What I do know for sure is that this is a storming two sider of a 45. My pick is the B-side, 'You Are My Sunshine'; a raw slice of soul with rough gospel style vocals and swinging garage rock instrumentation. On the plug side, a version of the Huey 'Piano' Smith classic, The Shy Guys add a horn section, but otherwise keep it raw and soulfull. Great stuff.
THE SHY GUYS- You Are My Sunshine
THE SHY GUYS- Rockin' Pnemonia And The Booga Loo Flu
19 comments:
At a guess the 1970 date refers to when a previous owner bought the record rather than a release date.
The Shy Guys single was released
nationally on UNI 55035 in October
1967 - the local Little Fort issue
is probably from a month or so earlier.
The group had another single, again produced by Al Schultz, on
UNI's Shamley label in August 1968
"Payin' My Dues"/"No Flowers In My Mind". I don't know exactly where
they were from - probably Illinois
but that's just a guess at present.
Nice blog.
Davie
Cheers Davie, thanks loads for the info. 1967 sure makes more sense soundwise. Have you heard the other 45?
- Chris
Al Schultz was a booking agent/talent agent from Waukegan Illinois. He started a record label called "Little Fort" records. "Little Fort" was the original name for Waukegan. "Johnny & The Shy Guys" were from (I believe) LaCrosse, Wisconsin, and were managed by Al Schultz.
Schultz booked a LOT of small beer bars in the Wisconsin/Illinois area. He was a somewhat overweight guy, but a fairly nice guy. He did book my band for a few gigs, but we preferred the teeny bop clubs. In the northern Illinois area.
I agree with everything Jim Stanley said. I was also in several bands booked by Al. Not the greatest rooms though. Al was obese and liked to eat whole pies in one sitting.
my mom was in a group that was booked by Al Schultz. Does anyone know if him or his agency is still around? She recently passed, and I'm trying to learn more about the groups she was in. Her name was Sue Aschbacher, but from what Im finding out she went by Sue Ashley.
Wow,,,, interesting 4 those that may have been affiliated with this Man. Very oddly enough. I just ran across his business card in the Glovebox of my 46 DeSoto Taxi. Car had been in storage for about 15-ish years. The card would of been current then. But it was Bill Schultz not Al who booked my Band,, Bang Zoom and the Whamos several times usually in the McHenry, or even Morris, Ill. area. Last time maybe about v-late 90's. But the Schultz I knew was Not at all fat, or heavy. But thin, short,,,and Massively talented vocally, and also a Damn good Drummer although again he booked bands. He didn't play in any that I was aware of,,,,, I think he very well may have been the son of Al Schultz that these readers are referring too?? His (Bills) lime Green business card says right at the top,,,,Al Schultz Talent //3001 Maryville Rd. McHenry, Ill. // Singles & Duo's, Classic Rock, Blues & Old Time Bands// Hawaiin & Specialty acts// Clowns-Magicians & DJ's// Corporate Fuctions// Bill Schultz President, Sue Vice President, and Kevin-Agent. I have full 815 area code contact numbers on it too. But would rather have the interested person, or persons just e-mail me their request through my band site of,,,,, bangzoomandthewhamos.com As far as Bill is concerned. I have not heard high or hair of him since shortly after when receiving his last business card of which I have hereof. Didn't even try callin the numbers although I guess I should. But in any event. I would put high dollars that Bill was indeed the son of Al. As the card still has Al's name atop of it. And I would roughly guess that Bill Schultz would be a baby boomer born about 1949-55-ish. So he certainly should be around somewhere. And maybe still doing something musical or having the same type of interests in doing what he did. x. Chuck
bill was al's son. johnny and the shy guys,skip arne and the dukes, the ventrills, were all on little fort records of waukegan,il. just north of chicago.if anyone has more info on littlefort records let me know,thank you,terry
To set the record straight. Al Schultz was my Uncle. He passed away several years ago. As far as Bill Schultz, he was NOT Al's son. Bill was a booking agent that worked for my Uncle. As far as the Shy Guys, they came from the LaCrosse area. Lindy Shannon was their oringinal booking agent. After Al and one of his agents (Woody Ano)went to see the Shy Guys play in LaCrosse, Al wanted to sign them with his agency. So they went with my Uncle's agency. The Shy Guys was one of over 50 groups that my Uncle handled. The agency started as a family business. My Uncle opened a booking/talent agency. My Aunt was his first secretary, I was next after she left and then my Mother took over. My Mother was the president of Little Fort Records and also designed the cover. She also was a booking agent for the country and western groups. Each agent would handle certain areas of the music business. After my Uncle stopped handling groups, that my have been when Bill Schultz started his own business. Again, Bill was NOT his son. I asked my Mother about Sue, do you know what group she was with? Also, I married one of the oringial Shy Guys, Rudy Von Ruden. Lindy has also passed away now. Up until last year the groups Lindy handled have performed a tribute concert in his honor. They raise money for scholarships for future artist. Yes, my Uncle did love pies. But, I wouldn't call him obese. He was a very tall and big built man.
Terry Miller, you are wrong about Bill being Al'S son. I am.
Bill now owns Al Schultz Agency, he wanted to keep the name and reputation going. So I sold it to him, My dad worked for bills dad at the Walgreen Corp long befor starting his agency. Bill was a band member and dad booked him too.
I still have some of the 16 track orig.
Linda was right in the above paragraph, dadliked pie but cookies were his fav...
he and his agents booked all over the U.S. and Canada.
over the corse of his life he said he had given out over 50K bussiness cards. I remember a guy talking to another guy in Viet Nam and the second guy pulled a Al Schultz Orchrastions card out of his billfold. Small world.
tecman_360, My Name is Mark call me. You have my # on my card that I gave you at the lunch after Sues service.
The Shy Guys (previously Johnny & the Shy Guys, and yes, La Crosse) are covered in my book, "Do You Hear That Beat". Between the 2 band names, I list 11 single releases, + several others that are somewhat related. (BTW, both of my WI books are now at clearance prices). :-)
I'm actually good friends, and occasionally play shows with the front man/vocalist/guitar/keyboard player from this group - John Bernadot. Other members of the Shy Guys were Les King on drums, Larry Ball on bass... Can't think of his Horn player's name right now. Glad to hear these old recordings - he still plays these songs as a solo guitarist.
Born and raised in SE Minnesota, but he spent a lot of time in Chicago.
I agree with the Al Schultz facts as stated by some. My Band was booked by Al and Woody. We were The Vanguards/ Fun Fair (Had to change our name when Woody set up a recording label called Explo Records and we found out our name had been copywrited by an East coast group). We recorded at Sound Studios in Chicago in 1969. The Shy Guys, The Banned, Sunny and Her Guys, Cindy and The Rainbows End, the Gas Company, the Socialites, The Catalinas the Sound Department, Knights of Day, and Skip Arne and the Dukes were some of the groups Al and Woody booked back then along with us. Those were great folks and those times were great. Lots of fun.
Our band, Happy Daze, were with Al from 1971-1978. He was a great guy. He booked us all over the country from Wisconsin to Colorado to Florida and was very good to us. We eventually went from doing dance music to doing floor shows...dance routines, comedy, even a 50's persona we called :Be-Bop-A-Lula. The Happy Daze Shows disbanded in May 1978 with the last gig in Merrillville, Indiana.
I read that Al passed away in 1997 at age 68. His may have not been "The William Morris Agency" but he was a great agent and a good friend.
In X-Men #15 (released October 1965) Stan Lee mentions "a swingin' music quartet employed by Al Schultz Orchestrations in Waukegan, Illinois" who are "real popular around the Midwest", who call their combo 'The X-Men' and use the names Cyclops, Iceman, Beast and Angel for the band members. Any idea who those guys were?
Al booked my brothers and myself quite a few times…illinois, iowa, nebraska… As i recall a lady named Shirley eitked closely with Al at the time… as well as a man younger than Al …with the last name..”Hall”… this would have been 1983 - 1985…
Bill, the drummer (so slim he looked like a junkie) agent and later managed the agency was Bill Minot. Later to be a founder of a Ca based agency called Paradise Artists. He has since passed away. I first signed with Al Schultz in 1973 and he remained my agent till his passing in the mid 90s l since have used most all the agents who left to form their own agency’s. Going back that far you build great relationships
I booked with Al Schultz Agency in the late 70’s and throughout the 70’s, The Hollycast’ Warlock, and the New Vistas… great times… LT
…. Oh, Al was a great guy and good booking Agent…out of Waukegan Illinois… our bands played all over Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin …LT
The Shy Guys with Les King drummer recorded the Rockin pneumonia in 1967 I knew the band….LT
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