In the Beginning
...The musical group The Spontanes was originally formed in 1960 by Arthur Newton (bass), Barry McCoig (guitar), Randy Whitesides (drums), and James Bates (guitar and vocals).  Prior to that time, Newton, McCoig, and Whitesides were performing in an unnamed group at Saturday night public dances at the Fraternal Order of Redmen club on Long Street, in downtown Gastonia, North Carolina. 

...Heading this forerunner group was David Davis (lead guitar).  Larry Capps (guitar) and Johnny Kale (vocals) also frequently joined them.  This predecessor group had its origins in west Gastonia.  James Bates attended the third such public dance, and made a request to “sit-in” with the group. Borrowing Davis’ guitar, and sitting in a wooden straight chair, Bates dazzled the dance audience, as well as the band members, with his musical talent.  This prompted Newton, shortly thereafter, to begin separate talks with Bates regarding the possibility of forming a new “spin-off” group which would ultimately consist of the four founding members of the Spontanes. 

...The musicians initially met at the Whitesides’ residence in west Gastonia; eventually, Randy’s parents, Margie and Ralph, became the co-managers of the group.  Interestingly enough, the Whitesides’ unfurnished living room became the regular rehearsal location for the remainder of the original group’s existence.  Shortly following the initial rehearsals, Mrs. Whitesides brainstormed a large list of potential names for the organization, and through a process of elimination and finally, by band member majority vote, the name "The Spontanes" was selected and came into official being.  

...The first public appearance of this new group (maybe even before the name selection), was an impromptu event in a recreation room of the Gastonia YMCA.  By some now forgotten means, and through some type of encouragement, the four-member band set-up, and performed, without compensation, for approximately an hour.  The audience, young teenagers and even younger, were ecstatic; this not so much from the band’s virtuosity, but rather from the fact that live band performances at that time, for any age audience, were infrequent in Gastonia.

The Moose Lodge Era
...For publicity, the band entered a “battle of the bands” contest at a Shelby, North Carolina radio station.  The program consisted of the live performance of two songs, separated by several commercials and other radio necessities.  The contest arrangement involved several bands, each performing alone in the radio’s studio, broadcasting on successive Saturdays.  The winner was determined from the quantity of votes (post cards) received from the listening audience.  The Spontanes did not win the battle.

...Whitesides’ parents were members of the Kings Mountain, North Carolina Moose Lodge.  They regularly attended Saturday dances there and came to the realization that the musical groups that were performing at the club were no better, and sometimes even inferior, to the Spontanes.  Through the club’s manager, Ray Alexander, they arranged a Sunday afternoon audition for the Spontanes and the group was hired to perform a single Saturday engagement; they were well received.  (This club would eventually become a major venue for the group; several contracts were signed for thirteen week house-band stands).  During this period, two of James Bates’ brothers, J.D. and Bobby, would separately, occasionally join the group playing guitar and providing vocals.

The Age of Group Vocals

...Members of the Spontanes often attended Charlotte’s Park Center auditorium to witness the “big city” local talent and stay abreast of the latest musical genre.  All of the performing groups, to include the Catalinas and the Rivieras, were compromised of talented musicians as well as a group (usually four) of non-musician vocalists.  These vocalists not only sang in close harmony, but just as importantly, simultaneously choreographed their way to at least regional minor stardom.  Influenced by these visits,

...Newton, who was a student at Ashley High School and a member of the chorus, suggested the Spontanes be augmented by several of his choral classmates, specifically, four male vocalists.  This dovetailed nicely with many of the currently popular songs, e.g. Mother-In-Law, Blue Moon.  After a single audition, The Spontanes acquired Johnny Edge, Paul (Sonny) Smith Jr., Joel Doby, and Ted (Sweetie) VanTassle as a standalone vocal group. 

...This important critical addition essentially moved the Spontanes from the popularity declining Roy Orbison/Buddy Holly rock-a-billy music style, to the more popular rhthym-and-blues genre of Shep and the Limelites, The Drifters, and The Zodiacs.  New songs were “worked-up” weekly and were added to the group’s growing popular repertoire. 

...Over the following two years, the vocalists, one-by-one, departed, ultimately leaving Smith and Bates to jointly perform the vocals.  Newton departed in 1963 to Jacksonville, Florida for marriage, and was eventually replaced on bass guitar, after using a temporary bassist, by McCoig.  Donald Wilbanks was brought temporarily into the group as a third vocalist.  Joe Ray Dowell was later permanently hired as the third vocalist and the group enjoyed a relatively stable period during which popular top-ten vocal groups of the era were covered.  The group played mostly regional one-night stands in North and South Carolina.  They were engaged primarily by fraternities at the many colleges and universities in those two states.

The Absence of Horns
...Even though the compositional make-up and resulting sound of period popular songs consisted of a large ensemble of horns, e.g. Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, the Spontanes never employed more that a single tenor saxophonist at any given time.  Sometimes, long periods ensued wherein the group was completely devoid of a woodwind instrument. 

...All of the tenor saxophonist’s tenures were relatively short.  In chronological order, they were David Bell, Vance Suttle, and Julian Hall.  Bill Stewart was retained for several single-night engagements.

A Keyboard Addition
...Beginning with the earliest Charlotte Park Center visits, drummer Whitesides was influenced and mystified by the sound of the Wurlitzer™ electric piano. During this period, this particular instrument, and its unique sound, had become a standard component of the more prominent bands. 

...Whitesides purchased a Wurlitzer™ model 120 and, over several years, self-taught his way to an acceptable performance level.  Eventually he was successful in becoming the group’s keyboardist and was replaced on the drums by his long-time friend, Fred Holland. Prior to that time, the group had never utilized a keyboard.

The Originals Disband
...As with many endeavors, after a four-year life, and after many departures and additions of personnel, the group began to experience personal conflicts.  Finally, in 1964, it was mutually agreed to disband.  Whitesides, McCoig, and Holland reformed as The BFR trio and moved to Carolina Beach, North Carolina to a moonlight cruise venue aboard a local vessel. 

...Because there was no understanding on the future use of the name Spontanes, Bates and Smith eventually collaborated with Claude Bailey to form a succeeding group of that name.  Bailey’s son, Ronnie, became the drummer.  Joe Dow joined the new group as a vocalist.

Where Are They Now?
...Bates is involved in various forms of entertainment in Gaston and Mecklenburg counties, North Carolina, most recently in the form of karaoke.  McCoig is a schoolteacher and travel agent who resides in Gastonia.  Newton returned to Gastonia and is now retired.  Whitesides is a retired engineer who lives in Brunswick County, North Carolina.  Neither McCoig, Newton, nor Whitesides publicly perform.

© April 2005 Randy Whitesides
Original member & cofounder