Top:  Jeff Huttner, Al WIlcox, Charlie Mack
Bottom:  Mike Adams, Ward Johnson, Mark Chellson
George Washington and the Cherry Bombs
Mercer Island, Washington
1965 - 1967

Members

Mike Adams ~ Saxophone
Mark Chellson ~ Trumpet
Gary DuVall ~ Guitar
Jeff Huttner ~ Bass
Ward Johnson ~ Keyboards
Charlie Lewis ~ Guitar
Al Wilcox ~ Drums
Mike Wilcox ~ Bass 


Back in 1965 I recorded a record with the Cherry Bombs and it came out on the MGM label. The name of the tune was Brother Ward (after the keyboard player).

John Lynch, July 2003

Hello PNWBands webmaster,

What a WONDERFUL and complete web site of PNW music history! I am one of the original members of "George Washington and the Cherry Bombs". Thanks again, - your web site made my day!

Al Wilcox,  Santa Rosa, March 2005



I was only with the one band, George Washington and the Cherry Bombs, but I enjoyed listening to so many others. It was such a fun and magical time.

Al Wilcox,  Santa Rosa, March 2005

Al... it is YOUR website.  I just serve as the "Web Slave" for all of us old NW musicians.  It gets closer to complete as more of the old musicians write in.

Sammy, The Web Slave

My favorite memory was 1966... Greenlake stage on the water... Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs were performing during a show that featured Don and the Goodtimes, the Sonics, the Bards , and G.W. and the Cherry Bombs.  Some of the guys wandered up to the diving tower, going out on the board and began bouncing around much to the delight of the crowd and the chagrin of Sam and his Pharaohs.  We had great times playing around the NW during one of the most amazing periods of music history.

Mike Adams, January 2008

Charlie Lewis performed under the stage name of Charlie Mack, the name taken after one of his early rock mentors, Lonnie Mack.

Charlie Lewis, May 2008

After relocating from my home and band, the Eccentrics, in Sequim, Washington, to Seattle in 1966, while furthering my education at the University of Washington, I took in a show at the Green Lake Aqua Theatre, featuring Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs (Wooly Bully, Ahab the A-Rab, Clyde the Camel), the Sonics, the Bards and George Washington & the Cherry Bombs, where I think it was the Cherry Bombs that threw Sam the Sham into the pond! (The Bombs would probably be able to relate this story more accurately). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_the_Sham_&_the_Pharaohs

It was funny to the audience, but Sam, Domingo “Sam” Samudio, threatened to sue!  Sadly, it fell right on the heels of Sam being harassed, beaten up and his head shaved by some Seattle ruffians! (See Seattle Times/PI)

Ironically, I later answered an ad in the Seattle papers that simply said, “Wanted: guitar player,” without mention of the band.

I auditioned and got the gig; the band was George Washington & the Cherry Bombs! I'd never seen money spent on that level in my entire life!  Recordings, publicists, costumes, sound systems, new vans, flying to gigs, WOW! I once asked how we could afford all this to which the response was, “Hey, didn't you get paid last week?!”

Our publicist was Egan Rank & Bradley, but I didn't see how they could possibly be any good in that I was told that they only had three clients, The Cherry Bombs, The Brothers Four and Shell Oil!

After the Bombs, we put Marsha Rush & Lyfe together.  We chose Lyfe and still choose Lyfe today!

Charlie Lewis, May 2008


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Last Update:  25 September 2009
Credits:  Darryl Riffero, John Lynch, Al Wilcox, Galen White, Mike Adams, Charlie Lewis, Ward Johnson
Band # 132