The Tempos: A
Brief
52-Year Summary
The Tempos was the brainchild of Boeing
engineer
Henry Fichtner, who, with some co-workers and friends formed the group
in 1958. A few months later the late Dr. Vernon J. Harkness, school
principal,
teamed up with Henry and the two co-led the band for many years. Henry
played piano until 1976 while Vern played sax and trombone until 1980.
In the fall of 1963 it was decided to
name
the band and Wayne Watling, the bass player, suggested The Tempos for
the
nine-piece group.
Expansion began in ’69 when Vern’s
son
Kelly and Alan Waldron joined the sax section. In ’70 Lloyd Fetz
(trombone)
and Doug Wilbert (trumpet), both award winning musicians at Tyee High
School
along with teacher-trumpet man Gordy Holt joined to shore up the brass
section.
When drummer Bob Gidney retired in
’72,
the band landed Ken Bloomquist, a Kent-Meridian grad that had played
with
Capitol recording artists ‘The Serfs’ throughout the ‘60’s.
In the fall of 1974 The Tempos hired
its
first singer, Sharon Lacey, whose warm voice and outgoing personality
gave
the band a pleasant added dimension. Sharon entertained the audiences
in
front of her and endured the antics of the band behind her until 1997,
more than 22 ½ years.
Currently Diane Sweeney is singing
with
The Tempos and sharing her extraordinary talents with the musicians in
the band.
In the year 2000, The Tempos continue
to
perform at a variety of dances and functions throughout Washington
State,
providing quality big band music without sacrificing the camaraderie
and
memories inaugurated by Henry Fichtner 42 years ago.
www.thetempos.com
(CD Liner Notes by Alan Waldron)
