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Every year we do this and a few other shows to get our folks back
together from parts flung near and far. It makes sense to have
this in DC because most of the players and friends are here [or used
to be.] This is always a great show, even for new folks who
get to spend the night getting to know our charmingly dysfunctional
family. We hope to see you no matter who you are. This is
based on a rather large family tree, and to our knowledge it hasn't
been explained in detail anywhere. Until now. So, let's
try this in one gulp [right.]
As teenagers, Jimbo Manion [Planet Manion] met Phil McCormack
[Molly Hatchet] and Mark Chandler [PM] partly because his sister was
dating Dave Chase [PM.] Dave and Mark got Phil to sing with
their friend, the late Jimm Altman in The New Evening Standard.
After that, Dave, Mark and Phil moved over to play with Jimbo and
Chris Ivey in Jazzbo McMann. This continued as Billy Cracknell
[Heart] and Karen DeLaBarre [Silent Radio, a whole story by itself]
joined and Mark left to play with The Roadducks. Somewhere in
here, Bill Holter [Planet Manion], after a stint with Mark, Dave and
Karen DeLaBarre in Prime Suspects, is doing duty as a Duck.
Mark leaves the Ducks and eventually Phil, Dave, Billy and Jimbo
move over to play with them with Karen joining eventually.
Jazzbo ceases to exist, Chris goes to Florida.
This situation goes on in various forms for a period of years.
Somewhere down the line, The Roadducks concentrate more on building
and running their new club [Jaxx] and staying more around DC.
Dave rejoins Mark and Jimm to revive Silent Radio in Los Angeles
[they'd return to DC and Karen would join up again.] At this
point, Phil became friends with the late Danny Joe Brown [Molly
Hatchet], who unknown to all was becoming to ill to tour. He
recommends Phil for his place in Hatchet, where Phil remains to this
day.
Around this time, Jimbo would leave [sort of] to work with the
late Danny Gatton. Not to be outdone, Dave and Karen marry.
Mark would move over to play with Daryl Davis [and through him,
Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley.] Later, Mark and Dave would go on
to work with Linwood Taylor. Billy would discover a career as
a road manager, despite the fact that he's a nice guy. These
arrangements continue for quite awhile, with people moving in and
out of musical situations but never personal ones. One big
happy family. Unfortunately, somewhere in here Jimm dies,
joining a growing list of friends who just didn't manage to cheat
misfortune for as long the rest of us.
Somewhere in here, Jimbo goes to concentrate on writing and
playing his own material, which he's doing right now. He
eventually enlists an old friend, the late Tim Alexander to join
Mark, Dave and Jon Buder [Roadducks] in Group Therapy. Dave
and Mark drift in and out of this, with Mark currently in it and
Dave sort of in it. Bill joins Jimbo, and eventually brings
over Mike Farris. Somewhere, Sammy Blair [Jack Diamond] joins
and this is Planet Manion today. Besides Danny Joe Brown,
Duane Roland also passes on and the list gets longer.
The Roadducks continue to rejoin from other parts of the country
to play for the faithful. Phil is still with Molly Hatchet.
Jaxx is now a successful club in Washington, DC and Jimbo still
yells at everybody. This is where we are today, and a short
explanation of how we became family. |
