WHEN ROCK & ROLL CAME TO THE COUNTY....

Things really started hopping in Buchanan County Schools during the decade of the 50’s. All county schools had something called ’Sock Hops’ in the school gym or cafeteria.
At Garden High School, Bill Miller told me that Grace Woolridge organized the Sock Hops and spun the new Rock & Roll tunes on a record player in the gym.
“It was called Canteen, and we ‘Got Down’ I tell ya!” Bill smiled in remembrance.

My wife Sandy and Brother-In-Law Bill Kennedy both attended Hurley High School, and in looking at their Rebel Annuals, there were pictures of some of the students doing’THE TWIST’….

Rock & Roll music had everybody Groovin’ and a Movin’ & Reelin’ with the Feelin’ at all five County Schools…The Whitewood Indians and Council Cobras had Sock Hops as well, for Rock & Roll music took both the County and America by storm.

I was introduced to Rock & Roll music as an 8th Grader in 1956 in the Grundy High School Auditorium (Site of the present day Appalachian School of Law.). Paul Altizer had formed a band he called ’THE JIVIN’ FIVE’. Since the music was new to most students and teachers, it took a while for the students to get with i that memorable day. Some of the teachers didn’t like it, and sat there with a scowl on their face. I remember lookingat the back of the auditorium to where Principal John Meade was standing with a big smile on his face. He had decided to let this newly formed band perform before the student body while charging 25c each to raise money for the March of Dimes.

Larry Williams explained to me how ’THE JIVIN’ FIVE’ got their start:

“Jack Gentry, the Grundy Band Director, asked myself and four others to form a band to play the Big Band songs of the 30’s. and 40’s. Songs like Chattanooga Choo- Choo and Blue Moon. But we started experimenting with some of the Rock & Roll songs that were just coming out. Especially some of Elvis Presley’s songs, like Blue Suede Shoes, and That’s Alright. When Mr. Gentry saw what we were doing, he remarked that folks would forget who Elvis Presley was in six months.
Boy! Was he ever wrong. Elvis had a #1 hit for 25 straight weeks in 1956. Songs like Hounding, Don’t Be Cruel and See You Later Alligator”….

“So, we got Paul Altizer, who was not in the school band, to help us get started. Paul was a singer and a piano player. Paul pretty much organized us and we practiced at various homes on weekday nights. Mostly, in Ray & Bonnie Wright’s basement , which was located under the old WRIGHT’S MARKET at Vansant. The original Five were me on Tenor Sax, Harry Guy Hall on Clarinet, Russ Altizer on Drums, Karen Hurley doing vocals, along with Paul Altizer on piano, and also the fearless leader of The Jivin’ Five,” Larry concluded.

Ron Cole participated with the band on many occasions, and as Ron explained to me. There were a lot more than five that participated over the next five years or so, including Bill Blake, who’s Dad, also named Bill Blake, managed Sayer’s Brothers Department Store in old Grundy. Both Bill, the son, & Ron spun Rock & Roll tunes as DJ’s at WNRG and had legions of listeners. (There was no FM station at the time.)…
(It’s been said that if recordings of Ron and Clyde Varney working together were available today they would be priceless, for it was a laugh a minute with those two doing much more than advertising and spinning the hits.)

Jack Woodard remembers driving down to the radio station just to watch Bill Blake spin the Rock & Roll tunes…
“Bill Blake couldn’t sit still. He kept patting the equipment with his hands while moving to the beat in his chair. Quite a show!” Jack said.

Jack also remembers that The Jivin’ Five performed at Bill Griffith’s place at Royal City for a few years in the late 50’s. Bill’s son, William Griffith, later ran a store there called THE FRIENDLY MARKET. Jack, who also played the BASS DRUM in the high school band, went there often to watch The Jivin’ Five… “And maybe dance just a little,” Jack laughed.

Several other girls participated with THE JIVIN’ FIVE up into the early 60’s. Paul’s sister Janice, Carol Combs, Alberta Salem, and Becky Hurst. All four of these helped out with vocals.

Songs like Rock Around The Clock, Tutti-Fruiti, Ain’t That A Shame, and Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On, really resonated with County teens. Truth to tell, our parents were less excited about these songs. My Dad would just shake his head. And this was typical with most adults, for they were more into Gospel and Country songs. The Huff-Cook Gospel Hour was popular on Sunday mornings, and on the country side, Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe could sell out the Morgan Theater in Grundy on a Saturday night…and Little Jimmy Dickens’s classic song, ‘Come Home It’s Suppertime’, closed out the WNRG station every evening at dusk..

But Rock & Roll was here to stay. The Golden Years of Rock & Roll were the 50’s & 60’s, and royally celebrated at all County Schools.

Certainly, you could understand most of the words and there was no profanity.Some songs didn’t make much sense, but they were catchy and sounded good coming trippingly off the tongue. Some teens could really 'Get Down' on Tutti-Fruiti and Be-Bop-A-Lu-Lu…Charlie Brown, Peggy Sue, and Wake Up Little Susie…The list is long!

The Grundy High School Class of 1958 has their 60th Reunion at the Grundy Fieldhouse this Friday night at 7:00 p.m. while also watching the Grundy Golden Wave entertain the Honaker Tigers on Homecoming Night. The 1958 GHS Class remembers well the Sock Hops and the Golden Oldies. Their Class has also invited my Class of 1960, as well as the 1959 Class.

Clyde “Nose” Keene, who passed recently, will be remembered at this Reunion. Clyde was a 2X MVP for the Grundy Golden Wave (57 & 58) and a 58 graduate…. But a frequent attendee of any Reunion he heard of….
And when the music started, Ol’ Nose glided on to the dance floor to kick up his heels and ‘Get Down’…
Always with a Big Smile on his face!

RIP Nose…Your Golden Wave Golden Oldie Spirit lives on!