St. Louis Park High held a twist contest on January 20, 1962, won by Jackie Dubbe and Jack Beaudoin.  The Echo reported that the fad was wildly popular except that it led to horrible side aches, and advised twisters “not to eat anything before engaging in this dance, and those with weak hearts and stomachs should forget this madness.”

 

The Brothers Four appeared at Northrop Auditorium on January 13, 1962.  It was a Greek Week Benefit Performance, part of the University Artists Course.

 

On January 30, 1962, Will Jones reported that the socialites and suburbanites had discovered the Key Club and invaded the place on weekend nights to be taught the dance by “those wild, wild” Hortense Allen Dancers.

 

Brook Benton appeared at Freddie’s on February 19, 1962 – the paper said he was mobbed when he was here several months ago.

 

The Kingston Trio appeared in town on February 22, 1962.

 

Sonny Thompson performed at the St. Paul Auditorium on February 27, 1962.

 

The Chad Mitchell Trio also performed in February 1962 at Macalester College.

 

WDGY sponsored a 17 lap (50 mile) run around Lake Harriet on February 17, 1962.  The run was inspired by JFK’s famous phrase, “with vigah!”

 

Bob Dylan’s self-titled first album was released on March 19, 1962.  It did not chart on Billboard, but was given a very positive review in Issue 22 of the Little Sandy Review.

 

The Brothers Four were at O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at the College of St. Thomas on March 30, 1962.

 

A weak form of competition was the Four Saints, appearing at the Padded Cell – “they’re WILD!”

 

Not quite sure, but Chubby Checker may have been here on April 20, 1962.  (See May 3 below.)

 

Jerry Lee Lewis, possibly touring with Fabian, Bobby Vee, and Faron Young, was in Minneapolis on April 22, 1962, the day that his three-year-old son Steve Allen Lewis (named for the entertainer) accidentally drowned in the family pool at his home in Memphis.  It was Easter Sunday.

 

On May 28, 1962, Vic Burton of the Minneapolis Daily Herald told this story in his Night Beat column:

FEAR, INCORPORATED:  A Twin City newsman had just wrapped up a controversial story, expecting all along to hear loud cries of anguish from those the story affected.  The day the story was was publicized, the reporter returned home and waited for the phone calls.  A bit later in the evening the phone rang and a mysterious voice whispered, “Urgent … must know where to meet you.  I have the $1,000 ransom money but we have to agree on the place.  This is agent 11-30, I will contact you.”  Then the mystery caller hung up, leaving a very puzzled and most disturbed reporter holding a buzzing receiver in his hand.  With thoughts of cement buckets and rivers and long rides in big, black cars flashing through his mind, the reporter spent a rather sleepless night.

And since his music tastes are somewhat above the primitive stage, he hadn’t been listening to WDGY and didn’t know the phone call was nothing but a publicity gimmick.

 

In June 1962 the White House in Golden Valley had a new outdoor garden with an ice rink, where you could see the Robin Nelson Ice Show.

 

In June 1962 Excelsior was the scene of a four day “Jazz-Arts Festival” at the Minnetonka Center of Arts.  One of the highlights was entertainment by teenagers in the Minnetonka area, including a twist contest won by Pam Witcher and Tom Punch.  Doc Evans’ Dixieland band provided the music.  The Minneapolis Daily Herald, which was picking up the slack during the Star and Tribune strike, featured kids doing the twist and the mashed potato at Excelsior Park.  Barbara Linow (?) sang with Tom Sechrest’s band.

 

Sounds of Jazz ’62 – II:  In late June the Walker Art Center Arts Council featured local composer-arranger Thomas Talbert, musician Irv Williams, and 11 other Twin City musicians at a concert on the south yard of the Walker Art Center (inside in case of rain).

 

Raunchy comedienne Rusty Warren began a two week stand at Freddie’s on June 19, 1962.  She’s “Sin-Sational!”

 

Little Jr. Parker performed at Stem Hall on July 8, 1962.

 

On July 15, Club “15” presented a Benefit Matinee Dance for the NAACP Freedom Fund at the Union Hall on Ford Parkway.

 

The song “Summers in Minneapolis” was published in 1962 (copyright 1959).  Words and music were written by Robert Kirkendahl.

 

Louis Armstrong came to town for the Minneapolis Jaycees’ Second “Music Under the Stars” concert series at Met Stadium on July 30, 1962.  He came with a group of five musicians and a vocalist.

 

On August 1, 1962, Vic Burton’s Night Beat column in the Minneapolis Daily Herald (which was subbing for the Star/Tribune, which was on strike), described the Key Club’s Twist show, emceed by Leroy Watts. There were three women who demonstrated the dance: Helena DeCarlo, Penny Wallace, and Watts’s daughter, Cyoreta. They also got the audience up on the floor; one night Watts said they had 200 beginning twisters on the dance floor at one time.

 

Brothers Jerry and Irv Trestman opened Trestman Music Center in South Minneapolis in 1962. It later moved to St. Louis Park, at 5600 Excelsior Blvd.  Irv died in 1985 and Jerry sold the business in 2007.

 

Johnny Cash was in town on September 8, 1962, performing at a “Private Function.”

 

Jimmy Reed and Lefty Bates performed at Stem Hall on September 9, 1962, presented by Royal Attractions.   Leroy “Lefty” Bates was a Chicago Blues guitarist.

 

Gene Chandler appeared at the “Ford Local Hall” on September 30, also presented by Royal Attractions.

 

Bobby Darin was in town in October 1962.

 

On October 21, 1962, Twin Cities folk group the Yeomen recorded an LP called “Session One:  The Yeomen.”  The four 17-year-olds from Edina had been friends since third grade:  Bob Finkenauer, Jack Otterness, Keith Critchlow, and Don Bennett.  The record was a Minneapolis Junior Achievement project, and the recording engineer was David Hersk.

 

Miriam Makeba and the Tarriers gave a folk music show at Northrop Auditorium on November 3.

 

Johnny Mathis came to the Minneapolis Auditorium on November 9, 1962.

 

Ray Charles performed at the Minneapolis Auditorium Concert Bowl on November 19, 1962.

 

In December 1962, look in the sky for KDWB’s Santa Copter!

If you believe the Echo, ukuleles were popular in late 1962.

Dickey Lee played the Marigold Ballroom on December 26, 1962.

In a feature about where to hear folk singers around the country, Life Magazine’s December 14, 1962 issue reported that the Chad Mitchell Trio would be performing at Freddie’s Downtown from December 31, 1962 to January 12, 1963.  It also recommended the Padded Cell (near beer) and Le Zoo (sing alongs).