1960s invasion to hit Sky City

By Jim Tiffin
Staff Writer

Paul Revere and the Raiders, a popular group from the the 1960s, will play at Sky City Casino on March 26. The band will play two shows, at 6:30 and 9p.m. (Courtesy Photo)

GRANTS — An invasion is coming March 26.

Six men in brightly colored uniforms and tri-cornered hats will bring classic rock and roll music, zany comedy and a special appreciation for the veterans of Vietnam to Sky City Casino Hotel Paul Revere and the Raiders.

Even though he is 67, and has been in the music business for more than 45 years, Revere's passion for his music as well as the sacrifices American men and women made in Vietnam still burns brightly in him.

By telephone, from his home in Boise, Idaho, Revere talked about his beginnings especially the years with Dick Clark's "Where the Action Is," summer TV shows in 1965 and 1966, his numerous musical hits and his current passion the annual "Ride to the Wall," every Memorial Day.

The Ride to the Wall event started in 1999 when Revere was given a tattered and dirty American flag by a Vietnam veteran who stood mute for a few moments tears streaming down his face and then walked away into the crowd.

That moment and others similar to that as veterans and sometimes their wives, gave presents to Revere and his band thanking them for the music that helped get them through 'Nam, became the spark that lit a fire among the band members.

That spark ultimately resulted in Revere making a motorcycle ride to the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C., every Memorial Day and for the past few years performing with the band free for as many as 400,000 Vietnam veterans and their families.

The veterans' group "Rolling Thunder," has been a large part of the annual event, Revere said."Rolling Thunder" is a nationwide motorcycle organization composed of mostly Vietnam veterans.

"The band is trying to do what we can to help (Vietnam) veterans who have problems and bring attention to all the troops who came home and didn't get their parade," he said.

A CD, "Ride to the Wall," with songs reprised from the sixties and seventies on it is sold at every concert with all the proceeds going to help veterans outreach programs. Not a single cent from any of the CDs that are sold goes to the band.

Last year at the Wall concert, Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers, Nancy Sinatra and Connie Stevens all perfomed with the Raiders, Revere said.

A new CD, "Ride to the Wall II," is in reproduction and Revere said he hopes to have it ready for this year's event.

On the first CD the band did all the songs," he said.

"This CD we have guest performers. We did the music tracks they did the vocals," he said

The new CD includes: Steve Miller (Steve Miller Band), Gary Puckett, Nancy Sinatra, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sam Moore (Sam and Dave), Willie Chambers (Chambers Brothers) and Peter Rivera, the former lead singer for Rare Earth.

"Indian Reservation," the 1971 Columbia Records hit for the Raiders is still selling today. It has sold more than four million copies and still gets airplay on oldies as well as classic rock stations, Revere said.

Paul Revere and the Raiders were the first rock and roll band signed by Columbia Records.

When the Raiders were performing on "Where the Action Is," with Dick Clark, that was a crazy time, Revere said.

"We were like a musical version of the Marx Brothers," he said.

"It was also a good way to announce our new singles."

"We ruled the northwest with Louie, Louie, but the Kingsmen got lucky and had the national hit," he said. "That was one that got away from us."

"We were also supposed to record 'We Gotta Get Out of This Place,' but we were on tour so Eric Burden and the Animals did it. Another one that got away," he said.

That song, more than any other represents the theme of Vietnam veterans because they wanted so much to go home.

Adrian Cronauer, the disk jockey that became so famous for his music for the troops during the 'Nam era, and was played by Robin Williams in the film "Good Morning Vietnam," also was a part of getting Revere and the band to become part of the "Ride to the Wall." Cronauer was instrumental in helping Revere meet "Rolling Thunder" executives and become such a part of the Vietnam Memorial Wall annual event.

Revere said he is not sure yet whether the band will be able to perform free this year, he hasn't heard.

He also said he doesn't know yet from where he will be making his "Ride to the Wall," this year.

He tried to plan it a few years ago but because the schedule is so fluid he now just goes from wherever he is, he said.

A new member of the band is Darrin Medley, the 40-year-old son of Bill Medley.

"We (band members) have all known him since he was 10 years old," Revere said.

Medley is the lead singer and a drummer and often changes with Omar Martinez, the band's drummer of 31 years, so Martinez can sing and Medley can play drums, Revere said.

"This is still wonderful," Revere said.

"I feel blessed that I am physically in good shape and still be able to have fun playing and performing for fans, meeting them after the show and signing autographs and the band is doing great," he said.

Paul Revere and the Raiders will perform at Sky City for two shows, at 6:30 p.m., and 9 p.m., on March 26.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin@blackmesa-isp.net.