Waverly

[enos6569]

Hey, new to the club. Looking for folks from Waverly,O- The true beginning of PPL in my opinion. Hoping to see PPL in Phoenix, Az. one of these days.

[Doug]

Hey, Enos! I'm a first-time, long-timer. Your post asking for folks from Waverly got me to register! I graduated from Waverly, am now residing in Chillicothe. Are you from the Waverly area? I ask because you are correct in stating Waverly is the birthplace of PPL. Craig Fuller graduated from Waverly in 1968. John David Call and Jim Caughlan graduated in 1969, if memory serves correctly. JD and Caughlan are still active on the music scene in these parts. Now, I don't claim to know any of the Originals personally, but I do have friends, neighbors, and aquaintences who know and have played in bands with some of them. I gotta say that folks in these parts are proud of the success that Craig Fuller has achieved. Especially the many talented and gifted local musicians who have worked with Craig and the other PPL alumni over the years. There are people in this area who know so much more than I about the history of Craig, PPL, and their contemporaries. So many stories to share. The right person could write one heck of a book. I'm a hard-core PPL fan from way-back who just happened to have been born and raised in the cradle of PPL country. I have heard that some of the Originals and contemporaries have checked out this board, and I'd sure like to see some of them post and share some of their stories with us. Again, I gotta repeat that folks in these parts are very proud of Craig, not just because of his immense talent, but also because he represents the musicians in this area who have put their heart and soul into their music, and that a regular guy from "Where the Heck is Waverly, Ohio?" can and did "make the big-time". I guess he's kind of a hero-figure. All the trials and tribulations that Craig has been thru to rise to the top. I really hope Craig and Mike's new album is a huge success. Mike Reilly has really kept the dream alive. He's been the one who refused to give up, who kept it going when everything and everyone said give it up. For Craig and Mike's sake, I really hope their new album is a big success. I'm praying for a hit. They really deserve another ride at the top, for all they have put into this thing we call Pure Prairie League. Hey, Enos, thanks for the post! Hope this brings some more long-timers out of the woodwork!

[Tom]

Hi guys,
Great posts. Yes, even though I'm not from Waverly, certainly I think it's the birthplace of PPL, it's where the seeds were sown, no doubt. Craig and John were both from there and in my opinion that's where it all started. You read so many things today about where PPL came from , Cincinnati, Columbus, etc, because that's where they started getting gigs.But before that they were sitting in Waverly developing the whole thing. That whole area proved to be one with immense talent, and certainly Craig and John(absolutely unbelievable) are at the forefront with their unique talents and ideas, truly gifted musicians. It's nice to hear from other hard core PPL guys all these years later. As for Mike Reilly, well, he was and still is an immense talent with a drive like few other people have. He made it all happen. I had a post about him which was deleted when evrything on the board was wiped out, if I have a copy, I'll re-post it. Take care all, Tom

[enos6569]

Back again. Here's some OLD info related to PPL. I was born and grew up 2 houses down from JD. He was slightly ahead of me in school. I graduated in 65. We weren't real close at that time though. He was in band, etc. and I was a jock. I'm sure he remembers the Lock St. guys, Todd, Andy Slagle, Bill Fleck, et al. Also a quick note about Craig- I was a football coach for Waverly and Craig was on the team as a running back. He had great talent and was very quick. Could have probably played in college if he was a little bigger. After he graduated, I remember spending an afternoon with him in the living room of his house in the Estates and he played some great tunes on a sitar! My first real experience listening to good sitar live! Of course fun was being had by us all there that day. Tom, I wonder if we know each other? My wife is from Bainbridge. We seldom go back to Ohio anymore even though we both have family there. Do you guys know if Vicki DeVito is traveling with PPL now? I see her name on the photos. Did some good traveling with her brother Vince in the old days. Anyway stay in touch with news, Todd

[Doug]

So you were a coach for the Tigers back in the 60's? That's a little before my time. I graduated in '79. Were you coaching in '69 when coach Redmon took Waverly to the State tournament? Correct me if I'm getting any of the facts wrong - my memory's a little fuzzy on this. Also, did you know Waverly recently went back to the old black and gold colors (like Paint Valley) after 30-some years of black and orange? They tore down the high school this year after completing the new K thru 12 school up on Prosperity Lane. What a mess! Busing kids from in town out to the country and all the parents that pick up their kids has traffic backed up all the way down 220, snaking up the hill around the curves. Just a little current events from the ole' hometown. My brother graduated from Waverly in '74, and had been playing guitar in bands around the county since about '70 or so, and was getting quite a rep before he joined the navy right after graduation. He was into PPL, and that's how I first started listening to them. Of course, all the young local musicians were into PPL to some degree, seeing as here was a group of guys just a few years older from the same high school who had a recording contract with RCA, were touring nationwide, and were considered as having made "the big-time". I remember the buzz PPL created in the local music scene, even in later years with the Goshdarn brothers, and some kid named Vince something singing for them. Of course the cradle of PPL was in Waverly, but the epicenter of the PPL universe shifted to Cincinnati when Billy Hinds, Michael Conner, and Mike Reilly, and later Larry and then Tim Goshorn, all from Cinci, joined the band. And the kinfolk said "Jed, move away from there! California is the place ya oughta be, so they packed up their gear, and moved to Bev... er... Laurel Canyon. I like all the different versions of the League. Just like Vanilla, Strawberry and Butterscotch are different but excellent flavors for milkshakes, Craig, Larry, and Vince were/are different but still sound great! And folks, I am proud to lay it on people that Vince frickin' GILL was in Pure Prairie League! It's always, "No way!" - to which I can just pop in my trusty CD's and Hark! It's Vince and Mike singing! To think we were Vince Gill fans years before he hit it big in Country. Oh, and if anybody ever finds themselves in Cincinnati, look in the club listings for the Goshorn Brothers. They have really progressed as musicians and songwriters, and are really the defacto Godfathers of the Cinci blues music scene. I'm telling you, they are smokin'!! I like to compare Larry to Eric Clapton. And Billy Hinds was with the Goshdarn Bros for a long time. If anybody can make it to the Cinci PPL + Poco show on Sunday the 17th, don't be surprised if there's a big PPL alumni reunion. I got to see Craig Fuller jamming with Larry Goshorn back in '86 when they did the Mementos album, and again a few years ago at the Cammy awards in Cinci, when they honored PPL, and Fuller, Larry Goshorn, Mike Reilly, Mike Connor, Billy Hinds, AND George Ed Powell took the stage! What a treat! Reilly said Tim was in Europe, and that he had invited Vince, who supposedly said he would have attended if it weren't for the little fact that he had JUST married Amy Grant and they were on their honeymoon. My only gripe was "WHERE"S JD?". But it was sweet. I will not be surprised to see Larry at least, and maybe Billy or Tim get on stage tomorrow night with PPL. Well, I guess I've rambled on enough for one night. God Bless all you PPL fans out there! C-Ya!

[gator]

I also know a little of the Waverly history of the original PPL guys. I saw a reference in another thread to the Swiss Navy. In addition, as I recall, Craig and J.D. were also in a local band called the Omars. I believe Vince Divito played in that band or Swiss Navy. Other Waverly/Chillicothe locals who were on the musical fringes of the original PPL were Star Smith, who sang backup vocals on either the first or second PPL album and Rick Barnes, who hung around with Craig and JD and jammed with them at times.
I was a roadie for PPL off and on in the 70's. The band at that time consisted of Mike Reilly, JD Call, George Powell, the Goshorn Bros., Conway and Bill Hinds. Herb Ault from Chillicothe was their road manager and Jim Mckell, also from Chillicothe, was their sound engineer on tours. Herb is now in the movie prop business in California. Jim is a sound engineer/producer in Nashville. He co-produces for Kenny Rogers and was nominated for a CMA for one of Kenny's albums a couple of years ago.
I keep in touch with JD Call to some extent. I believe he will be with the band at the 2 Chillicothe shows to replace Fats on steel, who had previous engagements booked.

[Doug]

Hey, Gator! I think I may have met you years ago at a party. This would have been like late 80's or early 90's. Do you know the Harbert bros? (If Roger or Darren read this, YO! WHASSUP?) I was at a party at one of them's apartment up on the hill when somehow PPL came up in conversation and this one guy (you??) mentioned that he used to be a roadie for PPL. Like for instance he mentioned one time he got the offer to roadie for them and he just basically had to jump on the bus then and there and go. Does any of this sound familiar, or is my memory gettin' fickle agin? ANYWAYS, if you used to roadie for PPL, YOU is da man with the stories!! Don't plead the fifth, man, share!!
Useless factoid: While quite a bit younger than Craig Fuller, Roger and Darren grew up in the house next door to Craig and his mom. If they read this, they'll get a kick out of it! BTW, Roger was/is an incredible drummer.

[chuck68]

I posted the question about the Swiss Navy because in the late 60s a guy from Jackson Allen Rowland sang with Craig in the band. I graduated from Jackson in 68 and was a parttime roadie for them and was just trying to see if anyone had seen Allen recently.

[Tom]

I love all the old stories from the Waverly crowd, in my opinion, the "real" birthplace of PPL ! Craig sometimes erroneously says Columbus, but what would he know ? He was much too close to the scene to be objective. All I know is this: if I'm from Waverly I'm leading a petition to have a street named for the band.

[bozo]

Others who played in the old Swiss Navy / Omars Band were Jim Caughlan, Terry Shea, Tom McGrail and Bill Wiltberger. Been too long ago to remember who was in which group. I think Vince DeVito's brother Jerry may have beat around with these guys some.

[gator]

There were several roadies from Chillicothe over the years. Randy Allen, Jim Ault (ex-road manager Herb Ault's brother), Jeff Redefer and myself. Randy's the guy with the stories since he did it the longest.

I was at the Saturday sound check for the Chillicothe show, as was Randy, and we did get into some story swapping, along with Mike Reilly. We talked about the PPL appearance on the Dolly Parton TV show, where they lip-synced "Love You Tonight" and since it hd a sax part in the song, Herb Ault air-saxed that part. Mike mentioned joking around with Dolly over her ample chest. Then there was a story about Dicky Betts, fdormerly with the Allman Bros., jumping onstage with PPL at a Florida gig and trading licks with Larry Goshorn. Quite a jam, as they described it.

[Vice Admiral Swiss Navy]

Craig Fuller graduated from Waverly in 1968. John David Call and Jim Caughlan graduated in 1969, if memory serves correctly.

Actually if I remember correctly Craig graduated in 67 with my brother Tom and Paul Carpenter and a few others.

[Vice Admiral Swiss Navy]

I can't remember the year but sometime in the mid 60's Craig and maybe Tom McGrail and Terry Shea as the Swiss Navy recorded a 45 (some of you will remember what that is) and there was a DJ named “Jack O’Sheaâ€