Bo Wagner featured drummer/percussionist - Mickey Mouse Club - Starbuck - Eternity’s Children - Lawrence Welk - Emil Richards - Dr. Bo - Spike Jones
Michael Welch
Notes From An Old Drummer
(Featured Drummer-Bo Wagner / Mickey Mouse Club / Lawrence Welk Show / The 5th Dimension / Roger Williams / Lewis & Clarke Expedition / Liberace / Eternity’s Children / Starbuck)
(Notes # 9)
(1968-Sons of Tyme-Biloxi-Gig-On The Road-Hattiesburg-Mississippi-The Fiesta-The Beach House-Jim Hendrix-Cream-Sly-Deep Purple-Steppenwolf-The Beatles-The Stones-Eternity’s Children-Percussion-Stretching Out-Music Business-Recording- Atlanta-Roy Whittaker-Johnny Walker-Bruce Blackman-Linda Lawley-Up Front-Mrs. Bluebird-Sketchy-Hammond-The Zombies-Time of the Season-House Gig-Rogers-Rod Argent-Jimi Hendrix-60s-Jam Band-Child Prodigy-Ted Weems-Spike Jones-Mickey Mouse Club-Annette-Cubby-Darlene-Youtube-1956-Donald O’Connor-Bill Robinson- High Speed-Stop Time-Mousekteer-Jimmy Dodd-High Tech-Television-Gene Krupa-Rim Shots-1969-On The Road-Fort Lauderdale-Bossier City-U-Haul-Hanging Out-Ken Harder-Mindset-Dixieland Jazz-Emil Richards-Joe Porcaro-Percussionist-NAMM- Health Nut-Orlando-Walt Disney World-Top40-Chops-Starbuck-Moonlight Feels Right- Jazz Tap-70s-First Take-Tommy Thomas-Atlanta-Nutrition-50s-Television- Vibraphone-Marimba-Lawrence Welk-Karen Carpenter-Cubby O’Brian-Keith Thibodeaux-Music Business-Youtube-
In the [Winter of 1968]...The Sons of Tyme had exhausted their local Biloxi gigs. We needed to get out of town... get a gig...[On The Road] The Sons of Tyme traveled and played in Bossier City, Louisiana...then...Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
___I write about these monumental gigs in my book...Notes of a Young Drummer 1966-1969___
On The Road...to the Bossier City...gig, I was arrested and spent a night in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi jail. (It’s in my book)
Returning back to Biloxi from Fort Lauderdale, The Sons of Tyme got a gig at The Fiesta. The group was playing well. It was great to have a regular gig. Following The Fiesta gig...The Sons of Tyme went back to The Beach House.
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The band was tight...but may have been stretching out a little too much for the local audiences. Our repertoire was quite progressive for 1968. Even though we were a cover band-our material included Jim Hendrix, Cream, Sly, Deep Purple and Steppenwolf...with a few renditions of The Beatles and Stones.
Playing at The Fiesta was a new group called...Eternity’s Children. Playing percussion was Bo Wagner. [The word] about [Eternity’s Children]...was...they were kind of a super group with record label interest---financial backing and a [music business] recording-artist [past and future]
All of those things...The Sons of Tyme wouldn’t accomplish in 1968. There was a slight prospect from a reputable Atlanta music agency-but it never happened.
When I saw and heard Eternity’s Children at The Fiesta...they were a six or seven piece group. The members I remember at the time include Drummer-Roy Whittaker...Guitarist-Johnny Walker...Keyboards-Bruce Blackman-Vocalist-Linda Lawley and Bo Wagner. I don’t remember who was playing bass. I seem to have a vague memory that there could have been two up front singers.
Eternity’s Children had a radio play record called [Mrs. Bluebird]...Eternity’s Children performed that tune on The Fiesta gig. The factual timeline for the release of this tune is sketchy. I know it was the [Winter of 1968] when I heard Eternity’s Children play it.
My observation of Eternity’s Children [was]...they were a serious [well-rehearsed] band on a mission. The Fiesta was a house gig that gave them the finances to get it together in the daytime---play the gig at night.
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Everything about Eternity’s Children was very professional. They had a full bandstand of gear---especially with Bo Wagner’s one-man percussion ensemble.
Bruce Blackman played Hammond B3 plus other keyboards. Roy Whittaker was playing a beautiful set of Rogers drums. They had that crisp...bright Rogers sound.
One of the tunes I remember Eternity’s Children playing was The Zombies...Time Of The Season. Eternity’s Children sounded fantastic. [The Zombies] vocals...records...tunes...drum tracks and keyboard solos played by Rod Argent have always been my favorite.
My favorite guitarist in 1968 was Jimi Hendrix. Johnny Walker was a respected guitar player. He was the perfect addition to the sound of Eternity’s Children.
Eternity’s Children was loaded with talent. They had a very refined sound with the mindset to present their group to a commercial audience. They weren’t a 60’s Jam Band.
___Everything was professional. I could see they had set their mark to become successful in the music business___
Bo Wagner was a great musician. When he arrived in Biloxi... word spread about his earlier years in the music- entertainment business. As a child prodigy...Bo Wagner was performing music with groups, acting and dancing.
Bo was meeting and performing with well-known artist including Ted Weems Orchestra and Spike Jones.
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At the age of 10...Robert (Bobby) Wagner can be seen on The Mickey Mouse Club. It’s an amazing Youtube video with Bo dancing and playing the drumset.
[Originally aired on October 19, 1956] There’s Annette, Cubby, Darlene and the rest of the crew.
___I remember it all very well from 1956___
Bo Wagner...dances in a medley to the greats including Donald O’Connor. Bo then announces his tribute to “The Greatest of The Greats” [Bill Robinson] It’s an amazing performance from Bo at a very young age. He follows up with a [high speed stop- time] rhythmic tap routine.
[Show Head]...Mousekteer...Jimmie Dodd brings Bobby Wagner out for his second segment. Bo performs another Jazz Tap... before he migrates to the drumset. Bo breaks into a Gene Krupa solo with the off stage band. [Next] there’s a duet with Bo and Bo. They exchange 4s between Bo’s feet and Bo’s drums.
This was really high tech television in 1956. Bo plays and dances fantastic. The sound of his drums and those Gene Krupa-ish rim shots are great. The Mousekteers were impressed.
I actually don’t remember seeing the original segment as a 6 year-old kid in 1956. I do remember seeing the clips of Cubby O’Brian playing drums on the Mickey Mouse Club.
My initial memory of meeting Bo in 1968...is vague. Most of my conversations with Bo in 1968 were about lessons-theory and the expansion of becoming a more rounded drummer percussionist.
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I was very impressed with Bo’s musicianship and his dedication to all instruments. Bo Wagner was a dedicated student of his instrument. Observing another drummer / percussionist with that level of musicianship was enlightening.
As an untrained 18-year old drummer musician in 1968, Bo Wagner was the first drummer – percussionist I’d met with academic credentials. I knew Bo Wagner could read and converse the language of music.
Tommy Thomas would be my next encounter in 1972. He would also encourage me to learn more about music as a drummer and musician.
Somewhere in Bo’s training and study he was a student of Emil Richards. In 1968, I didn’t know this.
Emil Richards (1932-2019) was one of the greatest musicians - percussionist ever. I saw him in Las Angeles at NAMM shows playing vibraphone with his group.
Playing drumset with Emil was another great percussionist, Joe Porcaro (1930-2020) The record and film discography of Emil Richards and Joe Porcaro is amazing.
Bo Wagner had the reputation of being a “Health Nut” in 1968. You could see he always had [24/7 energy] Not only was Bo playing his music gigs...he was also acting in roles at a local Biloxi Western Theme Park Attraction. He was performing cowboy stunts and lasso – rope tricks.
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There were 2 bands at The Fiesta. Ken Harder Group played Dixieland Jazz up front in the lounge. The Top 40 bands played in the large back room. Ken Harder’s regular drummer was on vacation and Bo played both gigs.
Bo would play with Eternity’s Children...then immediately run up front and play the alternating set with Ken Harder. I was at The Fiesta hanging out when Ken Harder cordially invited me to sit in on bongos. I’d never played bongos before
___They were all very polite and professional___
I had a 1969 run in with Bo...in Fort Lauderdale. His band and the group I was with were staying at the same motel. It was a brief parking lot reunion. Bo talked me into buying his set of chimes and a set of bongos. I think they needed more room in their U-Haul. He gave me a good deal and a line of credit.
___I’m sure those were the bongos at The Fiesta in 1968___ .
In (1975) I was On The Road playing a gig in Atlanta. I’d heard Bo Wagner was playing at a local club with a group called Starbuck. I went to hear them. It was a good sounding band. Bruce Blackman and Johnny Walker from Eternity’s Children were in the group. Starbuck would have a hit record called Moonlight Feels Right.
___Bo Wagner’s marimba solo is legendary___
There are Youtube videos with Bo and many others demonstrating the solo. Bo has commented in interviews that it was a first take recording. His chops and technique were always his forte.
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After the success of Starbuck...Bo dropped out of the music business. He was always into nutrition and followed that path.
Bo returned to Los Angeles and became Doctor Bo. Because of social media I discovered Bo’s new full time career.
My 1976...visit at that Atlanta club to hear Starbuck was the last time I saw Bo Wagner. He passed away in Los Angeles. (1945-2017)
Thanks to Youtube you can watch those great Mickey Mouse Club videos. There are also videos when Bo was part of The Lawrence Welk Show. When Bo Wagner played drums and dances on The Mickey Mouse Club [1956] Cubby O’Brian was part of the show as a Mousekteer.
Cubby O’Brian would join Bo on the Lawrence Welk Show in several marimba...dance segments. Cubby O’Brian would continue his drumming career with Karen Carpenter.
I’ve mentioned those years of watching early 50s television launched my interest in drums. Seeing Keith Thibodeaux on...
[I Love Lucy] and [Cubby O’Brian] on The Mickey Mouse Club are highlights in my memory.
Notes From An Old Drummer
Michael Welch – Michael Welch Publications
(Notes # 9)
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