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!
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Dell Rat Jerre Slaybaugh Takes the "My Life According To..." Musical Challenge!
Good news! My old Shady Dell buddy Jerre Slaybaugh was so inspired by the post that he decided to try his hand at it.
To refresh your memory about
how this challenge works, read this:
Jerre answered the list of questions with song titles
from one of his favorite artists and he's curious to
see if you can name the famous recording act by
the time you get to the end of his life story.
Here now is
My Life According To...?
as told by Jerre Slaybaugh.
THE QUESTIONS:
Are you a male or female?
"Only Living BOY In New York"
Describe yourself:
"A Most Peculiar Man"
How do you feel?
"We Got A Groovy Thing Going"
Describe where you currently live:
"America" on "Bleeker Street"
If you could go anywhere,
where would you go?
"Homeward Bound""At the Zoo"
to "Somewhere They Can't Find Me"
Your favorite form of transportation?
They call me "Baby Driver"
taking the "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Your best friend is?
My "Old Friends"like "Mrs. Robinson"
and "So Long Frank Lloyd Wright"
Your favorite color is?
I like my "Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine"
What's the weather like?
The weather man said it was a
"Hazy Shade of Winter" and"Cloudy"
but he
never gets it correct
and "The Sun Is Burning".
Favorite time of day?
Time for the "7 O'Clock News"
when it is "Late In The Evening"
or sometimes it is "Wednesday Morning 3 AM"
If your life was a TV show,
what it would be called?
"You Can Tell The World" "I Am A RocK"
What is life to you?
I been Ayn Randed and branded left handed and
"A Simple Desultory Philippic"
describes my lifejust looking for a "Song For Asking"
Your relationships:
"Old Friends"like "Cecilia"
and "April Come She Will"
Your fear(s):
Saying "Bye Bye Love"
or listening to "The Sounds of Silence"
What is the best advice you have to give?
"Go Tell It On The Mountain"
because no one is listening.
If you could change your name,
what would you change it to?
I would be "The Boxer" called "Richard Cory"
Thought for the day:
I would steal from Mr. Dylan and tell you
"The Times They Are A Changin"and that
"Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall"
How would you like to die?
"FAKIN IT"
Your soul's present condition?
"Blessed"
Your motto?
"Keep The Customer Satisfied"
How did you do, dear reader? Were you able to guess the artist Jerre picked for the story of his life? I struck out after three wrong guesses in a row:
1) Tiny Tim
2.) Disco Tex & the Sex-O-Lettes
3.) The Singing Nun
I know this artist well--I love their work-- but don't want to be a spoiler and shout out their name first thing. I never heard of some of these songs, however--especially the ones at the end given as clues. It's great to see Jerre back on your blog and I enjoyed reading his answers--very clever! Nicely done--both of you!!!
I think I should reveal to the readers how we do this. Typically, I show you the finished drafts of my posts days in advance so that you have time to formulate a comment and email it to me. That way I can get it posted first thing in the morning on the first day of the post's run and it helps lead the discussion. When you and I discussed this post of Jerre's, we agreed that we should let the other readers guess the artist instead of having you post the answer right away. I'm glad you appreciated what Jerre put together for this musical challenge. Those song title clues at the end were something I came up with. They represent the little known A and B sides of singles released by this artist at the beginning of his/her/their career.
Thank you very much for your comment about Jerre's guest post, dear Kathryn!
Hi Shady, I should have known that you would come up with the "Tom and Jerry" attachment. That really added to this post. From the songs you added at the end, I guess you have listened to the CD titled "Early S & G". If you haven't it is worth the listen as it also contains "Tico and the Triumphs". I hope others enjoy this post as much as I did.
Thanks for dropping in to see how your musical questionnaire looks in published form. I'm happy to know you don't mind me adding the Tom & Jerry bit at the end. Actually I haven't listened to that CD yet, but now you got me interested. When you think about the limited success of this act in their early Tom & Jerry iteration, you realize that they could have given up and faded into obscurity. It's impossible to imagine 20th century music w/o the tremendous contributions they made later in their career.
I'm sure everybody will enjoy this post, Jerre, and I thank you once again for contributing to SDMM. I enjoy having you as a special guest. Stay tuned for a new post from our good buddy Dell Rat Ron coming up six days from now!
Oh Oh! Hello darkness, my old friend! Fabulous, dear Shady:-) I just listened to the CD twice yesterday. It tends to dissuade distractions and keeps me crunching numbers :-) Excellent choice, Jerre!
Thank you for coming over to see what Dell Rat Jerre did with the Musical Challenge. You seem to have correctly guessed the featured artist (and ruled out Tiny Tim, Disco Tex and The Singing Nun). Whenever I hear the song you mentioned, I immediate think of graduate Benjamin Braddock at the bottom of the family swimming pool clad in his scuba suit.
Thank you again for visiting, dear friend Diedre, and enjoy the rest of your week!
It was so weird. Your E post was in my reader, but after you bumped it off the front page, replacing it with your IWSG post, I could no longer find it. When I clicked back to previous post from your IWSG post, it went straight back to D, skipping the E! I'm glad you saw my comment and thanks for following up here, good buddy!
Tom, I figured out early on who the artist was, but then you stumped with the Tom & Jerry at the end. That's when I asked my ole pal Google about this and learned that Simon and Garfunkel used these names in their teen years. What a fun, fun response from your ole pal, Jerre! Thanks for sharing the music trivia and for your visit. ~Curious as a Cathy All Things Vintage: Elvgren Art #AprilA2Z
Thank you for coming over, dear friend! I think this is your first introduction to my old buddy Jerre Slaybaugh, an original Dell rat who has been following SDMM from day one. I appreciate you taking time to do some Googling and learn about Tom & Jerry.
I'm happy to know you had fun here today, dear friend Cathy, and I'll be seeing you again tonight at midnight on the A to Z circuit! :)
Oh now I am singing Cecilia in my head. Love that song and love Simon and Garfunkel. I really want to play along with this challenge one day but most likely not this month.
Thank you very much for coming over today to read "My Life According To..." as told by my good friend Jerre Slaybaugh.
It's a real page turner!
I laughed...I cried! :)
I'm sure you would have fun doing this challenge, too, when the dust settles and you have moved into your new house. I'm pleased to know you have the thumping sound of "Cecilia" stuck in your noggin. I can think of much worse things to occupy your mind.
Thank you again for your visit and comment, dear friend Holli, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Jerre did a great job with this challenge! I , too, thought it could have been Simon and Garfunkel with "Mrs. Robinson, Hazy shades of Winter, Troubled water and Sounds of Silence"!!! Geez! What copy cats T & J were! But you know what they say, Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"! I don't really know of Tom and Jerry but I like both of your names coincide! Ok, now I feel dumb! before I sent this, I checked out what others wrote but I decided to leave my comment "as is"! No wonder I never heard of T & J!!!! Geez! Tricky, Shady! LOL!
Thank you very much for coming by to see what mischief Jerre and I have been up to. I think Simon & Garfunkel should SUE that Tom & Jerry copycat act for stealing all of their material! :) Looks like this turned into an unexpected brain buster for a lot of people, but the evidence is all there for those willing to look carefully at the clues.
I'm glad you had a good time reading Jerre's true life story. Thank you again for your visit and comment, dear friend Toni!
Thank you for coming over, good buddy. At times like this the generation gap becomes apparent, but we all learn something new from each other and that's what makes blogging fun.
Thanks for coming by, Alex, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Congratulations, dear Sandra. You correctly guessed the featured artist. Thank you for joining the fun today and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend!
Dell Rat Jerre has been following me since I started SDMM in the summer of 2008 and I have featured him in guest posts quite a few times over the years with more appearances to come. Next week you will meet another original Dell Rat - Ron Shearer - so stay tuned!
Nice to meet you Jerre! Now I feel like a real Shady customer since I knew it was Simon and Garfunkel...how I love them! Plus I don't feel like a huge loser because I actually knew something here! Awesome! The song "Cecelia" always reminds me of working in the OR many years ago and a few of us would sing that song while setting up for surgery...none of us could sing but we sounded great because the operating room is a lot like singing in the shower..with clothes on of course! Anyway, Dear Shady, you asked me to tell you how our Eddy is doing. He wasn't at our house on Sunday because my Grandson Cameron has an allergy to dogs that shed..like Ed. Eddy is just fine and doing really great. He was over the other day visiting us and Chubbs. So all's good here at the Pines and I hope you have a great week!
Thank you very much for joining the party this week as Dell Rat Jerre takes the helm with a special guest post. I'm happy to know you figured out the featured artist in Jerre's true life story and didn't second guess yourself. (I still insist it's Tiny Tim!)
I thought OR doctors and nurses only rocked and rolled in fictional movies and TV shows. It's so cool that it really goes on where you work and that you guys sang a S&G song.
Thank you also for reassuring me about my old buddy Eddy the Boxer. I know he can't last forever, but I was hoping his time wasn't up this soon. I am very happy to know Eddy is AOK and that he and Chubbs are hitting it off. Thanks again for remembering my request and filling me in about Eddy today.
I'm glad you enjoyed Jerre's post, dear friend YaYa. Thanks again for coming over. I'll see you soon!
Thanks for coming by, good buddy! Don't be ashamed, my friend. I'm still desperately searching for the song title "Dominique, nique, nique s'en allait tout simplement" because I'm still convinced the correct answer is The Singing Nun!
I hope you enjoyed meeting Dell Rat Jerre. You'll be seeing more of Jerre's posts in the future here on SDMM and next week the spotlight shines on another original Dell rat, Ron Shearer. Stick around!
The Singing Nun ! hahahahahahaha I had her album. I thought Simon and Garfunkel till the end and got somewhat confused.This is a very clever post you have started. Must say I am a little upset with Jerre ! He looks wonderful and he still has all his hair, the fact I am losing most of my hair I driving me crazy. And he still has the same amount of hair and in the same style ! ! ! ! arrrrrrrrrrrugh !
Thank you very much for coming by and for accepting Jerre's challenge to name that artist. Looks like you guessed S&G w/o any problem. Good for you! I'm sure Jerre will enjoy your comments about his movie star looks and hair. For most of us it's hair today - gone tomorrow, but Jerre's mane hasn't changed since 1960!
Thank you very much for coming out to play, dear friend Gayle. Please hug and smooch your Square Dog, thehamish, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Gosh, and they call ME a doubting Thomas! :) You need to trust your instincts, dear friend Birgit. You got it right the first time, the second time and the third time -
Hahahaaaaa...last week I had trouble with my iPad. It kept kicking me off blogs so I was writing and then it kicked me off. I thought it didn't take and many, it didn't but yours...3 times! Between that, visitors, my mom and doing crappola, I fell behind on my A to Z
That's AOK, dear friend Birgit. I always appreciate your visits and kind comments. My next post is just a few hours away and in it you will meet another original Dell Rat. I hope you enjoy it!
I actually got this one!!! Simon and Garfunkle. I guess because I loved their music. It was a lot of fun to read and their old recording was interesting. It is hard to believe it is them! Thanks, Tom and Jerre.
Thank you very much for joining the fun this evening as we welcome Dell Rat Jerre back to the blog. Jerre is a familiar face to you because you have been following SDMM almost as long as he has. I'm glad you recognized the song titles of Simon & Garfunkel in Jerre's life story and that you also enjoyed learning about their early recordings when they called themselves Tom & Jerry.
Thank you again for being here tonight, dear friend Belle. Enjoy the rest of your week!
I spent the entire post trying to choose between Simon or Garfunkel. And in the end, I decided it was both. Great selection of music. One day, I'm going to take this challenge. It seems like a lot of fun.
Thanks for coming by, my good friend! In the end you got it right - S&G. This is a fun blog challenge and I encourage you to give it a whirl. All you need to do is pick an artist with an extensive catalog and avoid those "one-hit wonders."
Thanks again for your visit and comment, Mary, and enjoy the rest of your week!
How cool to have another participant! Nice to meet you, Jerre. I did guess the artist as well, but some of the titles I wasn't familiar with. Great answers!
Yessum, I was pleased when Jerre decided to take the challenge and he did a great job answering the questions. I'm happy to know you guessed the featured artist.
Thank you ever so much for breaking away from the A to Z madness and taking a look at what Jerre put together for us. You're sharp as a tack and correctly guessed S&G with no difficulty. The famous duo brings back memories of my college years, too, thanks to having their songs used in the OST of The Graduate. I actually studied that motion picture and its soundtrack in a mass media course at PSU.
Now that you've met Jerre Slaybaugh, stay tuned to meet another original Dell rat, Ron Shearer, in my post next Tuesday. I hope to see you then, dear friend (if not before :)
It's good to know you're still following SDMM, my dear Canadian friend!
"Summertime, and the livin' is easy"
I hope you're right about that!
Thank you very much for your visit and comment, dear cat, and please stay tuned. There are two more Dell VIPs that I'd like you to meet and they're coming up in my next two posts!
Thanks for coming, good buddy! You must be hung over from my April Fool's post! :)
I'm glad you caught this one and appreciated the fine job that Dell Rat Jerre did with the My Life Challenge (using dozens of songs made famous by Disco Tex & the Sex-O-Lettes :)
Good Monday, Shady! Offtopic (again:) Have you seen Ralph McTell's Streets of London trailer? You probably have, but I saw it for the first time today. OMGosh, how moving.
No topic is off topic here at SDMM. Friendship is friendship and I am grateful for yours.
Do you mean the song and video? I watched one of the videos on YouTube and it is indeed very moving - food for thought next time we complain that we are hungry (or lonely).
How have you been, dear friend? Yessum, you guessed correctly that the artist is Simon & Garfunkel, known as Tom & Jerry in the early years of their career. I was very pleased when Jerre took the Music Challenge and he did a great job with it.
“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.)
I know this artist well--I love their work-- but don't want to be a spoiler and shout out their name first thing. I never heard of some of these songs, however--especially the ones at the end given as clues. It's great to see Jerre back on your blog and I enjoyed reading his answers--very clever! Nicely done--both of you!!!
ReplyDeleteHi, Kathryn!
DeleteI think I should reveal to the readers how we do this. Typically, I show you the finished drafts of my posts days in advance so that you have time to formulate a comment and email it to me. That way I can get it posted first thing in the morning on the first day of the post's run and it helps lead the discussion. When you and I discussed this post of Jerre's, we agreed that we should let the other readers guess the artist instead of having you post the answer right away. I'm glad you appreciated what Jerre put together for this musical challenge. Those song title clues at the end were something I came up with. They represent the little known A and B sides of singles released by this artist at the beginning of his/her/their career.
Thank you very much for your comment about Jerre's guest post, dear Kathryn!
Hi Shady, I should have known that you would come up with the "Tom and Jerry" attachment. That really added to this post. From the songs you added at the end, I guess you have listened to the CD titled "Early S & G". If you haven't it is worth the listen as it also contains "Tico and the Triumphs". I hope others enjoy this post as much as I did.
ReplyDeleteJerre (Not of Tom & Jerry fame)
Hi, Jerre!
DeleteThanks for dropping in to see how your musical questionnaire looks in published form. I'm happy to know you don't mind me adding the Tom & Jerry bit at the end. Actually I haven't listened to that CD yet, but now you got me interested. When you think about the limited success of this act in their early Tom & Jerry iteration, you realize that they could have given up and faded into obscurity. It's impossible to imagine 20th century music w/o the tremendous contributions they made later in their career.
I'm sure everybody will enjoy this post, Jerre, and I thank you once again for contributing to SDMM. I enjoy having you as a special guest. Stay tuned for a new post from our good buddy Dell Rat Ron coming up six days from now!
Oh Oh! Hello darkness, my old friend! Fabulous, dear Shady:-) I just listened to the CD twice yesterday. It tends to dissuade distractions and keeps me crunching numbers :-)
ReplyDeleteExcellent choice, Jerre!
Hi, dear Diedre!
DeleteThank you for coming over to see what Dell Rat Jerre did with the Musical Challenge. You seem to have correctly guessed the featured artist (and ruled out Tiny Tim, Disco Tex and The Singing Nun). Whenever I hear the song you mentioned, I immediate think of graduate Benjamin Braddock at the bottom of the family swimming pool clad in his scuba suit.
Thank you again for visiting, dear friend Diedre, and enjoy the rest of your week!
You tricked me on this one. The entire post I thought it was Simon and Garfunkel.
ReplyDeleteHi, Jeffrey!
DeleteHA! Good one, my friend! I am pleased to see you over here today to witness what original Dell Rat Jerre did with this challenge.
Hey, your A to Z - "E" post has disappeared! I saw it this morning but can't find it now. I hope you noticed my comment.
Thanks again, Jeffrey!
Must have been a glitch. I see the E post and your comment. I even replied already. ;)
DeleteHave a great day, my favourite rat.
Hi, Jeffrey!
DeleteIt was so weird. Your E post was in my reader, but after you bumped it off the front page, replacing it with your IWSG post, I could no longer find it. When I clicked back to previous post from your IWSG post, it went straight back to D, skipping the E! I'm glad you saw my comment and thanks for following up here, good buddy!
I think I know what happened. I may have gone in and altered the time of publication so the A2Z showed up first in my list.
DeleteAOK, Jeffrey!
DeleteI really enjoyed your selection of Fury today. It was a great family show, not too artificially sweet - just right.
Thanks, good buddy!
Tom, I figured out early on who the artist was, but then you stumped with the Tom & Jerry at the end. That's when I asked my ole pal Google about this and learned that Simon and Garfunkel used these names in their teen years. What a fun, fun response from your ole pal, Jerre! Thanks for sharing the music trivia and for your visit.
ReplyDelete~Curious as a Cathy
All Things Vintage: Elvgren Art #AprilA2Z
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you for coming over, dear friend! I think this is your first introduction to my old buddy Jerre Slaybaugh, an original Dell rat who has been following SDMM from day one. I appreciate you taking time to do some Googling and learn about Tom & Jerry.
I'm happy to know you had fun here today, dear friend Cathy, and I'll be seeing you again tonight at midnight on the A to Z circuit! :)
Check out the names given for song credit listed on the last record label shown above for the Tom and Jerry song.
DeleteYep, that's more than a clue. It's the answer. :)
DeleteOh now I am singing Cecilia in my head. Love that song and love Simon and Garfunkel. I really want to play along with this challenge one day but most likely not this month.
ReplyDeleteHi, dear Holli!
DeleteThank you very much for coming over today to read "My Life According To..." as told by my good friend Jerre Slaybaugh.
It's a real page turner!
I laughed...I cried! :)
I'm sure you would have fun doing this challenge, too, when the dust settles and you have moved into your new house. I'm pleased to know you have the thumping sound of "Cecilia" stuck in your noggin. I can think of much worse things to occupy your mind.
Thank you again for your visit and comment, dear friend Holli, and enjoy the rest of your week!
Jerre did a great job with this challenge! I , too, thought it could have been Simon and Garfunkel with "Mrs. Robinson, Hazy shades of Winter, Troubled water and Sounds of Silence"!!! Geez! What copy cats T & J were! But you know what they say, Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"!
ReplyDeleteI don't really know of Tom and Jerry but I like both of your names coincide!
Ok, now I feel dumb! before I sent this, I checked out what others wrote but I decided to leave my comment "as is"! No wonder I never heard of T & J!!!! Geez! Tricky, Shady! LOL!
Hi, dear Toni!
DeleteThank you very much for coming by to see what mischief Jerre and I have been up to. I think Simon & Garfunkel should SUE that Tom & Jerry copycat act for stealing all of their material! :) Looks like this turned into an unexpected brain buster for a lot of people, but the evidence is all there for those willing to look carefully at the clues.
I'm glad you had a good time reading Jerre's true life story. Thank you again for your visit and comment, dear friend Toni!
It is always a copycat and mouse game with the real Tom and Jerry.
DeleteGROAN!!!!! (LOL)
DeleteI thought The Eagles for a moment, but I never would've guessed the correct artist.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteThank you for coming over, good buddy. At times like this the generation gap becomes apparent, but we all learn something new from each other and that's what makes blogging fun.
Thanks for coming by, Alex, and enjoy the rest of your week!
It's got to be Simon and Garfunkel.....
ReplyDeleteWE HAVE A WINNER! :)
DeleteCongratulations, dear Sandra. You correctly guessed the featured artist. Thank you for joining the fun today and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend!
Thanks, Shady. It was nice of your bud to play along. Fun:)
DeleteHi, Sandra!
DeleteDell Rat Jerre has been following me since I started SDMM in the summer of 2008 and I have featured him in guest posts quite a few times over the years with more appearances to come. Next week you will meet another original Dell Rat - Ron Shearer - so stay tuned!
Nice to meet you Jerre! Now I feel like a real Shady customer since I knew it was Simon and Garfunkel...how I love them! Plus I don't feel like a huge loser because I actually knew something here! Awesome! The song "Cecelia" always reminds me of working in the OR many years ago and a few of us would sing that song while setting up for surgery...none of us could sing but we sounded great because the operating room is a lot like singing in the shower..with clothes on of course! Anyway, Dear Shady, you asked me to tell you how our Eddy is doing. He wasn't at our house on Sunday because my Grandson Cameron has an allergy to dogs that shed..like Ed. Eddy is just fine and doing really great. He was over the other day visiting us and Chubbs. So all's good here at the Pines and I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteHi, dear YaYa!
DeleteThank you very much for joining the party this week as Dell Rat Jerre takes the helm with a special guest post. I'm happy to know you figured out the featured artist in Jerre's true life story and didn't second guess yourself. (I still insist it's Tiny Tim!)
I thought OR doctors and nurses only rocked and rolled in fictional movies and TV shows. It's so cool that it really goes on where you work and that you guys sang a S&G song.
Thank you also for reassuring me about my old buddy Eddy the Boxer. I know he can't last forever, but I was hoping his time wasn't up this soon. I am very happy to know Eddy is AOK and that he and Chubbs are hitting it off. Thanks again for remembering my request and filling me in about Eddy today.
I'm glad you enjoyed Jerre's post, dear friend YaYa. Thanks again for coming over. I'll see you soon!
I'm ashamed to say it took me to "At The Zoo."
ReplyDeleteHi, Chris!
DeleteThanks for coming by, good buddy! Don't be ashamed, my friend. I'm still desperately searching for the song title "Dominique, nique, nique s'en allait tout simplement" because I'm still convinced the correct answer is The Singing Nun!
I hope you enjoyed meeting Dell Rat Jerre. You'll be seeing more of Jerre's posts in the future here on SDMM and next week the spotlight shines on another original Dell rat, Ron Shearer. Stick around!
Enjoy the rest of your week, Chris!
The Singing Nun ! hahahahahahaha I had her album.
ReplyDeleteI thought Simon and Garfunkel till the end and got somewhat confused.This is a very clever post you have started.
Must say I am a little upset with Jerre ! He looks wonderful and he still has all his hair, the fact I am losing most of my hair I driving me crazy. And he still has the same amount of hair and in the same style ! ! ! !
arrrrrrrrrrrugh !
cheers, parsnip
Hi, dear Gayle!
DeleteThank you very much for coming by and for accepting Jerre's challenge to name that artist. Looks like you guessed S&G w/o any problem. Good for you! I'm sure Jerre will enjoy your comments about his movie star looks and hair. For most of us it's hair today - gone tomorrow, but Jerre's mane hasn't changed since 1960!
Thank you very much for coming out to play, dear friend Gayle. Please hug and smooch your Square Dog, thehamish, and enjoy the rest of your week!
The hair is still there, but we won't mention everything else that is long gone. The only movie I could get a part in might be an Aliens remake.
DeleteJerre
Little known fact: I was Don Draper's stunt double in the love scenes on Mad Men. :)
DeleteYou're right, Jerre. "Gone long" is a good thing - "Long gone" is not so good. :)
I am thinking it's Simon and Garfunkel but I'm probably wrong...
ReplyDeleteHi, dear Birgit!
DeleteYou are probably RIGHT! It is indeed Simon & Garfunkel! (They called themselves Tom & Jerry early on.)
Thank you for stopping in, dear friend BB!
I think it's Simon & Garfunkel but I know I'm probably wrong. Love the answers though:)
ReplyDeleteYou were correct, dearie! S&G it is!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed Jerre's post, BB.
Could it's be Simon& Garfunkel??? I know I'm probably wrong. I do love the answers:)
ReplyDeleteGosh, and they call ME a doubting Thomas! :) You need to trust your instincts, dear friend Birgit. You got it right the first time, the second time and the third time -
DeleteSIMON & GARFUNKEL!!!
Thank you very much for taking the test, dear BB!
Hahahaaaaa...last week I had trouble with my iPad. It kept kicking me off blogs so I was writing and then it kicked me off. I thought it didn't take and many, it didn't but yours...3 times! Between that, visitors, my mom and doing crappola, I fell behind on my A to Z
DeleteThat's AOK, dear friend Birgit. I always appreciate your visits and kind comments. My next post is just a few hours away and in it you will meet another original Dell Rat. I hope you enjoy it!
DeleteGood night!
I actually got this one!!! Simon and Garfunkle. I guess because I loved their music. It was a lot of fun to read and their old recording was interesting. It is hard to believe it is them! Thanks, Tom and Jerre.
ReplyDeleteHi, dear Belle!
DeleteThank you very much for joining the fun this evening as we welcome Dell Rat Jerre back to the blog. Jerre is a familiar face to you because you have been following SDMM almost as long as he has. I'm glad you recognized the song titles of Simon & Garfunkel in Jerre's life story and that you also enjoyed learning about their early recordings when they called themselves Tom & Jerry.
Thank you again for being here tonight, dear friend Belle. Enjoy the rest of your week!
good post.
ReplyDeleteThanks, shortybear!
DeleteI spent the entire post trying to choose between Simon or Garfunkel. And in the end, I decided it was both. Great selection of music. One day, I'm going to take this challenge. It seems like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteMary
#AtoZChallenge F is for Fitzgerald
Hi, Mary!
DeleteThanks for coming by, my good friend! In the end you got it right - S&G. This is a fun blog challenge and I encourage you to give it a whirl. All you need to do is pick an artist with an extensive catalog and avoid those "one-hit wonders."
Thanks again for your visit and comment, Mary, and enjoy the rest of your week!
How cool to have another participant! Nice to meet you, Jerre. I did guess the artist as well, but some of the titles I wasn't familiar with. Great answers!
ReplyDeleteHi, Debbie the Doglady!
DeleteYessum, I was pleased when Jerre decided to take the challenge and he did a great job answering the questions. I'm happy to know you guessed the featured artist.
Thanks for your comment, dear friend Debbie!
I knew it was Simon & Garfunkel right away. Love those guys! They remind me of my college days...so many memories!
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure to meet your friend Jerre! Now I can say I've met two Dell Rats!!!
This was a fabulous challenge and he did a great job with it...
Thanks for bringing back that flood of very fond memories!
Michele at Angels Bark
Hi, Michele!
DeleteThank you ever so much for breaking away from the A to Z madness and taking a look at what Jerre put together for us. You're sharp as a tack and correctly guessed S&G with no difficulty. The famous duo brings back memories of my college years, too, thanks to having their songs used in the OST of The Graduate. I actually studied that motion picture and its soundtrack in a mass media course at PSU.
Now that you've met Jerre Slaybaugh, stay tuned to meet another original Dell rat, Ron Shearer, in my post next Tuesday. I hope to see you then, dear friend (if not before :)
Happy Friday, Fluffy:)
ReplyDeleteHa! Thank you very much, dear friend Sandra. I wish you a safe and happy weekend, too!
DeleteMe here ... me still here ... smiles ... Summer is comin and things will be so much easier, Mr Shady ... ya ... Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteHi, dear cat!
DeleteIt's good to know you're still following SDMM, my dear Canadian friend!
"Summertime, and the livin' is easy"
I hope you're right about that!
Thank you very much for your visit and comment, dear cat, and please stay tuned. There are two more Dell VIPs that I'd like you to meet and they're coming up in my next two posts!
... thanx 4 commenting on Serj Tankian ... lookin 4ward 2 Ur posts ... Love, cat. https://www.youtube.com/embed/pJTZrT6EX-E?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0
DeleteThank you very much, cat! I enjoyed this other video that you linked to - the song, the festive dance and the marvelous costumes.
DeleteHave a wonderful weekend, dear cat!
I'm so confused I didn't know Kiss did all those songs! Just kidding, your friend did a super job on this one.
ReplyDeleteHi, Mike!
DeleteThanks for coming, good buddy! You must be hung over from my April Fool's post! :)
I'm glad you caught this one and appreciated the fine job that Dell Rat Jerre did with the My Life Challenge (using dozens of songs made famous by Disco Tex & the Sex-O-Lettes :)
Have a great weekend, Mike!
Good Monday, Shady!
ReplyDeleteOfftopic (again:) Have you seen Ralph McTell's Streets of London trailer? You probably have, but I saw it for the first time today.
OMGosh, how moving.
Hi, dear Sandra!
DeleteNo topic is off topic here at SDMM. Friendship is friendship and I am grateful for yours.
Do you mean the song and video? I watched one of the videos on YouTube and it is indeed very moving - food for thought next time we complain that we are hungry (or lonely).
Enjoy your day, dear Sandra!
I'd guess Simon and Garfunkel. That is very cool that your friend took the challenge. It's a fun one! Have a terrific week!
ReplyDeleteHi, Sherry!
DeleteHow have you been, dear friend? Yessum, you guessed correctly that the artist is Simon & Garfunkel, known as Tom & Jerry in the early years of their career. I was very pleased when Jerre took the Music Challenge and he did a great job with it.
Enjoy your day and week, dear friend Sherry!
Good to meet Jerra. :)
ReplyDeleteNice choice of songs too.
Hi, dear Lux!
DeleteHow are you today? Thanks for dropping in to take a peek at my friend Jerre's guest post "My Life According To...Simon & Garfunkel."
I'm glad you enjoyed yourself and I wish you a happy week ahead, dear friend Lux!
I was traveling when this post appeared. Now in cleaning up my emails I found notice of it.
ReplyDeleteI recognized the artist at question 4. They had a lot of great songs that fit very well as answers to the questions.
Well done!
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out