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Connie Awards: 1970

Twin Cities Music Highlights Posted on by

BACKGROUND

The Connie Awards were created, 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!

 

DATE:  June 1, 1970

PLACE:  International Ballroom, Pick-Nicollet Hotel, Minneapolis

HOST:  John Pete, KQRS Program Director

NOTES:

  • Music by Dick Whitbeck and his Orchestra
  • The Sir Douglas Quintet performed.
  • Michael’s Mystics provoked Connie Hechter’s ire when they didn’t show up.
  • Connie was also upset that WDGY did not promote the awards or attend.
  • Envelope Girls courtesy of the Patricia Stevens School
  • Presented by the Midwest Academy of Contemporary Music and Connie’s Insider.

GUEST SPEAKERS:

  • Jon Carroll, Assistant Editor, Rolling Stone Magazine
  • Vince Pernicano, Midwest Promotion Director, Warner Bros. – Seven-Arts
  • Bill Graham, Fillmore East and West was originally scheduled, but was replaced by Amos Heilicher

ACADEMY MEMBERS:

  • Torp’s Music
  • Traficante Music
  • The Prison
  • Audio Tech Recording Studio
  • Soma Records
  • Musicland Stores
  • Trestman Music
  • Schmitt Music
  • Pickwick International
  • Celann Publishing
  • Park Music
  • Heilicher Brothers
  • The Barn
  • Young America Clothing Stores
  • Minneapolis Musicians Association
  • St. Paul Musicians Association
  • Northwest Organ
  • J.L. Marsh Company

1970 Panel Participants were:

  • Randy Cook, WWTC
  • Ray Moss, KUXL
  • Charlie Boone, WCCO
  • Don Bleu, KDWB
  • John Pete, KQRS
  • Ira Heilicher
  • Ron Picollo of Columbia Record Sales

 

VOTING

Ballots were included in copies of two issues of Connie’s Insiders.  Every reader was entitled to vote twice.  Reader votes determined the five nominees for each category.  Winners were chosen from the nominees by the voting members of the Academy, and by a select group of musicians who were knowledgeable on the pop music talent in the market.  Voting members of the Academy were ballrooms and clubs.  Readers were asked not to vote in the recording category if they were not familiar with it.

NOMINEES AND WINNERS

Nominees are listed for each category.  The winner is the first one on the list (in bold) and the rest are listed as they appear in the program.  (Thanks, Mike Jann!)

RECORDING CATEGORY

BEST PRODUCER

  • Ira Heilicher for “Pain”
  • Orvold Forbord for “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin”
  • Jerry Adams for “Groovin’ is Easy”

BEST COMPOSER

  • Larry Weigand for “Evil Woman”
  • Jim Kane and Mark Gallager for “Future of the Past”
  • Jim Kan and Tom Murray for “Feeling”

ARTIST AND REPERTOIRE

  • Herb Pilhofer for “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’”
  • Jerry Adams for “Groovin’ is Easy”
  • Ira Heilicher for “Pain”

RECORDING ENGINEER

  • Tom Jung, Sound 80, for “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’”
  • Jerry Adams for “Groovin’ in Easy”
  • Roger Wilhelms for “Thundertree”
  • Bob Schultz for “Pain”

ALBUM

  • “Thundertree,” Thundertree

SINGLE

  • “Pain,” Mystics
  • “Groovin’ is Easy,” Dave Mark Syndicate
  • “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin,” Fenatiks
  • “Sunshine,” Cure of Ares

INSTRUMENTAL CATEGORY

BEST OTHER INSTRUMENT

  • Larry Ankrum, Marauders, Flute
  • Lonnie Knight, Flash Tuesday, Harp
  • Larry Loud, Marauders, Tambourine
  • Gary Anderson, Cricket, Harmonica
  • Jiggs Lee, Bananas, Tambourine

BEST OTHER HORN

  • Jerry Wolf, Pride and Joy, Trombone
  • Bob Haglund, Mystics, Trombone
  • Dave Hanson, Evolution, Trombone
  • Lee Smith, Sir Raleighs, Trombone

BEST TRUMPET

  • Eddie Shaw, Sir Raleighs
  • Bob Gurrola, Mystics
  • Dave Hanson, Evolution
  • Wally Warhol, Pride and Joy

BEST SAXOPHONE

  • Wes Hayne, Evolution
  • Larry Ankrum, Marauders
  • Andy Wilson, Pride and Joy
  • Larry Forbord, Fenatiks
  • Rick O’Dell, Sir Raleighs

BEST KEYBOARD INSTRUMENT

  • Gary Peterson, Marauders
  • Greg Maland, Jumbo
  • Gregg Inhofer, Pepper Fog
  • Butch Stokes, Mystics
  • Steve Solornonson, The Fenatiks
  • Mike Holm, The System
  • Bruce Jackson, Cricket
  • Dick Bert, Pride and Joy

BEST BASS GUITAR

  • Dick Hedlund, Zarathustra
  • Bob Jones, Jumbo
  • Kent Saunders, Dave Mark Syndicate
  • Tim McCarter, Pride and Joy
  • Bob Phalen, Del Counts
  • Wayne Cafanella, Sir Raleighs
  • Dick Erickson, the System

BEST RHYTHM GUITAR

  • Mike Stokes, Mystics
  • John Northrup, Marauders
  • Rick Johnson, Dave Mark Syndicate
  • Grant Meyer, The Fenatiks
  • Larry Seuss, Del Counts

BEST LEAD GUITAR

  • Chuck Dahle, Sir Raleighs
  • Lonnie Knight, Flash Tuesday
  • Zippy Caplan, White Lightning
  • Lloyd Forsberg, Bananas
  • Steve Miller, Del Counts
  • Larry Gamst, Sunshine World

BEST DRUMMER

  • Denny Craswell, Crow
  • Edgar Murphy, Mystics
  • Bill Gent, Danny’s Reasons
  • Kelly Vincent, Del Counts
  • Tom Murray, Litter
  • Rick LiaBrasten, Thundertree
  • John Hughes, Big Island

MOST VERSATILE MUSICIAN

  • Mike Holm, System
  • Jim Kogel, Marauders
  • Larry Ankrum, Marauders
  • Larry Forbord, Fenatiks
  • Dick Burt, Pride and Joy

BEST INSTRUMENTAL GROUP

  • Fenatiks
  • Marauders
  • Sir Raleighs
  • White Lightning
  • Dave Mark Syndicate
  • Pride and Joy
  • Mystics
  • Big Island
  • Pepper Fog

SHOW AND VOCAL CATEGORY

BEST MALE VOCAL

  • Dave Waggoner, Crow
  • Doug Maynard, Zarathustra
  • Jim Lawrence, Danny’s Reasons
  • Mickey Stanhope, White Lightning
  • Larry Seuss, Del Counts
  • Carl Bradley, Mystics
  • Danny Stevens, Danny’s Reasons
  • Dennis Teien, System
  • Johnny Elms, Sir Raleighs

BEST FEMALE VOCAL

  • Gale Winkler, Salt, Pepper and Spice
  • Sue Huble, Zarathustra
  • Tracy Black, Dave Mark Syndicate
  • Gale Young, 19th Amendment
  • Gwen Needham, Brave New World
  • Char Holman, Char and Maryann

BEST SHOWMAN

  • Danny Stevens, Danny’s Reasons
  • Larry Loud, Marauders
  • Jiggs Lee, Bananas
  • Dave Mark, Dave Mark Syndicate
  • Jim Lawrence, Danny’s Reasons
  • John Elms, Sir Raleighs

BEST VOCAL GROUP

  • Zarathustra
  • Danny’s Reasons
  • Del Counts
  •  Brave New World
  • Noys
  • System
  • Chesterfield Gathering

BEST SHOW GROUP

  • Sir Raleighs
  • Danny’s Reasons
  • Mystics
  • Fenatiks
  • Bananas
  • Zarathustra

MAJOR AWARDS

MOST PROMISING NEW BAND

  • Fenatiks  (tie)
  • Brave New World (tie)
  • Noys
  • Salt, Pepper and Spice
  • Pepper Fog
  • Chesterfield Gathering
  • Cricket

BEST BAND

  • Mystics
  • Marauders
  • Danny’s Reasons
  • Big Island
  • Sir Raleighs
  • Paisleys
  • Del Counts

BEST 21 AND OVER BAND

  • Sir Raleighs
  • Big Island
  • XL-5
  • Dave Mark Syndicate
  • Joey Strobel
  • Danny’s Reasons
  • Zarathustra

SPECIAL AWARDS

RECORD PROMOTION MAN OF THE YEAR

  • Timothy D. Kehr, Columbia Records
  • Jerry Bix, Heilicher Brothers
  • Pat Devine, Heilicher Brothers
  • Buddy Fritz, Jather Distributing
  • Doug Lee, Decca Records
  • Ira Heilicher, Heilicher Brothers.

 

Crow won a special award for “making it” on the national scene.

The Titans, house band at Duff’s, won an award for “consistently drawing the people who dance and drink.”

 

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