Rudy, Dick, Danni, Ron, Neil, Jerry, Jim W.
The Solitudes in 1963
The Solitudes
Tacoma, Washington
1961 ~ 1964

Members
 

Neil Andersson ~- Guitar
Arthur "Rudy" Bachelor ~ Keyboards
Barry Bellandi ~ Drums
Ron Gardner ~ Saxophone, Vocals
Dani Gendreau ~ Vocals
John Hill ~ Vocals
Gene Mineo ~ Drums
Dick Price ~ Saxophone
Mark Reder ~ Guitar
Wayne Reasch ~ Bass
Jim Sandstedt ~ Bass
Jerry Werner ~ Bass
Jim Wendlandt ~ Drums
 

In Memory of

Ron Gardner
1945 - 1992

I have been asked about The Solitudes recording a record called 'Black Widow' and  '1,2,3,4', both on Etiquette Records.  The songs, recorded by The Solitudes, came out under the name of 'The Bootmen' instead.

When we went to Seattle in 1964 to record the songs as the 'Solitudes'.  As the recording session went on, Buck Ormsby (Etiquette Records and the, bass player for the Wailers and who had signed the 'Solitudes' to record the songs) suggested that we change the name of the band to 'The Bootmen' with the idea if the songs went anywhere on the radio we could market the band by selling Italian boots.  I was not for the idea of changing the name of the band to 'The Bootmen' when everyone knew us as the  'The Solitudes'.

It ended up that Ron Garden, Neil Andersson and Berry Bellandi went with Buck's idea of changing the name to 'The Bootmen', causing a split in the band and the creation of the Bootmen.  Jerry Werner and I kept the name 'The Solitudes'.   We recruited Gene Mineo (drums), Dick Price (Saxophone),  Mark Reder (Guitar), and John Hill (vocals)and continued playing out as the 'The Solitudes'.

Rudy Bachelor, January 2012

Rudy Bachelor, Ron Gardner, Neil Anderson, Jim Sandstedt, Jim Wendlandt
The Solidudes - February, 1962


Jerry Werner, Jim Wendlandt, Rudy Bachelor, Danni Gendreau, Ron Gardner, Dick Price, Neil Andersson
The Solitudes at the Crescent Ballroom, Tacoma  - 1964


Dick Price, Gene Mineo, Mark Reder, Jerry Werner, Rudy Bachelor, John Hill

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Last Update:  20 June 2012
Contributors: Neil Andersson, Jeff Miller, Jim Wendlandt, Barry Bellandi, Tom Saffle, Rudy Bachelor, Rusty Graeff, Diane Gardner, Sonny Schaaf, Jerry Werner, Jack Dolan