THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 10, 1994 TAG: 9407070213
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOHN HARPER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
I was visiting my family in Richmond a few years back, when I got a call from my brother, Babe. He and his wife, Trish, were in a Shockoe Slip nightclub listening to a band.
``Johnny, you got to hear these guys,'' yelled my brother over the crowd noise. ``They're playing all the songs you like.'' My brother, 10 years younger, is not usually this enthusiastic. I asked him what kind of stuff they played. He said, ``The Beatles, The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Moody Blues, The Cars, Steely Dan.''
My sister and I already had plans for the night, but I told my brother that we'd catch the group the next time I was in town.
``By the way, what's the name of the group?'' I asked.
``My Uncle's Old Army Buddys,'' yelled Babe.
The six-man group played in Nags Head about six months after my Richmond trip. My brother's glowing recommendation would be tested. As I walked into the nightclub, the band played ``Eight Miles High'' by The Byrds. That segued into ``Sunshine Of Your Love'' by Cream. The next two hours yielded more classics of the '60s and '70s: Paul Revere and The Raiders, The Left Banke, Van Morrison, The Kinks, The Monkees, Jimi Hendrix. The most remarkable thing about the performance is the spirit of playing. The music is true. One can tell that these guys love and respect this music. My brother is right. My Uncle's Old Army Buddys win the John Harper Seal of Approval.
My Uncle's Old Army Buddys, dressed in their best fatigues, hit the beach on July 15 and 16. They'll camp at Kelly's in Nags Head for a couple of nights.
Buz King is the band's leader. I spoke recently with him about the band.
``We love playing in Nags Head,'' says Buz. ``It's like a paid vacation.''
He put the band together in l989 with his friend Dave Clement. Clement and King were chums from junior high school. They grew up in Ohio. Buz moved to Richmond after high school and played in several Richmond bands. Clement joined the Army. He ended up being transferred to Fort Lee in Petersburg, Va. The pals talked and decided to put a band together, playing tunes like they played in high school. King recruited guitar players Bill Coon and David Tetlow. King, Coon and Tetlow played together in another band from Richmond, Red Ball Jets. The band name came easy.
``Dave was in the Army and we were old buddies,'' says King.
What about ``My Uncle?''
``Dave had an uncle who was in the Army,'' laughs King.
Using artistic license, King misspelled ``Buddys.''
Buz brought Dan Lancaster and Frank Daniel into the band. Robin Parker is the lights and sound man.
How difficult is it to be A Buddy?
``You have to sing or you don't get hired,'' says King.
Aiming to reproduce the music as accurately as possible, each vocalist sings lead depending on the song's style.
``We never do anything halfway,'' says King. ``We learn each song, examine it and then play it with the same feeling and inflections as the original.''
``My Uncle's Old Army Buddys'' do about nine sets. Each set is mixed and matched in sections, designed to have one stop every 30 minutes.
King says the band does about 300 songs. The most requested songs: Brown Eyed Girl, White Rabbit, I Am the Walrus, Cat's In The Cradle, One, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away.
``We can cover anything,'' says King. ``We're a vocal-oriented band.'' ILLUSTRATION: WHERE & WHEN
Who: My Uncle's Old Army Buddys
Where: Kelly's, U.S. Route 158, milepost 10, Nags Head.
When: Friday, Saturday (July 16)
For information: Call 441-4116.
My Uncle's Old Army Buddys plays music by The Beatles, The Byrds,
Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Moody Blues, The Cars, Steely Dan.
by CNB