Neil
Andersson ~ Guitar
Barney
Armstrong ~ Hammond Organ
Bill
Avery ~ Drums
Denny
Ball ~ Drums
Eddie
Bishop ~Bass
Bruce
Hazen ~ Guitar
Irv
Kellenberger ~ Saxophone
Charlie
Kester ~ Guitar, Bass
Marc
Lagen ~ Guitar
Mike
Lull ~ Bass
Carson
Michaels ~ Drums
Andy
Parypa ~ Bass
Larry
Parypa ~ Guitar
Steve
Pearson ~ Guitar
Roy
Scimeca ~ Drums
Bob
Wikstrom ~ Keyboards
Short-Term
Players
Dennis
Ashbrook ~ Saxophone, Flute, Vocals
Bob
Bennett ~ Drums
Pat
Bohle ~ Drums
Mike
Cox ~ Bass
Ron
Foos ~ Bass
Michael
Kinder ~ Drums
Dave
Roland ~ Drums
Neil
Rush ~ Saxophone
Don
Wilhelm ~ Keyboards
Ken
Parypa ~ Bass
Charlie & The Tunas on YouTube (October 2012)
Bill
Avery
Mike
Cox
Ken
Parypa
Michael Kinder
Charlie
and the Tunas Lapel Pins - Image courtesy of Jim Leach
The title page photo is the next to last version of Charlie and the Tunas (1988 - 1995) ...Comprised of L to R, Bob Wikstrom, keyboards; Marc Lagen, guitar; Denny Ball, Drums; Charlie Kester, Bass; Irv Kellenberger, Sax. In the last year of this version Roy Scimeca replaced Denny Ball as the Drummer.Very first version of the Tunas that you used to see up in Bellingham etc. was Neil Andersson, guitar; Charlie Kester, guitar; Eddie Bishop, Bass; Carson Michaels, Drums; after a couple of years Mike Lull replaced Eddie as the bass player.
Middle version of the band had Larry Parypa, guitar; Andy Parypa, bass; Charlie Kester, guitar; Bill Avery, Drums. When Bill got so sick he couldn't play anymore I stopped playing for several months.
Then in 1986 I talked Barney Armstrong out of retirement and put a new line up together which lasted for nearly 8 years. Barney Armstrong, Hammond organ; Charlie Kester, bass; Denny Ball, drums; Irv Kellenberger, sax. When Barney took a job out of town we asked Bob Wikstrom to join. In about 1994 or so Denny left the band and was replaced by Roy Scimeca, Drums.
In about 1995 I enlarged the horn section, changed the name to "The Groove Kings" and then subsequently got voted out of the band...That nearly same band lives on today as "The Big Dog Revue". Paul Fessenden played in the Groove Kings and went with the Big Dog Revue for a short time....He was never in the Tunas.
I then put another version of Tunas together which you have a photo of on the site...Steve Pearson, Guitar; Bruce Hazen, guitar, Carson Michaels, drums; Charlie Kester, bass....this band lasted about a year until I quit playing the clubs (about 1996)......
Of course, there were several other guys who played with us for short periods of time (days or weeks), like: Ken Parypa, Don Wilhelm, Mike Cox, Ron Foos, Dave Roland, Neil Rush, Pat Bohle, Dennis Ashbrook, Michael Kinder, Bob Bennett etc...it's hard to remember who was in the band and who was just stopping by to visit and "sit in".
I put a special version of the Tunas together for a one time only event for the Millennium New Year celebration at the Tacoma Sheraton: Barney Armstrong, Chris James, Roy Scimeca, Irv Kellenberger, Scott Guest and myself.
We still get requests for bookings from time to time.....that was then...this is now!
About a year ago I formed a Gospel band called "The Holy Ghost Travelin Band"....we play gospel music concerts in churches....quite the far cry from the boozin, druggin, and carousin Tunas of old. The band is comprised of Ron McClane, guitar; Jill Frostenson, piano, Dean Richardson, Hammond and guitars; Charlie Kester, double bass; Brian Reding, Drums.
This site is cool....nice tribute to the music and musicians of our area.
Charlie Kester, May 2007
Some of the other Pacific Northwest music groups represented in this band include: The Sonics, The Regents, Sparky & The Starfires, Sweet Talkin' Jones, Jr. Cadillac, The Kingsmen, The Wailers, The Breakers, Solitudes, Bootmen, King Biscuit Entertainers, Adam Wind, Ice, Tacoma Pops Band, Pearl Django, Lord Charles, Jessie, Dynamic Logs, and many others NW bands.