This is my story, it’s the best one I’ve got and I hope you all don’t take it as brag, it’s just the way it happened OK?
I got out of the Navy in 1969 after doing five trips’ to Viet Nam. Did some gigging around a few states here and there and my hometown Independence Missouri and Kansas City and 1974 I got the word that there was a house band in a Club in Raytown Missouri called The Gold Post that was looking for a guitar player and lead singer, so I went out to the cattle call and did an audition for the band. After I did a few songs for them they said if they like what I did they would give me a call back. So I left and never gave it another thought because in my mind if they liked what I did they would have given me the nod then (I was very green about those things).
About a week later I got a call from that band saying they wanted me to come back to the club and do a few more songs for them that afternoon and could I make it. Wanting to have a house gig I said sure. After I had done a few more songs for them that afternoon they went over to a corner for a few minutes to talk among themselves, came back and said that I had the job and they were going to make me a full member of the band and not just a sideman. Like I said being very green about that kind of thing back then I said “Cool, Do you guys do any original songs?” and the bass player said “one or two, Here take this bio of the band with you so you can know more about us”. So being in a hurry to get home for dinner I shoved the flyer into my guitar case along with a tape (reel to reel) of the songs they wanted me to learn and headed home.
After eating dinner (supper for some of you) I sat down to read their bio to find out the name of the band was The Fireballs of Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs of the famed song Sugar Shack without Jimmy Gilmer and the person that I was replacing was Keith McCormick and he is the one who wrote the song Sugar Shack and as it turned out I was the one who got to sing that song for four years until in 1978 The Fireballs dis-banded and George Tomsco and Stan Lark (<-- the bass player) went back the Raton New Mexico. Since that time they have re-banded there in New Mexico and do special gigs from time to time.
For those four years they sure put me through music 101 and I had a blast!

From Right to Left-George Tomsco-Stan Lark-Myself-Mike Powers
The year was 1974 and I was 23

Great story kcfireball! Love those outfits too..sooooo 70s! LOL!

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I was so stunned I didn't ask him where he was from or how old he was. If your experience was with a late teen/young man in the 70's, that would make him right at the right age. I was so into listening to him explain how he played and the tricks he had picked up over the years I just set there with my jaw open, probably looking like a big fool. If I run into him again on the local jam circuit I will get more info.



As I was just typing my first response, the concept of six degrees of separation hit me. As a frequent reader but not so frequent contributor here, I have of course noticed your status here. Thought I would play on that a bit. Keep levitating though, many of your posts have assisted me during my time here and for that accept my belated thanks, and an apology for not doing it earlier.

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2012 American Standard Strat Charcoal Froast
2009 Standard Strat Sunburst Brown
Blues Junior Tweed NOS
2007 Line6 Spider Jam