BACKGROUND

The Connie Awards were conceived, organized by, and named after Connie Hechter, jazz drummer and editor of the T.M.C. (later Connie’s) Insider.  He and Marsh Edelstein thought it would be good for the industry to show some recognition for the booming music scene in the Twin Cities.  The program for the 1968 ceremony stated the mission:

The Connie Awards symbolize professionalism, best of class, and consistency of performance within that class.

The purpose of the awards is to recognize the top pop music talent in this market, attract national attention to the musical resources in this Upper Midwest market, and to unify our industry.

A note on spelling:  between typos in the original documents, bad copies of microfilm, and my own prolific typos, there is every chance that names are spelled wrong.  Please contact me and I will be grateful for any corrections.  Thanks!

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DATE:  May 19, 1969

PLACE:  International Ballroom, Pick-Nicollet Hotel, Minneapolis

HOST:  Charlie Boone, WCCO Radio

NOTES:

• Over 300 in attendance
• Panel discussion with record company reps, local disk jockeys, and Hechter.  KQRS was accidentally not invited.
• Guest Speaker: Dick LaPalm, Merchandising and Promotion Director, Chess Records, Chicago.
• Music by Dick Whitbeck and his Orchestra

PRESENTED BY:  The Midwest Academy of Contemporary Music and the Insider.

PANEL DISCUSSION MEMBERS:

• Dick LaPalm
• Dick Bruce, Shelby Singleton office, Nashville
• Charlie  Boone
• Johnny Canton, WDGY
• Gene Leader, WDGY
• Jack Reynolds, WWTC
• Dean Johnson, KDWB
• Connie Hechter

MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY:

• Torp’s
• Traficante Music Store
• The Prison
• Audiotek Recording Studios
• Soma Records
• Musicland Stores
• Trestman Music Center
• Schmitt Music Stores
• B Sharp Music Store
• Pickwick International
• Music City
• Lieberman Enterprises, Inc.
• Wagener Music
• Bell Music
• J.L. Marsh
• Celann Publishing
• Park Music Store
• South Barn
• Heilicher Brothers
• Magoo’s and New City Opera House

From the June 7, 1969 issue of the Insider:

The 1969 Connie Awards on May 19 packed the ballroom of the Pick-Nicollet Hotel in Minneapolis with over 300 musicians and industry personalities who came in their finest threads to witness the selection of the best pop talent in the area as determined by the votes of club and ballroom operators and a triad of musicians.  The audience dined on an eight course dinner and listened to Chess Records’ advertising and promotion director Dick LaPalm deliver an informative discourse on the record industry before the Awards ceremonies began.

It was a most colorful and exciting evening.

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NOMINEES AND WINNERS

The following are the nominees in each category, with the winners indicated in bold.  Thanks to Dennis Libby for lending me his copy of the program so I can provide this information.

RECORDING CATEGORY

BEST PRODUCER

• Warren Kendrick:  Paupers and Poets, Atco
• Tony Andreason:  I Want Sunshine, Metrobeat
• Warren Kendrick:  $100 Fine, Hexagon
• Ken Erwin:  Trip Through Hell, Candy Floss
• Peter Steinberg:  Oscar Crunch, Philips
• Marsh Edelstein:  Ain’t Got the Time, Mar-Bil
• Peter Steinberg:  Countess, Sire

BEST COMPOSER

• Dale Menten:  House of Leather
• Warren Kendrick:  Paupers and Poets
• Dick Weigand and Harry Niels:  I Want Sunshine
• Steinberg, Pollack, and Goldberg:  Oscar Crunch
• Steinberg, Pollack, and Goldberg:  Countess

ARTIST AND REPERTOIRE

• Dale Menten:  House of Leather – Fontana
• Warren Kendrick:  Paupers and Poets – Atco
• Ken Erwin:  Trip Through Hell – Candy Floss
• Peter Steinberg:  Countess – Sire
• Peter Steinberg:  Oscar Crunch – Philips

RECORDING ENGINEER

• Darrel Arvidson:  $100 Fine – Kaleidoscope
• Steve Longman:  Trip Through Hell – Candy Floss
• Steve Longman:  Oscar Crunch – Philips
• Bob Schultz:  Paupers and Poets – Atco
• Bob Schultz:  House of Leather – Fontana

BEST ALBUM

• South 40 Live:  South 40 – Metrobeat
• House of Leather:  Blackwood Apology – Fontana
• $100 Fine:  The Litter – Hexagon
• Trip Through Hell:  C.A. Quintet – Candy Floss

BEST SINGLE

• I Want Sunshine:  South 40 – Metrobeat
• Ain’t Got the Time:  Del Counts – Mar-Bil
• Paupers and Poets:  White Lightning – Atco
• Oscar Crunch:  Nickel Revolution – Philips
• Red Rover Red Rover:  Puddle – Candy Floss

INSTRUMENTAL CATEGORY

BEST OTHER INSTRUMENT

• Lonnie Knight:  blues harp – Jokers Wild
• Tony Glover:  blues harp
• Grant Gullickson:  tambourine – Zarathustra
• Roger Brunner: tambourine – Skin Trade
• Mike Holm: flute – System
• Larry Acrum:  flute – Marauders

BEST OTHER HORN

• Pete Brynildson:  French horn – Upper Division
• Dave Hanson:  trombone – Mystics
• Dick Bert:  trombone – Sir Raleighs
• Dave Welking:  trombone – Marauders

BEST TRUMPET

• Loren McArthur: Looking Glass
• Ken Erwin:  C.A. Quintet
• Dave Hanson:  Mystics
• Wally Warhol:  Pride and Joy
• Keith Larson:  Hot Half Dozen

BEST SAXOPHONE

• Rick Johnson:  Super Band
• Bob Blanck:  Good Idea
• Larry Andrum:  Marauders
• Wes Hayne:  Mystics
• Steve Junker:  Sir Raleighs
• Jim Kogle:  Marauders
• Greg Hartman:  Mystics
• Fred Draper:  Hot Half Dozen
• Ron Geslin:  Hot Half Dozen

BEST KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT

• Dave Middlemist:  Crow
• Bruce Pedalty:  Blackwood Apology
• Gary Peterson:  Marauders
• Greg Maland:  Avanties
• Greg Springer:  Clover
• Dave Dean:  Stillroven
• Butch Stokes:  Mystics
• Carl Bradley:  Danny’s Reasons

BEST BASS GUITAR

• Denny Johnson:  Jokers Wild
• Larry Hofmann:  Skin Trade
• Mike Flaherty:  Zarathustra
• Larry Wiegand:  Crow
• Willie Weeks:  Mystics
• Dick Hedlund:  Blackwood Apology
• Bob Phalen:  Del Counts

BEST RYTHM GUITAR

• Dan Rinaldi: The Litter
• Tom Acheson:  Grasshoppers
• Bob Coates:  Zarathustra
• Mike O’Gara:  Stillroven
• Larry Suess:  Del Counts
• Dave Middlemist:  Crow
• Mike Stokes:  Mystics

BEST LEAD GUITAR

• Tom “Zippy” Caplan:  White Lightning
• Lonnie Knight:  Jokers Wild
• Dick Wiegand:  Crow
• Steve Miller:  Del Counts
• John Howarth:  Zarathustra
• Dale Menten:  Blackwood Apology
• Darrel Lichy:  Hot Half Dozen

BEST DRUMMER

• Pete Huber:  Jokers Wild
• Joey Plazza:  Blackwood Apology
• Phil Scolland:  Grasshoppers
• Denny Craswell:  Crow
• Rick Johnson:  Zarathustra
• Tom Murray:  The Litter
• Bill Lordan:  Mystics
• Kelly Vincent:  Del Counts
• Rick Ballot:  Hot Half Dozen

BEST INSTRUMENTAL GROUP

• Jokers Wild
• Stillroven
• Blackwood Apology
• White Lightning
• Zarathustra
• Crow
• Sir Raleighs
• Mystics
• Marauders
• Del Counts
• Showtime Parts I & II
• New World Congregation

SHOW AND VOCAL CATEGORY

BEST FEMALE VOCAL

• Jan Knight:  19th Amendment
• Mary Ann Fincel:  Perspectives
• Susie Drude:  Johnny Raymond Quartet
• Charlene Homan:  Sunshine World
• Gail Young:  Looking Glass
• Marsha Harris:  Blues Cube
• Mayo Lapakko:  Fifth Pine Box Express

BEST MALE VOCAL

• Lonnie Knight:  Jokers Wild
• Grant Gullickson:  Zarathustra (tie)
• Jiggs Lee:  Grasshoppers
• Dave Waggoner:  Crow
• Mike Flaherty:  Zarathustra
• Rudy Brown:  Soul Package
• Dennis Libby:  Blackwood Apology
• Jimmy Lawrence:  Danny’s Reasons (tie)
• Dervin Wallin:  Tradewinds

BEST SHOWMAN

• Danny Stevens:  Danny’s Reasons
• Larry Loud:  Marauders
• Grant Gullickson:  Zarathustra
• John Elms:  Sir Raleighs
• Dave Waggoner:  Crow
• Jiggs Lee:  Grasshoppers

BEST VOCAL GROUP

• Crow
• Blackwood Apology
• Choir Crystal
• Perspectives
• System
• Zarathustra
• Youngsters
• Danny’s Reasons
• Del Counts
• Pride and Joy

BEST SHOW GROUP

• Jokers Wild
• Sir Raleighs
• Zarathustra
• Mystics
• Crow
• Marauders
• Nickel Revolution
• Danny’s Reasons
• Perspectives

MAJOR AWARDS

BEST 21-AND OVER CLUB BAND

• Zarathustra
• Sages
• Danny’s Reasons (tie)
• David Mark Syndicate (tie)
• Amazers
• Joey Strobel
• Titans
• Johnny Raymond
• M.G Rupert
• Boiling Point
• X L Five

MOST PROMISING NEW BAND

• Bananas
• Blackwood Apology
• Zarathustra
• White Lightning
• Marauders
• Pride and Joy
• Soul Package
• Sir Raleighs
• Looking Glass
• Super Band
• Showtime Parts I & II

BEST BAND

• Zarathustra
• Jokers Wild
• Crow (formerly South 40)
• White Lightning
• Mystics
• Stillroven
• Del Counts

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The Mystics were the biggest winners, taking home eight Connies:

• Best Band of 1969
• Best Instrumental Group
• Best Drummer (Bill Lordan)
• Best Rhythm Guitar (Mike Stokes)
• Best Bass Guitar (Willie Weeks)
• Best Saxophone (Wes Haynes)
• Best Trumpet (Dave Hanson)
• Best Other Horn (Dave Hanson)

House of Leather was a big winner as well:

• Recording Engineer:  Bob Schultz
• A&R, Composer, and Most Versatile Musician:  Dale Menten
• Album of the Year
• Best Vocal Group:  Blackwood Apology