By Bob Jenkins 

In the early 1960s, a strange thing started to creep into Prescott, we called it "rock and roll." Of course, country music was still king at the time and that is what made it tough for local young musicians to make a breakthrough. However, when we did, it was like a dam broke because the young people in Prescott had little to do otherwise.

I played in some of these bands and what memories were made! I guess the best-known band at the time was The Shekels. We played all over Arizona but most of our engagements were in Yavapai County, especially in Prescott. We played for dances at the Youth Center in Miller Valley, The 400 Club in Granite Dells and the Midnite Teen Club at the Hassayampa Inn among others. Prescott was good to us in those days and, in turn, we played for every charity event we were asked. 

Here's a few of my fellow band members over the years: Frank Whitt, lead guitar; Ray Hopf, guitar; Bob Dudley, drums; Frances 'Checko' Conrad, drums; Jim Bochat, bass; Bruce Whitlow, rhythm guitar; Neal Cross, bass guitar; Ken Crow, drums; and Jim LaFuze, drums. My part was singer, lead guitar, songwriter and manager. We always had a doorman for the dances. We had trusted volunteers for this job but our usual man was Homer Stevens. Do you older folks remember any of these names? 

When we played out of town, we were kings! Of course, they didn't know us like our hometown crowd did, and I'm not ashamed to say that we soaked it all up. Once we played at the VFW Hall in Cottonwood where we had over 900 paying guests. All we could say was WOW! One of my favorite places to play was Bowman's Barn in Wickenburg. Old Everett Bowman didn't care much for Rock and Roll but he liked us for the money we brought in for him. 

I think it was in 1963 when I was invited into Ken Crow's Caravels as a singer. Many performers had fear of the microphone in those days but I wasn't afraid of much at the time and was glad to man the mic. At that time, we played at the 400 Club in Granite Dells. We eventually changed our name to The Vibrations and changed some band members as well. 

When I thought my band days were over, a group of guys came to me and asked if I could help them put a new band together. Our band was called The Bo Webas. We played mostly at the Hassayampa Midnite Teen Club, performing from 8 until midnight every Friday night. I often wondered why we attracted so many Whiskey Row folks since it was a program for the local teens. 

There were some really great parents back in those days. They would stop by the dances to check on their kids and, while they were there, would have a dance or two and often became the life of the party. Speaking of parents: the parents of the band members were especially "cool," putting up with our arguments as well as our often-nightly practices in their homes. An ongoing problem was our drummer, Bob Dudley, whom all the girls thought was cute. Actually, so did he! 

We took pride in the fact that there was rarely any trouble at our dances. We knew that not everyone liked our music but the patrons came anyway. We provided a meeting place for the youth of Prescott, knowing that we couldn't please them all. 

There were a few times we were booked side-by-side with some of Prescott's country greats such as Rod Harte, Al Hyirs, Bob Cox, Johnny Maddox and others. Donny Apadoca had a Mexican band that really gave us a run for the money. They were great and I don't think they ever practiced! 

Going places is the desire of every band and we were no exception. We wanted to cut records and travel around the country as well as abroad. We thought that "hitting it big" in Prescott was just the beginning. But, as it turned out, it was just enough to keep us hanging on. When Frances Conrad played with the band for the first time and afterwards was handed some money for the evening, he gave a start and exclaimed, "you mean we get paid for this"? We loved music and just wanted to bring a "new beat" to the Prescott listeners. And that we did! 

As for myself, I found a drawback to this way of life. It was like having a carrot dangling in front of you on a stick: "any day now our ship will come in," we would say. But that day never really came. One day I learned that my first baby was on the way and I decided it was time to get a real job and the bands became a thing of my past. 

Here it is, forty-four years later and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. Every once in a while I run into someone asking if I played for The Shekels. "Yes, I certainly did"! Then they would add, "You guys weren't very good but I sure met a lot of girls there." "Thanks, it was nice meeting you, too." But, what a reminder of the sweet times we had in 1960s Prescott. 

Bob Jenkins currently lives in Skull Valley.


Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(Shekels) Reuse only by permission.
The business card for The Shekels band in the 1960s. 


Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(Band 2) Reuse only by permission.
A Courier photo by Virginia Baker in the mid-1960s shows The Vibrations preparing to entertain the Prescott Business and Professional Womens' Club Spring Party at the St. Michael Hotel. 


Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(Band 1) Reuse only by permission.
A Courier photo by Jerry Jackson, The Bo Webas, a group of local musicians who perfomed each Friday night from 8 until midnight at the Hassayampa Midnite Teen Club in the 1960s. From left: Jim LaFuze, Bob Jenkins, Bruce Whitlow and Neal Cross.