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THE HISTORY
Chapter One: How It
All Got Started
So it's like
this.... A guy named Smirth from The Other
Half (a semi-famous comedy/rock act) comes
home from L.A. on December 8th, 1989 to be
present at the birth of his first child, a
son born on January 1st, 1990. Smirth stays
in Ohio to be a dad with a half-hearted
promise to return to California if The Other
Half gets any big deals shakin'. The call
never comes, but in the meantime Smirth sits
in with a rhythm and blues band just to keep
his voice oiled. Word gets out that Smirth
is singing locally and a regular patron at a
small rock bar in Napoleon, Ohio insists
that Smirth and "his band" play at his
Halloween/Birthday party. The food and beer
are free so Smirth agrees and he begins
looking for a band.
Chapter Two: The
First Band
So Smirth
puts together a guitarist, drummer and
bassist from the R&B band he's been jammin'
with and puts a practice together in his
sister's garage, but the
3-piece-with-vocalist sound they're getting
won't cover the 60s and 70s party music
Smirth wants to perform so... Enter Joel
Bokerman on keyboards. Joel gets to know
Smirth at the Elks Lodge, where the latter
is tending bar, and Smirth invites Joel to
the next practice. Joel hasn't played in a
band (Jo-Ri-Bo) since the mid seventies but
he agrees to sit in at the practice; the
practice goes well, Joel gets excited and
asks, "when's the next practice?"
Smirth replies, "At our first gig."
The gig goes well, the bass player leaves
and Joel adds Bob Helberg (from his old
band) They call themselves "Too Cool for
School," play a New Years Eve gig at the
Elks, and break-up. Now it's just Smirth and
Joel.
Chapter Three:
Wally and the Beavs
So, it's
1992 and everyone wants to know when Smirth
and Joel are gonna play again. Joel's
friends, guitarist Tom DelGreco and bassist
Dave Brink, formerly of a favorite local
band called "On the Brink," express an
interest in putting something together.
With the addition of Todd Clymer on drums, a
full band is formed. The unnamed band adopts
the mission statement, "for fun and money",
and begins serious rehearsals in the
basement of an insurance agency owned by
Joel. The blend is good, the job offers are
coming in but the band is without a name.
Dave Brink suggests Wally and the Beavs...And
that's it.
Chapter
Four: Nice Guys with Horns
1993 rolls
around and Wally and the Beavs are doing OK.
However, one night at the Riverview Inn (the
bar where it all started), David 'Captain
Stringbean' Vining, former member of The
Other Half, drops in to see Smirth and
offers to blow some sax with the band. Dave,
Joel, Todd and Tom are impressed. Stringbean
blows the place into a frenzy and Wally &
the Beavs have a new member... and a new
sound!
Wally & the
Beavs are in demand. New songs, more fans,
and lots more money are in the picture under
the management of guitarist DelGreco. The
band decides to add two more horn players.
Tom tacks up a notice at Bowling Green State
University and two college seniors answer
the call. Trumpeter Brian Gray stays (He's
the first photogenic person in the band).
Tom DelGreco exits the band on Valentine's
Day, 1995 to play coffee houses in a duo.
They even get a gig on WJR Radio’s Mitch
Albom Show. Tim Tiederman, veteran Toledo
musician, replaces Tom on guitar and the
band continues to add popular dance and show
numbers to their repertoire. Under Joel's
management, with Tim's contacts and through
the band's growing reputation, Wally & the
Beavs play major events in Cleveland,
Toledo, Columbus and Lima. In June of 1998
Brian's friend, Jeff “Boz” Skaggs sits in
on Trombone at the 'Taste of Toledo' outdoor
concert and the full three piece horn
section is set in place. Not only does Boz
add a professional musical touch, but also
his wild stage antics compliment Smirth's
(who now answers to Wally) equally wild
moves as a front man.
Chapter Five:
Musical Chairs
In September
1998 guitarist Tiederman exits the band to
pursue a career in swing dance music. His
swing band also gets a gig on the Mitch
Albom Show. Toledo journeyman Eric Smith
replaces Tim. Eric's smooth tones and
effortless guitar-leads complete the sound
that is Wally and the Beavs.... "Good Time
Rock and Roll for Fun and Money!"
As the first
year of the new millennium comes to an end,
so too does the participation of Dave Brink.
The smooth singing bassist leaves Wally and
the Beavs to pursue other opportunities in
the Christian Music field. As of yet, he has
not performed on the Mitch Albom Show. Wally
calls upon his old friend and sidekick from
The Other Half, guitarist Garnet McGladdery,
to cover the bass guitar notes and first
tenor vocal duties in the band. Garnet
skillfully divides his time between Los
Angeles and Ohio, delivering a new “in your
face” presence to the band. Wally and the
Beavs are rockin’ the socks off of fans all
over Northern Ohio!
...And, as
such, it remains until the 2003 season when
Garnet leaves the band to seek fame and
fortune in the country music business. Pete
Nixon quickly signs on as bassist and lead
tenor vocalist. With Pete, the band achieves
a perfect blend between Brink's smooth and
soulful voice and McGladdery's
rough and ready style.
In 2007
guitarist Eric Smith and trumpeter Brian
Gray give notice and the search is on for
replacements. The search doesn’t last long
when Ed “Eddie Forte” Adams, who has
performed with the band on several
occasions, permanently joins the horn
section and Lima, Ohio all-star guitar-guru,
James Goare accepts the position of lead
guitar and vocalist.
Again, with
all the pieces of the puzzle in place, the
band Wally & the Beavs continues the
tradition of "Good time rock and roll."
Thanks,
Wally |