Freddie Tieken And The Rockers

American rock and roll group formed in Quincy, Illinois, by Freddie Tieken and Byron Gipson (2) in 1957, evolved from Tieken's original band, The Freddie Tieken Combo. Initial membership: Mark Millspaugh on upright bass; Freddie Tieken on sax and vocals; Ron Davis on drums; Wild Child Gipson on vocals, piano and guitar. The lineup changed over the years (circa 1961, Millspaugh, Tieken, Vernie Robbins on vocals and piano, and Jim Vandement on drums; adding high schooler Jack Inghram in 1963 on sax and keyboards; Ron Lepper and Diane and Donna Rogan circa 1965; Freddie's brother Dennis Tieken joined on drums late 1960s; other members included Ron Shumake on bass, Rick Ruggerio on guitar, Rod Hibbert on guitar, Gary Hendron on bass, Curt Wacholz on keyboards, Les Fonza on baritone sax, Ron Schaller on trumpet) until the late 1960s, when Tieken renamed his group Freddie Tieken's American Music Band, which in 1969 evolved into ILMO Smokehouse with some of the same members. Recorded their first album in 1963 at the Fellowship Hall of the First Union Congregational Church in Quincy, using Inghram's recording equipment, released on Inghram and Tieken's own IT Records (3), and recorded a live album in 1963 at T'N'T Raceways, West Quincy, Missouri.