Stubborn Puppett - Mau 1981 - Photo by Jon Sleight Provided Courtesy of Carl Bennett
Chrome Betty at Tacoma’s Art on the Ave 2007
Chrome Betty
Olympia, Washington
2001 - ?

Members
 

Steve Contris ~ Keyboards
Brad Halstead ~ Guitar
Steve Wasmundt ~ Bass
Bruce Whitney ~ Bass
Bob Hart ~ Guitar
Mark Bean ~ Drums
 

Occasional Guest Singer
 

George Barner
 

We started the current incarnation of the band in 2001. Our home base is still Olympia, but we have played gigs in Tacoma, but mostly in Olympia.

We play the 4th Ave Tav, Tugboat Annie’s, The Eagle’s Ballroom in Olympia. We played in Tacoma at Art on the Ave (6th Ave near Jazzbones) during the art festival in July 2007.  We have also played at Club Vertigo in Tacoma (the old Steve’s Gay Nineties building on South Tacoma Way).

Three of us (Contris, Hart and Bean) grew up on Olympia’s Westside near Mike Moore’s house.  He was a colleague of the Wailer’s and played with the Bootmen. Mike still plays in Olympia as a solo jazz piano act and also in Obrador, a latin-jazz group.

The Westside was a spawning ground of garage bands in the 1960’s.  That’s where we started, in a garage, like most of you.

In the above photo are original Rooks members (right to left): Steve Contris (keyboards), Bob Hart (guitar) and Mark Bean (drums). Other Chrome Betty members: Brad Halstead (guitar) and Steve Wasmundt (bass).

Mark Bean, April 2008


Bob, Mark, Jim, & Steve
Image Courtesy of Mark Bean
Here we are before playing at Oysterfest, 2 October 2016, in Shelton.

Some of the other Pacific Northwest music groups represented in members of this group include: The Rooks, Sounds Within, No Toy Boys, Salvation Navy, and many other NW bands.

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Last Update:  13 March 2018
Credits:  Mark Bean, Steve Contris
Band # 2735