Letter to the Editor: July 22, 2009
From: Eva Nicklas, Lewiston Council on the Arts (716) 754-0166
Thanks for a great Summer of '69!
On behalf of Lewiston Council on the Arts, I'd like to extend a big "Thank You" to all the sponsors, individuals and community groups who helped to make the Summer of '69 event such a resounding success!!!
The response was overwhelming and everyone had a really wonderful time!
A heartfelt thank you to all the talented musicians who came back to
Lewiston from all over the USA to perform at this memorable reunion. Gary
Baker and family, Shane, Josh and Ryan, Larry Elia, Mike Franzek, Tim Kneeppel, Dick Lucinski, Mark Nicklas, Neil Nicklas, Ray O'Keefe, Arnold Pieroni, Tom Pieroni, Pat Sciarrino, Chuck Scrufari, Kevin Toohey & Tim Walton. Without you, there would be no Summer of 69.
The Summer of '69 would not have been possible without our generous
sponsors: Sevenson Environmental Services, Modern Corporation and Armand Cerrone Construction. Your community spirit and service remain unmatched.
We also appreciate the good folks at the Barton Hill Hotel for allowing us to use that perfect space in case of rain.... and rain it DID!!! We applaud the Village of Lewiston, the Town of of Lewiston and NYS Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte, who support our efforts to make Lewiston the most happenin' place to be, all year long!
Last but certainly not least, we thank our official photographer, Frank Broucek, for recording the event in pictures and we thank our fearless leaders, Chuck Scrufari & Tim Kneeppel for their time, energy, creativity and passion for organizing an event of this magnitude.
The Summer of '69 touched the lives of everyone who came.
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
Peace, Love & Rock 'n Roll!
Eva Nicklas, Artistic Director, Lewiston Council on the Arts
Welcome This is a new site for our Summer of 69 Rock 'n Roll Reunions in Lewiston and Youngstown, New York, that started in 2005. Chuck Scrufari designed all this with Eva Nicklas as a Lewiston Council on the Arts Event, in late fall, 2004. Here we all are.
After all this time the Loved Ones, The Invaders, the County Orphanage and
Gary Baker (CO, IN and Sweet Rush, 1970) are all back together each year in Lewiston, NY where we all came from. Can you feel the LOVE?
The Summer of 69 Lewiston Council on the Arts event, was to be held at the Gazebo, July 17, 2009, 6 PM - 10 PM. It rained all day. (We were invited to the new and fabulous Barton-On-The-Niagara Hotel, owned by Diane and Ed Finkbeiner). The Summer of 69 Rock 'n Roll Stone Jug Event, was in Youngstown, July 18, 6 PM - 11 PM.
This was a huge year for high school Reunions in Lewiston and Niagara Falls. There was a Lewport 40th Reunion and a combined 40th for Duffy/Madonna/Niagara Falls/LaSalle high school Class of 69. Susan Easton Burns and I took the pictures of the two 40th Reunions and those photo albums will be linked to from here on their own separate page. There is also a July 19th Class of '67 ... 60th Birthday Party Reunion for Lewport '67 Alumni at the Brickyard and Eileen McKinny took those pictures.
Thanks for coming, enjoy your visit!
Frank Broucek FJFB@AOL.com
"Five more minutes!" The Battle of the Bands - 1967 on Main Street, by Jim Brunn, Niagara Falls. Click on the photo for a link to Mr. Brunn's new blog page where he describes his memories of when we all played in the hot sun with so many others that July afternoon. That is Dick Lucinski of the Loved Ones waving to us when he was 17 ! Now who is that girl?
I am asking Mr. Brunn to write us a column here. He writes...
Back in 1967 when Main Street was still a vibrant business district, the Main St. Businessmen's Association sponsored a yearly "Battle of the Bands," as part of the North End Festival Days. The event attracted 13 of the local "garage bands" existing in the area. The first year the "stage" was the back of a flat bed trailer parked in front of Ruben's Discount Music Shop. The second year two stages were set up in what was then a vacant lot on the NE corner of Cleveland and Main, next to Rubens. Gerry Jaffe, of Jaffe Jewelers was the chairman of the event, assisted by Bob Goodman and Ed Riley. This writer was asked to assist as the Contestant Coordinator because of my experience in the local music scene. Judges were John Pilato, music director of Lew-Port Central School, John McEwan, manager of Denton, Cottier & Daniels music store, and John Love of Rubens. The bands consisted primarily of young men between 14 and 20 years old. A large crowd of about 500 turned out for the Saturday June event and The Apaches from Niagara Falls came in first, with The Invaders, second, and The Loved Ones, third, both from Lewiston.
Here are photos from the event of 10 of the participating bands. It is interesting to note that 40 years later, a number of the musicians are back playing in retro-groups, and several have never left the music business. You may recognize many of the names in some of the groups as they are prominent citizens of our area. Jim Brunn, Niagara Falls
