|
|
By Tom Tourville
Sometimes the best concepts for the creation of a band starts in the oddest of places. Such was the case for Marshall, Minnesota’s, Clutch & The Shifters.
Most bands start out in the garage, with new equipment coming out of a box. The kids were just learning the instruments, but it was time to start a new band. Sometimes with exciting success, sometimes with a thud. It was all good, it was only rock and roll.
In the case of Clutch & The Shifters it started in a theater class at Southwest State University in Marshall, Minn. It was after a theater class some of the students in Southwest State University’s theater program shared their love for live oldies grease shows, the kind that Sha Na Na was doing. You know the one with a backing band and three guys out front singing, dancing, doing floor routines and entertaining the audience to the max. The group usually consisted of seven performers.
All this fun began in 1971 when this group of theater majors decided to start their back to the ‘50s revival group. Let’s meet the Shifters: Lee Kanten from Ortonville, Minn.-bass, Lee’s brother, Don Kanten, also from Ortonville-guitar, Gary Peterson-Fairmont, Minn.-drums, Keith Hocking-Ellsworth, Minn.-keyboards and Chris Nolte from Fairmont, Minn.-sax. Chris did not perform full time, choosing to do work on an “as needed” basis.
The three/four front men included: Isaiah Witlock Jr-South Bend, Ind., Pat Rasmussen-Jackson, Minn., Jerry Lindberg-St Paul, Minn. and Clutch himself, Joe Keyes from Pipestone, Minn. The group went to the costume shop in the Theater Department at Southwest State University and had their first stage outfits created. What a great idea.
After one year, Whitlock would leave the group and go into professional acting. He was replaced by Rasmussen until the group broke up in the Spring of ‘73. Keyes was an exceptional front man and singer. He was all about the show and became as strong of a front man as was Pat Fitzgerald of Teen King & The Princes, Steve Gazoni of the Rockin’ Hollywoods, or Tru Don Blue from the Upper Division. Keyes was just that good!
Because of the group’s strong performances, Ralph Ortiz with Alpha Productions in Minneapolis, Minn. signed the band to his agency. Things were about to change. Clutch and the guys were put on the road almost full time in 1971 as they literally toured coast to coast with exceptionally strong followings in Ann Arbor and Detroit, Mich. to name just a couple. Other hot stops for the band were Minneapolis, Minn., Orlando, Fla., Denver, Colo. and Little Rock, Ark. to name a few.
I asked Lee Kanten how was it they signed with Alpha Productions. He told me, “every agency needed at least one good oldies or grease act on the roster and Ortiz wanted us to be that group for Alpha.” They did a number of recordings, unfortunately nothing was ever released for commercial or public distribution. That is sad, it would be so fun to have been able to hear them today.
In the Spring of 1973, during a bus breakdown in South Dakota, Lee Kanten decided it was time to move on to the next stage in his life so he turned in his notice that he was leaving the band. Since he was one of the original founders of the Shifters, others started to leave the group. Soon the band was no more.
Today the Shifters are all over the U.S. Here’s a look: Lee Kanton is retired and living in Fairmont, Minn., Don Kanten lives in Minneapolis, Minn. and is also retired and Chris Nolte is retired and lives in Grinnell, Iowa. All the before mentioned Shifters, still play music in various groups. Sadly, Gary Peterson and Keith Hocking are deceased.
Now for the front men: Jerry Lindberg is retired and lives in Virginia, Pat Rasmussen lives in Mankato, Minn. and is retired, Isiah Whitlock lives in New York City and still has an active acting career. You might have seen him in some of Spike Lee’s movies. As for Clutch himself, Joe Keyes lives in Los Angeles and has had a very successful career as an actor and a playwright. Like Isiah Whitlock, you have seen Joe on numerous TV shows and live theater productions around the greater Los Angeles area.
As I was talking with Lee Kanten for this story, he said some of his favorite ballrooms to play included: The Hollyhock in Hatfield, Minn., the Sioux Historic Pavilion in Ortonville, Minn. and the Roof Garden Ballroom at Lake Okoboji, Iowa and not to forget the night the band played with the legendary Dion in Aberdeen, S.D.
In 2009 Clutch & The Shifters were inducted into the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame which was the new name of the Minnesota Rock & Country Hall of fame that so many may remember. This was a great organization that recognized so many musicians. I‘m proud to have sat on their Board of Directors.
I so wish I could have seen Clutch & The Shifters live, but that was not to be. I’m just happy I was able to share their story with you.
Until Next Month-
Take Care &
Remember The Music
Tom Tourville has been writing about Midwest rock & roll for decades and has published over 30 books based on music history. Tom is a well-respected music writer and lives at Lake Okoboji, Iowa. He can be reached at tourvillea@aol.com.