Beaverteeth
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1972-75) - David Adkins -- vocals, lead guitar, keyboards - John Rainey Adkins (RIP 1988) -- vocals, rhythm guitar - Jimmy Dean -- vocals, bass - Charlie Silva (RIP) -- vocals, drums, percussion
line up 2 (1975-76) - David Adkins -- vocals, lead guitar, keyboards - John Rainey Adkins (RIP 1988) -- vocals, rhythm guitar - Jimmy Dean -- vocals, bass NEW - Larry Hunter -- drums, percussion, vocals (replaced Charlie Silva) NEW - Rodney Justo -- lead vocals, rhythm guitar
line up 3 (1976-78) - David Adkins -- vocals, lead guitar, keyboards - John Rainey Adkins (RIP 1988) -- vocals, rhythm guitar NEW - Jeff Cheshire (RIP 2012) -- vocals, bass (replaced Jimmy Dean) - Larry Hunter -- drums, percussion, vocals (replaced Charlie Silva) - Rodney Justo -- lead vocals, rhythm guitar
supporting musicians: (1977) - Jay Scott -- horns - Laura Scott -- horns
line up 4 (1978) - David Adkins -- vocals, lead guitar - John Rainey Adkins (RIP 1988) -- vocals, rhythm guitar - Jeff Cheshire (RIP 2012) -- vocals, bass - Larry Hunter -- drums, percussion, vocals - Rodney Justo -- lead vocals, rhythm guitar NEW - Mike Turner -- vocals, keyboards
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- Atlanta Rhythm Section (Rodney Justo) - The Candymen (Rodney Justo) - Noah's Ark (Rodney Justo) - Rodney & The Mystics - The Webs
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Beaverteeth Company: RCA Victor Catalog: APL1-2076 Country/State: Dothan, Alabama Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 2 Catalog ID: 1965 Price: $9.00
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Ah, Rodney Justo ... one of my favorite vocalists. Nah, he's never achieved the national recognition he deserves, but that shouldn't cast any doubts on the man's talents.
Unless you're now in your 70s, or you're a hardcore music fan, it's doubtful you've ever heard of The Candymen. Shame, since they were a truly talented mid-'60s band, that actually came close to national success. Anyhow, Justo was the band's lead singer. Justo was also the original lead singer for The Atlanta Rhythm Section. He handled vocals on the band's first studio album, splitting with the group prior to the release of 1972's "Back Up Against the Wall." If you believe the stories, Justo was unhappy with the band's lack of commercial success and their management teams decision to have the band record music for a cartoon program.
Freed from ARS, in 1972 Justo headed to New York where he was hired as B.J. Thomas' band leader.
During the same timeframe brothers David and John Rainey Adkins had formed the band Beaverteeth along with bassist Jimmy Dean and singer/drummer Charlie Silva. Beaverteeth were playing clubs throughout the Florida panhandle and Southern Alabama when, needing a touring band for Thomas, Justo recruited them for the job. They stayed with Thomas for the next three years, splitting up when Thomas hired a new management team. Beaverteeth then headed back to their native Dothan, Alabama. Original singer/drummer Silva was subsequently diagnosed with cancer and replaced by Larry Hunter and Justo on vocals. The following year bassist Dean left the band, replaced by Jeff Cheshire.
Signed by RCA Victor, the band made their recording debut with 1977's "Beaverteeth". Self-produced, the album offered up an odd mixture of conventional southern rock, pop moves, and an occasional nod to more contemporary musical influences (synthesizers and dance rhythms). As you might guess, it wasn't the greatest mix you've ever heard. That was unfortunate since with four of the five members contributing to the writing chores, these guys were quite talented. Justo remained a first-rate singer, capable of handling everything from '20s-styled ballads ('Where No Man's Been Before') to hardcore Southern rockers ('Dixie Fried'). Exemplified by tunes like 'Sacred Harmony' and 'I'm calling' he remained one of the best Southern rock balladeers. Elsewhere, collectively the band were quite strong; probably as capable as The Atlanta Rhythm Section. From my perspective, their big creative mistake was trying to showcase their sheer versatility. At times it almost felt like you were listening to a wedding band promotion tape, with the group trying to prove they could handle virtually any genre that the audience might request. Their cover of Carl Perkins 'Dixie Fried' was a killer Southern rock tune. 'You Wanna Go To Heaven (But You Don't Wanna Die)' was a nice horn-propelled slice of funk. 'Hope' was tasty Mike Nesmith-influenced country-rock. In contrast, 'The World's Really Flat' sounded like a good Badfinger tune. They really could handle it all, but you were ultimately left to wonder who these guys really were.
"Beaverteeth" track listing: 1.) I'm Calling (Randall Bramblett) - 5:13 One of two Randall Bramblett covers, 'I'm Calling' was a pretty mid-'70s styled ballad with a killer Jay Scott sax solo. While the opening ballad may not have been anything to drop dead over, it was nice to hear Rodney Justo's instantly recognizable voice. The chorus was also pretty good. RCA tapped the track as a single: - 1977's 'I'm Calling' b/w 'I'm Calling' (RCA Victor catalog number PB 10933) rating: *** stars 2.) Just Another Local Band (Rodney Justo - John Rainey Adkins - David Adkins - Jeff Cheshire) - 3:47 If you liked ARS's brand of southern rock, then the mid-tempo, autobiographic rocker 'Just Another Local Band' was apt to strike a chord with you. It certainly sounded like something off one of the early ARS albums. rating: *** stars 3.) You Wanna Go To Heaven (But You Don't Wanna Die) (Rodney Justo - John Rainey Adkins - David Adkins - Jeff Cheshire) - 4:27 The band takes a stab at getting funky and the results are ... well, not half bad. Nice display of their execllent group harmonies. rating: *** stars 4.) Where No Man's Been Before (Rodney Justo - John Rainey Adkins - David Adkins - Jeff Cheshire) - 1:53 Not sure what they were trying to prove with this '20s styled tune that was too cute for their own good, though I have to admit I liked the jazzy guitar moves. rating: ** stars 5.) Dixie Fried (Carl Perkins) - 3:31 Complete with a snippet of the tune 'Dixie', their hard rockin' cover of Carl Perkins' 'Dixie Fried' was easily the best thing on side one. With a very ARS-feel, you could only wish they'd done more stuff in this vein. rating: **** stars
(side
2) With an odd English-flavor, including a wicked nod to psych era Beatles, 'Sing for You' was another autobiographical number, reflecting Justo's long simmering frustrations with the business. You can even hear him reference the reasons he left ARS. The song was also tapped as a single: -
1977's 'Sing for You' (long version) b/w 'Sing for You' (short version) (RCA
Victor catalog number PB 10986) rating:
**** stars As
good as Justo was when he toughened up his voice ('Dixie Fried'), he had a
voice that was near perfect for heartbreak ballads. Their cover
of Randall Bramblett's 'Sacred Harmony' served as a good framework to
showcase that special voice. rating:
**** stars Maybe
just me, but 'Hope' showcased the band's pop sensibilities - easy to imagine
a grown-up version of The Candymen. The song's actually always
reminded me of something Mike Nesmith might have penned for the late-inning
Monkees. Beautiful tune that I would have tapped as a
single.
rating: **** stars Geez,
after all these years this one still sounds like a strong Badfinger tune to
me. As a big Badfinger fan, that's a good thing.
There are even handclaps !!! rating:
**** stars Sappy ballad that was an unfortunate way to end the album.
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Genre: rock Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Dam It Company: RCA Victor Catalog: AFL
1-2574 Country/State: Dothan, Alabama Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: promo stamp on back cover Available: 1 Catalog ID: 2189 Price: $15.00
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Recorded at the Doraville, Georgia's Studio One (home of the Atlanta Rhythm Section), 1978's "Dam It" wasn't a major musical departure from Beaverteeth's debut album. That meant if you liked the first album's pseudo ARS-styled rock moves you were going to enjoy this one as well. If anything, on tunes like 'Mystic Notions and Magic Potions', the title track and 'Everybody Got It On the Inside' the resemblance to ARS was uncanny. True lead singer Rodney Justo had been the initial ARS singer, but the comparison went far beyond that. Bassist Jeff Cheshire seemed to take his inspiration from the late Paul Goddard, while lead guitarist David Adkins' economical leads sounded like ARS guitarist J.R. Cobb. Sure, the album wasn't a carbon copy of the debut. The addition of keyboardist/singer Mike Turner added a bit of variety to their sound. With Turner handling a couple of lead vocals 'Rock and Roll Southern Man' added a slightly more rock oriented feel to some of the performances. It made for a solid, largely enjoyable album that probably deserved as much success as ARS releases. Probably would not have hurt them to have show a little originality and have selected a better album cover. In retrospect I guess there was only so much room for this genre of Southern rock which probably helps explain why the album went nowhere and Beaverteeth subsequently called it quits.
left to right: Jeff Cheshire - David Adkins - Rodney Justo - John Rainey Adkins - Larry Hunter - Mike Turner
"Dam It" track listing: 1.) Mystic Notions and Magic Potions (Rodney Justo - John Rainey Adkins) - 4:10. rating: *** stars I clearly remember hearing this tune and thinking it was an Atlanta Rhythm Section tune. Everything about this one, including the sound David Adkins got out of his lead guitar, Jeff Cheshire's deep bass and Rodney Justo's slinky vocals just screamed ARS. And good ARS at that. I guess that makes it easy to understand why RCA tapped the song as a promotional single:
- 1978's 'Mystic Notions and Magic Potions' (stereo) b/w ''Mystic Notions and Magic Potions' (stereo) (RCA Victor catalog number JH-11167)
2.) Dam It (Rodney Justo - John Rainey Adkins - David Adkins) - 3:24. rating: *** stars ARS-styled pop though hearing Just try to sound threatening via the title was almost funny. The song would have sounded more threatening if it had been entitled "excuse me". Shame it faded out just as it was getting some momentum 3.) See the Monkey (Rodney Justo - David Adkins - John Rainey Adkins - Mike Turner) - 3:01 rating; **** stars 'See the Monkey' found the band introducing a Latin flavor to the mix. In spite of the jaunty melody and sweet harmonies, I think the lyric was intended as a subtle (maybe not that subtle) anti-drug commentary. Good for them. 4.) Make the Midnight Special (Rodney Justo - John Rainey Adkins) - 3:27 rating: ** stars The album's first mistake, 'Make the Midnight Special' was a bland and forgettable ballad smothered in unnecessary strings. 5.) Rock and Roll Southern Man (Rodney Justo - John Rainey Adkins - Mike Turner) - rating: *** stars Featuring keyboardist Turner on lead vocals, 'Rock and Roll Southern Man' was one of those tunes that grew on you over time. Lyrically it was pretty pedestrian (tough life as a rocker) and the melody sounded like it had been pieced together from about a dozen other tunes. All that aside, the performance was enthusiastic with a nice mid-song instrumental segment, and the chorus was a keeper.
(side 2) 1.) Stop that River in Your Eyes (Rodney Justo - David Adkins - John Rainey Adkins) - 4:56 rating: ** stars Yech !! Faceless adult contemporary pop that sounded like a song which would have slotted on a Pablo Cruise collection. Courtesy of Jay Scott there was even an extended sax solo. 2.) Stealin' Feelin' (Rodney Justo - David Adkins - John Rainey Adkins - Mike Turner) - 3:27 rating: *** stars Gospel-tinged rocker that could have slotted on a Wet Willie album. David Adkins turned in some of his prettiest work on this one. 3.) Everybody Got It On the Inside (Randall Bramblett) - 3:14 rating: **** stars The lone non-original, Randall Bramblett's 'Everybody Got It On the Outside' sounded like a mash-up between Dr. John and ARS. That was meant as a compliment. 4.) Mourning In Dixie (Rodney Justo - David Adkins - Mike Turner) - 2:42 rating: *** stars More echoes of ARS ... smooth adult contemporary ballad with the same feel and instrumentation of a good ARS tune. 5.) Down In the Mine (Rodney Justo - John Rainey Adkins) - 3:21 rating: **** stars Another tune that would have disappointed a traditional Southern rock fan since it's pseudo-jazzy melody and structure sounded more like an early ARS tune than something out of the Lynyrd Skynyrd catalog. I have to admit to really liking the song's slinky feel and David Adkins' lead guitar solos were killer.
Beaverteeth is one of those bands with a high mortality rate.
Only 47, rhythm guitarist John Rainey Adkins died in 1988. Bassist Jeff Cheshire died in 2012. Original drummer Charlie Silva died of cancer.
STRAWDAWG L-R Larry Holmes, Frank Tanton, George Cheshire, Kenneth Griffith, Lamar Alley. This was the house-band for the Flamingo Club in Dothan back in 1972. [courtesy of Frank Tanton http://www.myspace.com/thebopcats] KENNETH GRIFFITH I'm sad to say, my old friend, and fellow musician, Kenneth Griffith, passed away today at his home in Dothan... When Kenneth didn't show up for our "Monday Night Jam Session", Carl Adams, and Mitch Goodson went to his house and discovered his body... They said he appeared to have died peacefully in his sleep... I met Kenneth in High School and we played together in several bands over the years... Kenneth was a gentle soul with a sharp wit, and tremendous talent... He will be missed... Frank Tanton I just got word tonight that Kenneth Griffith died today. He was an incredible bassist and I don't think he ever had one enemy in this world. Kenneth was the bass player in Beaverteeth before I joined the group---I think Claude Bell took the spot when he quit, and I took over when Claude quit. Kenneth played a fretless bass and did it exquisitely. I tried to play it once and put it down after less than a minute. When Kenneth decided to quit music, he talked to me about it. He said he wanted to go to college and be a farm agent, and he said some of our musician buddies were laughing and giving him a hard time about it. I told him to do it. I told him most of us would end up in a cardboard box down by the railroad track and he would end up with a retirement package that would make our eyes bleed. He was several years younger than me, but I hope he got to enjoy some of that before today. Take care--- Jimmy Dean From : Kenneth Griffith Sent : Sunday, February 26, 2006 1:28 PM To : Subject : A year in the life Hi, Robert. I'm enjoying reading you blog and looking at the great pictures. I never have found a copy of that first Atlanta Rhythm Section album on CD. Rodney Justo probably knows where some are, but I don't know how to get in touch with him. http://www.atlantarhythmsection.com/ Some of the things you've posted recently reminded me of things in my past. If you'll indulge me for a few moments I'll tell you about it. I was barely 19 in the fall of 1970 when my parents took me to the Greyhound bus station in downtown Dothan where I boarded a bus for Muscle Shoals. A job was waiting for me there as the staff bassist in a little second-tier studio named "Widget." The studio was not far down the street from Muscle Shoal Sounds studio. The house band at Widget was to work on projects for the studio plus cut demo tracks with the Muscle Shoals Horns, which was then comprised of Harrison Calloway, Ronnie Eades, and Harvey Thompson. In my time there I recorded a fair amount of material that never saw the light of day as far as I know, and remember recording one demo for Harrison Calloway that was later recorded by Z.Z Hill. Joe Cocker and Leon Russell were recording at MSS while I was at Widget. I didn't meet Eddie Hinton but he was there, and I heard he had recently sold his Lincoln to pay for strings to be put on his record. I met all the Swampers: Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson, and Roger Hawkins. I also met Donnie Fritz, whose grand piano was used on a lot of Widget recordings. There was also buzz in MS about a band from Florida that had recently been there but had move on: Lynyrd Skynyrd. They were still a few years away from hitting it big. http://www.great-music.net/wyker.htm [wwwwwwwwwwyker & Court Pickett also recorded at WIDGET.-ed.] Despite being at the fringe of all these great things, Muscle Shoals was very cold for a boy who'd grown up in the milder weather of the Wiregrass, and I got homesick. When David Adkins called me in the spring and told me that he and John Rainey were putting together a new band that would also be the staff band for Playground Studio in Valparaiso, I was ready to come home. That band became the original Beaver Teeth. The lineup was David Adkins on drums and vocals, Lamar Alley on vocals and guitar, Larry Shell on vocals and guitar, John Rainey Adkins on guitar and vocals, and me playing my Hofner bass. Larry Shell was a great singer/songwriter who later went on to some success as a song publisher in Nashville. Beaver Teeth was named by John Rainey because of Larry's prominent buck teeth. That was a good band, and was to my thinking the most unique of the several Beaver Teeth incarnations, though later versions of the group may have been better. I recorded quite a few sessions at Playground Studios with Larry, David, and John Rainey. That was a great time for me, but it didn't last. Late that summer when I just turned 20, Larry and Lamar left the band. We had made a couple of trips up to Atlanta to see the new studio Buddy Buie was building in Doraville. Me being on the chubby side, several people thought it would be a good idea for me to see Dr. Rankin, whose office was in the building housing the Buie/Cochran offices and the old Mastersound studio, where the Classics IV and Candymen had recorded. Actually a lot of hits of the late 60's came out of that Mastersound Studio. (One aside about Playground Studios in Valparaiso, Findley Duncan operated that studio for years, and he had old tapes of the Allman brothers (just the brothers, not the band) when they'd recorded there.) photo courtesy of http://paulcochran.com The '77 version of BEAVERTEETH L TO R: Jeff Cheshire, David Adkins, Rodney Justo, Larry Hunter, Mike Turner, John Rainey Adkins On one trip to Atlanta, I remember cutting a couple of songs for Wilbur Walton when Studio One was new. David played drums, Paul Goddard, the great ARS bass player, played rhythm guitar, I played bass, and I think Dean Daughtry played piano. I bet Wilbur still has those tapes. After Larry and Lamar left Beaver Teeth, David moved to guitar, Frank Tanton was added on keyboards, and Charlie Silva came in on drums and lead vocals. Charlie was a great drummer and singer, but his biggest talent was that he could do something called the "helicopter" with a certain part of his anatomy. This also made him quite popular with the ladies. That version of Beaver Teeth only lasted a couple of months, but we did record some sessions at Studio One, with Ronnie Hammond as the engineer. Frank and I then left the band. I was replaced by Jack Lane, who had to have been the best bass player in the world--he was phenomenal. Clark Craits took over the keyboard job. Jack Lane was the bass player for several months, and when he left Jimmie Dean, another really great bass player took over that job, keeping the bass chair for several years. After I left Beaver Teeth, I played with almost every band in Dothan: Norman Andrews and the Concrete Bubble, Wilbur Walton, Jr. and Blackhawk (we played one summer at the Hang Out in PC), Strawdawg, MG and the Capers. In my mid-twenties I went off to school at Auburn to study agronomy and have never played professionally again, though I still play and try to keep up my chops. This is a long letter, and somewhat self-indulgent, but my life has crossed that of a lot of the people's whose stories you've been posting here, and I think I may have filled in a few details. Thanks for reading. I still wish I could find that ARS CD! Kenneth Text of BEAVERTEETH press kit put together by Dothan's DEAN ATTRACTIONS: If you took five top studio musicians from Georgia, Florida and Alabama, what would you have? A sound that's sharp as beaver teeth. And that's what they're called...Beaver Teeth This unique group was bred by years of studio work and show tours. They have worked with Bobby Goldsboro, Billy Joe Royal, Roy Orbison, The Classics IV and others. The NOW sound of the group is reflected through blues and ballads of the past, heavy rock, commercial pop, as well as much original material. The well known John Rainey Adkins was formerly lead guitarist for the very popular Candy Men, Roy Orbison back-up band. Since then, he has been doing studio work in Atlanta, Ga. and Valparaiso, Fla. Having been successful as writer also, John Rainey has to be one of the most skillful and devoted musicians around. David Adkins, John Rainey's little brother, plays practically any instrument. David is featured as the drummer for the group. Also a studio musician at Playground Studios at Valparaiso. David's versatility is one of the main factors that contributes to the amazing sounds of Beaver Teeth. The bass guitarist, Kenneth Griffith, comes to the group from a recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The multi-talented Lamar Alley, began playing at the age of six. Lamar sings and helps with the guitar work. Larry Shell plays rhythm guitar, piano and performs vocals for the group. With a voice and writing ability to compliment, Larry has had several records of his own, as well as years of studio work in Valparaiso, Fla. Beaver Teeth, promoted exclusively by DEAN ATTRACTIONS, has the experience and versatility needed to perform all of today's music. Their sharp sound is guaranteed to satisfy! for more information contact: DEAN ATTRACTIONS 301 North Cherokee Avenue Dothan, Alabama 36301 Phone 205/ 794-4719 From: Rodney Justo To: "robert register" Subject: Re: "Cuba, Alabama" Solicits Your Feedback Before Composing Tonight's Post! Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 16:10:16 -0500 Kenneth, it's great to hear from you.(I guess it's called hearing,even though I'm reading) I found a copy of the original ARS on CD in California recently.( I had another one that I bought on the internet but I gave it to someone) if you'll send me your address I'll burn you a copy. By the way it's kinda' crazy that you no longer play.I have memories of you being an OUTSTANDING player. Best Wishes...... Rodney Hi, Robert. It was surprising that you built my letter into an entire blog; that was a nice thing to do. It was great to see the replies from Jimmy and Rodney too. I’d forgotten about the part about playing for Farley Taylor’s radio program. I haven’t seen Jimmy in several years, but he always reminds me about that “Little Kenny Griffith” bit. I only played with the “Taylor Mades” for a few months. Farley always “Brought it all back.” People would tell me what a crook Farley was, but he always was honest with me. He paid me exactly what he said he would when he said he would. Anyway, I’d better not go off writing another long letter. If you can get my address to Rodney and thank him for his nice comment about me I will really appreciate it. Here’s my address if he will burn me the CD: Kenneth Griffith Dothan,Alabama If you will, please pass my email address on to Jimmy. I’d love to get a note from him. Thanks a lot, Robert. I check your blog every morning and enjoy reading it. And even though I did get that degree from Auburn, I enjoy the Bama stuff too. Kenneth Robert, The first time I ever saw Kenneth Griffith play was in an old radio studio above Hugo Griggs Carpet Store about a block east the old Houston Hotel that a lot of bands used for practice. I don't remember who all was in the band, but I believe Lamar Alley was the guitar player and Wayne Paulk was the singer. They did a hell of a rendition of "Kansas City." The year may have been 1968 or 69 or 70????? I remember Kenneth playing around with a fretless bass. I had never seen a rock & roller play bass like that. Prior to that, I had only heard Jaco Pastorius, a Brazilian jazz musician in Flora Purim's band play fretless. It was almost like hearing someone play a slide bass, only with fingers doing the slide rather than a steel or a bottle. A really haunting sound. Kenneth was a hell of a bassplayer. J. Hodges H, Robert. I sent you an email the other day, but I’m not sure it ever went to anywhere you could see it. I’m the Kenneth Griffith who’s in several of the pictures that Frank Tanton sent you and that you posted on your blog. I was an original member of Beaverteeth and Strawdog. I also played with Wilbur in a group called Blackhawk in the early seventies, and I played with Mitch Goodson and the Kapers in the mid-seventies. As a charter member of Beaverteeth, I got to spend time at Studio One in Doraville when Buddy Buie was building the studio and putting the ARS together. At that time Rodney Justo was the singer, and Ronnie Hammond was an assistant engineer. They also had a great saxophone player who was one of the writers of ‘Spookie.’ I’ve forgotten his name, but he never became a member of the group. All that was pretty impressive stuff for someone like me. Anyway, I’m trying to find a CD of the first Atlanta Rhythm Section album. My old vinyl copy is too worn out for me to make my own copy. I see where Buddy Bui posts to your blog, maybe you could put my request out there and someone will know where I can get a copy. Thanks for the help. I bookmarked your blog, so you can count me as a regular visitor from now on. Kenneth Kenneth Kenneth: Good to hear from you, Daddy Mack! Maybe the Memory Cell or The Nix or the notorious Perry from Abbeville will be able to help you get a CD of that Frist ARS abblum. You may not remember me but when you see me you will. I used to hang around Jerry Wise's Studio on the Circle during the summer with Burke back in the day and I remember you being one genuinely friendly cat! The SPAMMER FROM BAMMER now shoots out your request and maybe someone will be able to get you that first ARS album on CD! best, reg http://snakedoctor.blogspot.com Robert, I appreciate your emails and your blogs. I have to agree that it would be great if Alabama schools included courses on Alabama history. I’m not crazy about all this “global perspective” crud. Teach the students Alabama and American history, and make sure they learn about two of the best things that a bunch of dead white men ever gave the world: the American Republic and the U.S. Constitution. What could be more global than a nation dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal? Kenneth Griffith Robert---- He doesn't have it exactly right about Georgia Pines. John Rainey wasn't there when we cut the song at Fred Foster's studio in Nashville. We did cut a version of Georgia Pines in Beaverteeth. That is Charlie singing @ http://myspace.com/adkinsjohnrainey I know we recorded it once up in Birmingham and we may have cut it again down at Playground in Florida, because Jim Lancaster has the tracks on it. Jimmy Dean P.S. RIGHT ON!!!!, KENNETH GRIFFITH! From:Rodney Justo To: "robert register" Subject: Re: Flashbacks From "The Dirty Bird" With Young Junior's Own Frank Tanton Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2005 11:22:45 -0500 Of course I remember Frank, although I can't say that I could pick him out of a lineup almost 35 years later. I think that they recorded "Georgia Pines","Happy Tonight",and another original song at that session. I remember John Rainey,David and I commenting how Charley sounded a little "dated" on the third song. Kenneth Griffith was a really good bass player and if I recall correctly, an excellent student at, I think, George Wallace Jr. (or Community)College RODNEY JUSTO Subject: Re: Jim Hodges On Dothan Bands Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2005 19:30:54 -0500 Strawdog was a hot band... Lamar Alley and George Cheshire on guitars, Frank Tanton on keys, Kenneth Griffith on bass, and little Larry Holmes on drums. We were the house band at the Flamingo Club in Dothan 71-72... I think Robert Dean may still have the old promotional pictures of the band that were taken in the club's nasty-ass bathroom... Frank Tanton NORTHWEST FLORIDA Hey y'all: The citizens of Zero, Northwest Florida mourn the passing of Kenneth Griffith. As acting mayor of Zero, I propose that ALL flags fly at half staff this week in honor of Kenneth Griffith. Best, rr "Until one is committed, there is hesitance, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative (and creation). There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never have otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, rousing in one's favor all matter of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man would have dreamed could have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream, you can begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin now". ...Goethe POSTED BY ROBERTO AT 10:53 PM Hey y'all: Kenneth Griffith's funeral was this evening at Byrd Funeral Home in Dothan. Graveside services will be held tomorrow morning in Tallassee. Kenneth's obituary & condolences follow this post. POSTED BY ROBERTOREG AT 4:59 PM 1 COMMENTS: Blogger Greg Creech said... It was me, Greg Creech, who got Kenneth his job as a session musician at Widget in Muscle Shoals. Ken and I had worked together previously in a band. When Widget hired me as a session drummer, they asked if I knew a good a bassist and I recommended Ken. He came up and they hired him right off. It was a job with potential that never panned out. Like Ken said, we met lots of folks and worked with some good musicians but it just didn't work out. 12:43 AM POST A COMMENT << Home ABOUT ME ROBERTOREG NORTHPORT, ALABAMA I will be happy to answer any questions you might have about me. 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One of the more talent, if overlooked 1970s and 80s-era Southern rock bands, these guys had an interesting history that most folks were completely unaware of. In 1970 music engineer Rodney MIlls raised enough money to build a music studio in the Atlanta suburb of Doraville, Georgia. Known as Studio One, Mills the decided he needed a house band and quickly rounded up a collection of local talent including local players Barry Bailey and Paul Goddard, Buddy Buie and guitarist J.R. Cobb (both former members of The Classics IV), as well as ex-Candymen keyboardist Dean Daugherty, singer Rodney Justo and drummer Robert Nix. Serving as the Studio One house band the group played on a stream of 1970-71 releases by acts like Bonnie Bramlett, Al Kooper, Joe South, B.J. Thomas, and a late inning version of Dennis Yost and the Classics IV. Continuing their sessions work, the band somehow found time to record a follow-on LP, but not before original singer Rodney Justo decided to tender his resignation. Increasingly frustrated by the band’s lack of financial reward (being told the band was going to cut some tracks for a kiddy cartoon program apparently pushed him over the edge), Justo headed off to New York and stints as B.J. Thomas’ band leaders, an in-demand jingle writer/singer, a couple albums with the band Beaverteeth and a real job working for a Southern beverage distributor. Originally hired as an engineering assistant at Studio One, Ronnie Hammond was subsequently brought in as Justo’s replacement. In spite of the personnel shaek-up,1972’s Buddy Buie produced “Back Up Against the Wall” proved more consistent and rock-oriented than the debut. Exemplified by tracks like ‘Cold Turkey Tenn.’, their cover of Joe South’s 'Redneck’ and the title track Hammond’s likeable voice proved a nice match for the band’s blend of pop, blues and Southern rock moves. While nothing here was particularly original, the performances were all professional and worth a couple of spins. Probably the most overlooked album in their catalog (okay, maybe that distinction went to the debut), this one displayed a laidback charm that they never managed to recapture. Highlights included the pretty leadoff ballad 'Wrong’, 'Superman’ and 'What You Gonna Do About It?’. Elsewhere Decca tapped the album for a single in the form of 'Conversation’ v/w 'Cold Turkey, Tenn.’ (Decca catalog number 7-40059). While the band hit the road in support of the album, absent a breakout single the LP did little commercially. …~ Ah, Rodney Justo … one of my favorite vocalists. Nah, he’s never achieved the national recognition he deserves, but that shouldn’t cast any doubts on the man’s talents. Unless you’re now in your 70s, or you’re a hardcore music fan, it’s doubtful you’ve ever heard of The Candymen. Shame, since they were a truly talented mid-'60s band, that actually came close to national success. Anyhow, Justo was the band’s lead singer. Justo was also the original lead singer for The Atlanta Rhythm Section. He handled vocals on the band’s first studio album, splitting with the group prior to the release of 1972’s “Back Up Against the Wall.” If you believe the stories, Justo was unhappy with the band’s lack of commercial success and their management teams decision to have the band record music for a cartoon program. Freed from ARS, in 1972 Justo headed to New York where he was hired as B.J. Thomas’ band leader. During the same timeframe brothers David and John Rainey Adkins had formed the band Beaverteeth along with bassist Jimmy Dean and singer/drummer Charlie Silva. Beaverteeth were playing clubs throughout the Florida panhandle and Southern Alabama when, needing a touring band for Thomas, Justo recruited them for the job. They stayed with Thomas for the next three years, splitting up when Thomas hired a new management team. Beaverteeth then headed back to their native Dothan, Alabama. Original singer/drummer Silva was subsequently diagnosed with cancer and replaced by Larry Hunter and Justo on vocals. The following year bassist Dean left the band, replaced by Jeff Cheshire. Signed by RCA Victor, the band made their recording debut with 1977’s “Beaverteeth”. Self-produced, the album offered up an odd mixture of conventional southern rock, pop moves, and an occasional nod to more contemporary musical influences (synthesizers and dance rhythms). As you might guess, it wasn’t the greatest mix you’ve ever heard. That was unfortunate since with four of the five members contributing to the writing chores, these guys were quite talented. Justo remained a first-rate singer, capable of handling everything from '20s-styled ballads ('Where No Man’s Been Before’) to hardcore Southern rockers ('Dixie Fried’). Exemplified by tunes like 'Sacred Harmony’ and 'I’m calling’ he remained one of the best Southern rock balladeers. Elsewhere, collectively the band were quite strong; probably as capable as The Atlanta Rhythm Section. From my perspective, their big creative mistake was trying to showcase their sheer versatility. At times it almost felt like you were listening to a wedding band promotion tape, with the group trying to prove they could handle virtually any genre that the audience might request. Their cover of Carl Perkins 'Dixie Fried’ was a killer Southern rock tune. 'You Wanna Go To Heaven (But You Don’t Wanna Die)’ was a nice horn-propelled slice of funk. 'Hope’ was tasty Mike Nesmith-influenced country-rock. In contrast, 'The World’s Really Flat’ sounded like a good Badfinger tune. They really could handle it all, but you were ultimately left to wonder who these guys really were…..Bad Cat…..~ Credits Backing Vocals – Jay Scott (tracks: A1, A3), Laura Scott (2) (tracks: A1, A3) Bass, Vocals – Jeff Cheshire Drums, Vocals – Larry Hunter Guitar, Vocals – John Rainey Adkins Horns – Jay Scott (tracks: A1, A3), Laura Scott (2) (tracks: A1, A3) Lead Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals – David Adkins Lead Vocals, Guitar – Rodney Justo Tracklist A1 I’m Callin 5:13 A2 Just Another Local Band 3:47 A3 You Wanna Go To Heaven (But You Don’t Wanna Die) 4:27 Where No Man’s Been Before (Heartaches) (1:53) A4a Where No Man’s Been Before A4b Heartaches A5 Dixie Fried 3:31 B1 Sing For You 5:10 B2 Sacred Harmony 3:58 B3 Hope 2:37 B4 The World’s Really Flat 3:10 B5 Where Does Love Go (When It Goes Away) 3:09 ??a?t????e ap? johnkatsmc5 st?? Tuesday, May 22, 2018 Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest ?t???te? country rock, soft rock, southern rock, US Psychedelic Progressive Rock No comments: Post a comment
Hey Robert----Regarding Jim Hodges' post to you---we were on Midnight Special backing up BJ in I think 1975. The show was taped at the University of Chicago campus. Charlie Daniels was also on the show as well as others who I can't remember. It was after the release of BJ's tune "Hey Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" which he had recently done in Nashville with Chips Moman. Beaverteeth was made up of Charlie Silva, John Rainey Adkins, David Adkins, and me. Rodney Justo had stopped working with BJ around that time, so I don't recall if he was on the show with us or not. We had a keyboardist who came on stage with us when BJ came on stage. It may have been Jon Stroll, but I think it was more likely Rod Erhousen at that time. We also did DINAH! (Dinah Shore's show) about the same time. We taped that show at CBS's Television City in Los Angeles. On that show was Radar from MASH and Sammy Davis Jr., who I had met previously with Billy Joe Royal in Las Vegas. As you can imagine, if a DVD of either of those appearances is ever released, I would love to be able to get a copy and would appreciate any more info about it. Thanks to Jim Hodges for letting me know about this---- Jimmy Dean Hey Jimmy: Last Thursday I was talking the Johnny Sisty, the owner of WTBC. He was talking about witnessing B.J. cut "Hey, Won't You Play...." in Chips Moman's studio in Nashville. He said two of his strongest memories of that session was how all the musicians took off their shoes before entering the recording studio and how B.J. would sing a few lines, break away, go outside the recording booth and fight with his wife and then calmly return to cut more of the song. Thanks for responding. Best, RR http://rockpilgrimage.blogspot.com from Rodney "The Rocker" Justo: Your viewer is correct. It was MIDNIGHT SPECIAL. I however, was not on the show. It was David and John Rainey Adkins, Jimmy Dean, and Charlie Silva. B.J. did in fact mention David Adkins. I think it was after the guitar solo on Hooked on a Feelin' Rodney From Jon Stroll: Hey Roberto: Nice to hear from you and thanks for forwarding my web site to James Hodges. I was just down in Florida with my songwriting and recording partner Bobby Weinstein. Bobby and I recorded with Chips Moman at American Recording with the legendary Memphis Boys:Reggie Young on guitar, Bobby Wood on piano, Bobby Emmons on keyboards, Gene Chrisman on drums, and Mike Leech on bass. We also wrote songs for Petula Clark, Brenda Lee, Ronnie Milsap, and Len Barry, among others, while we were down there. Our album,"Cook Me Up Your Taste" by Weinstein and Stroll, is still a favorite among many people and there has been some recent interest in it from Japan. We're trying to have it re-released. Akihide Nakamura, a music critic and record reviewer in Japan, described our album as "an unknown masterpiece". I have been in touch with Chips, and Bobby was just at Chip's horse ranch in Georgia. Chips just produced an album with Willie Nelson. I was in Nashville and saw Mike Leech, Bobby Wood, and Bobby Emmons. I don't know if I had mentioned it to you, but Bobby and I wrote the hit song for the Boxtops, "Sweet Cream Ladies". It was a pretty revolutionary lyric at the time! Talk to you soon, Jon Stroll www.yourmusicconsultants.com From cindy a. reilly: My Xhusband, Jack Lane played bass with Beaverteeth in 1975 & 1976, they played the local clubs in Dothan (the Oasis), and Montgomery, Birmingham, Atlanta .. The Late & Great Charlie Silva was the Drummer!! Thanks for the memories... POSTED BY ROBERTOREG AT 5:51 PM 1 COMMENTS: Blogger Barbara said... I remember when Beaverteeth played in Atlanta with BJ Thomas. I was a waitress at the venue. They were awesome! Charlie Silva sang a few songs with the band when BJ wasn't on. He was dreamy. RIP Charlie.(Cindy Reilly, are you the same Cindy I knew then?) (Barbara Grillo Jenkins) 9:18 PM
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