Kay Bank Studios
Encyclopedia
Kay Bank Studios was a recording studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota
at 2541 Nicollet Avenue. Daniel Heilicher and his brother Amos started in a business together in the '30s, distributing and stocking jukeboxes. In 1954, they founded Soma Records ("Amos" backwards), and started producing records out of Kay Bank Studios.
Eventually a number of huge hits would come out of their efforts at the studio, including the Fendermen's "Muleskinner Blues", Dave Dudley
's "Six Days on the Road", the Trashmen
's "Surfin' Bird
", and The Castaways
' "Liar, Liar". Those last two singles were hits from Minneapolis's golden, mid-'60s era of teenage rock, and their success inspired countless garage
bands to entertain dreams of one-hit-wonderdom.
Among those who traveled to Minneapolis to record were Bobby Vee
's band the Shadows ("Susie Baby"), and Chad Allan and the Reflections (later the Expressions, who became The Guess Who
), who recorded "Shakin' All Over".
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
at 2541 Nicollet Avenue. Daniel Heilicher and his brother Amos started in a business together in the '30s, distributing and stocking jukeboxes. In 1954, they founded Soma Records ("Amos" backwards), and started producing records out of Kay Bank Studios.
Eventually a number of huge hits would come out of their efforts at the studio, including the Fendermen's "Muleskinner Blues", Dave Dudley
Dave Dudley
Dave Dudley , born David Darwin Pedruska, was an American country music singer best-known for his truck-driving country anthems of the 1960s and 1970s and his semi-slurred baritone. His signature song was "Six Days on the Road," and he is also remembered for "Vietnam Blues," "Truck Drivin'...
's "Six Days on the Road", the Trashmen
The Trashmen
The Trashmen are a rock and roll band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1962. The group's original lineup was Tony Andreason on lead guitar and vocals, Dal Winslow on guitar and vocals, Steve Wahrer on drums and vocals, and Bob Reed on bass guitar...
's "Surfin' Bird
Surfin' Bird
"Surfin' Bird" is a song performed by the American surf rock band The Trashmen; it is also the name of the album that featured this hit single. It was released in 1963 and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100...
", and The Castaways
The Castaways
The Castaways are an American garage rock band from the Twin Cities in Minnesota.Their first and only hit single was "Liar, Liar". Written by band leader James Donna and Denny Craswell, produced by Timothy D. Kehr and released by Soma Records, it reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in...
' "Liar, Liar". Those last two singles were hits from Minneapolis's golden, mid-'60s era of teenage rock, and their success inspired countless garage
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
bands to entertain dreams of one-hit-wonderdom.
Among those who traveled to Minneapolis to record were Bobby Vee
Bobby Vee
Robert Thomas Velline , known as Bobby Vee, is an American pop music singer. According to Billboard magazine, Vee has had 38 Hot 100 chart hits, 10 of which hit the Top 20.-Career:...
's band the Shadows ("Susie Baby"), and Chad Allan and the Reflections (later the Expressions, who became The Guess Who
The Guess Who
The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially gaining recognition in Canada, they also found international success from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s with numerous hit singles, including "American Woman", "These Eyes" and "Share the Land"...
), who recorded "Shakin' All Over".