Two potential developers vying for the project to redevelop 4.7 acres of city land in downtown Tucson will present their design ideas at a public meeting Wednesday evening.
The details of the proposed projects at the Ronstadt Transit Center and surrounding land will be made public for the first time at the meeting.
In a memo, city officials asked developers not to provide information or graphics to the media or the public before then.
The Ronstadt Transit Center is a busy bus hub at the center of the downtown area. There are 17,000 passenger trips on an average weekday at Ronstadt Transit Center, said Kandi Young, Sun Tran spokeswoman.
The city is seeking proposals that add value to the site while preserving the transit service.
Both proposals are sophisticated, well-thought-out projects that would let people live, work, play and travel all at the same site and create a new destination downtown, said Michael Keith, CEO of the Downtown Tucson Partnership. The project is “a critical moment for downtown,” he said, because it needs to serve downtown’s current needs and also help get downtown into the future. The project also could help set a new standard and showcase Tucson as a leader in urban redevelopment nationwide, Keith said.
The Peach Watermark Team proposal includes a mixed-use building with residential, retail and office spaces. It would incorporate bus service, short-term bike and car rentals, and taxi stands.
The team includes Tucson-based Peach Properties, which also developed five other major projects in downtown Tucson, and Tucson-based Watermark Retirement Communities, which developed The Fountains at La Cholla on Tucson’s northwest side.
Wisconsin-based Alexander Co. proposes a high-rise residential building with a transit component and dining options for transit users.
The company also developed Central Station in Memphis, a restoration and revitalization project that includes a 1914 train-station-turned-transit-hub, apartments and retail spaces.
The meeting Wednesday is the best opportunity for the public to see the projects, hear comments and form positions, according to Keith.
The selection committee is expected to recommend one of the developers to the City Council in November. The Federal Transit Administration and the council would approve a development agreement sometime next year.
Contact reporter Becky Pallack at bpallack@tucson.com. On Twitter: @BeckyPallack
Now that's a scene that takes me back! My dad's mail route (in the early 60's) included Congress St. and this looks very familiar - we would drive down to take him some lunch, pick up his paycheck to get it in the bank on those Fridays, etc. This could be tricky finding him - not knowing exactly where he would be when, riding his bike (no truck delivery for this route) and I don't know how Mom did it: before the days of cell phones!
I recall the Arthur Murray studio and marveling that people actually paid to get dance lessons ...
Thanks for posting, Wilma! Was the old Wildcat one of your previous haunts? Just curious ... it's a place my sister hung out at - alot - in the late 70's.
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The name of your song is familiar to me but the youtube vid must be outdated: there is just a portrait there of a young man (you??) and no sound. I was able to find one of The Grodes' songs, "Uh-Huh Girl", which has a familiar sound to me - maybe it got some airplay on KTKT also? I was a KTKT junkie, and always picked up their Top 40 list from the record store: remember those, printed on pastel colored paper? I wish I had kept them all!
The Intruders beat out The Panics in a local Battle of the Bands, around '65-'66. They went on to do pretty well and I think even got a record deal. But then, I think they went downhill when their lead vocalist, Larry Cox, was killed after falling asleep at the wheel driving home after a gig in L.A. I think this was in '67 or '68. I felt terrible for them.
