I was justsearchingfor an old friend, Dave Lewis, and came upon your site. ImetDave at Meany Jr. High in 1951. We became goodfriendsand when he got his first job at Birdland, possibly in 1953, he invitedme to come hear them play. They were terrific. I would do alittle rap on the alley door which was right next to the bandstand andone of them would let me in. I remember Ronnie Height was in thefirst Dave Lewis Combo.
I moved toCaliforniain 1956 and when I returned in 1958 they told me Ronnie had moved toLosAngeles to write music. The last time I saw Dave perform wasprobably1966 at the Owl Tavern. The last time I saw J.B. was in the early70's. He had joined the Merchant Marines and was doing verywell.I met Barney in 1949. We both had a Seattle Post Intelligencer(P.I.)paper route and we worked out of the same paper shack. One of myfavorite memories is of a Sunday morning argument when he came out ontopof one the older boys.
Does anybodyknowwhere these people are?. We were good friends and it would begreatto talk about old times and share how we have managed to get this old.
BrianO'Neill,November 2005
(Webmaster'sNote:If you have any information about Brian's old friends, please send itto webmaster@pnwbands.comand it will be forwarded to Brian.)
I watched DaveLewisperform at Dave's fifth Avenue, and DJ's. I believe I saw himfirstat the "Downbeat" in Seattle on a revolving stage. I would drivefrom Tacoma to Seattle every Saturday night to watch his groupperform.There has never been a sound like the "Dave Lewis Sound".
I have beentryingto find old Dave Lewis vinyl's. I got a good copy of "littleGreenThing" album and converted to a CD. Wow!
An article intheTri City Herald a few years ago said Dave died in California. Ibelieveit was 1998. It was an AP article that tributes Dave as a part ofthe "Northwest Rock" sound
Mike Kupfer,November2005
George Griffinmovedto California in 1970. After 36 years in California, he movedbackto Seattle in August 2006.
While inCalifornia,Griffin recorded with many artists at the Gold Star Studios. Hehadone of the top Sports Commercials in Los Angeles, the Big Joe MacDonaldTheme. He played and sang on many movie sound tracks... 10 toMidnight,a Charles Bronson movie, "Abby"/"God Told ME To".
He became alegendin Long Beach, CA at clubs dates, R&B and jazz concerts. Healsodid a tribute to Otis Redding in Maui and California. GeorgetouredHolland at the Blues Festival with The Elliott Chaver Band. Thelistgoes on and on... TV commercials and Mad TV.
All thisstartedafter the Dave Lewis Combo. He is one of Seattle's music pioneers.
For moreinformation,write to him at 33rd Avenue South, #629, Seattle, WA 98144 or call206-721-5261.
GeorgeGriffin,September 2006
I had thesupremepleasure of sharing the stage with Dave Lewis & Ron Holden at theChildren'sOrthopedic Hospital Benefit in 1981. We, Sparky and theStarfires,were the backup band for The Coasters w/Bobby Nunn, and opened with a30minute set of our own.
As the eveningprogressedDave Lewis took the stage performing on that ineffable Hammond B-3...andI mean he "took" that stage. Man was that a gas. Dave andhisgroup were absolutely flawless.
I felt soblessedto be a part of that lineup of musicians. It is one of my fondestmemoriesas a Northwest musician.
FrankNeubert, Sparkyand the Starfires....Seattle, February, 2007
In the summerof1964, Dave Lewis, with the other two members of his trio, Joe Johanson,guitar, and Dickie Enfield, drums, left The Black & Tan to go toworkat Dave's Fifth Avenue Club on 5th Ave. just off Denny Way. Atthattime, Mike Mandel got the gig at The Black & Tan. Mike was,andis an incredible keyboard player.
At the time hewasplaying Hammond B-3 with 1 Leslie speaker (he later had 2 Leslies)fashionedafter combined styles of Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Brother JackMcDuff,John Patton, etc. Mike was a big part of the Seattle jazz sceneatthe time and a member of The Seattle Jazz Society for whom he playedmanyfunctions other than his gig at The Black & Tan. Mike wasgoodfriends with Don Stevenson/drummer & Lee Parker/guitar (both hadbeenpart of the Seattle R&B scene for several years) so he hired themtogig at the Black & Tan.
Mike Mandelfrontedthe group until Don Stevenson left to go south to San Francisco.At that time, George Griffin, drummer extraordinaire, joined thegroup.With George's vocals and stage presence, he became the front man, andtheorgan trio became The George Griffin Trio. George had just comeoffthe road with Lionel Hampton. He was with "Hamp" 18 months.Hamp called him "Little Hamp".
Lee Parker
From thememoirsof Lee Parker, provided courtesy of Patricia Hubbard (wife of LeeParker),August 2011