The Impacts
aka
The Impact Express
Longview, Washington
1964 ~ 1971

Members
 

Ron Baldwin ~ Vocals
Henry "Spook" Brusco ~ Drums
Bruce Farquhar ~ Guitar
Steve Green ~ Drums
LaDonna Lockman ~ Vocals
Dick Sayles ~ Keyboard
Bill Uhlig ~ Bass
Dan "Spyder" White ~ Keyboards
 

In 1965 we persuaded Pat Mason, legendary booking agent and skating rink owner, to book us. We began a six-year relationship that took us to nearly every teen club and dancehall across the NW. That man had so many contacts.  He booked so many gigs for us that we were all rivaling our parents' incomes.

In 1966 Pat booked us as Dick & Dee Dee's ("The Mountains High") band for a NW tour. We went on to 6 tours with them and they became lifelong friends. Dick St. John wrote "Sunshine Day" for us which we went on to record at Bobby Gibson's Ripcord Studio in Vancouver, and released on Mason's Lavender Records.

In 1966 Mason booked us as openers for a west coast tour with Paul Revere and The Raiders and the Syndicate of Sound ("Hey Little Girl") 10 dates in all. This was the only real peek we had at the "big time" but what a gas it was. This was also the time we stopped wearing matching uniforms on stage and dumped the clean cut image we exhibited for so long.

Our most profitable and enjoyable gigs were at the Smith Center, a dance 
hall formed from the old Smith Bakery in our hometown of Longview, 

 

 where we and most other bands were booked by Barry Morrill, brother of Kent Morrill, the B3 Man and leader of the Wailers.

Personnel in the early days was Dick Sayles, keys- Bruce Farquhar, guitar- 
Bill Uhlig, bass, Spook Brusco, drums and myself and LaDonna Lockman, vocals (frequently billed as "Ron and Donna"). Later Sayles was replaced with Dan "Spyder" White on keys who wrote several of our singles on Lavender, and Brusco was replaced with Steve Green on drums. Lockman went off to have a family and a real life.  Eventually the band fell apart when we all finally realized we also wanted real lives.

Only two of us still have a foot in the Biz. Bill Uhlig plays bass in several bands.  I formed the Bond Street Blues Band with other Astoria 
musicians in the 90's.  I now have a sound company in Astoria, Red Raven 
Audio.

Ron Baldwin, November 2006
 
 
 

 



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Last Update:  13 November 2006
Credits: Don Rogers, Max Waller, Jeff Miller, Fuzz Acid & Flowers, Bruce Farquhar, Ron Baldwin

Band # 369