Jim Holvay

Jimmy Soul early 70s

_________

Jim Holvay

Background Information

Born May 16, 1945 Chicago, Illinois, United States

Genres Soul, rhythm and blues, pop and rock

Instruments Guitar, fender p bass, lead and background vocals

Years active 1961-present

Labels Terry Records, Constellation Records, Destination Records, Red Bird Records, Ginny Records, Cha Cha Records, Chess Records, Barry Records, Debby Records, Ivanhoe Records, Jewel Records, Delaware Records, Limelight Records, Chi Town Records, Philips Records, Toddlin Town Records, USA Records, Cameo/Parkway Records, Columbia Records, Mercury Records, Daylight Records, Twinight Records, Colossus Records, Polydor Records, MGM Records, Motown Records, Private Stock Records, Odyssey Record Corp, Sundazed Records, Ace Records, Agave Entertainment.

Associated acts The Rockin’ Rebels, Jimmy And The Jesters, The MayBees, The Chicagoans, The Livers, Jimmy Peterson, The Executives, Kane And Abel, Chicky And The Nobles, The Thunderbirds, Ral Donner, Dee Clark, Brian Hyland, Mousie And The Traps, Mike And Michael, The Chicago Fire, The Missing Links, The Thunderballs, Mike Nelson, Loreen Church, The MOB, The Buckinghams, Billy Eckstine, Donovan James, Jonna, Eastside Heartbeats

BIOGRAPHY

James Steven Holvay (born May 16, 1945) a.k.a. “Jimmy Soul” is an American songwriter and musician best known for writing “Kind Of A Drag”[1], a number one hit for The Buckinghams.  He is one of the founding members of The MOB, the first rock band ever to perform at a Presidential Inaugural Concert & Ball.

Holvay has co-written other songs for The Buckinghams (Don’t You Care, Hey Baby They’re Playing Our Song, Susan)[2] and other artists including The MOB (I Dig Everything About You, Give It To Me)[3].  His latest compositions can be heard in the 2016 production Eastside Heartbeats, A New Rock ‘N’ Roll Musical inspired by the story of Cannibal and the Headhunters opening for The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl in 1965.[4]

The Early Years

Before his teen years while attending St. Barbara School in Brookfield, Jim’s brother Dennis brought home the vinyl 78rpm “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley And His Comets, that accelerated Jimmy’s interest.

With money saved, Jim bought his first guitar along with a Mel Bay chord book at the age of 12. Dennis found out the frustrations about how hard it was to push the strings down to the fret board and had an idea. When their father asked Dennis what he thought Jimmy would like for Christmas that year the answer was a better guitar. That Christmas Jim unwrapped the princely sum of $75, a Hofner archtop guitar. That spring, Dennis suggested to his father that Jimmy would like a DeArmond pickup and a Supro amplifier for Jim’s birthday.

In 7th grade he formed The Rockin’ Rebels. His first paying gig was at the opening of a Go-Kart Shop in Lyons, IL.  A couple years of guitar lessons plus a recording session featuring two blues-progression instrumentals, Jim entered Lyons Township High School as a freshman in 1959.  Then, he played played in a group called Jimmy & The Jesters.  His father drove him to Record Row on the south side of Chicago. Within a few blocks of each other were the labels Vee Jay, Constellation, King and Chess Records.  Jim met Chess Records A&R Willie Dixon with his acetate tape in hand.  Even though Jim was turned down, to his advantage, he received constructive criticism that would help him.  Jim also met Leonard Chess and Curtis Mayfield who influenced Jim’s songwriting and guitar playing.  While in high school, he purchased a sunburst-finish Fender Stratocaster, played and recorded a couple of songs on Terry Records with an Aurora band named The MayBees and met his longtime collaborator, Gary Beisbier.  During his junior and senior years, Holvay connected with Jim Lounsbury, the local TV dance show host, and played at the Lounsbury record hops throughout Chicagoland, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin.  Holvay graduated in 1963 and joined a band called The Chicagoans with Gary.

In the summer of ’63, The Chicagoans became the house band on “Danceville, U.S.A.” Lounsbury’s weekly live tv show. In the fall, the group moved to New York and played The Peppermint Lounge, The Metropole Cafe and Arthur’s Tavern.  The Chicagoans went on tour traveling to countless venues across the U.S. and Canada.  One recording session yielded an instrumental written by Holvay and Beisbier titled “Beatle Time.”  WLS Program Director Clark Weber suggested the group should be called The Livers (referring to Liverpool) and the record charted on the Silver Dollar Survey in the spring of 1964.  After tours playing ballrooms thru out the midwest backing up Terry Stafford, Chubby Checker & Nino Tempo & April Stevens the group moved to San Francisco. Then, they worked clubs in North Beach (pre-”Monterey”) alongside Sly Stewart & his Mojo Men, The Beau Brummels, Pat & Lolly Vegas, The Gauchos, The Nooney Rickett 4. Afterwards, Jim returned home and registered for Junior College.

While in college, Jim wrote and produced various local artists, most notably, Ral Donner and Dee Clark. Then Jim was offered a gig as the guitarist for the Dick Clark Caravan Of Stars.

Caravan Of Stars

The Executives had been playing as a back-up band for the 1964 Dick Clark Caravan of Stars tour. The line up was Jimmy Ford on trumpet, Mike Sistak on guitar, Dwight Kalb on drums, Wayne Erwin, a former member in Holvay & Beisbiers’ high school group, The MayBees, on bass replacing Ron Gately. In the fall of 1964, Wayne Erwin, the bass player, left the group and was replaced by Jimmy Guercio. Dwight Kalb on drums, also left the group to pursue his art career. Danny Seraphine, who lived a few blocks away from Dwight and was being mentored by him on drums, replaced Kalb. Guerico had befriended Wally Parazadier while attending DePaul University and later brought Wally into the band. Wally, in turn, brought Terry Kath into the band to play bass.

In January of 1965, more Dick Clark tours. Unfortunately, most of the Executives were attending college as the Vietnam War was raging and could not leave school. Ford needed to assemble a second Executive band to handle the road work. Jimmy Ford recruited Jim Holvay (guitar), Gary Beisbier (sax), Rick Panzer (trumpet), Bobby Ruffino (drums), Jimmy Guercio (bass), and Kevin Murphy (organ), who were all joined together to form The Executives #2 tour band.

1965 Caravan Of Stars – Unit 1

  • 4/15/1965 Orpheum Theater, Madison, WI: Del Shannon, Ad Libs, Shangri-Las, Jewel Aikens, Inkettes, The Larks. Mike Clifford
  • 4/17/1965 Auditorium, Milwaukee, WI: Del Shannon, Ad Libs, Shangri-Las, Jewel Aikens, Inkettes, The Larks. Mike Clifford
  • 4/21/1965 Fairgrounds Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN: Del Shannon, Ad Libs, Shangri-Las, Jewel Aikens, Inkettes, The Larks. Mike Clifford
  • 4/22/1965 E.A. Diddle Arena, West Kentucky State College, Bowling Green, KY: Del Shannon, Ad Libs, Shangri-Las, Jewel Aikens, Inkettes, The Larks. Mike Clifford
  • 4/23/1965 Fair & Exposition Center, Louisville, KY: Del Shannon, Ad Libs, Shangri-Las, Jewel Aikens, Inkettes, The Larks. Mike Clifford
  • 4/25/1965 Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 4/26/1965 Murray State College, Murray, KY: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 4/27/1965 Memphis Coliseum, Memphis, TN: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 4/28/1965 Eau Claire, WI: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 4/29/1965 Gold’s Department Store, Lincoln, NB: Mike Clifford, Ad Libs, Jewel Aikens, Jimmy Soul
  • 4/29/1965 Pershing Auditorium, Lincoln, NB: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 4/30/1965 Sioux City, IA: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/1/1965 City Auditorium, St. Joseph, MO: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/2/1965 Civic Auditorium Arena, Omaha, NE: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/3/1965 Memorial Hall, Salina, KS: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/4/1965 Lawrence Stadium, Lawrence, KS: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/5/1965 The Pit, Bronco Bowl, Dallas, TX: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/6/1965 Austin, TX: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/7/1965 Heart of Texas Coliseum, Waco, TX: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/8/1965 San Antonio, TX: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/9/1965 Music Hall, Houston, TX: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/10/1965 San Angelo, TX: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/11/1965 Ft. Worth, TX: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/12/1965 Odessa, TX: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/13/1965 Municipal Auditorium, Amarillo TX: Del Shannon, Zombies, Shangri-Las, DeeDee Sharp, The Larks
  • 5/14/1965 Denver, CO: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/15/1965 The Lagoon, Farmington, UT: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/16/1965 Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/17/1965 Melodyland, Anaheim, CA: Del Shannon, Zombies, Shangri-Las, DeeDee Sharp, The Larks, Jewel Aikens
  • 5/18/1965 Santa Barbara, CA: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/19/1965 Centennial Coliseum, Reno, NV: Del Shannon, Zombies, Shangri-Las, DeeDee Sharp, The Larks, Jewel Aikens
  • 5/20/1965 Merced, CA: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/21/65 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, CA: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/22/1965 Armory, Salem, OR: Del Shannon, Zombies, Shangri-Las, DeeDee Sharp, The Larks, Jewel Aikens
  • 5/23/65 Spokane, WA: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/30/65 Minot, SD: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 5/31/65 Grafton, ND: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford
  • 6/1/65 Winnipeg, Canada: Zombies, Del Shannon, Shangri-Las, Dee Dee Sharp, Jewel Aikens, Tommy Roe
  • 6/2/65 Minneapolis, MN: Del Shannon, Zombies, The Larks, Ikettes, DeeDee Sharp, Shangri-Las, Tommy Roe, Ad Libs, Velvettes, Jimmy Soul, Executives, Jewel Aikens, Mel Carter, Mike Clifford

1965 Caravan Of Stars – Summer Tour

  • 7/2/1965 Swing Auditorium, Orange Show Grounds, San Bernadino, CA: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/6/1965 Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/8/65 Memorial Auditorium, Fresno, CA: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/10/1965 Fairgrounds, Exhibition Building, Phoenix, AZ: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/11/65 Liberty Hall, El Paso, TX: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/13/65 The Pit, Bronco Bowl, Dallas, TX: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/14/65 Memorial Hall, Salina, KS: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Ian Whitcomb
  • 7/15/65 Rosenblatt Stadium, Omaha, NE: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Ian Whitcomb
  • 7/16/65 Gold’s Department Store, Lincoln, NB: Brian Hyland, Mel Carter
  • 7/16/65 Pershing Auditorium, Lincoln, NB: Peter & Gordon, Ray Peterson, Brian Hyland, Mel Carter, Ronnie Dove, Fred Hughes, Ian Whitcomb, Jackie DeShannon, Crystals
  • 7/19/65 Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/19/65 Municipal Auditorium, Topeka, KS: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/21/65 Orpheum Theater, Madison, WI: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/23/65 The Other Unicorn, Benton Harbor, MI: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/25/65 Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN: Peter & Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Drifters, Paul Peterson, Brian Hyland, Executives, Mel Carter, Fred Hughes, Ronnie Dove, Crystals, Tommy Quigley
  • 7/29/65 Fairgrounds Coliseum, Louisville, KY: Peter & Gordon, Ray Peterson, Brian Hyland, Mel Carter, Ronnie Dove, Ian Whitcomb, Jackie DeShannon, Shirelles, Drifters, Fred Hughes, Jimmy Ford

1965 Caravan Of Stars – Fall Tour

  • 8/3/65 Raleigh Co. Armory, Beckley, WV: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/x/1965 Steel Pier, Atlantic City, NJ: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/5/65 Memorial Auditorium, Greenville, SC: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/9/65 Memorial Auditorium, Raleigh, NC: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/14/65 Convention Hall, Conneaut Lake Park, OH: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/15/1965 Civic Center, Charleston, WV: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Jive Five, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/16/65 National Guard Armory, Sandusky, OH: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/17-18/1965 Arie Crown Theatre, Chicago, IL: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/23/65 Tiger Stadium, Hopkinsville, KY: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/25/65 City Auditorium, Atlanta, GA: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/25/65 Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/26/65 Coliseum, Florence, AL: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/27/1965 Coliseum, Ohio State Fair, Columbus, OH: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/xx/1965 Akron, OH: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/29/1965 Memorial Stadium Terra Haute, IN: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 8/31/1965 Onondaga Co. War Memorial, Syracuse, NY: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 9/2/65 Bushnell Auditorium, Hartford, CT: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice
  • 9/9/65 Boys Club Auditorium, Pittsfield, MA: Peter & Gordon, Tom Jones, Turtles, Shirelles, Ronnie Dove, Mel Carter, Brian Hyland, Billy Joe Royal, Jimmy Ford & Executives, Jimmy Rice, Timothy Rice (cancelled)

Holvay worked as a permanent guitarist on the Dick Clark Caravan Of Stars tour, criss-crossed the US and Canada in Greyhound buses and backed-up artists. The Caravan Of Stars was a road show featuring some of the most popular stars and musical groups produced and presented by Dick Clark. Also, Jimmy did smaller Dick Clark spring tours in the Midwest and Canada with Brian Hyland, Shirley Ellis and The Coasters.

While on the Caravan Of Stars tour buses and motel rooms, Jim and Brian Hyland wrote more than a dozen songs together. The first song from the writing sessions was released on Phillips Records 40306 “Stay Away From Her”.

  • “Bad Days” …BMI #2621034
  • “Chi Boy” …(EU16751) RE0000690236
  • “Don’t Give Up Now” …(EU45022) RE0000726254
  • “Even If She Doesn’t Love Me” …(EU0000045021) RE0000726253
  • “Standing On The Edge Of Love” …BMI #2621034

Brian Hyland “One Night Jimmy”

Later, Jim enrolled back in junior college.

The MOB first to feature The Chicago Horn Rock Sound

One goal was to help finance school tuition by playing clubs with a “dream” band. November 1965, Sistak posed the question to Holvay. “Jim. If you could wave a magic wand, what kind’ve a group would you put together?” Holvay responded, “I’d put together an ass-kicking horn band with the best musicians I could find. We’d play soul music and have the greatest live show that ever existed. It’s never been done before.” After seeing an old gangster movie on a late night movie TV channel on WGN, Holvay came up with the concept for the group. The name of that old movie was called The MOB. The group will have a full blown horn section, singers, etc., so there’ll be a mob of people on stage. Being from a gangster town, the group will wear pinstripe suits, black shirts, white ties and carnations.

WLS Radio may have been the first station to break “Cherish” by The Association, which went to number one and subsequently spread across the country. The record label flew The Association out to Chicago to thank the jocks at the station for playing the record and making it number one. After their visit to the radio station, Terry Kirkman and the guys said that they asked who the hot band was in town. The jocks told the fellas, “Go see The MOB out at a club near O’Hare”. (i.e. The Wine and Roses) The MOB met The Association and became good friends, which resulted in The MOB becoming their opening act on a lot of their college dates (years later, The Association’s manager Pat Collechio, became The MOB’s manager).

The Association flew back home to LA and told Capitol Records that they need to sign this great band which they had just seen in Chi Town. Within a few weeks, The MOB recorded in Studio A at the famous Capitol Records tower on Vine Street in Hollywood. It may have been believe Nik Venet who produced three songs that Gary and Jimmy had written. After that session, The MOB flew back home to continue residency at The Wine and Roses and waited to hear what the verdict was on our newly created horn rock sound. Note, at that time, every group in Chicago consisted of two guitars, bass and drums or maybe a Vox organ or a sax.

Sal Innucci (the then President of Capitol Records) heard the traks and said, “Dump the horns and add more guitars”. The group wasn’t going to do that because that’s not who the group was. The MOB felt they had something different and unique that would separate us from all of the Beatle influenced bands there were happening at the time.

Songwriting

Carl Bonafede was a Chicago band promoter for weekly dances at local ballrooms.  He managed The Buckinghams when Carl gave Jim a call.  Carl told Jim that The Buckinghams covered Beatles songs and Jim replied that he wrote R&B/soul songs.  Later Carl with a Wollensak tape recorder, found Jim at a club where, in the dressing room, he played his “pop genre” tune on an acoustic guitar. Months later “Kind Of A Drag” was on WLS Radio.  Turns out that the producer added horns to the song because of hearing The MOB perform at clubs around town.

South Dakota Rock And Roll Music Association Inductee

Located in Sioux Falls, SD during the 70’s was the renown showroom, the Macomba Club. Top acts played the club and The MOB is said to be, the most booked act and the biggest draws that the Macomba Club had. October 2010, Don Fritz, President of the South Dakota Rock & Roll Music Association informed that The MOB was selected under the category “bands”. Inducted April 16, 2011 at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall in Sioux Falls, SD more than 2,000 people in attendance saw and heard The MOB in person, their first reunion in 35 years.[5]

Eastside Heartbeats, A New Rock ‘N’ Roll Musical

Jim was interviewed by Tom Waldman for a 2014 KLCS-TV PBS episode of Rock ‘N Roll Stories. Tom co-wrote the 1998 book Land Of A Thousand Dances: Chicano Rock ‘N’ Roll From Southern California with David Reyes. Waldman wrote a script based on the music scene of East L.A. in the sixties and showed Holvay. Tom then asked Jim to compose music for the play. The tunes were to feel like Cannibal & the Headhunters’ “Land of a 1,000 Dances” but original. The songs, sung by an unknown group following their dream and opening for a group like The Beatles at a venue similar to the Hollywood Bowl in 1965. Holvay worked with David Reyes, Rudy Salas and Tom Waldman resulting in the soundtrack of Eastside Heartbeats available on iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Play, Spotify and more.

Jim Holvay’s Songwriter Discography (limited label composer credits)

  • Billy Eckstine – I Dig Everything About You – Motorcity Records MOTC LP41 (1990)
  • Brian Hyland – One Night Jimmy – Phillips PHM 200-217 (1966)
  • Brian Hyland – Stay Away From Her – Phillips 40306 (1965)
  • Buchanan – Kind Of A Drag – Hit Records 277 (1967)
  • Chick And The Nobles – Island For Two – USA 772 (1964)
  • Cisse – Kind Of A Drag – Scandia SLP 669 (1979)
  • Cisse Häkkinen – Kind Of A Drag – Sonet Grammofon AB ‎– SLP-3047 (1979)
  • Dee Clark – I Can’t Run Away – Constellation C-155 (1965)
  • Dee Clark – She’s My Baby –  Constellation C-155 (1965)
  • Donovan James
  • Eastside Heartbeats – We’re the Eastside Heartbeats Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – They Don’t Know Me Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – Doing It Our Way Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – It’s All Good Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – Stars By ’66 Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – Bad Dads Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – Don’t Screw up (La La Song) Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – We Got Fans Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – Thank You Mr. Epstein Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – We Are One Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – If You Only Knew Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – Take Me Back to the Eastside Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Eastside Heartbeats – We Got Fans (Reprise) Agave Entertainment, llc (2016)
  • Father Time – Another Summer To Remember – Impala C-T 4 (xxxx)
  • Frank Pizani – Candy And Me – Chi-Town C-T-3 (1976)
  • Image – Kind Of A Drag – Chaparral 552 (xxxx)
  • Jimmy Peterson
  • J.E.F ‎– Japanese Electric Foundation – Don’t You Care – Popsize PTP-90393 (1986)
  • Jonna – Like It Is – Puppet Records & Yume Records FITROCD013 (2015)
  • Kane And Abel – Break Down And Cry – Destination 607 (1965)
  • Kane And Abel – He Will Break Your Heart – Red Bird 10-059 (1966)
  • Kane And Abel – Life Of The Party – Destination 619 (1966)
  • Loreen Church – Put Down – Barry B-3355X (1965)
  • Mike And Michael – My Neighborhood – Constellation C-156 (1964)
  • Mike And Michael – Where Have You Been – Constellation C-156 (1964)
  • Mike And Michael – My Neighborhood – Manhattan M-36 (1964)
  • Mike And Michael – Where Have You Been – Manhattan M-36 (1964)
  • Mike Nelson – I Dig Everything About You – Thunder Tummy MN-101 (1974)
  • Mousie & The Traps – How About You – Toddlin’ Town 8204 (1966)
  • Mousie & The Traps – It’s All In The Way (You Look At It Baby) – Toddlin’ Town 8204 (1966)
  • Ral Donner – It Will Only Make Me Love You More – Red Bird RB 10-057 (1966)
  • The Buckinghams – Don’t You Care – Columbia 4-44053 (1967)
  • The Buckinghams – Hey Baby (They’re Playing Our Song) – Columbia 4-44254 (1967)
  • The Buckinghams – Kind Of A Drag – USA 860 (1966)
  • The Buckinghams – Love Ain’t Enough – USA 853 (1966)
  • The Buckinghams – Makin’ Up And Breakin’ Up – USA 848 (1966)
  • The Buckinghams – Makin’ Up And Breakin’ Up – USA 869 (1967)
  • The Buckinghams – Susan – Columbia 4-44378 (1967)
  • The Buckinghams – Why Don’t You Love Me – Columbia 4-44053 (1967)
  • The Chicago Fire – Come See What I’ve Got – USA 898 (1968)
  • The Chicago Fire – Candy And Me – USA 898 (1968)
  • The Chicagoans
  • The Chords – Don’t You Care – Hit Records 291 (1967)
  • The Executives
  • The Illinois Tollway – Another Summer To Remember – Spectra Sound 101 (xxxx)
  • The Illinois Tollway – Candy And Me – Spectra Sound 101 (xxxx)
  • The Livers (The Chicagoans) – Beatle Time – Constellation C-118 (1964)
  • The Missing Links – Makin’ Up And Breaking Up – Signett 931S-6460 (1966)
  • The Missing Links – You Hypnotize Me – Signett 931S-6460 (1966)
  • The MOB
  • The Nobles – That Special One – USA 788 (1965)
  • The Outsiders – Kind Of A Drag – Capitol T-2636 (1967)
  • The Quests – She’s The One – Columbia 33OSX-7775 (1966)
  • The Thunderbirds – Before It’s Too Late – Delaware D-1710 (1965)
  • Thee Prophets – Kind Of A Drag – Kapp KS-3596 (1969)
  • Thunderballs – **S-P-E-C-T-R-E** – Ginny 901
  • Thunderballs – The Island – Ginny 901

References

  1. ^ The Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson
  2. ^ The Buckinghams – Chart History | Billboard
  3. ^ The MOB – Chart History | Billboard
  4. ^ Eastside Heartbeats
  5. ^ South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association

Sources

External Links

Lyons Township High School District 204 Hall Of Fame

Graduated in 1963, Inducted in 2012

James Holvay graduated from LT in 1963. At the age of 12, he bought his first guitar. At 13-years-old, he started his first band, called Jimmy & the Jesters. He began writing songs at age 15, and by age 19, he had more than 10 records released by other artists in the Chicagoland area. Immediately upon graduating from LT, Holvay began touring with a group called The Chicagoans, traveling to countless venues across the U.S. and Canada. He then worked as a permanent guitarist on the Dick Clark Rock & Roll Caravan of Stars tour and worked as a back-up artist for The Supremes, Tom Jones, Del Shannon and Gene Pitney. After touring, Holvay began his musical songwriting career, solo and co-writing songs that would continuously achieve national commendation. Holvay co-wrote four hits for The Buckinghams, who were named “The Most Listened to Band in America” in 1967 by Cashbox Magazine. All four songs reached hot-spots on the Billboard Magazine charts. “Kind of a Drag” climbed to #1 in 1967, remained #1 for two weeks and sold more than two million copies. “Don’t You Care?” and “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song” reached the #6 and the #10 spot on the Billboard Magazine charts 1967; both played on airwaves about 1,000,000 times each. “Susan” reached #8 status in 1967 and #2 on the Canadian music charts in 1968.

James Holvay 2012 LT Hall of Fame - Lyons Township High School District 204

***

Dee Clark “I Can’t Run Away”

written by J. Holvay arranged and conducted by Holvay, Beisbier & DeFrancesco

from the album “Take Care Of Business: The Constellation Masters 1963-1966” Solid Smoke Records

original 45 single C-155 (C-65-1006) 1965

***

Dee Clark “She’s My Baby”

written by J. Holvay arranged and conducted by Holvay, Beisbier & DeFrancesco

from “Take Care Of Business: The Constellation Masters 1963-1966” Solid Smoke Records

origanal 45 single C-155 (C-65-1007) 1965

***

Eastside Heartbeats “Stars By ’66“

Directed & Adapted to film by Marco Infante

Music & Lyrics by James Holvay

featured on the soundtrack “Eastside Heartbeats, a Rock & Roll Musical”

Produced by David Salas at the Salas Studios

Agave Records, available at iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Spotify.

Book by: Tom Waldman

***

Jonna “Like It Is”

written by Jonna, Nikki Forova and Jim Holvay

from “Sound Mind” released August 21, 2015 Puppet Records & Yume Records

Available at iTunes and Spotify.

***

Tudor Collegiate Strategies

EPISODE 23: ROCK-N-ROLL STAR JIM HOLVAY ON LEARNING HOW TO SELL

Selling For Coaches website: Jim Holvay

***

Demo Reel (“Greenback Dollar”)

Directed by Rohan Shand
Starring James Holvay

http://www.imdb.com/video/user/vi3865029913/

***

James Holvay “Working On It”

***

JamesHolvay.com   Facebook   Instagram.  Bandcamp.  Soundcloud

_________

WIKIPEDIA

  • Kind of a Drag
    “Kind of a Drag” is a song written by James Holvay and recorded by the Buckinghams. It was the title track of their debut LP. The single reached number
    5 KB (319 words) – 23:47, 6 April 2017
  • RJ Duets
    Dennis Tufano of The Buckinghams) (Gary Beisbier, James William Guercio, Jim Holvay) – 3:19 “Constantly” (with Jose Mari Chan) (Saverio Seracini) – 3:07 “Rosanna”
    4 KB (356 words) – 23:05, 14 July 2016
  • In (The Outsiders album)
    Me, Shape Me” (Scott English, Laurence Weiss), 1:55 “Kind of a Drag” (Jim Holvay), 2:36 “Haunted by Your Love” 2:44 “Charlena” (Manuel Chavez, Herman Chaney)
    5 KB (593 words) – 15:42, 8 February 2017
  • Jonna Pirinen
    lyrics and melodies to her songs. She has worked with such song writers as Jim Holvay (The Buckinghams), Miika Colliander (Husky Rescue), Nikki Forova and Jukka
    7 KB (622 words) – 03:09, 31 October 2016
  • The Buckinghams
    national exposure. “Kind of a Drag” was written by Chicago-based songwriter Jim Holvay, who had been performing with a group called the Mob, and spent two weeks
    21 KB (2,330 words) – 22:20, 3 April 2017
  • Brookfield, Illinois
    candidate from Michigan Michael Colgrass, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Jim Holvay, guitarist/songwriter for the band The Mob, known for four hit songs written
    17 KB (1,572 words) – 22:50, 12 April 2017
  • Carl Bonafede
    the Buckinghams co-producer Dan Belloc and arranger Frank Tesinsky. James Holvay of the local Chicago group The Mob was the composer of “Kind of a Drag”
    6 KB (708 words) – 18:50, 16 April 2017
  • Hey Baby (They’re Playing Our Song)
    Pop rock Length 2:35 Label Columbia Records Writer(s) Gary Beisbier & Jim Holvay Producer(s) James William Guercio The Buckinghams singles chronology
    3 KB (137 words) – 00:48, 2 April 2017
  • Don’t You Care
    Length 2:32 Label Columbia Writer(s) Gary Beisbier James William Guercio Jim Holvay Producer(s) James William Guercio The Buckinghams singles chronology
    3 KB (161 words) – 16:01, 30 September 2016
  • Susan (song)
    Label Columbia Records Writer(s) Gary Beisbier James William Guercio Jim Holvay Producer(s) James William Guercio The Buckinghams singles chronology
    5 KB (322 words) – 07:18, 7 April 2017
  • 1967 in music
    that the line “Girl we couldn’t get much higher” be changed for the show, Jim Morrison performs it the way it was written and The Doors are banned from
    83 KB (6,066 words) – 14:43, 13 April 2017

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