United
Flyte
Everett,
Washington
1970
- 1982
Members
Jim
Alkire ~ Bass, Vocals
Carl
Amberson ~ Keyboards
Jim
Ball ~ Bass, Vocals
Dan
Barnhart ~ Drums
Bob
Burrows ~ Guitar, Vocals
Fred
Chimulera ~ Keyboards
Larry
Draglin ~ Drums
Doug
Falteisek ~ Bass
George
Haage ~ Saxophone, Flute
John
Klise ~ Drums, Backing Vocals
Jim
LaRoche ~ Drums, Vocals
Gene
Laukkonen ~ Saxophone
Larry
McDowell ~ Lead Vocals
Willie
McNeil ~ Drums, Vocals
Bob
Petershagen ~ Trumpet, Congas, Backing Vocals
Crew
Brian
King ~ Lights, Roadie
Ron
Rochon, aka "Ervis Precisely" ~ Sound, Roadie
Craig
Mann ~ No. 3 Roadie
In
Memory of
Larry McDowell
"United
Flyte" was already an established Everett, WA area band, when George
Haage
and I joined in 1974. George attended CWSC (CWU now) and I
attended
EWSC (EWU now), and brought the band into the "horn era". We
played
after game dances up & down the Washington coast, Lake Hills skate
circuit, local bars, and just about all of the local high school
proms, tolos, etc.
Larry McDowell
suffered
a stroke and died Feb. 2001. Fred Chimulera was last heard of
working
wood manufacturing in Oregon. Bob Burrows works in law
enforcement.
Jim Ball in wholesale food supplies. Jim Alkire works in public
power.
George Haage in communication services, and continues to play with such
groups as the Penguins and others. Myself, I work in the public
school
system and continue to play, usually contracting out to different
groups
such as the Penguins, Duffy Bishop, and others. Have also heard
that
Bob Burrows and Jim Alkire have another band going, "Collection of
Souls",
but have not heard of them playing out for some time. Can't say
I've
heard anything about anyone else belonging to the band.
Oops, I did
forget
a few people that deserve many thanks: Ron Rochon, aka "Ervis
Precisely"
who was our sound man and No. 1 roadie. "Ervis" usually made an
appearance
halfway through the night. Ron did an amazing impersonation of
Elvis
(sequined costume and all) and sounded surprisingly like Elvis.
Also
thanks go to Brian King, No. 2 roadie and lights.
I left the band
in
1978, and if I remember correctly, the band continued in one form or
another
through '81 or '82. I remember the times as good ones and thanks
go to all of you, in the band and in the stands, for all the love and
support.
Bob
Petershagen
aka Beep Beeperson, Feb 15, 2004
I have really
enjoyed
visiting your website and seeing a lot of my fellow musicians
remembered.
The guy with
the
big hair with his arm across his chest in the second picture is
Jim
LaRoche a great singer, drummer and all around good guy who left United
Flyte in 1976 to join Dan Burrows and me (Paul Cooper) in my band
Northwest
Harness Company. Dan is the older brother of Bob Burrows, and
also
an outstanding guitarist and harmony singer.
Jim played in
our
band from 1976 until 1985, he left the band to work his regular job at
Scott Paper when the strain of too many nights work began to interfere
with the day job and kept him away from his family.
Paul Cooper,
September
2006
