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
