The 1964 KILT Back to School Spectacular

"THERE WILL BE NO TUNING UP ON THE STAGE"

KILT radio's Fifth Annual "Back to School Spectacular" was held at the Sam Houston Coliseum sometime in August, 1964. This was a huge affair, with no less than 16 acts performing, and the Everly Brothers headlining. I'm not aware of any photos that exist from this event, but luckily a schedule that was given to the performers has somehow managed to survive.

According to the helpful "artist bio" on the back of the schedule, The Five Americans, who had not put out their first record yet, are making their first Houston appearance at this show. Johnny Winter had been kicking around a few years at this point but shot to local fame when his "Eternally" was, we learn, "one of the most played records at Garner State Park" that summer. Cecil Moore is here because "Diamond Back" on Sarg was a Top 5 record on KILT. It's safe to safe this was the largest crowd that Luling boy had ever played in front of. We also learn that C.L. and the Pictures are "known to everyone in Houston." Maxine Davis, a Huey Meaux act on Guyden joined Lee Maye (another Meaux artist) as the only African-American performers on the bill. Roy Head and the Traits, Bobby Doyle Trio, and the Champagne Brothers all put in appearances. B.J. Thomas and the Triumphs are conspicuous in their absence. And while the British Invasion was seven months old by then, there is no sign whatsoever of an English group. Perhaps everyone at this time was still viewing it as a fad that would pass away in a few more months.

We also learn that David Box's first record, "If You Can't Say Something Nice" was "a big Houston hit" and his "Little Lonely Summer Girl" on Ray Rush's Gina label was a hit that summer. This was one of the last appearances for Box, who perished in a plane crash on October 23.

The 1965 Back to School Spectacular was headlined by the Beatles. I'm not sure if the Spectacular continued after that.

The schedule was:

3:00 The Jokers
3:03 Introduction of KILT disc jockeys (Bob White, Johnny Mitchell, Bob Presley, Ken Knox, Charlie Brown, Jim Wood)
3:08 Five Americans
3:?? Lee Maye
3:14 Johnny Winter
3:20 Buddy White and the Bellhops
3:26 Cecil Moore
3:32 Roy Head and the Traits
3:38 C.L. and the Pictures
3:44 Bobby Doyle Trio
3:53 Maxine Davis
4:02 David Box
4:11 Mickey Gilley
4:20 Champagne Brothers
4:30 Ray Stevens
4:45 Jerry Lee Lewis
5:00? Everly Brothers


Picture of schedule (front):



"Artist Bios" (back):