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Vintage photo of the Chapparals. (Name misspelled on the drum!)

An interesting bit of Duluth’s rock and roll history was reprised this past Saturday, July 13, when a group of seasoned musicians gathered at the historic Duluth Armory for an Armory Reunion Party. 

The event was the last “legal event” to be held here prior to the active renovation of this landmark building that is scheduled to begin this fall. (The 1915 Duluth Armory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 2011.)  

After decades of hard use, neglect, condemnation and discussions about demolition versus reuse, funding is finally in place allowing plans for its rehabilitation to be realized. If all goes well, the place will be ready for more concerts by the fall of 2026.

The reunion event was conceived as a way to gather the stories and memories folks had of their experiences in the historic building so they won’t be forgotten. To this end a “Story Booth” was set up in the hall in which some dozen or so video recordings were made, as well as written accounts submitted. As planning for the event progressed, it was decided that a reunion concert should also be a part of it.

And so, Superior native, Armory historian and drummer Tom Johnson was enlisted to round up musicians who had played the Armory during the years that it was used a performance venue. (He did the same last September for a concert at Warrior Brewing Co. with a mostly different group of musicians which I reported in my Sept. 28 2023, issue of the Reader.)

Saturday’s reunion event showcased a revolving group of musicians who were members of several bands that played here back in the day: The Trashmen, The Del Counts, The Titans, The Electras and Mike Waggoner & the Bops. 

We should be especially grateful to all the musicians who donated their time to support the Armory reuse cause. A large audience (comprised mostly of baby boomers) was on hand to enjoy the oldies but goodies that were performed.

What popular music comes to mind when you think back to the 1950s and early 60s? Well, these guys played it. “Rock and Roll Music,” “Summertime Blues,” “That’ll Be The Day” “Travelin’ Man,” “Brown-eyed Girl,” “Young Love,” “The Poor Side Of Town,” “You Send Me,” “Lucille,” “Diana,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On” and so many more. 

Added to these were some original tunes played by the represented bands, among the most well-known was “Surfin’ Bird” by the Trashmen sung by its lead singer Tony Andreason. Wow! Nice to know an 81-year-old can still belt it out like he did. The audience loved it.

Andreason played with The Trashmen, formed in 1962, which shared the bill with Dion the last time they played at the Armory. 

Though The Trashmen disbanded in 1967 the band was revived in 1982 and continued through 2016 to play special 1950s & 60s concerts. 

As part of classic rock shows Andreason has toured Europe 14 times as well as in Iceland. Then in 1997 he began playing music with The Platte Valley Boys, a bluegrass band, keeping at it for 26 years. It was the first bluegrass band to be inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. 

Members of that band are now retired, but Andreason continues to play occasional gigs, such as this one at the Armory for the love and fun of making music. He was also honored by the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame with a lifetime achievement award.   

As many of his generation, Andreason served in the military, enlisting in 1960 to avoid being drafted, and was fortunate to have been spared being sent to Vietnam. 

After his honorable discharge from active duty, he attended the University of Minnesota and pursued a career in financial planning. As an independent contractor in this field he has been able to balance playing music professionally, mostly on weekends, with his flexible day job. 

Andreason is also a songwriter, a passion he continues to this day and is now reaping the rewards from songs that have been used in commercials (one in Italy!), movies and TV shows. He stated that it would be fun to play the Armory again once the renovation has been completed.

Another of the players at Saturday’s reunion concert was Bill Bulinski, formerly of the Electras and now known locally for playing with Cowboy Angel Blue and up on the range with 4 Blue Tear Drops. 
As an eight-year-old, Bulinski began begging for a guitar. By age nine he received one and after receiving lessons was immediately interested in rock and roll, learning songs on 45-speed records by ear. Soon after his family moved to Ely from Chicago, his birthplace, he and his brother Earl recruited others to form a band to play at teen centers and high school dances. By 1962 they became The Electras, with a repertoire of garage rock (pre-punk) tunes. 

Songs recorded by them were “Dirty Ol’ Man” (with “This Week’s Children” on its B-side) and “Action Woman” which became regional hits. 

Musicians playing at the Armory Reunion Party on July 13, from left, Steve Maida, Tom Johnson, Tony Andreason, Barry Marciniak, Randy Felknor and Bill Bulinski. Photo by Jill Fisher.

In early 1965 the Electras performed at the Armory but by 1966 the Vietnam draft put an end to this band. After playing rock and roll guitar music for more than 20 years Bulinski moved to Chicago where he studied classical guitar and learned to read music. He also attended Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago studying Business Administration for a time. 

Bulinski moved to California in 1986 but by 1990 had moved to Minnesota; he now lives in West Eveleth. 
I asked Bulinski whether he had ever needed a steady day job to support himself. He responded that at times he worked odd temporary jobs – packing in a music warehouse and driving cab were a couple. He admitted that one could support oneself playing the old “war horses” and cliches five to seven times a week, but that playing one’s own, more esoteric, music required other income. 

He also noted that it used to be that one needed to leave the Northland for better opportunities to perform, but that these days there are lots of really good musicians around here and plenty of opportunities to play. 

With the revival of early rock and roll there have been offers to tour Europe, which he has turned down. Rather, he enjoys a quiet, comfortable lifestyle with time to spend in his garden. He continues to practice every day and as far as songwriting goes, doesn’t force it. 

Like Andreason, Bulinski has written many songs – more than a thousand at last count – and continues to do so. It turns out he has an abiding interest in philosophy and history and says he is not interested in becoming famous, leaving me with his thought: “There’s something ridiculous about an old guy trying to keep up with the newest types of music.”

Charles Schoen of the Minneapolis-based Del Counts was another Armory alum who was on hand for the reunion party. The Del Counts is regarded as the longest running rock and roll band in the state of Minnesota. Schoen played keys and sang two of their original hit songs for us: “Let the Good Times Roll” and “What Is the Reason?” and later joined the other players on covers of rock and roll hits. 

Mike Waggoner or the band Mike Waggoner & the Bops also played at this afternoon concert. Waggoner has had a long career with him starting to perform by the age of 10 with his father’s three-piece band. One of amazing gigs played by this band was at Danceland in Excelsior on Lake Minnetonka when the band opened for the Rolling Stones in 1964, with only two weeks’ notice! 

In 2008 his band was inducted into the Midwest Music Hall of Fame (later the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame). While he has continued to play in the years since, he has also had a long-term broadcasting career.

Guitarist George McLellen is the only surviving member of The Titans, a Duluth-based band that had also performed at the Armory and who returned to play this gig with the assembled musicians. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find much about them online or connect with McLellen personally. However, that band released six singles and was included in compilations of instrumental rock and roll hits. 

Other musicians who participated in this fabulous afternoon reunion party included David Slattery, Sr. (with bands Tammi and The Bachelors, The Yes It Is and The Soul Seekers), Steve Maida (with bands Port Four and Pot Belly Stallions), Dick Winkler (with bands Trinity Freak and Stash), Steve Aldrich (with bands Winterwood and The Last Shot), Barry Marciniak (with bands Crazy Blame and Don’t Panic) and Randy Felknor (with bands Five In The Attic and Shot In The Dark).

A special unadvertised award event was inserted midway through the concert with the announcement that The Chapparals had been inducted into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame. (That organization is apparently distinct from the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame). 

Tom Johnson, an original member of the Chapparals, provided backup drumming throughout the afternoon concert in addition to recruiting the other musicians. And so he was on hand to accept the award certificates on behalf of The Chapparals, noting that most members have passed away; Osberg in 2015, George Novak in 2022 and Don Davey, Sr. just this past March.

Drummer Tom Johnson, organizer of the concert, and member of the former band the Chapparals.

Johnson was born in Superior and grew up in Lake Nebagamon after his family moved there when he was quite young. After a learning period in his youth he became a member of four-member band The Chapparals, which was led by Fred Osberg. They had a good 10-year run from 1979–1989 during which the band performed at the DECC as “special guests” at a concert by The Oak Ridge Boys on March 27, 1981. One of their recordings was “She Taught Me To Yodel.” They also played with Minnie Pearl at the DECC in 1984. He also drummed for The Gems. 

Like most musicians Johnson had a job that came to interfere with gigs – working as a trainman for the Burlington Northern Railroad. After 39 years in that position, he retired and became a co-owner of The Vinyl Cave record store, together with Tom Unterberger, in which he has since sold his interest. His fascination with this area’s music history has resulted in him amassing music memorabilia and backgrounds on area bands. He states he is focused mainly on what he calls the “Armory Rock and Roll Era”—the period 1956 to 1966.  

It was the construction of the DECC, which opened in 1966, that resulted in bands playing in that venue rather than the Armory. A reporter wrote in the October 25, 2015, issue of the Duluth-News Tribune that Johnson is “…the go-to guy on the history of the golden age of live music in the Northland.”
The cavernous Armory drill hall and stage area was quite the scene on this Saturday afternoon. A number of vintage cars of the 50s and 60s were on display with folks on folding chairs filling much of the remaining space, leaving room for dancing as well! 

It was a special day to relive the vitality that once infused this space. With determination and luck, better lighting and sound we trust it will do so again in the not-so-distant future.