A lighthearted and loving look back at the glory days of the Shady Dell, the historic haven for teenagers in York, PA, and the magnanimous couple that created it, John & Helen Ettline.
CLOSE YOUR EYES. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. OPEN YOUR HEART.
SHADY DEL KNIGHT, ADMINISTRATOR
High School Yearbook Photo
"More than a place, the Shady Dell was and will forever remain a state of mind." - Shady Del Knight
HELLO STRANGER ... IT SEEMS LIKE A MIGHTY LONG TIME!
In 1972, a crack Dell Rat unit was sent to prison by the Unific Court of Love for a crime they didn't commit..... (Death by Disco).
These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the York, PA underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of soul and revivers of rock ‘n roll.
If you have a problem (with hip hop divas and gangsta rap)...
if no one else can help...
and if you can find them...
maybe you can hire...
The D-Team!
I pity the fool who don't like these songs!
"A Patent on Love" - Newbeats (November 1966)
Direct from the Lloyd Thaxton Show, it's Larry Henley and the Newbeats! I saw the Nashville trio perform several of their hits and misses on that televised music, comedy, and dance program. By the way, don't miss my 7-part tribute to the late Lloyd Thaxton coming up later this year!
The Newbeats will turn up again and again on this blog because my respect for them has grown tremendously in recent years. Granted, some of their recordings missed the mark. Their lame cover versions of million sellers by super groups like the Beatles and the Supremes did not help the cause; but other covers and original songs are right in the groove. These Nashville cats made old school cool! Here's a great example - a superb yet non-charting single called "A Patent on Love."
"Funky Broadway" - Dyke & the Blazers (April 1967)
During the late summer of 1967, Wilson Pickett scored a top 10 smash with "Funky Broadway." Pickett's record is ranked #123 on my list of the 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell. Dell rats liked what the Wicked Pickett was puttin' down, but they loved the original and played it more often. From the spring of '67, charting at #79 on the Dell's Greatest Hits survey, here's "Funky Broadway" by Dyke & the Blazers.
"She Comes in Colors" - Love (December 1966)
Here’s one of the greatest songs never to be played at the Shady Dell. I remember getting blown away when I heard a local York band perform "She Comes in Colors" in the spring of 1967.
Until then, I never knew that the original version had been recorded months earlier by a band called Love. On faith alone, I bought the first two Love albums and was elated to find a treasure trove of rock gems; although the trippy, flower pop psychedelia of "She Comes In Colors" remained my favorite. Ever since, I have been addicted to Love!
The racially mixed, five-man Los Angeles group led by the brilliant Arthur Lee was the first rock band signed by Elektra records. Love’s recording of Burt Bacharach’s "My Little Red Book" became the label’s first 45 release. Love’s music is a complex, sophisticated, innovative fusion of folk-rock, baroque pop, flamenco and psychedelia. Using instruments avoided by most bands such as flute, saxophone and harpsichord, Love created music that still sounds fresh and interesting.
Love’s odd refusal to tour hurt them, as did the limited commercial appeal of their music.
Love remained a cult band in the shadow of their successful label mates, the Doors. Vindication has come with time. Today, Arthur Lee’s band of musical misfits is lauded by critics, and generations of rock fans have discovered that there’s a lot to Love!
"Back on My Feet Again" Foundations (March 1968)
The Foundations were a mixed race octet from England who exported some refreshingly different sounding northern soul to America. Theirs is a mod beat sound that stands up remarkably well to repeated listening.
"Back on My Feet Again" was only a minor hit stateside for the group, halting at #59 on the Billboard chart in the early spring of 1968. Nevertheless, it is one of my Foundations faves, and I'd like you to hear it.
"My Best Friend Barbara" - Connie Francis (December 1963)
For many years, I had a pesky blind spot where Connie Francis was concerned. I kept lumping her in with country artists, easy listening artists, and singers who recorded in foreign languages. I avoided Connie's music, unaware of her significant contributions to rock 'n roll and the girl group sound.
Listen to Connie rocking out on "My Best Friend Barbara," a Neil Sedaka composition that includes backing vocals by the Brill Building dream team of Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, and Mr. Sedaka. It's the ginchiest!
Oh, her lipstick's all a mess. She thinks that she's the best. She's walkin' down the street in a tight yellow dress. My best friend Barbara.
Yo, Mister Neil Sedaka. FOUR ONE ONE! Listen up and listen up good my friend, aaah-IGHT?
Looks like I owe you an apology. I made fun of your dancin' on Valentine's day, but dat was before I knew you could write such phat lyrics! Take it from me - what the world needs now is more songs about women in tight dresses with messed up lipstick. When I heard dat, zing went the strings, know what I mean? As a sincere token of my esteemed symbolic eternal friendship gratitude gesture thingy, I hereby bestow upon you, Mister Neil Sedaka, the honor of receiving, absolutely free of charge, a lifetime membership in the Tracy Jordan Fan Club with all the inherent, implied, implicit and illicit rights and privileges therein, thereof, and therefore. It's the least I can do!
Don't miss the next thrill-packed episode of The D-Team, coming soon!
I have every confidence that the Righteous Brothers were steady hit makers at the Shady Dell in the months and years before I showed up on the scene.
One of my favorites by Bill and Bobby was “Unchained Melody” a song that went into heavy rotation on WSBA in July 1965 and duked it out with “Satisfaction” for summer supremacy.
Trouble is, Hollywood ruined “Unchained Melody” for me when the love ballad became the theme of the blockbuster chick flick Ghost and suffered a severe case of media overexposure. The ghostly tie-in also changed my memory of the song. Before 1990 and Ghost, "Unchained Melody" always reminded me of floating in my back yard pool.
Now, every time I hear it, my mind conjures images of teary-eyed Demi and that blasted wet clay!
Look at me now!....
I'M ALL VERKLEMPT!
It sure would be swell if Tinseltown and the Mad Men would stop contaminating our memories by turning cherished boomer classics into movie themes and commercial jingles for toilet bowl cleaners and itch ointments!
All was not lost, however, because there was a lot to like on the flip side of "Unchained Melody."
The killer bee, “Hung on You,” steadily grew on me over the years and is now one of my all-time faves, surpassing “Unchained Melody.”
"You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” was the Righteous Brothers biggest hit and for decades has been played to death on oldies radio. After I heard the song a thousand times, listener fatigue set in.
Let's bottom line it. While I enjoy listening to "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" occasionally, there are many other Righteous Brothers songs that I like better and never get tired of hearing, like "Just Once in My Life," the Phillies release that followed "Lovin' Feelin'" in April of 1965.
And last but not least, let’s go way back to the Moonglow years and listen to Shady Del’s Pick to Click.
From May 1963, one of the most exciting records of the rock ‘n roll era, the Righteous Brothers’ version of “Little Latin Lupe Lu.”
In 1983, I was fortunate enough to be in attendance when Bill Medley & Bobby Hatfield performed before a SRO crowd at a concert venue in Valley Forge. The Righteous Brothers were still sensational, still testifyin’, and they received several standing ovations.
Sadly, 20 years later, rock 'n roll heaven sent for another one of the greats. Bobby passed away unexpectedly just minutes before a scheduled concert in 2003. Bill sang solo at Bobby's funeral.
The Righteous Brothers: major contributors to the soundtrack of our youth.
March Madness is the term I use to describe the big bang...
...the music explosion that took place at the Dell starting in the early spring of 1966 and continuing through June. Some of the greatest soul records of the 60s came out during that period as well as releases by soulful white artists with crossover appeal.
The Dell’s blue-eyed soul craze got its start in the months leading up to March with songs like “Peace of Mind” by the Magnificent Men, “Jenny” by Mitch Ryder, and “Unchained Melody,” “Hung on You,” and “Ebb Tide” by the Righteous Brothers all paving the way.
In March, the Young Rascals joined the club and helped to ratchet up the excitement in the barn, and the Righteous Brothers were back with their biggest Dell hit of all.
A record doesn’t make it into the coveted Shady Dell Top Ten unless it kills. “Soul And Inspiration,” a towering wall of sound, kills!
For months on end this exquisite Righteous Brothers ballad kept the Dell’s slow dancers in a blissful state of nirvana. Couples by the score streamed to the dance floor and swayed teary-eyed as “Soul and Inspiration” washed over them like a wave of intense feeling. Bill and Bobby’s dueling vocal harmonies spiraled upward toward the heavens and then fell and rose and fell again until, by song’s end, all within earshot were emotionally depleted.
The Righteous Bros. are shoutin’ the blues on the killer bee...
"B Side Blues" received enough jukebox plays and crowd reax to earn it a spot in the Shady Dell Top 100!
Two more exceptional Righteous Brothers ballads made their mark during my tenure as a Dell rat, and both also made it into my Dell Top 100.
At position #80 is the song mentioned earlier - “Ebb Tide,” one of the Dell’s most frequently played slow songs from December 1965 through the end of winter.
At position #92 is “He,” a ballad with an overtly religious theme similar to that of another Dell classic, ‘Human” by Tommy Hunt.
"He” was a warm weather Dell song, first capturing our attention in June of 1966 and keeping us company until the school bells rang.
Key point: Many of the Dell’s greatest hits were songs that walked the fine line between gospel and secular without becoming preachy or self conscious.
Too late for Halloween, but a Ghost story is coming up next.
Golly, it's been quite a while since our last installment of the 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell. Let's roll!
At this point in the countdown, the hardcore Dell songs are emerging! Regional acts are responsible for 4 out of the 10 songs in this week's countdown list. Examine the lyrics below and see if you can name those tunes!
That road goes nowhere
Let it flow like the river
And I might wave, come up here But I don't see you wavin now
Don't judge a book by it's cover
Don’t sit there and stew
She told me that she loves me And that I must believe She put no one above me And that she’ll never leave
You're earthquakin', soul shakin'
I’m gonna relax like everybody should
You know I'll bring her in someday
No squeaks from the swings No kids are at play
(end of clues)
Remember the grading scale:
All 10 right – Congratulations! You’ve been appointed dean of the College of Musical Knowledge
7-9 right – Licensed lyric lover
4-6 right - Lyrically challenged
1-3 right – Sign up for remedial classes at the School of Rock
0 right – You just dance and hum along!
Now, here are this week's 10 Shady Dell countdown songs:
70. "Kicks" - Paul Revere & the Raiders (March '66)
69. "Open the Door to Your Heart" - Darrell Banks (July '66)
68. "96 Tears" - (?) Question Mark & the Mysterians (September '66)
67. "Beauty is Only Skin Deep" - Temptations (September '66)
66. "Find Someone (Who'll Make You Happy)" - Kit Kats (November '66)
65. "Lookin' for My Baby" - Emperors (May '67)
64. "I Got a Feeling" - Four Tops (March '67)
63. "Gimme Some Lovin'" - Jordan Brothers (February '67)
62. "Searchin'" - Emperors (May '67)
61. "It's Now Winter's Day" - Tommy Roe (January '67)
Do you have a Shady Dell Top Tunes list of your own that you would like to share? I'd love to see it, especially if it covers a different period of Dell history. It doesn't have to contain 200 songs; even a Top 10 would be interesting and instructive. Submit your Dell's Greatest Hits list in the form of a comment and I'll get it posted.
John Ettline was born 103 years ago today on March 12th, 1906.
Things to know and remember about John:
* John was a graduate of York High School.
* John played football and baseball, and was considered very athletic.
* John was an extremely intelligent man and attended a junior college until his father pulled him out to help with the family farm in Foustown, the Cousler Park area north of York.
* John was an antiques collector, purchasing many pieces from his youngest brother, the late Paul Ettline who was an antiques dealer. Paul always spoke very highly of his oldest brother.
* Looking back at John Ettline’s life, it's safe to say that he was a John of all trades and a master of many.
* John worked in coal mines.
*John was a music agent, scheduling bands for local clubs.
* John managed various York clubs including the historic Valencia Ballroom, America’s first air conditioned dance hall!
* John also managed Lehmeyer’s the classy men's clothier on North George St.
* John was a dapper dresser, a great dancer, and a very handsome gentleman.
* John was a ladies' man, a man's man, and very much his own man.
* Most of all, John was a wise man, and he shared his wisdom with us. I thought it fitting, therefore, to offer this video...
...and this timeless message of hope as we remember John today:
Some might disagree, but I thought the Isley Brothers were at their best during their stint at Motown in the mid 60s.
Two of the superb recordings that the Isleys released on the Tamla subsidiary landed in the top 20 on my list of the 200 Greatest Hits of the Shady Dell.
“This Old Heart of Mine,” which fell just short of the top 10 on Billboard, lit a fire under the Dell crowd in February of 1966. The dance floor was jammed whenever this Motown memory maker started playing!
I vividly recall one of the Dell regulars, a young guy around fifteen. He was arguably the best male dancer in the place, and his older sister was the best female dancer. Everybody watched with awe and envy as that brother and sister duo danced together to “This Old Heart of Mine” and other up-tempo sounds. That young dude had such a great smile and so much energy, confidence and charisma that he often had two girls dancing with him at the same time. Hey, save some for the rest of us!
Unsolved history:
That brother & sister dance team – What were their names? Where are they now?
“This Old Heart of Mine” was still going strong in June when the Brothers Isley launched phase two of their Dell assault, setting summer nights ablaze with the scintillating dance number “Take Some Time Out for Love.” I liked “This Old Heart of Mine,” but I found “Take Some Time Out for Love” even more exciting. That's why I ranked it higher on my Dell’s Greatest Hits list. Shady’s Law certainly applies to “Take Some Time Out…” because the song’s poor performance on Billboard (lasting only 4 weeks and halting at #66) is both a mystery and a travesty. "Take Some Time Out for Love" is one of the most electrifying northern dancers ever produced!
Many Dell rats tried and many Dell rats failed...
It was simply impossible to stay seated when the Brothers Isley began to wail!
These two Isley smashes were part of an extraordinary run of Dell classics that exploded onto the scene during the first half of 1966. It is the time span that yielded the heaviest concentration of high-ranking Dell hits on my 22-month survey.
* 7 of the top 10 Dell songs were released during the first six months of 1966
* 14 out of the top 20 and
* 28 out of the top 50.
A key point that I would like to make is that the music of 1966 and earlier was somehow "greater" than the music of 1967 and later.
FACT: As the official Pac Man pie chart illustrates...
...75% of the songs in the Dell Top 100 were released in 1966 or earlier.
The Isley Brothers, already veteran performers by the mid 60s, ultimately became one of the longest-lasting recording acts in music history, placing records on the charts in six different decades!
“Words and photographs could never do those dancers justice because you had to be there - in a club with great music, like minded people and loads of atmosphere.” David Meikle of Glasgow, Scotland wrote those words in an article remembering the Twisted Wheel, the legendary northern soul club in Manchester, England. Yet, Mr. Meikle could just as easily have been describing the scene at my favorite "in" spot of the 1960s, the Shady Dell in York (Pennsylvania, not England).
THE SHADY DELL
YORK, PENNSYLVANIA
The Shady Dell: Part of York County's Colorful History
What began as a home based restaurant and bakery in 1945 evolved over the next two decades into the hottest teen nightspot in York county complete with indoor and outdoor dance floors. It went beyond that. Shady Dell owner John Ettline and his wife Helen put out the welcome mat offering hospitality, comfort, support, and encouragement to generations of young people. During its impressive 45-year life span the Dell became a home away from home for countless area youth from a variety of backgrounds.
At the height of its popularity in the early and mid 60s the Dell, located on the southern outskirts of the White Rose city, was as widely known as North York’s White Oak Park ("the Oaks"), Harrisburg's Raven club or any other youth-oriented venue in central Pennsylvania. The Dell attracted crowds from all over the region. It brought together under one roof kids from middle class families and kids from working class families - city kids, suburban kids, small town kids and farm kids.
The diverse cast of characters that constituted the Shady Dell family was a potentially volatile mix. Each of us had to find a way to fit in and get along (or risk being voted off the island). In the end, in spite of our differences, most of us learned to dance together without stepping on each other’s toes.
Shady Dell regulars were nicknamed Dell rats and we had at least two things in common: a love of the music that played on the Dell’s jukebox and a genuine respect for John and Helen Ettline who graciously made their home our home.
GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
The Dell was a unique, magical coming of age experience - a proving ground - a secluded hideaway where adolescents could develop social skills, learn to handle responsibility and test the waters of adulthood free from the hassles of ubiquitous adult micromanagement.
SHOCKING TRUE CONFESSION: I WAS A TEENAGE DELL RAT! by Shady Del Knight
I became a Dell rat in 1965 at the age of fifteen. Disparaging rumors about the place had been circulating for years. If you were to believe the gossip the Dell was a snake pit where bad boys and bad girls went to do bad things. Some people, including my mother, referred to the Dell as a “den of iniquity.” Intrigued by the horror stories, I was determined to get there and see for myself what all the fuss was about.
In preparation for my grand entrance, I subjected myself to weeks of rigorous training at a Shady Dell boot camp of my own devise. I grew my hair longer and took up the smoking habit. I practiced in front of a mirror until I was convinced that my stance, walk, and dancing style were all cool.
To complete my extreme makeover, I went shopping for my 'uniform' which consisted of a tapered shirt from the Hub, slacks by H.I.S. and two wardrobe essentials: a pair of blue Jack Purcell sneakers and the all-important Baracuta jacket "Made in England." Wearing my 'Cuta' made me feel so terribly, terribly British, you know. Spot on for us bird watchin' blokes, right gov'na?
'JACKS'
AN ABSOLUTE MUST...FOR DANCIN' ON DELL DUST!
THE CLASSIC NATURAL COLOUR BARACUTA
STRICTLY CONTINENTAL, MATE!
Moment of Truth: Boy Meets Dell
Too young to drive, I made my first Dell visit happen by bumming a ride one night with my college-age cousin and two of his buddies. Clearly, none of the above was thrilled to be babysitting.
As we drove past York Hospital on South George and headed toward Violet Hill, what began as giddy anticipation was turning to apprehension. Fear of the unknown started creeping into my brain. What if the rumors turned out to be true? Would I soon be sharing a needle with a gang of rowdy bikers?
At Violet Hill, we made a dogleg turn to the right and began to climb the narrow, winding, bumpy Starcross Road. By this time my breathing had become labored and I felt queasy. It was as if, on a foolish dare, I had agreed to spend the night with Vincent Price in his House on Haunted Hill. Was it too late to leap from the car and bolt?
"I See the Lights... I See the Party Lights..."
We rounded a bend and I caught my first glimpse of her a short distance up the road. Perched on the hillside was a three-story brick house. Down to the left stood a barn. The festive glow of colored lights rose skyward from an area behind the house. As I would soon learn, the atmospheric illumination originated from strings of lanterns hanging above a patio rigged with remote speakers for outdoor dancing.
As we banked to make our final approach I detected the percussive beat of uptempo music emanating from the barn. We turned left into a gravel parking lot overflowing with vehicles. Here, in all of her rustic splendor, stood the infamous Shady Dell, my destination for the evening and my obsession for years to come!
I Found My Thrill on Violet Hill
My heart was thumping as we climbed the steps that led to the entrance and approached the admission booth. Following my cousin’s lead, I slid a quarter through the window and looked up to see a balding, bespectacled old man grinning back at me. Old? John Ettline would have been 59 at the time. I'm older than that now. Yikes!
“Good evening, gentlemen!” John delivered his cheerful salutation in a booming baritone. Immediately, my anxiety vanished. John’s warm welcome made me feel right at home. It made me feel like I belonged. I didn’t get it at the time but later came to realize that John’s presupposition that we were "gentlemen" was a clever and tactful way of admonishing us to behave accordingly.
Toto, I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore!
From the moment I entered the compound I was hooked. The Shady Dell was a private playground for teenagers - a candy land - a fun factory - a safe haven where kids could congregate and blow off steam without having to worry about parents and teachers giving them the evil eye. Instantly I became intoxicated - not by alcohol - but by a sense of total freedom. The place gave off a vibe that was completely new to me – an exhilarating blend of romance, adventure and danger!
Instead of placing a ton of restrictions on their young patrons, John and Helen granted them the independence they craved. The Ettlines were willing to take a step back and trust our judgment. It was okay for us to party as long as things didn’t get out of hand. Most of us eagerly embraced that arrangement. If and when we screwed up, the Ettlines gave us another chance. John and Helen cut you plenty of slack, but if you disrespected them or trashed their establishment both were capable of unleashing a fiery temper.
Of Rats and Men
Contrary to popular belief, the Dell did not harbor gangs of juvenile delinquents eager to conceal their wicked deeds from law enforcement. Sorry, Mom - there weren’t any guns, switchblades or brass knuckles - no gangs, career criminals or prostitutes - just a bunch of ordinary teenagers who loved to meet, mix and mingle, dance and have fun.
Fights were few and far between. There was tacit agreement that it was our duty to preserve and protect the unique setting that the Ettlines had created for us. It required us to police ourselves to prevent incidents that would generate negative publicity or hassles with the law. Scuffles were settled quickly, often through John’s bold intervention. The first lesson a guy learned at the Dell was as follows. Don’t let the gray hair fool you. Nobody messes with John. He’s the boss!
A Special Welcome to All Incoming Freshmen!
I was punched in the face three times during my first year of matriculation on the campus of the Shady Dell School of Hard Knocks. Apparently a few of the guys were determined to teach me a lesson. Yet, getting socked in the kisser did not dampen my enthusiasm or scare me away from the place. In fact they had the opposite effect. They whet my appetite for more! As a Dell newbie desperate to break free of mom’s apron strings and earn respect and acceptance, I wasn’t about to let a bloody nose deter me. For the first time in my life I felt like a man instead of a boy and I loved it. Like Secret Agent Man I was living a life of danger. I was addicted to the rush!
Determined to create an image that would allow me to blend in, appeal to the ladies and avoid becoming a frequent target of the tribe's dominant males, I did a lot of posing, posturing and pretending. I decided that it would be advantageous for me to look tough even though I wasn't. Whenever I strolled into the dance hall, I made sure that my hair was messed up, my shirt tail was hanging out, a lit cigarette was dangling from my lips and my game face was on.
One afternoon before anybody else arrived, my best friend and I rolled around on the dance floor of the barn so that we could properly break-in our new Baracuta jackets by getting them coated with Dell dust. This drove my mother crazy. She kept asking me how I got my jacket so badly soiled. She was even more perplexed when I forbade her to get it cleaned. How could I explain to her that I didn’t want to risk weakening my status with the other guys by wearing a clean jacket?
In my mom’s day the ideal guy wore a white sport coat and a pink carnation. His hair was neatly cropped, oiled down and slicked back off his forehead. That look would have spelled social suicide at the Dell in the mid 60s. My goal was to look like I had just been in a fight at reform school, and if I got my uniform dirty or bloodied in combat, it was a GOOD thing.
Helen & John Ettline
Shady Dell Owners
Helen and John: Not Your Typical Mom and Pop
Even by mid 60s standards, John Ettline seemed part of a vanishing breed of men. John never called me by my first name. He always chose to address me as “Mr. Knight." John maintained that friendly formality through all the years I knew him. I’m very glad he did. John always made me feel important when he added the title “Mr.” to my name. Making insecure teenagers feel good about themselves was John’s greatest gift. He always treated young people with dignity and respect and that made them want to return it.
Along with his outstanding people skills, John possessed a photographic memory. He could always match a face with a name. He seemed to know a lot about anything or anybody that you happened to be discussing. John Ettline had a million stories to tell - all of them interesting.
Although old enough to be our grandparents, there was no generation gap between the Ettlines and their teenage guests. They seemed to remember better than other grown-ups what it was like to be young. John and Helen stayed in touch and in tune with the youth culture. Never was that more in evidence than one day at the York Fair in September, 1968. I was sitting in the grandstand awaiting the start of the James Brown concert. I turned around to search the crowd for familiar faces and there, a few rows behind me, sat Helen and John. In a year when racial tension was running high in York and elsewhere, it was remarkable to see a white couple in their 60s at a James Brown concert, chanting along with the rest of us, “Say It Loud: I’m Black and I’m Proud!”
John and Helen were cool. Young people felt at ease talking with them. Unlike many adults, John and Helen listened to us. They cared without preaching or judging. The Ettlines treated their teen visitors like extended family. They believed in the potential of every young person, including troubled youth from broken homes. They spoke to us about the value of an education and honest hard work. They sponsored athletic programs and honored America’s armed forces. They shaped young lives by instilling a sense of pride and self esteem. John and Helen went out of their way to make all of their kids feel like somebody - even those whose families were telling them they were nobody.
The Dell Jukebox: ALL KILLER AND NO FILLER!
Upon arriving on the Dell scene I soon realized that the jukebox in the dance hall was loaded with the greatest, most danceable records to be found anywhere. There were quite a few songs that I had never heard before and would never hear anywhere else. The music mix that played nightly at the Dell was consistently better than what I was hearing on the radio. In the mid 60s the Dell's musical menu was an exciting blend of Motown, Chi-town, New York and Philly soul, Memphis, southern R&B, blue-eyed soul, Brit beat, sunshine pop, garage, psych and folk-rock plus a few do-wop favorites held over from the 50s.
Shady Dell regulars, the gang I now refer to as the Rodentia Intelligentsia, prided themselves on having radar for cool. Year in and year out they discovered and popularized songs that radio stations across the country overlooked. Records that lingered near the bottom of the national chart often became cherished classics at the Dell. Forgotten flips were elevated to mega-hit status by Dell rats unfettered by the limitations of radio play lists.
Certain songs resonated with the Dell crowd to such an extent that they stayed on the jukebox for years. The best example of this phenomenon is the record ranked #1 on my survey of the 200 Greatest Hits Of The Shady Dell. It remained one of the most popular jukebox selections a dozen years after its initial release in the 50s. That very special song, the greatest and longest lasting Shady Dell hit of all time, was "Close Your Eyes" by the Five Keys.
THE FIVE KEYS
"Close Your Eyes" Ranked #1
Del-Chords & Magnificent Men
Another mighty evergreen at the Shady Dell was "Everybody’s Gotta Lose Someday," an intense, power-packed r&b/soul ballad by the Del-Chords, a racially mixed group from York. Released in 1964, the record was still being played heavily two years later, jamming the floor with slow dancers several times a night. Dave Bupp and Buddy King, lead vocalists from the Del-Chords, eventually merged with band members of Harrisburg’s Endells to form a blue-eyed soul group called the Magnificent Men. The “Mag Men,” as we called them, were white guys who had a passion for black music and the vocal talent and musicianship to authentically perform it. Their inspiring ballad "Peace of Mind" was the first in an impressive string of Dell hits for our hometown heroes.
Magnificent Men
HEAVY HITTERS AT THE DELL!
The Emperors of Harrisburg
Records by the Emperors, another home-grown act, were also enormously popular with Dell dancers. A black group from the state capital, the Emperors were exponents of the “Harrisburg sound,” a blend of r&b, soul, garage and Latin influences. "Karate," the Emperors’ best known recording, was the first of eight raw, funky, organ-driven numbers to achieve hit status at the Dell in 1966 and 1967.
THE EMPERORS
DELL ROYALTY - THEY RULED!
End of an Era
Once addicted to the Dell, I pretty much lived there until the fall of 1967 when I left York to attend an institution of higher learning. Over the next four years I visited my Dell family whenever possible during holidays, spring breaks, and summer vacations. My stint as a Dell rat officially ended in 1971 when I found a job in another city and moved away from York for good.
My final visit to the Dell came in March of 1984 when my career took me out of state. My last piece of business before leaving was to drop in at the Dell and say a final goodbye. I entered the house to find John sitting on a stool at the lunch counter reading the newspaper. “Well, hello stranger!” John bellowed, rising to his feet and extending his hand. “Long time no see, Mr. Knight!" After shaking hands with John and exchanging a few pleasantries, I inquired about Helen. I was stunned to learn that she had passed away a few weeks earlier. I never got the news! John and I stood alone in Helen’s snack bar, reminiscing about the good old days and lamenting how much things had changed since the Dell’s golden era.
After a brief chat with John I excused myself and walked down the sidewalk to check out the barn. The old dance hall was dimly lit and nearly vacant. The only customers were two boys with shoulder length hair standing by the jukebox with a couple of girls. No music was playing. The place was dead or, more accurately, in the final lonely stages of life. If it had been twenty years earlier, the joint would have been jumpin’. The four young people eyed me suspiciously. Is this guy a narc? I put myself in their combat boots and realized that the sight of a stranger in his mid thirties was probably making this new generation of Dell rats uncomfortable. I promptly exited the barn and returned to the house to bid farewell to John.
That night marked the last time I ever saw John or entered the Shady Dell. I made one final pilgrimage in 1988 when I returned to Pennsylvania to visit my parents. I drove up to the Dell one afternoon with every intention of going inside. I’m sure I would have encountered a smiling John Ettline and that he would have immediately remembered my name. Yet, I never got out of the car. I chose not to enter because I didn’t want to further contaminate my memories by seeing how much older John looked and how much more dilapidated the Dell had become. All I could do was sit there in the parking lot gazing at the barn, the house, the bench and the steps to the admission booth where the whole journey started. My mind flooded with a thousand memories of the people, the place, and the time of my life.
John Ettline closed the Dell in the fall of 1991. He died at the beginning of 1993. John’s family auctioned off the restaurant equipment, signage and other Dell paraphernalia in the spring of that year.
(Mike Argento's 1993 article in the York Daily Record was used as a reference source for portions of this cover story.)