BANDS OF GOLD

BANDS OF GOLD. While a student at the University of Iowa in the 1960s, Larry Brown, son of William C. BROWNbecame the manager for “Denny and the Dukes.”

In 1965 he had arranged a recording session with Columbia Records in Chicago, Illinois. The Dukes recorded “Is It Really Love” and “Carol In A Thousand Cities.” The record, released on Sultan Records, was sold around the Dubuque area.

When the founder of Denny and the Dukes (Denny Rehm) entered military service, the remaining members (Roger Hughes, Bernie Bernsten, Gary King, Phil Rawson, [[WILLIAMS, Terry|Terry WILLIAMS) changed the name to Bands of Gold. Williams would later drafted and Mort Armstrong (now deceased) became the drummer.

Brown remained as the band manager. He arranged another session in Chicago in 1966 using newly written music by Hughes (“It’s Over” and “You Won’t Change Me”). The engineer called a producer from Mercury Records and band was signed on the spot. A new 45 came out on Smash Records – a Mercury label.

“You Won’t Change Me,” the hit the band had been waiting for,spent over 10 weeks on WDBQ’s (Dubuque) Top 20, climbing to #2 on the charts. The song also spent time on the KIOA (Des Moines) Top 20, three weeks at #3. Bands of Gold toured Iowa ballrooms drawing large crowds.

Negotiations began with Mercury Records which was looking for a band to take nationally. When the band decided to decline the opportunity, Mercury signed The Buckinghams which went on to great success.

Members of Band of Gold returned to Eastern Iowa to their families and business careers. They continued to play throughout the 1960s and 1970s. When the band dissolved, the members continued to play with other groups.

In 2000 Roger Hughes was inducted into the Iowa RockNRoll Hall of Fame as a songwriter. Gary King is in the Nebraska RockNRoll Hall as a sax player.

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Source:

http://www.iowarocknroll.com/inductee-details.php?id=94