Dave Anderson ~ Drums
Johnny Corbell ~ Rhythm
Guitar, Vocals
Dave Knapp ~ Lead Guitar,
Vocals
Lyman Stubbs ~ Lead Vocals
Johnny Corbell,
David Knapp,
Lyman Stubbs, and David Anderson. Grants Pass High School
(Oregon),
circa 1957 or 58
This band was called The Suedes and were from Grants Pass, Oregon from 1956-59.I've collected the following information from my friend David Knapp (and his wife Lavonne). They met at the high school in 1956, married in 1958, and they now have four grown sons, three granddaughters and one great grandson.
Lavonne Knapp tells me that the band members "dressed in black trousers, wore red plaid jackets and white suede shoes." They played many of Elvis' songs and rock ' roll favorites from that day including "Hound Dog" and "Ain't That A Shame." Guitarist Dave Knapp played a Gibson ES-5 which he wore the frets right off. The guitar not only had to be refretted but also had to have a new ebony fingerboard put on it.
A couple interesting stories that Dave Knapp told me:
"A TV station in Redding stole one of our songs and released it under a different name ...."
"In May 1959 we played in Redding. There were about 1,000 kids there at a park, and it turned into something like a riot. The highway patrol had to take us to Shasta Dam that was under construciton. They put us at the lower end of Shasta Dam. We had been told to leave our instruments on stage. I was worried about them, but all the kids did was cut off my guitar strings as souveniers. They put us in hotel room. The flag was right outside Lyman's room. I recall that Lyman and Johnny went outside and climbed on the flagpole in their shorts."
Joe Ross, Lavonne Knapp and Dave Knapp, April 2012
The Suedes performing in the gym at Grants Pass High School, ca. 1957-58
