Email from 2007

Hey,

Congrats on trying to put something that acknowledges the Toledo music scene - it's long overdue. Having been part of this scene in the early-late 70's I completely agree with your claim that there was innovation and artistic exploration - Toledo was an extremely fertile place for music. but I think you're missing some important stories:

Sylvania High School circa 1968-1974 spawned musicians Rob Fetters, Bob Nyswonger, Chris Arduser, Roger Holland, EJ Wells, Doug Perkins, Tom Toth (me) and launched a music scene that would support the nightlife in and around Toledo for many years. Their stories are compelling and the music they played had a tremendous impact locally. From their high school bands that explored more bizarre forms of music to the eventual club and concert bands that ended supporting artist like Adrian Belew, careers in film and television music and recording studio careers - their contributions are important and relevant to the history of music in Toledo and to your your site. (Try getting hold of EJ Wells - he'll have the stories and can put you in contact with some of the other musicians you'll want to talk with.)

You also had guys like Don Binkley, early in his career, performing in coffee houses around town and up at Put-In -Bay for thousands at a time. Don brought a level of musicianship and sincerity to the masses much in the way that Lother did.

The world renown jazz/fusion/blues guitarist Scott Henderson spent about 2 years living in Toledo and playing some pretty Avant-gard music in and around town. Brilliant local keyboardist Brad Teague, then a disciple of Sri Chinmoy and friends with Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, played with Scott in the bands Voyage and Gone Little. Brad's band Suparna, with with guitarist Dave Koontz and drummer Jimmy Schirra, were an insanely talented yet challenging band that opened for Ted Nugent and played concerts in Ottawa Park and (Alzheimer's attack) that field south of Toledo where they had a concert venue for a summer - I saw the Allman Brothers there. Anyway, after the Henderson bands, Brad left Toledo and went on to help develop several ground breaking products like Dolby SR while working with hand in hand with Ray Dolby at Dolby Labs in San Francisco.

In the late 60's you also had the Walt Churchill/Jello crew who played all over the place and set the stage for Lother Struff and that era. Worth researching - Walt I believe was lost in the Amazon and his body was never recovered.

Please keep up the good work - I'll look forward to stopping in from time to time to see where you go with the site.