Gypsy


From a dance band to a concert band… The Underbeats relocate to Los Angeles and become Gypsy

History

Gypsy
(and The James Walsh Gypsy Band)
1969 – 1979

1969: Gypsy evolves from The Underbeats, one year after the band left Minnesota for Los Angeles.  The original lineup is Jim Johnson on guitar and vocals, Doni Larson on bass guitar; Jim Walsh on keyboards and vocals; Enrico Rosenbaum on guitar and vocals and Jay Epstein on drums.  The band is managed by Steve Freeman, a high school friend of Enricos.  The band gets a steady job playing at The Whiskey A Go Go, on the Sunset Strip.

1970: The band releases a self titled double album on the Metromedia label and has two national hits, Gypsy Queen and Dead and Gone. The album receives extensive airplay in St. Louis, Missouri.   The 45 of Dead and Gone contains a shorter version than the album version.  Gypsy is the third rock band to release a debut double album; the first band was The Mothers of Invention (1966), the second band was Chicago Transit Authority (1969).  The band continues to play The Whiskey and various venues and concerts across the country.

1971: Doni Larson leaves the band and is replaced by Willie Weeks on bass guitar.  Jay Epstein leaves the band and is replaced by Bill Lordan on drums.  The band releases a second album on the Metromedia label, In the Garden.

1972: Randy Cates (from Texas) replaces Willie Weeks on bass guitar.  The band records their third album, Antithesis, released on RCA Records.

1973: With the same lineup as the third album, the band records their fourth album, Unlock the Gates, also on RCA Records.

Mid-1970: The band continues to play across the country as the band is faced with personnel changes, management and record company problems.

1975/1976: A new version of Gypsy records one 45 for the DORE’ label.  The two songs, Magic in My Life and Don’t Stop for Nothin’ are both written by Jim Johnson, who also sings lead vocals on both songs.  This version of Gypsy is Jim Johnson on lead vocals and guitar, James Walsh on keyboards and vocals, Lewis Derrey on bass guitar and vocals, Stan Kipper on drums and vocals and Chico Perez on percussion.  The songs are recorded at Devonshire Studios in North Hollywood and are produced by Terry Furlong, executive producer is Dave Mancini, and the engineer is Jerry Hudgins.  Both songs are later recorded by The Fifth Dimension, produced by Jimmy Webb and included on their second album and also released as a 45.  Jim Johnson records a second version of Magic in My Life with James Gadson on drums and Chuck Rainey on bass guitar, produced by Michael Stewart.  This version is never released.

Enrico Rosenbaum, along with Jim Johnson and various studio musicians’ record a number of songs written by Enrico, including Dance Marango, none of which are ever released.

July 9, 1977: Gypsy plays a concert at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri.  The lineup is: Jim Johnson, Enrico Rosenbaum, Randy Cates, Stan Kipper and Barry Kaye (on keyboards).

1978: James Walsh forms the James Walsh Gypsy Band and they release a self-titled album on RCA Records.  The album is recorded at Cookhouse Studios in Minneapolis and Creation Studios in Bloomington.  The album continues the tradition of Gypsy artwork on the front cover (by Alfons Mucha) from the 1970 album.  A 45 from the album, Cuz It’s You, Girl, receives airplay in various national markets.  The band is James Walsh on lead vocals and keyboards, Richard Jorgensen on horns and vocals, Deone Johnson on horns and vocals, Scott Fronsoe on bass guitar and vocals, Todd Hansen on horns and vocals, Jim Behringer on lead guitar and vocals, Bob Jones on lead vocals, guitar and keyboards and Ernie LaViolette on drums and percussion.

1979: The James Walsh Gypsy Band records a second album at the renowned Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Sheffield, Alabama.   The album features the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, the Tower of Power horn section and the Bee Gees string players.  The album is produced by James Walsh, along with Barry Beckett and Jimmy Johnson (both are members of the famous Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, also known as The Swampers).  The album is never released.

Update

James Walsh carries on with Gypsy, with Bob Jones and Stan Kipper, along with newer members.  The band plays live several times a year to devoted fans in Minneapolis and they also continue to play in St. Louis, Missouri, where the band has had a strong following ever since the 1970 album was released.

Over the years, various reissues of the Gypsy recordings are released on vinyl, cassette tapes and CD’s, by various record companies.

Dave Mueller, a big fan of the band, turns the basement of his home (in St. Louis, Missouri) into a “Gypsy Museum” with Gypsy recordings, photos, posters, flyers and other memorabilia.  The rare items include reel to reel tapes of the band’s first album.

In 1984, a band with Jim Johnson, Stan Kipper and Brad Palmer (bass guitar) record an album (in New York) under the name The Steamers.  Numerous songs from this album are used in various movie soundtracks.

In 2010, James Walsh releases The James Walsh Gypsy Band – Muscle Shoals 1979, as a double CD.  This is the album recorded in 1979 that was never released.

Various unreleased recordings of Gypsy surface, in addition to some live footage of the band (with no audio).

A newly discovered live tape surfaces of the bands performance at “Super Jam 77” in St. Louis, Missouri at Busch Stadium and is made available on a CD. 

In August, 2011, John Ulett, host of a Sunday morning radio show known as “KSHE Klassics” on KSHE in St. Louis, Missouri, began playing the most popular songs from the radio show.  After 54 weeks of playing every song in alphabetical order (1,985 total) the songs were listed on the KSHE website and listeners were asked to vote for their favorite songs (up to 20 per person).   In August, 2012, the top 95 songs were listed by the station.  Gypsy had two songs on the list with “Dead and Gone” at Number 2 and “As Far As You Can See, As Much As You Can Feel” at Number 67.  On the alphabetical list were: “Gypsy Queen (Part 1)”; “Tomorrow is the Last to be Heard”; “Don’t Get Mad (Get Even)” and “You Make Me Feel Like Livin'” (James Walsh Gypsy Band).  Dave Mueller from St. Louis reports that Gypsy has been played on the air in St. Louis since their first album in 1970.

 

Photos  –  Click on photos for full screen – arrow to next

Super Jam NEW-4

 

Recordings – Listen

 

 

 

 

Gypsy  Queen  Part 1 Side  A  The 45 Single

Dead  and Gone Side  B

 

As Far As You Can See Side  A  The 45 Single

Here (In The Garden) Side  B  The 45 Single

 

Day  After  Day Side  A  The 45 Single

Lean  On  Me Side  B  The 45 Single

 

Don’t  Bother  Me Side  A  The 45 Single

Make  Peace  with  Jesus Side  B  The 45 Single

 

Need  You  Baby Side  A  The 45 Single

Precious  One Side  B  The 45 Single

 

Magic In My Life Side  A  The 45 Single

Don’t Stop For Nothin’ Side  B

 

Dead  and  Gone Side  A  The 45 Single

Here  in  My  Loneliness Side  B  The 45 Single

Recordings

SuperJam 77

Newly-issued CD from the original master tapes

As  Far  As Intro  –  From  Superjam  77  Live  CD

Around  You  –  From  The  Superjam  77  CD

Blind Man – From The Superjam 77 Live CD

Is  That  News  –  From  The  Superjam  77  CD

Crusader – From The Superjam 77 Live CD

Facing  Time  –  From  The  Superjam  77  CD

Rogues  Moon  –  From  The  Superjam  77  CD

Young  Gypsy  –  From  The  Superjam  77  CD

Only  This  Money  –  From  The  Superjam  77  CD

Gypsy  Queen  –  From  The Superjam  77  CD

 

 

The Final LA Sessions

Soothe  Me  – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Joey  – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Just  Enough ( To Get Me By )  – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Rogues  Moon  – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Real  World – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Stronger  Now – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Killing  Cure  – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Ready  For  You– From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Dance  Marango  – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Magic  In  My  Life  Version  2– From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Run,  Run,  Run  – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

Woman  Can’t  Hide  Love  – From The Final  LA  Sessions  CD

 

 

Bandtree

Gypsy

1969  to  1977

 ______________________________________________________

Jim  Johnson          Lead  Guitar  /  Vocals          1969 to 1977

 

Underbeats

GYPSY 

Steamers

Calvin James

_____________________________________________________________

 

Doni  Larson          Bass  Guitar  /  Vocals          1969  to  1970

 

Underbeats

GYPSY                                                               

DJ Rogers

Dancer

Blue Gill’s

Calvin James

______________________________________________________

Enrico  “Rico”  Rosenbaum      Rhythm  Guitar  /  Vocals      1969  to  1977

 

Escapades

Underbeats

GYPSY

_____________________________________________________________

James  Walsh          Keyboards  /  Vocals          1969  to  1976

 

Hot Half Dozen

Underbeats

GYPSY

Free and Easy

James Walsh Gypsy Band

Jumpstreet

Killer Hayseeds

Del Counts

Midas Touch

_____________________________________________________________

Jay  Epstein     Drums                                 1969  to  1971

 

Fred & Dave Heyer Combos

New World Congregation

Underbeats

GYPSY

Winona State Big Band & Les Fields’ Turkey River All Stars

Reality

Art Resnick Quartet

Manfredo Fest

Wayne Johnson Trio

Dean Granros Trio

Bianca’s House Band (Oklahoma City)

Barney Kessel Trio

Bill Carrothers

Mandala

Bruce Henry Band

Billy Shiell Quartet

Chris Lomheim Trio

Phil Aaron Trio

Laura Caviani Trio

Jay Epstein Trio

Chemistry Lab

Framework

Klezmerica

Maintime

Nate Brown Trio

Red Planet

Christine Rosholt

CounterClockWise

Impulso

BroncowVision

Firebell

Nancy Harms

Five by Design

_____________________________________________________________

Willie  Weeks     Bass  Guitar                     1972  to  1973

 

Mighty Golden Voices

Amazers

Mystics

Eric Mercury and Birth Right

GYPSY

Donny Hathaway

Rufus

Various National Acts

____________________________________________________________

Bill  Lordon                Drums                      1972  to  1973

 

Valdons

Blue Notes

Amazers

Esquires

Mystics

Eric Mercury and Birth Right

GYPSY

Sly and The Family Stone

Robin Trower

Fortress

Chris Aaron

Dave Steffan Band

Charlie Souza

BLX (Bill Lordan Experiment)

____________________________________________________________

Randy  Cates          Bass  Guitar  /  Vocals          1972  to  1977

 

GYPSY

Various Bands (TX)

 

____________________________________________________________

Stan  Kipper          Drums  /  Vocals                 1974  to  1977

 

GYPSY

Steamers

One World

New Primitives

____________________________________________________________

Barry  Kay               Keyboards  /  Vocals                    1977

 

GYPSY

_____________________________________________________________

 

Where are they now?

 

Gypsy  1969  to  1977                                                    

 ______________________________________________________

Jim  Johnson           Lead  Guitar  /  Vocals

 

Active  in  Music           No

 

Doing  What  ?…………………..   Passed away on September 26, 2019 

_____________________________________________________________

Doni  Larson           Bass  Guitar  /  Vocals

 

Active  in  Music          Yes

 

Doing  What  ?…………………………………….   Retired

_____________________________________________________________

Enrico  “ Rico “  Rosenbaum           Rhythm  Guitar  /  Vocals

 

Active  in Music                No

 

Doing  What  ?…………………   Passed away on September 10, 1979

___________________________________________________________

James  Walsh           Keyboards  /  Vocals

 

Active  in  Music          Yes

 

Doing  What  ?………………   Playing with Gypsy & Midas Touch 

____________________________________________________________

Jay  Epstein           Drums

 

Active  in  Music          Yes

 

Doing  What  ?………………….   Playing with numerous jazz bands

____________________________________________________________

Willie  Weeks           Bass  Guitar

 

Active  in  Music          Yes

 

Doing  What  ?………………..   Playing with various national artists

____________________________________________________________

Bill  Lordon           Drums

 

Active  in  Music          Yes

 

Doing  What  ?……………………   Playing on various recordings

 _____________________________________________________

Randy  Cates           Bass  Guitar  /  Vocals

 

Active  in  Music          Yes

 

Doing  What  ?……………………………….   Jobbing in Texas

 ____________________________________________________

Stan  Kipper           Drums  /  Vocals

 

Active  in  Music          Yes

 

Doing  What  ?……….   Playing with The New Primitives & Gypsy

 ___________________________________________________

Barry  Kay          Keyboards  /  Vocals

 

Active  in  Music          Unknown

 

Doing  What  ?………………………………………….   Unknown

_______________________________________________________

Interview

Interview  Part  ONE  –  Time  =  25:33

 

Interview  Part  TWO  –  Time  =  25:40

 

Interview  Part  THREE  –  Time  =  23:17

 

Interview Part FOUR  –  The  Final  –  Time  = 8:44

Doni Larson INTERVIEW Part  ONE  –  2-16-2019

Doni  Larson  INTERVIEW  Part  TWO  –  2-16-2019

Glen  Pace  INTERVIEW  6-2-2019

Randy  Cates  INTERVIEW  Part  ONE – 10-14-2018

Randy  Cates  INTERVIEW  Part  TWO – 10-14-2018