If I were to think back to the years of 1965 through 1968, I’m comfortable in saying there was no more successful and popular band in the state of Iowa than Mason City Iowa’s Pete Klint Quintet!
The Pete Klint story is one of Iowa’s most fascinating rock and roll stories of the 60’s. Let’s go back a number of years.
The beginnings of the Pete Klint Quintet began in Mason City, Iowa in 1965 when five high school buddies got together to form a band so they could participate in a statewide battle of the bands contest. The contest was sponsored by Des Moines radio station KIOA and was an annual event at the time for the station.
The five friends included: John Peterson-keyboards; Jamie Wornson-bass; Mo Morisky-drums; Mike Hesseling-guitar; and Larry “Pete” Klint, guitar.
The band started to make the rounds, playing local Iowa and Minnesota high schools and small venue shows, but soon realized they needed some management.
Local Mason City attorney, Tom Jolas, quickly signed on as the band’s manager and things were about to change.
Soon they started using all Vox equipment and were even featured nationally by Vox in Vox’s national teen magazine, the “Vox Times.”
In 1966, they entered Okoboji, Iowa’s famed “Roof Garden Ballroom’s Annual Summer, Battle of the Bands.” By the end of the summer they had won the whole thing and as a result, were given a recording contract for IGL Studios in Milford, Iowa that saw the release of their first record, “IGL #127 “Very Last Day/This Day.”
In early 1967, Jolas took the band to Chicago to record at the legendary Chess Records Studios. The record was the one that would establish the band’s reputation now some 48-plus years later.
The record was released on their own Twin Spin label. It was the legendry 45, “Walking Proud/Shake” (Twin Spin 3001). Soon it was bought by Mercury Records and re-issued on Mercury#72709.
While on Mercury, it was the #1 record on KIOA in Des Moines for 17 straight weeks and top 10 on WDGY in Minneapolis, for 13 straight weeks. It was picked up nationally and had strong air play as far away as Los Angeles and New York. The band was even invited to play L.A.’s famed Holiday Bowl. They were signed by the famed entertainment agency, William Morris.
Soon they would move over to New York’s Atlantic Records. While with Atlantic, they released one 45, “Hey Diddle Diddle/Just Holdin’ On.” (Atlantic #2533).
To help with their stage show, they were connected with the Impression’s Curtis Mayfield’s tailor in Chicago, getting all new suits and stage wear. While touring nonstop, they would do shows with such heavyweights as Sonny & Cher, the Beach Boys, and the Doors. Pretty heady stuff for farm kids from Iowa.
By 1968, the endless touring started to grow old. Peterson wanted to leave the band and go to college to become a doctor.
They attempted one more record on their own PKQ Records label, titled Friday Night Band/Blue Eyed Boy,” PKQ Records # 1449, but by that time, the magic was gone.
By 1971 the band was starting to break up. Soon Klint would re-form an all new group called “Big Louie.” Wornson and Morosky would leave to join one of the Midwest’s most iconic groups, the Fabulous Flippers.
Today, Peterson is a doctor living in Indiana, Klint and Wornson live in the Des Moines area, and Morosky in the Southwest. Jolas still lives in Mason City and I’m not aware of the whereabouts of Hesselink. In 1999, the Iowa Rock & Roll Music Association inducted the PKQ into their Hall of Fame. Surprisingly, only Klint showed up for the honor.
“Well…….I’m telling everybody, that you’re putting me down”……so went the lyrics of one of Iowa’s greatest rock and roll songs ever, the Pete Klint Quintet’s “Walking Proud.” Hopefully you were at our own Hollyhock Ballroom to see the Pete Klint Quintet in October of 1970.
Until Next Month
Take Care & Remember The Music
P.S. I’d like to invite everyone on July 21 at 12 noon for the Pipestone Historical Society’s “Brown Bag Lunch” for my talk on the legendary Hollyhock Ballroom. We’ll relive some great rock and roll stories.
Tom Tourville
Tom Tourville has been writing about Midwest rock & roll for close to 30 years and has published over 25 books based on Midwest rock music history. His latest book on the Hollyhock Ballroom is on sale in Pipestone at Pipestone Publishing and at the Pipestone County Museum. He lives in Lake Okoboji, Iowa, and can be reached at tourvillea@aol.com.