This is the fascinating story of the rock and roll music scandal that put Bay City on the front page of Rolling Stone magazine on May 28, 1970.

By Daniel Ralston with Gary J. Johnson

Chris White shakes his head and laughs when I show him the first photo. At 73, the bassist and songwriter for the reunited British psych-rock band the Zombies looks like a cool grandpa in black pants, blue dress shirt, and polar fleece vest — a sharp contrast from his septuagenarian bandmates who still sport leather jackets and tight pants. He adjusts his glasses and studies the image of the impostors, four flamboyantly dressed young men taken in 1969. We are backstage at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills last October and after this brief intermission, White will join the rest of the band onstage to play the band’s cult classic 1967 album Odessey and Oracle in its entirety.

I pull up another grainy photo from 1969 on my laptop: a traditional black and white press photo for the Original “Zombies” (in conspicuous scare quotes), autographed. There are only four guys pictured despite the fact that the Zombies were a five-piece. I inform White that the two young men wearing cowboy hats are Dusty Hill and Frank Beard from the legendary Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top, although the names D. Cruz and Chris Page are scrawled over them. The real Zombies would have never worn cowboy hats. 

The Zombies quietly disbanded when Odessey and Oracle failed to make the charts. Nobody even saw fit to correct the unintentionally misspelled “Odessey” on the record’s cover, viewed in hindsight as typical psychedelic-era wordplay. Almost two years after their breakup, after little fanfare and two failed singles, the band’s U.S. label, Date Records, decided to release the track “Time of the Season” as a last-ditch effort; the song went to No. 1 in Cashbox and No. 3 on the Billboard chart and the Zombies were suddenly in demand.

The Zombies, unaware of their stateside success — this was possible in 1969 — had already moved on to new musical projects or day jobs. This vacuum meant anyone could tour the United States pretending to be the Zombies, even a four-piece blues band from Dallas. As the Beatles and Stones went from garage and blues rock beginnings to more adventurous music, the Zombies took their early, more raucous hits (“She’s Not There,” “Tell Her No”) and refined them. But replicating a refined sound was hardly the priority.

There were in fact two different bands touring the United States in 1969 calling themselves the Zombies. Both impostor groups were managed by the same Bay City company, Delta Promotions, the owners of which insisted they’d legally acquired the songs of the Zombies and other bands. It was an operation that would be impossible to attempt today, perpetrated in an era when fans didn’t have unlimited access to artists’ whereabouts, or, in some cases, even know what they looked like.

Read the rest of the story and find out how future members of ZZ Top along with a popular band from the Upper Peninsula became involved in the scheme: https://michiganrockandrolllegends.com/index.php/blog/312-zz-top-and-bay-city-s-fake-zombies-scandal

by Sam Fitzpatrick

On July 21, 2019, during the Tall Ships Festival, Avram Golden, local artist, photographer, and business owner of Avram Golden of Golden Gallery, captured a once-in-a-lifetime photo of a Great Lakes Blue Whale breaching by the Liberty Bridge.

Avram was standing at the northern end of Wenonah Park with his camera in hand watching the Picton Castle depart the festival. He reported that around 5 PM the Liberty Bridge had risen creating a traffic back-up. After snapping a few shots, Avram remembered hearing a crowd of onlookers raise their voices and point. In the wake of the Picton Castle, there seemed to be a disturbance just under the surface. Avram picked up his camera and pointed the lens at the ship. The disturbance was now on the starboard side. After taking several pictures, a Great Lakes Blue Whale breached the surface of the river. Gasps and shouts came from the crowds amassed on the bridge and riverfronts. The whale thundered back down into the water, splashing the crew onboard the Picton Castle.

 

This was a rare sighting indeed. The Great Lakes Blue Whales (Balaenoptera freshush) are a rare species of whale closely related to their saltwater cousins, the Blue Whale, or Balaenoptera musculus.  These whales rarely make an appearance above the surface, and the fact that this happened during a major event makes it all the rarer. Great Lakes Blue Whales are believed to have swum up the St. Laurence River millennia ago, possibly during the end of the last Ice Age. If true, this would place them in the Euryhaline category, or marine animals that can breathe a variety of salinities.

Sailors from Bay County—past and present—have shared stories about seeing these majestic creatures breach the surface of the water but rarely had a camera at hand. Avram’s quick snapping and timing could not have been more perfect.

The Great Lakes Blue Whales typically keep to themselves but have been known to stir up trouble with humans. One story from The Bay City Times details how the SS Fictus Navis encountered such a whale on the Saginaw Bay between Charity Island and Sand Point during the spring of 1887. Unfortunately, the whale was too close and caused the ship to nearly capsize. It was merely a close call, and the ship sailed to Bay Port for emergency repairs. 

 

The now-famous image has been on the covers of Rolling Stone, Time, National Geographic, and The National Enquirer. 

Alright—if you’ve made it this far and haven’t figured it out, April Fools from the BCHS! There are no whales on the Great Lakes.

 

Sources:

“Local photographer captures once in a lifetime shot”. The Bay City Times. July 40, 2019.

“Vessel suffers damage; nearly capsized”. The Bay City Times-Press. May 35, 1887.

“Fictus Navis reaches Halifax unscathed”. The Bay City Times-Press. June 12 ½ , 1887.

“Fictus Navis whale story bogus; captain just inebriated”. The Boston Herald. October 200, 1888.

“Michigan photographer catches rare sight”. Detroit Free Press. July 36, 2019.

“Nova Scotian vessel nearly struck by Great Lakes Blue Whale”. Halifax Examiner. July 32, 2019.

“Wait—the Great Lakes have whales?!”. The New York Times. August 0, 2019.

”No, there aren’t whales in the lakes!”. The Muskegon Chronicle. September 33, 2019.

by Jamie Kramer

Frederick Staudacher married Rosina Barbara Arnold on November 25, 1886 in Frankenlust Township, MI.[1]

Here are the bride and groom in their wedding attire.  The bride beautifully adorned in her gown, possibly silk, with lace embellishments around the collar, cuffs, and layered in the pleats of the skirt.  Buttons trail along the front of the bodice.  Flowers are gathered around her veil and pinned at the gathered lace at her shoulders.  It finishes with a bustle in back with a train.  The groom wears a plain suit common for the 1880s with matching flowers pinned to his lapel. 

After their marriage, they lived on State Road which eventually became Salzburg.[1] On August 13, 1888, they welcomed a baby girl and named her Lydia Staudacher.[2]  In 1891, Walter Frederick Staudacher was born.[3] Their sister, Ethel followed on September 12, 1894.[4] 

This photograph, taken sometime around 1895, includes L-R: Rosina Staudacher née Arnold, Ethel Staudacher, Lydia Staudacher, Walter Staudacher, and Fred Staudacher.

Another baby girl, Ottilie Staudacher, was born in March of 1898.[1]  In 1899, tragedy struck the family when their 11 year old daughter, Lydia, died of Cerebral Meningitis on November 5.[2]

In 1900, the family has a farm and still lives in the same location on State in West Bay City. Rosina’s mother Barbara Arnold is now living with them.[3] During this time Fred is employed as a Teamster.  According to teamster.org, “In, 1900, the typical teamster worked 12-18 hours a day, seven days a week for an average wage of $2.00 per day.”[4] They would haul loads of various goods by horse-drawn wagon. 

On October 07, 1902, they welcomed their last child, Irene Staudacher.  Sadly, she lived only 5 days.[5]

In 1910, the family was still living on Salzburg with three children at home.  Fred worked as a Forman and appears to have been involved with building the county Stone Road.  Walter, 19 at this time, was also working on building roads.[6] By 1920, Walter is living outside of the home.  Fred is still working as a Foreman for Stone Road, Ethel is a school teacher, and Ottilie is listed as a laborer at the sugar company.[7] In 1920, they have a house full.  Their daughters Ethel and Ottilie both live in the home in addition to Ottilie’s new husband, Julius J. Reutter, and their children Eilieen, Lucile, and Kathryn.[8]

On October 2, 1938, at 75 years of age, and after a year battle with lung cancer, Rosina Barbara Staudacher née Arnold, died.[9] 

“Old Resident of Salzburg is Dead: Mrs. Rosina B. Staudacher Succumbs Sunday.  Mrs. Rosina B. Staudacher…a pioneer resident of Bay County, died at 2:30 a.m. Sunday at her home, 910 Salzburg Avenue.  She had been ill for some time and continue to bed since last May.  Death was the result of complications arising from age.  Mrs. Staudacher was born March 28, 1863, in Frankenmuth, and came to Bay County as a child with her parents.  She lived in Monitor and Kawkawlin townships until her marriage…to Fred Staudacher.  Since then they have made their home at Salzburg Avenue address.  She was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church and the Ladies’ Aid Society…”[10]

Fred Staudacher died four years later on February 16, 1943.[11]

“Fred Staudacher Dies at Age of 85: Was Lifelong Resident of Salzburg Area. Frederick Staudacher, 85, lifelong resident of Salzburg and for more than 50 years a builder of macadamized roads in Bay County, died at his home, 910 Salzburg Avenue, Tuesday afternoon at 3:45 o’clock.  Death occurred at the same address where he was born Jan. 24, 1858, and resulted from coronary thromboses, from which he had suffered for more than four years.  Mr. Staudacher, son of pioneer Bay County parents, frequently recalled incidents in early county history, such as the arrival of the first train here, use of ferries to cross the Saginaw River, and the way in which the first hard-surface road, from Euclid Avenue to Frankenlust, on which he worked, was built by crushing large stones by hand mallets, and fitting the pieces into the roadbed.”[12]

 

 

 

 

By Gary Johnson

The emergence of The Beatles and the other British Invasion bands prompted the formation of countless young bands in Bay City and in other communities all across the state. Band Canyon and the other teen clubs that sprouted up in Michigan around the same time provided an opportunity for these fledgling groups to play in front of large gatherings of their peers.

Forming a band and then keeping it together were two entirely different chores, however, and many of these young bands faded away almost as quickly as they had come together. The reasons were varied. They included lack of musical ability, getting drafted, going away to college, having a full-time job, girlfriend/boyfriend relationship issues, lack of money, an unexpected pregnancy, an unwillingness to fully commit to the band lifestyle, or the often-cited musical differences.

A few of the teen bands that played at Band Canyon recorded singles before they broke up. These were usually released on small, local, independent labels in the hope of garnering some radio airplay on AM radio stations in the Tri-City area or to sell at their gigs.  Most did not leave audio records of their existence and became one of the countless "lost bands" of the 1960s, living on in old photos, faded clippings, and in the memories of those who saw them play.

The Vibrations

Image: Vibrations, provided by Gary Johnson

The Vibrations had the distinction of being the first Bay City band to play at Band Canyon in the summer of 1965. Based on their local reputation, which included a number of gigs at Daniel’s Den in Saginaw, the band was hired to back national recording star Freddy Cannon during his performances during Band Canyon’s grand opening weekend on July 2^nd and 3^rd. The band had recently changed its name from The Counterpoints to The Vibrations, and had performed for the first time under their new moniker at a Memorial Day dance at the Caseville Roller Rink with another area band called ? and the Mysterians.

Cannon had first gained fame in 1959 with his Top Ten hit “Tallahassee Lassie” on Swan Records. Dick Clark, who was part-owner of the Philadelphia label, promoted the song heavily on American Bandstand and brought Cannon to Detroit for the first time later that summer as one of the artists performing on Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars at the Michigan State Fair. 

Freddy Cannon’s appearances at Band Canyon in 1965 were timely. Now signed to Warner Bros. Records, his latest single, “Action”, was the theme song for Dick Clark’s new music-based TV show Where The Action Is. The program had debuted on the ABC network on June 27^th at 4:30 on weekday afternoons, and its popularity would help drive “Action” to # 13 on the Hot 100 later that summer.

Although it sounded like a dream gig for The Vibrations, drummer Bruce Sherbeck recalled in a recent interview that the experience of playing behind Cannon was not that enjoyable.

Read the rest of the story about Bay City’s Lost Bands: The Vibrations, The Intruders, The Mustangs, and The Trespassers by visiting the MICHIGAN ROCK AND ROLL LEGENDS.

 

By David K. Hohenstein

Douglas Harry Hesseltine was born in Flint in 1943 to parents Harry and Hilda Hesseltine. He was the second of five children. While he was still a young child, his family embarked on a voyage, sailing from the Great Lakes to Florida and living in a boat for almost three years. In 1948, the family returned to Michigan and settled in Bay City. They lived out of the boat while they built their house. Young Douglas grew up in Bay City and attended Handy High School. During that time, he met Patricia Baumgarten who attended Central High School. They married in 1961, the same year he graduated from high school. The couple had three children together.

Patricia and Douglas both went on to study Art and graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Patricia became a social worker with a lifelong appreciation and love for art, while Douglas joined the faculty at the University of Michigan. He was an artist, designer and teacher in a nearly forty-year career. Beginning as an assistant professor, he grew into the University’s Director of Design. He created at least two distinct programs in which professional designers, students, local non-profit groups, and businesses could collaborate and learn from one another. He was an advocate for design, creativity, and education.

His obituary and those in his family relay their shared love for travel and the outdoors. He seems to have had a great influence on the many students he taught and lives he touched throughout his active career. In 2012, he passed away after battling with Parkinson’s disease for nearly a decade.

This painting, signed by Hesseltine and dated 1967, is part of the museum’s collection. It depicts a dilapidated shack set among grass and reeds with the tower of a lighthouse in the upper-left corner. Douglas was twenty-four years old when he painted it, showing a high degree of skill as a painter at a fairly young age. The scale of the work is impressive, at five feet across. The artist allowed his paint to speak. To run, to blend and break and to tell a certain truth about what he was depicting; a roughhewn, blown over, rugged and almost forgotten place. Rusty reds and browns, faded gray and shadowy black all might suggest that time has worn and emptied this place, but he wants us to see it before it is gone.

Sources:

Douglas Hesseltine Obituary, Bay City Times. October 18th, 2015.

Hilda Hesseltine Obituary, Bay City Times. January 2nd, 2017.

Patricia Doreen Hesseltine Obituary, Legacy.com Bay City Times. December 18th-19th, 2022.

Lai, Theresa. “Art Class Aids Non-Profit Groups” The Michigan Daily. Thursday, March 10th. 1988.

Schonholz, Stephanie. “Art School helps business market.” The Michigan Daily. Thursday, February 1st, 2001.