El Rey and The Night Beats

The Night Beats!

 

Ray "El Rey" Ojeda

 

Saxophone, Percussion,
and Vocals

 

El Rey got a late start in life by learning to play both the saxophone and clarinet at the ripe old age of twelve. At the age of fourteen he played his first professional job with the Latin group Cinto Burretto Groupo playing for Latin weddings, parties and festivals in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas. It was from these humble beginnings that the Legend on Caroline Street first began his musical journey.

 

During the 1950’s, El Rey performed and recorded with some of the biggest regional rock and roll acts in the Midwest playing at teen dances, parties and television shows with The Roulettes, The Nobleman eventually forming The Midnighters who in 1958 became El Rey and the Nightbeats. El Rey and Night Beats moved on to be one of the first Rock and Roll bands to play in night clubs in the Milwaukee area and hold the distinction of being the oldest Rock and Roll band still playing continuously since 1958. Marty Zivko’s Ballroom in Hartford, Wisconsin and George Devine’s Million Dollar Ballroom in Milwaukee were the venues that El  Rey opened for or played with a whose who’s list of nationally known recording artists including The New Colony Six, The Buckinghams, The Turtles, The Champs, The Ideals, Frankie Avalon, Gary Pucket, The Legends, Tommy James and The Everly Brothers.  El-Rey Also Enjoyed Regional Success With The Record " La Bamba " with The Night Beats. 

 

Although there have been many in his illustrious career, El Rey contends that his most memorable job was winning second place in the first “ Battle of the Bands” for Wisconsin in 1960 at the Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay, Wisconsin competing over six months with 40 outstanding Rock and Roll groups from the Midwest. Musically influenced by many, he singles out the early Rock and Roll acts such as Bill Haley, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis.

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Terry Thuemling

 

Guitar and Vocals

 

Terry first started playing the guitar at the tender age of five and learned to sing Country songs by duplicating what he heard on his older brother’s records. Musically, he played his first professional job at the age of thirteen with El Rey and the Night Beats at Teen Haven in Sussex, Wisconsin.

 

For over forty years, Terry has played a special brand of Rock and Roll, El Rey and the Night Beats during the 60’s and 70’s, Replay during the 80’s and during the 90’s, played contemporary Christian music for the accredited Christian group, Won by One. As a member of El Rey and the Night Beats at Marty Zivko’s Million Dollar Ballroom in Hartford, Wisconsin, The Night Beats opened for the Grass Roots, Gary Puckett, The Ideals, Tommy James, The Castaways, The Vacels, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

 

As a member of the Night Beats, Terry enjoyed regional success with the record, “My Secret” as well as recording a full CD titled “The Rock(N’Roll) of our Salvation” with Won by One. When asked what were his most memorable jobs over his professional career, he points to the evening at Sunset Bowl in Waukesha when the Night Beats opened for Tommy James and the “America, Rusty Pipes, Motown and the “Raisin Dance” show sets at the Waukesha Olde Car Club events at the Waukesha Expo Center and the many Ministry concerts at prisons with Won By One.

 

Musically, he feels that he was most influenced by the late Ricky Nelson and gives special credit to his mentors, Gary “Rusty” Bartlemas and Ray “El Rey”Ojeda.

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Jeff " Duffy " Wage

 

Drums and Vocals 

 

Duffy bought his first set of drums in 1956. Later, he started a band with his brother called the Chessmen and played locally at teen dances. After some time hemoved on to 3 piece band heavily influenced by Cream and Jimmy Hendrix . Duffy took a musical hiatus from 1970 to 1989, and when hejoined the Choir at Elmbrook Church was reunited with Terry Thuemling (who he had seen play for many years with El Rey and The Night Beats) .

 

There they formed the Christian rock band, Won By One, with Terry and Rusty Bartelmas (also from the early El-Rey days) which played at various Christian outreaches and prison ministry. The group went on for eleven great years and also recorded a CD called "The Rock N Roll Of Our Salvation". Duffy still enjoys music ministry at his home church and special functions.

 

Musical influences have been the band Cream and the bands of the early 70's, but vocally, its always been Elvis (occasionally I can be seen singing at local and international Karaoke lounges ) Locally my most influential mentors were Terry Thuemling and Rusty Bartelmas, but he has always admired all members in El Rey and the Night Beats over the years. He lives by his motto "I'm Duffy from Oconomowoc and I don't want to work, I just want to bang on the drum all day".

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Jack “B.J.” Gebhardt

 

Guitar, Bass Guitar,
Keyboards, and Vocals

 

Jack, known to all as "B.J.", starting playing an old six string Stella flat top guitar given to him by family friends at the age of eleven. He learned his first chords by looking at pictures of people playing guitars in magazines.

 

B.J.'s first professional job was with The Impalas at the age of seventeen playing at the Elkhorn County Fair Grounds for Record Bandstand. During the middle 1960's, B.J. played at many venues throughout Wisconsin and Illinois with The Impalas with the assistance of booking agent, Ken Adamany, who later became instrumental in the success of national recording artists, Cheap Trick.

 

In 1967, B.J. joined El Rey and the Night Beats and played the club circuit in the Waukesha and Milwaukee area sometimes sharing the stage with The New Colony Six, Tommy James, Gary Pucket. His most memorable night with El Rey and the Night Beats was the evening they shared the stage at the Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee with The Legends. Billed as a reunion appearance for The Legends, the night was truly electric, filled with excitement. B.J has been part of two recording projects, in 1966, recorded the old Muddy Water’s song Spoonful with The Impalas with Sam McCue as producer and in 1993, recorded La Bamba with members of EL Rey and the Night Beats for a CD sponsored by the Waukesha Training Center featuring musicians from the Milwaukee area including the old master, Les Paul.

 

During the 1980's and 90's, B.J continued to demonstrate his immense talent with groups such as Replay and Borrowed Time. His musical influences number many, including Felix Cavaliere, Bob Seeger, Cory Wells, Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton, Otis Redding and Joe Cocker. On a more personal level, gives credit to his fellow musicians and more importantly, good friends, Gene Schiller, Mike Price, Ray Ojeda, Terry Thuemling and Rusty Bartlemas.

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Gene Schiller

 

Bass Guitar, Keyboards, and Vocals 

 

Thanks to the efforts of a musically gifted Uncle, Gene first learned to play the accordion at the age of eight. Soon he switched his interest to the Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drums and Keyboards. His first professional job was playing the accordion as a ten year old on a Milwaukee Television Show called Joe Shot and the Hot Shots.

 

As a twelve years old, he joined his first Rock and Roll group playing bass guitar for a group called Rick and Rivals. Rick was a saxophone playing cousin of El Rey Ojeda. As time progressed, Gene worked with Milwaukee area groups such as The Impalas, Big Louie and the Renegades, El Rey and the Night Beats, Nostalgia and Replay playing at venues such as Muskego Beach, State Fair Park, Marty Zivko’s, The Scene, The Attic and Sunset Bowl. His most memorable job was competing with seven other groups for a recording contract with Mecury Records at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin.

 

Musically influenced by many such as Buddy Holly, Bob Seeger, Bruce Springsteen , Vince Gill, Keith Urban, he gives special recognition to a man personally responsible for encouraging many Milwaukee area musicians to follow their musical dreams, guitar teacher, Floyd Jester.  

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Rich Gonia

 

Lead Guitar and Vocals

 

Rich was encouraged by his parents, both musicians, to play music and at the age of nine he started guitar lessons. But after two years he quit lessons and put the guitar in the closet where it remained until two things happened. He heard Gene Vincent’s “Race With The Devil” and about the same time saw Mickey and Sylvia doing “Love is Strange “ on TV. Rich was completely blown away by those guitar leads. He dusted off his guitar from the closet and within a year was pickin’ lead guitar for a neighborhood garage band.

 

Later another influence which kept him motivated was lead guitarist James Burton as seen weekly backing up Rick Nelson on the Ozzie and Harriet TV show. Rich played lead guitar for several bands through high school and in his senior year joined the locally popular band Dee Robb and the Starliners, eventually shortening the bands name to just The Robbs. After high school the band went on the road playing clubs from Miami to Boston and recording as much as possible for small labels.

 

Just prior to the release of the bands first album on Mercury Records Rich was drafted into the Army. After serving his two years he returned to Wisconsin as the Robbs signed a new recording contract with Atlantic Records. Rich rejoined the band spending weeks in the studio recording material for a string  of Atlantic releases. When the Robbs decided to return to California Rich chose to stay in Wisconsin and began playing with the R&B show band Vic Pitts and the Cheaters.

 

Later Rich joined the Madison blues band Jack Flash and the Trash. When Rich eventually settled in Waukesha he played with local bands: The Reveleers, The Vonells, Redwing, Hollywood Knights and the blues band  Fuzz Knuckle.

 

In Dec. 2008 Rich joined El Rey and the Nightbeats. Rich comments “El Rey and the Nightbeats have been an icon of  the Wisconsin music scene for several decades and over the years have featured a long list of exceptional lead guitarists. I have some big shoes to fill but I’ll give it my all”.

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Ray VonGunten

 

Sax, Keys, and Vocals

The Ray-man (VonGunten) was one of those very early bloomers, starting his career in early high school and forming "The Vonells", a top notch wedding & festival band that worked steadily for over 26 years.

 

Ray has played in major venues throughout Wisconsin, including runs at Summerfest (opening for Al Green, The Neville Brothers and INXS), Festa Italiana, Wisconsin State Fair, and both Waukesha and Washington County Fairs. He’s spent time hobnobbing with bluesman bassist Rick Holmes (3 time WAMI winner), internationally acclaimed blues guitarist Billy Flynn, and also with WAMI nominees "Zoot Suit Boogie" and "The Upsetters". Ray toured with Milton Bullock (of "The Platters") playing Wisconsin casinos and supper clubs, and has performed at the Grand Ole’ Opry. 

 

Most recently, he has been a key member of local bands "Front Page News" (and spinoff "News Revue"), "The Jammies", and is still active with the semi-accoustic "Scotch & Soda".

 

With an R&B sax growl and honkey-tonk keys along with his tantalizing vocals, Ray looks forward to having some fun times and great rock 'n roll with his old friends - er, make that "long-time friends" - in the legendary Night Beats.

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Jim Cappozzo

 

Trumpet, Percussion, and Vocals

 

Jim began his musical career when he first took trumpet lessons from the well known and respected music teacher and store owner, Harlow Kneser, while in the 5^th Grade at St Joseph's School in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

 

Although he continued to develop his skills on trumpet, he first began his musical involvement as a soundman for El Rey and the Night Beats in 1992, eventually allowing him some stage time on trumpet for a few songs throughout the evening. It didn’t take long to recognize that the baby of the group was a diamond in the rough leading to an offer of full time status as a trumpet player. Jim’s brush with greatness came as a soundman while at the Kewaunee County Fair in Manitowoc, Wisconsin supporting musical acts that included The Bo Deans. His most memorable performance was as a member of El Rey and the Night Beats for the Waukesha Olde Car Club at the Exposition Center.

 

After twenty-two years as a member of the Waukesha Olde Car Club and promotion of this annual event, he was now part of the entertainment. The person who most influenced him in his musical career was his uncle, Angelo Schiavetti, who with a Master’s Degree, taught music on a High School level, played saxophone and clarinet big band, swing music beginning in the 1940’s. Played with the Army Air Force Band and Henry Mancini Orchestra. Jim’s earliest recollections are those with his family going to see his Uncle Angelo playing with his group, The Godfathers.