The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
The New Christy Minstrels are winners.
They won a Grammy for “Best Performance By A Folk Chorus” for their first album, “Presenting The New Christy Minstrels”, and they were so unique a new category had to be created just for them.
They are also still around, and will perform at the Buena Performing Arts Center on Jan. 20 in a benefit for the Arizona Folklore Preserve. Sierra Vista Mayor Bob Strain will emcee the event.
It is quite unusual for a world-famous group to work for no pay at all, even in a benefit performance. In this case, there’s good reason: one of the group’s touring members, who was also an original member of the New Christy Minstrels in the 1962-1963 era, is Dolan Ellis, founder and artist-in-residence of the Arizona Folklore Preserve. Ellis also has served as Arizona’s official state balladeer since 1966.
  
|
“I am thrilled and honored, far beyond anything I can express,” Ellis said. “I approached my Christies teammates about this concert and not only did they say ‘yes’ without hesitation, they all agreed to donate 100 percent of their time, their travel expenses, and, best of all, their tremendous talents to our cause.”
Randy Sparks is the group’s founder and inventor of the format.
“My 1961 innovation succeeded beyond anybody’s imagination, especially my own, and what made it unique also made it difficult to control or even tolerate, from a management point of view,” he said. “There were 10 soloists onstage, each vying for attention from the audience, but each, of necessity, being willing to yield to majority rule for those blockbuster group efforts, everybody singing and playing simultaneously. All were excellent singers, and all could sing solo parts, referred to as ‘step outs.’ All played musical instruments very well. Energy was high, and the shows were fun.”
The above is still true, except the number of performers has shrunk to seven or eight. In Sierra Vista, The New Christy Minstrels shall consist of Sparks, Ellis, three other original members and three newer members.
As soon as the first album, “Presenting the New Christy Minstrels”, was released, Columbia Records management was abuzz about their new property. Sparks’ idea had been to perform onstage as a consequence to the demand created by airplay of the recordings, but Columbia wanted and demanded the process be reversed. They wanted the group’s personal appearances to help them sell the records.
The first signed performance contract was huge, in effect, starting at the very top. They were to be the opening act for Andy Williams and Henry Mancini at The Greek Theater in Los Angeles. Nevermind that there was no act, these folks had never performed together, except in the recording studio, but help was on the way. Andy Williams was just about to begin his first season with his new TV program, and he asked the group to audition for a regular spot on the show.
The New Christy Minstrels appeared for a full season on the “Andy Williams Show”. The hourlong program aired weekly and featured musical numbers and skits by Williams, the New Christy Minstrels, and guest artists. Williams’ guests were like the “Who’s Who of American Entertainers” — Sammy Davis Jr., Andy Griffith, Bette Davis, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and Bob Newhart, to name but a few. The Christies worked with almost all of the guest artists.
The group was exceedingly busy, rehearsing for the “Andy Williams Show” on weekday mornings, appearing live on the show Thursday evenings, working in the recording studio most afternoons and they released three albums in that first year, appearing regularly, nightly at the Troubadour in West Los Angeles, and later on the road every weekend to college campuses and other large venues. They played Carnegie Hall. They played the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles. They were at the Latin Quarter in New York for two weeks, and while there, were photographed for Life Magazine.
The five originals who will appear in Sierra Vista are Sparks, Ellis, Jackie Miller Davidson, Art Podell and Clarence Treat. The newer members are Becky Jo Benson, Buffalo Bill Boycott, and Chuck Cole.
There is a nostalgic element, but it goes beyond because of the music. Some of the songs are their hits from the 1960s. One can expect to hear “This Land is Your Land”, “Today”, “Green, Green”, “Denver”, “Saturday Night”, “Mighty Mississippi” and others.
A newer song is a Sparks composition, one of hundreds he has penned. The song, “Just Americans”, describes beautifully how racial and other lines that divided our society were blurred after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
The New Christy Minstrels will be offering their new CD, “Recycled: What’s Old Is New”, for sale at the concert. This CD features new versions of their biggest hits, plus a new version of Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction,” and the first recording of Randy Sparks’ “Just Americans.”
Where to get tickets
Show time at Buena will be 3 p.m., and doors will open at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $30 per person.
Tickets are available at Spur Western Wear in Sierra Vista and Benson. Or you may call 378-6165 or send an e-mail to reservations@arizonafolklore.com to make arrangements to purchase tickets at the Arizona Folklore Preserve.
Tickets also may be purchased online at www.arizonafolklore.com/ncm.htm, or by sending a check to Arizona Folklore Preserve, P.O. Box 235, Sierra Vista AZ 85636. Please include a telephone number and/or email address with your mail order.
For information, visit www.arizonafolklore.com/ncm.htm, or call 378-6165.
Dolan Ellis wrote on Jan 3, 2008 9:36 AM:
Dolan Ellis
Arizona's Official State Balladeer
Founder of the Arizona Folklore Preserve "