Well, my temporary return to playing drums with Mogen’s Heroes on Wednesday came off with no glaring errors. Oh, I did snag a drum stick on the snare ring while attempting a “dramatic” paradiddle. It went flying from my fingers but for some reason I managed to grab and catch the thing in mid air before it fell to the stage floor. I’m guessing those in the Sioux Empire Fair grandstand for ag appreciation day just figured it was all part of the act and not the drummer’s rustiness after such an extended hiatus from playing.
Denny Gale, Rich Smith, Me, & John Mogen Ag Appreciation Day at the Sioux Empire Fair
My hair was dark brown when Mogen's Heroes first played for the farmers at the fair some 25 years ago.
And she can sing too.
It was an honor to open for Styx; the popular early 80’s rock band. It’s just that Styx played on the big stage 9 hours later and we were on a flatbed trailer that bounced up and down to the rhythms of ” Rollin In My Sweet Baby’s Arms” featuring Jim Woster.
It was mercifully cooler for the performers that included a few politicians and a moving unrehearsed rendition of “God Bless the U.S.A.” sung by the lovely Alexis Kosiak, Miss Sioux Empire Fair for 2012.
I’ll bet Styx didn’t do that one.
Every now and again, Jody Staples, who has sort of assumed my old role as Keloland archivist, sends me some photos he finds interesting including the ones below. Our promotion director back in the late 80’s early 90’s decided it would be a cool idea for the entire staff to pose next to the impressive fleet of Keloland news vehicles..including the company airplane. It was a fiasco trying to get everything and everyone in the shot. The weather was windy and cold, it had just poured rain and people were surly because they were missing meetings. I don’t remember if any of the full staff photos were ever used. Instead of showing off Keloland’s power in its people and property all you could see were a bunch of unidentified shivering employees. These are the images that survive from that day.
Gary Weckwerth, Me, Steve Hemmingsen and Dave Dedrick pose in front of Keloland News Vehicles
Dwarfed by our new Satellite remote truck.
The news staff didn’t get to use that airplane much. It was at Mr. Floyd’s disposal most of the time. The one exception was the State Fair when it was reserved to shuttle people back and forth to Huron
Aboard the King Air flying to the State Fair. Jim Burt, me, Steve Hemmingsen
Speaking of the State Fair, Cam Lind has come up with another of those Keloland visors we used to autograph and give away to fairgoers.
I must have been on a corn dog break at the time because my name is not among those signatures which include Gary Weckwerth, Steve Hemmingsen and Bobbi Lower. It also bears the names of two great men of local TV..both gone now, Ken Hirsch and Dave Dedrick.
Our Grandson, Michael knocked on the door the other evening to show us his latest acquisition. His mother and Linda aren’t too excited about Michael owning and operating a motorcycle but he’s wanted to ride for a long time, has taken the safety course and worked hard at K-Mart all summer earning enough money to buy the thing. I’ve had a motorcycle most of my life and it was great fun to go on a ride with him..motoring side by side down the road like a couple of heck angels.
Michael, who just turned twenty, is a stand out student at Morningside, a great baseball player in college and for the S.F. Saints.
I have his personal promise that he’s going to be a safe biker too..but don’t expect mom and grandma to ever stop worrying.