John Owen Brown papers

1 COLLECTION SUMMARY

1.1 Introduction/Abstract

John Brown formed Mid-Continent Entertainment in the 1960s and quickly built the company into one of the leading management and promotion agencies in the mid-west music industry. The Flippers, later known as the Fabulous Flippers, became the first band under Brown’s management with Mid-Continent Entertainment. Brown later partnered with friend Jim Reardon to expand the company with the addition of the Blue Things, who were first known as the Blue Boys. To promote their events Brown purchased radio ads from the KOMA radio station in Oklahoma City.  Despite its wide audience range, KOMA was not a popular station for advertising revenue, so ad space was very affordable. After moving to Lawrence, Kansas, for college, Brown partnered with fraternity brother Mike Murfin, to open the Red Dog Inn as an event venue and headquarters for Mid-Continent Entertainment. This collection consists of materials from John Brown’s career in the music industry in the 1960s and 1970s. This includes a large collection of recordings from concerts and studio recording sessions of bands represented by Brown and his management company, Mid-Continent Entertainment. The collection also includes photographs, often of events or group shots of band members, posters, and other promotional materials.

1.2 Dates

1965 - 2018

1.3 Quantity

About 0.5 cubic feet and 30 GB.

1.4 Creator

John O. Brown

1.5 Title

John O. Brown Collection

1.6 UID and/or Call #

UID# 531297

1.7 Language

English

1.8 Notes

This finding aid describes materials held by the Kansas State Historical Society. Materials may be used in the Research Room in the society’s Center for Historical Research during regular research hours. Support for telephone, mail, and online research and reference is limited.

In a continuing effort to improve the completeness and accuracy of finding aids, revisions are made as more or new information becomes available. Consequently, this finding aid may differ slightly from what appears in the collection or on the Kansas State Historical Society’s website.

1.9 Repository

Kansas State Historical Society (Topeka)

2 BIOGRAPHY OR HISTORY

John Brown was an early pioneer in the music industry in the Midwest. John Brown’s family moved to Downes, Kansas from Hutchison, Kansas, while he was still in primary school. It was at this time that Brown met Jim Reardon, a classmate at the time and eventual business partner. Reardon soon moved to Beloit, Kansas, but maintained connections with his school friends to college. Both Brown and Reardon started college at Kansas State University. Brown later transferred to the University of Kansas.[1]

While attending college, Brown helped manage the Downes swimming pool during the summer. Before transferring to the University of Kansas, Brown decided to host a dance event at the pool’s community hall and hired a four piece band out of Hays called the Flippers to perform.[2] To promote this event Brown purchased radio ads from the KOMA radio station in Oklahoma City.[3] Despite its wide audience range, KOMA was not a popular station for advertising revenue.[4] Ad space on KOMA at the time cost about five dollars.[5] According to Jim Reardon the place was absolutely packed, as people were willing to drive from all around to see a live rock and roll performance.[6] Following this success Brown founded Mid-Continent Entertainment in the early 1960s as a music promotion and management company.[7]

The Flippers became the first band under Brown’s management with Mid-Continent Entertainment.  The Flippers were first founded in the late 1950s and had already achieved some regional success by the time they partnered with John Brown. The original Flippers band largely broke up when Brown and band leader Terry Wierman relocated to Lawrence to attend the University of Kansas.[8] According to Kansas music historian Bill Lee, “In early 1964, John [Brown] and Terry [Wierman] traveled across Kansas and Oklahoma, holding auditions for a new band that would now be called the Fabulous Flippers.”[9]

While traveling for a different business enterprise Jim Reardon visited a Fabulous Flippers event and casually mentioned to Brown that he should expand to an agency that manages more than one band. At the time Brown felt that working with the Flippers was already taking up too much of his time to consider expansion.[10] However, about a year later, in 1964, Brown contacted Reardon about scouting a band in Hays. Reardon agreed, and was impressed by the band, which at the time was called the Blue Boys.[11] Reardon joined Mid-Continent Entertainment to manage and promote the new band. Through his first summer with Mid-Continent, Reardon worked as the road manager for the band; he was in charge of booking, promoting, and running events. Reardon and Brown agreed to split the profits and Brown landed a recording contract for the band with RCA Victor, which prompted a name change to the Blue Things, to avoid conflict with another band also called the Blue Boys.[12] The Blue Things recorded two albums and two singles with RCA Victor.[13]

John Brown relocated Mid-Continent Entertainment to Lawrence, Kansas, in 1964 following his transfer to the University of Kansas. Prior to this time Mid-Continent booked events for their bands from either Brown’s home in Downes or Reardon’s home in Beloit.[14] Reardon also conducted much of his management business from the road or while in school at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.[15] In November of 1964, Brown partnered with a Kappa Sigma fraternity brother at the University of Kansas named Mike Murfin to open the Red Dog Inn in the former Lawrence Opera House, also known as Liberty Hall.[16] Reardon described the partnership between the Red Dog Inn and Mid-Continent Entertainment as ideal for the beginning of rock and roll promotion.[17] The Red Dog Inn served as an emporium for the bands to play even during the winter, and it gave Mid-Continent a headquarters in Lawrence in a very prestigious club to book from.[18]

The Red Dog Inn opened on January 1, 1965. The Fabulous Flippers featured the nightclub’s opening night, and the managers recalled that the lines to get in were over a block long.[19] According to Brown, the club sold out nightly for the first five to six months of operation.[20] The nightclub had a seating capacity of 1300, but Murfin believed that their record for the largest crowd was for a live recording session of the Fabulous Flippers, where around 2,400 people attended.[21] The nightclub’s success was noticeable through its record setting beer sales, as they  sold the most Budweiser beer in the state of Kansas, and they reportedly even had the largest open account with Budweiser in the United States at one time.[22]

At the end of the summer of 1964, Jim Reardon also moved to Lawrence to continue his involvement with Mid-Continent Entertainment. It was around this time that Reardon and John Brown began to expand the agency beyond their first two bands. Joining the Fabulous Flippers and the Blue Things were The Rising Suns, who later became the Young Raiders, Spider and the Crabs, and most notably, a band from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, that became known as The Red Dogs.[23] The Red Dogs, originally called The Limits, became the house band of the Red Dog Inn, where they played once a month.[24] Brown and Reardon’s partnership ended when Reardon left Mid-Continent Entertainment and moved to Hays, Kansas, Where he opened the Dark Horse Inn and formed James N. Reardon and Associates, his own management company. Reardon explained that with the increase in the number of bands at Mid-Continent, the work had increased while the pay had decreased, and that he also felt that Brown and Murfin were better suited to move Mid-Continent forward, both of these factors led to his departure and relocation to Hays.[25]

Mid-Continent Entertainment also delt with changes among band members regularly. Despite these changes, Brown maintained control of the band identities by trademarking their names.[26] When members, or in some instances entire groups, left the agency, other musicians or groups were promoted or brought in under the already established identities. Even Mid-Continent’s top tier bands, the Fabulous Flippers, experienced membership turnover, where at least 78 musicians performed with the band.[27] In 1968, the Blue Things broke away from Mid-Continent, but had to change their name, and within a few years the agency began putting other bands on the road under the Blue Things identity. Between 1968 to 1973 at least three other bands played under the name.[28]

Owning the names of the bands also allowed Mid-Continent Entertainment greater flexibility and optimization in booking events. The agency could have different groups play different venues under the same name, even on the same night.[29] Mid-Continent also had the same groups play under different names from night to night while on the road.[30] One band using multiple names allowed them to book venues closer together, while still attracting large audiences. Mid-Continent also developed a system to build talent by using some of their band identities as apprentice bands, including the Rising Suns, Spider and the Crabs, and the Young Raiders. New musicians were placed in these apprentice bands and worked their way up to the agency’s top billed bands of the Fabulous Flippers, the Red Dogs, and the Blue Things.[31]

In the mid-1970s, Brown decided to move on from the music and booking industry. Mid-Continent Entertainment was sold to Gary “Igor” Crawford, the agency’s longtime road manager.[32] Around this time, The advertising market had begun to change and with the rise of more localized radio channels, KOMA was no longer an advertising powerhouse. Another factor that pushed many band managers such as Brown to other careers was the increase in drug use among band members that had begun to affect the industry, as Jim Reardon recalled, the reliability of the performers had declined.[33] John Brown was inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame as a part of the inaugural class of 2005 as a Director’s Award recipient. Mid-Continent Entertainment is well represented in the Kansas Music Hall of Fame, including bands such as the Fabulous Flippers, the Red Dogs, the Rising Suns, the Young Raiders, and Spider & the Crabs, as well as individuals such as John Brown, Jim Reardon, Mike Murfin, and Gary “Igor” Crawford.[34] John Brown passed away on June 5, 2025.

3 SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The John Brown Music Collection consists of materials from John Brown’s career in the music industry in the 1960s and 1970s. This includes a large collection of recordings from concerts and studio recording sessions of bands represented by Brown and his management company, Mid-Continent Entertainment. John Brown created and operated Mid Continent Entertainment in the mid 1960s through the 1970s, working with bands such as the Red Dogs, Fabulous Flippers, The Rising Suns, and the Young Raiders. The collection also includes photographs, often of events or group shots of band members, posters, and other promotional materials.

4 CONTENTS LIST

• Bill Snow live recording (Unit ID #532396):
  • This digitized compact disc recording includes 12 tracks. 1) Mama 2) Respect Yourself 3) Barefootin' 4) The Thrill is Gone5) Tore Down 6) Boppin' With The Blues 7) Stand Back 8) Turn on Your Love Light 9) Tore Up 10) Follow Your Heart 11) I Don't Want to Make It 12) When I See You.
     
• Blue Things 4 Cuts recording (Unit ID #532490):
  • This is a digitized compact disc containing 4 untitled tracks.
     
• Blue Things Festival recording (Unit ID #532489):
  • This is a digitized compact disc with 7 tracks of music. Introduction; 0:18, Why, Why; 7:11, Untitled Track; 5:48, In memory of Elizabeth Reed (instrumental);7:30, (You make me feel like) a natural man (cover of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman); 6:50, Blue Suede Shoes; 6:38, I've been working; 13:04.
     
• Blue Things grooved disc recording 1 (Unit ID #532577):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc with 18 minutes of music recorded by the Blue Things.
     
• Blue Things grooved disc recording 2 (Unit ID #532578):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc recording with 28 minutes of music recordings by the Blue Things. Songs include: Look Homeward Angel, Ain't that Lovin' You Baby, and I Can't Have Yesterday.
     
• Blue Things grooved disc recording 3 (Unit ID #532579):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc recording by the Blue Things with about 17 minutes of music recordings. Songs include Silver and Gold, Since You Broke my Heart, Look Homeward Angel, and Pennies.
     
• Blue Things grooved disc recording 4 (Unit ID #532580):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc with one untitled music track.
     
• Blue Things Late Version recording (Unit ID #532491):
  • This is a digitized compact disc containing 6 tracks. Songs include: Got the feeling; 5:13, The low spark of high heeled boys; 11:33, Long Neck Goose; 4:15, Don't want you no more/It's not my cross to bear; 9:06, I'm a man; 9:35.
     
• Dance to the Red Dogs signed poster (Unit ID #531355):
  • This item is an original "Dance to the Red Dogs" poster that has been signed by the band members, including Steve Dhal, Steve Elliot, Randall Grundy, Don Lindsay, and others.
     
• Diane Keller recording (Unit ID #532506):
  • This is a digitized compact disc containing 6 tracks of music.
     
• Early Fabulous Flippers reel-to-reel recording (Unit ID #532559):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel with about 58 minutes of music recordings. Lead bandmember introduces and explains some of the songs. It consists of two digital files, one for each side of the reel-to-reel tape. Songs include: Do You Love Me, Hippy Hippy Shake, Louie Louie, Money That's What I Want, Memphis, Summertime, Hey, Baby, Something's Got a Hold on Me, Roll it over Beethoven, Good Good Lovin', and Just Like Romeo and Juliet.
     
• Fabulous Flippers and Red Dogs Only Time Ever photographs (Unit ID #532141):
  • Fourteen photographs of the Fabulous Flippers and the Red Dogs in 2010.
     
• Fabulous Flippers at the Red Dog Inn reel-to-reel recording (Unit ID #532560):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel with about 33 minutes of music recorded by the Fabulous Flippers at the Red Dog Inn in Lawrence, Kansas. The audio includes introductions and explanations to some of the songs. Songs include: West Side Story, Always Something There to Remind Me, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head, This Guy's in Love With You, I'll Never Fall in Love Again, What the World Needs Now is Love, and Gospel Set.
     
• Fabulous Flippers Century Recording Studio reel-to-reel recording (Unit ID #532561):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel recording with about 32 minutes of music by the Fabulous Flippers from February 1965. Songs include: Little Latin Lupe Lu, Let the Good Times Roll, Out of Sight, Money That's What I Want, Twist and Shout, and Turn on Your Love Light.
     
• Fabulous Flippers Good Cuts Rocky recording (Unit ID #532505):
  • This is a digitized compact disc containing 14 tracks of music recorded by the Fabulous Flippers in 1993.
     
• Fabulous Flippers late 1960s reel-to-reel recording (Unit ID #532563):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel recording of the Fabulous Flippers from the late 1960s. The digital file has about 38 minutes of music. Songs include: Woman's Blues, Matchmaker, It Was a Very Good Year, Peace of Mind, More Today Than Yesterday, You Always Hurt Me, For Once in My Life, and Who Can I Turn To.
     
• Fabulous Flippers Maple Lake promotional commercial (Unit ID #532556):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel of an audio commercial for the Fabulous Flippers performance at Maple Lake Pavilion near Mentor Minnesota.
     
• Fabulous Flippers poster (Unit ID #531363):
  • This is an original Fabolous Flippers poster signed by all band members Terry Wierman, Jerry Tammen, Dennis Frederick, Roger Lewis, Gary Claxton, Doug Crotty, Danny Hein, and Dennis Loewen, plus band manager John Brown.
     
• Fabulous Flippers reel-to-reel recording (Unit ID #532558):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel containing about 48 minutes of music recordings. Performers introduced as Denny, Max, Wayne Bowman(trombone), Doug  (trumpet). The lead bandmember introduces and explains most of the songs. Songs include: Woman's Blues, Fire and Rain, Celebrate, and Ohio.
     
• Fabulous Flippers reel-to-reel recording 2 (Unit ID #532562):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel recording of the Fabulous Flippers from the summer of 1964. The digital file has about 13 minutes of music recordings with unidentified songs.
     
• Fabulous Flippers reel-to-reel recording 3 (Unit ID #532565):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel with about 45 minutes of music recordings, possibly a live performance.
     
• Fabulous Flippers reel-to-teel recording 4 (Unit ID #532566):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel recording of the Fabulous Flippers with about 2 and a half hours of recorded music. The item consists of 4 digital files. Songs include: Edgar Winter Opening, Having A Good Time, Save the Planet, Martha's Madman, We've Only Just Begun, Lookin' for the Past, Woman's Blues, The Hideaway, Just Like a Man, Jesus Crist Superstar Medley, Lucy, Until Its Time For You To Go, Declaration of Independence, Ohio, De-De-De, Get Away From My Door, Found a child, Keep Playin' That Rock 'n' Roll, The Harlem Shuffle, Burn Down the Mission, Save the Planet.
     
• Fabulous Flippers reunion tour posters (Unit ID #531367):
  • Posters describing the event that the Fabulous Flippers played at in July of 1993.
     
• Fabulous Flippers Spring 1969 recording (Unit ID #532423):
  • This digitized compact disc includes 9 tracks recorded by the Fabulous Flippers in Spring of 1969. Songs include Little Latin Lupe Lu, Let the Good Times Roll, Out of Sight, and Twist and Shout.
     
• Fabulous Flippers sticker poster (Unit ID #531364):
  • This is a large sticker poster that has the original Fabulous Flipper band art on it with signatures from Roger Lewis, Danny Hein, Doug Crotty, Jerry Tammen, and John Brown.
     
• Fabulous Flippers Wichita CD recording (Unit ID #532335):
  • 8 unnamed tracks saved to CD. Top of CD has inscriptions "F Flips Spring 69 Wichita" "FF Wichita '69" and "Fab Flips '69 #2 Tape Quality [Horns toot]" The audio quality of tracks is very poor. Songs recorded include a cover of Woman's Blues and For Once in My Life.
     
• Featuring at the Red Dog Inn poster (Unit ID #531353):
  • A poster advertising for bands being featured at the Red Dog Inn in Lawrence, Kansas. Bands listed are the Fabulous Flippers, Red Dogs, Mike Finnigan, Rodney & Blazers, and Chessmann.
     
• Flip Dogs Only Time Ever photographs (Unit ID #532497):
  • These photographs were saved to a compact disc and show The Red Dogs and Fabulous Flippers performing at the South Dakota Rock & Roll Hall of Fame concert in 2010.
     
• Flip Dogs recording (Unit ID #532499):
  • This is a digitized compact disc with 15 unnamed tracks recorded by the Fabulous Flippers and the Red Dogs.
     
• Jim Dale I Live to Love recording (Unit ID #532500):
  • This is a digitized compact disc containing 16 tracks with different recordings of I Live to Love.
     
• Jimmy Angel grooved disc recording (Unit ID #532581):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc with about 9 minutes of unnamed song recordings by Jimmy Angel.
     
• Little Boy Blue grooved disc recording by Jim Dale (Unit ID #532576):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc recording of the song Little Boy Blue performed by Jim Dale.
     
• Magnificent Sanctuary Band photographs (Unit ID #531344):
  • Six print photographs of Magnificent Sanctuary Band members, formerly known as the Fabulous Flippers. The photographs were taken at an unknown outdoor location.
     
• Magnificent Sanctuary Band photographs at Allen Field House (Unit ID #531346):
  • Six photographs of the Magnificent Sanctuary Band, formerly known as the Fabulous Flippers, performing at Allen Field House (Kansas University) in 1969.
     
• Mid Continent Entertainment collection (Unit ID #531302):
  • This collection contains materials related to bands managed by Mid Continent Entertainment. In this collection is "Stories from the Road" by Gregory G. Ayers, a book that tells the stories of The Dantes, The Rising Suns, The Young Raiders, Waite, Peabody, and Southern Flavor bands. Items also include photocopies of magazine articles about Mid Continent Entertainment and the Fabulous Flippers, a Fabulous Flippers merchandise order form, a laminated photo of Danny Hein, a laminated article titled "Flipping on the Love Light" by Bob Basow from the Kansas Alumni Magazine (December/January 1994) and one oversize poster of the Fabulous Flippers band art, signed by the band members. This collection also includes reproductions of loan materials from Brown including band materials, small posters, brochures, newspaper articles, narratives, and pamphlets.
  • Locators: 008-05-02-03, and 073-03-02-04
     
• Miscellaneous Fabulous Flipper photographs (Unit ID #531349):
  • 25 miscellaneous photographs of the Fabulous Flippers from original member Jerry Tammen's collection.
     
• Original Red Dogs poster (Unit ID #531352):
  • An original Red Dogs poster from the Red Dog Inn in Lawrence, Kansas.
     
• Penetrations recording (Unit ID #532507):
  • This is a digitized compact disc containing 9 tracks of music recorded by the Penetrations in 1966.
     
• Photograph of Steve Clark and Walter Downing (Unit ID #531351):
  • Photograph of Steve Clark and Walter Downing with Young Raider and Rising Suns bus in Van Cowan, B.C. Canada 1975.
     
• Rani Anderson instrumental songs (Unit ID #532557):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel with about 10 minutes of instrumental songs.
     
• Red Dog Cookin Music posters (Unit ID #531366):
  • Three variations of music group Red Dog "Cookin Music" posters. The color schemes on each poster are different.
     
• Red Dog Inn construction and opening night photographs (Unit ID #532138):
  • Four photographs of construction work and opening night at the Red Dog Inn.
     
• Red Dogs 9/68 Partial Set 1 (Unit ID #532501):
  • This is a digitized compact disc with 16 tracks. Songs include: Instrumental Track; 2:06, Cold Sweat; 3:42, The letter; 1:16, The letter; 2:50, Manic Depression; 5:52, Windy; 3:06, Down on funky street; 2:41, Groovin' is easy; 3:42, You keep me hangin' on; 5:27, I've got you babe; 2:52, hold on I'm coming; 2:48, crossroads; 3:22, But its alright; 2:57, Requiem For The Masses; 4:56.
     
• Red Dogs 9/68 Red Dog Inn Full Set #2 (Unit ID #532409):
  • This is a digitized compact disc that contains 6 music tracks recorded by the Red Dogs. Songs include: I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know (cover) and Too Many Fish in the Sea.
     
• Red Dogs Black Cat Ball photographs (Unit ID #532274):
  • This is a digital item containing photographs from the Black Cat Ball, where the Red Dogs performed for Governor Kathleen Sebelius' inauguration.
     
• Red Dogs Demo (Unit ID #532337):
  • This is a digital item that consists of 5 undated Red Dog demo recordings. Songs include covers of "25 or 6 to 4" and "Vehicle."
     
• Red Dogs grooved disc recording (Unit ID #532574):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc recording by The Red Dogs.
     
• Red Dogs induction to the Kansas Music Hall of Fame celebration poster (Unit ID #531357):
  • This is an original celebration poster featuring the Red Dogs, congratulating them on their induction to the Kansas Music Hall of Fame. It is advertising for the event taking place on Saturday January 15, 2005 at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, Kansas.
     
• Red Dogs Live at the Red Dog Inn (Unit ID #532502):
  • This is a digitized compact disc with 22 tracks of music performed by the Red Dogs at the Red Dog Inn in Lawrence, Kansas. Songs include: The Horse; 1:29, Get Ready; 1:54, I'm Losing You; 3:28, Ain't to Proud to Beg; 2:34, Bring it up; 2:24, Then you can tell me good bye; 3:10, 634-5789; 2:42, Land of a thousand dances; 2:15, Mickey's monkey; 3:16, Down on funky street; 2:40, grazing in the gras; 3:02, cold sweat; 4:40, I love you more than you'll ever know; 6:19, Knock on wood; 1:24, Stagger lee; 2:29, Groovin' is easy; 3:43, You keep me hangin' on; 5:23, hold on I'm coming; 2:47, crossroads; 3:21, the letter; 4:10, Shake; 3:51, Turn on your lovelight; 4:11.
     
• Red Dogs photographs and slides (Unit ID #531348):
  • Photographs of Red Dogs band members and photographs of the Red Dogs bus after it caught fire in 1967.
     
• Rising Suns Pass (Unit ID #531371):
  • Photograph of a pass for a Rising Suns event in Coffeyville, Kansas.
     
• Roger Johnson's Blue Things Tape (Unit ID #532493):
  • This is a digitized of 1 unnamed track of music saved to a compact disc. The track is over 30 minutes long, with the assumption of multiple songs on one track.
     
• Sanctuary Loving You reel-to-reel recording (Unit ID #532564):
  • This is a digitized reel-to-reel recording with about 20 minutes of unidentified music tracks.
     
• Signed Featuring at the Red Dog Inn poster (Unit ID #531354):
  • This item is an original Red Dog Inn poster that has been signed by John Brown and members of the Red Dogs including: Steve Dhal, Randal Grundy, Mike Hatfield, and others.
     
• Soul Express Set 1 recording (Unit ID #532503):
  • This is a digitized compact disc containing 16 tracks of music performed by Soul Express in Dell Rapids, South Dakota.
     
• Soul Express Set 2 recording (Unit ID #532504):
  • This is a digitized compact disc containing 18 tracks of music recorded by Soul Express in Dell Rapids, South Dakota.
     
• South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and concert poster (Unit ID #531368):
  • A poster advertising the events for the 2009 concert and induction for the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association Hall of Fame.
     
• Spider and the Crabs grooved disc recording (Unit ID #532570):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc with about 22 minutes of music recordings by The Spiders and the Crabs. Songs include It's not Unusual, Steppin Stone, and You Are My Sunshine.
     
• Spider and the Crabs photograph slides (Unit ID #531343):
  • 30 slide photographs of the Spider and the Crabs band performing at the Red Dog Inn in Lawrence, Kansas.
     
• Spider and the Crabs poster (Unit ID #531356):
  • An original Spider and the Crabs band poster.
     
• Spider and the Crabs recording 1 (Unit ID #532424):
  • This digitized compact disc contains 11 tracks recorded by the Spider and the Crabs. Songs include It's Not Unusual, Steppin Stone, and You Are My Sunshine.
     
• Spider and the Crabs recording 2 (Unit ID #532425):
  • This is a digitized recording by the Spider and the Crabs. Songs include It's Not Unusual, Steppin Stone, and You Are My Sunshine.
     
• Steve Stricklands What You See is What You Get (Unit ID #532420):
  • This digitized item contains 14 unnamed tracks of music saved to a compact disc.
     
• Test Pressing grooved disc recordings (Unit ID #532582):
  • This is a digitized item that encompasses two recordings from two grooved discs labeled Test Pressing. Each recording has 35-36 minutes of music recorded. The Songs include: Peace of Mind (It's Just A Matter of Time),More Today than Yesterday, You Always Hurt Me, For Once In My Life, Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me),West Side Story medley, Woman's Blues, Matchmaker, It Was A Very Good Year.
     
• The Blueboys grooved disc recording (Unit ID #532569):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc with two music tracks. The songs are Silver and Gold and Love's Made a Fool of You, both recorded by The Blueboys.
     
• The Country Stampede and Governors Ball photographs (Unit ID #532498):
  • These photographs were saved to a compact disc. The photos show performances at The Country Stampede and the Governors Ball, as well as some personal photographs from the Red Dogs and Fabulous Flippers.
     
• The Fabulous Flipper photograph slides (Unit ID #531342):
  • 30 images on slides of The Fabulous Flippers and other band members at the Red Dog Inn in Lawrence, Kansas.
     
• The Fabulous Flippers Then and Now cassette tapes (Unit ID #531347):
  • The Fabulous Flippers "Then and Now" music release on two double sided cassette tapes. Includes informational posters and merchandise order forms.
     
• The Original Fabulous Flippers Photograph (Unit ID #532139):
  • A photograph of the Fabulous Flippers in Lawrence, Kansas. Band members in the photo are identified from left to right as Doug Crotly, Dennis Fredrick, Roger Lewis, Gary Clayton, Jerry Tammen, Dan Hein, and Dennis Loewen.
     
• The Red Dogs band photograph (Unit ID #532140):
  • A photograph of the Red Dogs in 1966. Band members have been identified from left to right as Steve Dahl, Don Lindley, Steve Elliotte, Butch Neece, Jerry Knaack, Kent Leophold, Randal Grundy, and Mike Haffield.
     
• The Red Dogs Studio Session (Unit ID #532408):
  • This is a digitized item comprised of 1 unnamed track of music saved to a compact disc. Note on CD sleeve "Red Dogs studio session" and "RD Studio Sessions." track is over 30 minutes long, assumption of multiple songs on one track. Tracks include: Looking Down on You; 0:00, Don’t Cry No More; 2:44, I'm not your man; 5:34, Love Is Where Life Begins; 8:33, We're Gonna Hate Ourselves In The Morning; 11:00, You Make Me Feel Alright; 13:20, Open Your Box; 15:52, Looking Down on You; 18:00, I Can't Have Yesterday; 20:50, One; 23:35, Try a Little Tenderness; 27:42.
     
• The Red Dogs Studio Sessions 1965-68 (Unit ID #532336):
  • This is a digitized item of a compact disc containing 21 music tracks. CD case includes an extra photo and album cover art. Extra information provided with case states "Studio Sessions is taken from recordings made during approximately six different recording sessions at Audio House, Lawrence KS, and several days at Atlantic Records studios in Nashville TN, between December 1965 and January 1969."
     
• The Rising Suns concert clips (Unit ID #532422):
  • These are digitized clips showing band members and concert clips of the Rising Suns.
     
• The Young Raiders Set 1 recording (Unit ID #532494):
  • This is a digitized item with 9 tracks saved from a compact disc. The recording is from a live performance in Lawrence, Kansas. Songs include: Evil Woman; 3:12, I'm a man; 4:33, Listen; 3:20, Up on Cripple Creek; 3:40, Spinning Wheel; 3:58, And when I die; 4:58, The Waiting; 5:51, Evil Ways; 4:04.
     
• Untitled compact disc recording (Unit ID #532492):
  • This digitized compact disc contains 2 unnamed tracks of music.
     
• Untitled grooved disc recording 1 (Unit ID #532571):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc with 12 minutes of music by an unnamed group. Songs include: We're Gonna Hate Ourselves In The Morning, Love Is Where Life Begins, Looking Down on You, Open Your Box, You Make Me Feel Alright.
     
• Untitled grooved disc recording 2 (Unit ID #532572):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc with about 18 minutes of music recordings by an unnamed music group. Songs include: Looking Down on You, I Can't Have Yesterday, Don't Cry No More, Open Your Box, I'm Not Your Man.
     
• Untitled grooved disc recording 3 (Unit ID #532573):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc with 18 minutes of music recordings from an unnamed music group.
     
• Untitled grooved disc recording 4 (Unit ID #532575):
  • This is a digitized grooved disc recording by an unnamed music group with about 10 minutes of music. Songs include: The Look of Love, Groovin', hold on I'm coming.
     
• Untitled Red Dogs recording 1 (Unit ID #532472):
  • This unnamed, digitized compact disc contains 6 unnamed tracks.
     
• Untitled Red Dogs recording 2 (Unit ID #532473):
  • This is an untitled, digitized compact disc containing 6 unnamed tracks.
     
• Untitled Red Dogs recording 3 (Unit ID #532474):
  • This untitled, digitized compact disc contains 3 unnamed tracks recorded by the Red Dogs.
     
• Young Raiders 1970 recording (Unit ID #532341):
  • 9 music tracks, recorded by the Young Raiders, digitized from a compact disc. The songs include: "She's Gone"; 2:49, Riverboat Larry; 2:51, Good enough (original); 2:05, We See People (original); 2:25, Reasons To Try; 3:45, Tree Frog (original); 2:15, Still No Answer; 5:27, Can't you feel the changes (original); 2:31, Can't you feel the changes (original); 3:07.
     
• Young Raiders "4 originals" recording (Unit ID #532348):
  • This is a digitized recording of the Young Raiders that includes the following songs: We see people (original); 0:00,"She's Gone"; 3:00,Good enough (original); 7:43,River Boat Larry; 11:28.
     
• Young Raiders Atchison recording (Unit ID #532359):
  • This is a recording of multiple songs on a single track that was digitized from a compact disc. Songs include: Up on Cripple Creek; 0:00, I'm a man; 3:25, Get together; 8:10.
     
• Young Raiders Demo recording (Unit ID #532349):
  • This is a digitized copy of 7 tracks, recorded by the Young Raiders, saved to a compact disc. Songs include "Vehicle," "Beginnings," "Clown," and "Wake Up Sunshine."
     
• Young Raiders Set 2 recording (Unit ID #532495):
  • This is a digitized item with 9 tracks saved from a compact disc. The recording is from a live performance in Lawrence, Kansas. Songs include: Walking through the country; 3:03, Wake up sunshine; 2:21, Beginnings; 5:38, I shall be released; 5:45, Tree Frog (original); 3:51, Does anybody know what time it is; 3:39, Good enough (original); 2:46.
     
• Young Raiders Set 3 recording (Unit ID #532496):
  • This is a digitized compact disc from a live recording of the Young Raiders. There are 9 tracks total. Songs include: Vehicle; 2:46, Make me smile; 7:08, Cinnamon girl; 2:59, Can't you feel the changes (original); 3:10, We See People (original); 2:53, Ring of Fire; 2:35, Clown; 17:39.
     

5 RELATED MATERIALS

• Jim Reardon papers (UID 474484)
• Steve Clark papers (UID 532645)
• Evan Johnson collection (UID 531890)
• Chris Cruz collection (UID 531891)
• Steve Alter collection (UID 531109)
• Roger Lewis collection (UID 530825)
• Kansas music history collection (UID 532588)
• Allan Miller music materials (UID 532589)
• The Tyme Peace CD (UID 530974)
• Larry Dimmitt collection (UID 531603)
• Mike Doyle collection (UID 530087)
• Lester Dennis Higgins Collection (UID 530938)
• The Fabulous Flippers “Then” cassette tape (UID 531806)
• The Fabulous Flippers posters and newspaper articles (UID 531807)

6 BIBLIOGRAPHY

James N. Reardon, interview by Michael Church, recording, Kansas Music History Program, Kansas Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas, 3 September, 2024, Kansas Historical Society, State Archives Division.

Jim Reardon Collection, UID 474484, Kansas Historical Society, State Archives Division, Topeka, Ks.

Bisel, Debra Goodrich. Kansas Music: Stories of a Rich Tradition. Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2014.

Lee, Bill.Kansas Rockers: The First Generation. Lawrence, KS: Sunflower Roots Publishing, 1999.

Tourville, Tom. “Outstanding And They Were Wild”: The Kansas / Oklahoma 60s Rock Discography, Vol. 2. Fairmont, Mn: Midwest Publications, 1995.

7 INDEX TERMS/SUBJECT HEADINGS/ACCESS POINTS

• Kansas Music
• Rock and Roll
• Rhythm and Blues
• Mid-Continent Entertainment
• The Fabulous Flippers
• The Red Dogs
• The Blue Things
• The Rising Suns
• Spider and the Crabs
• The Young Raiders
• The Red Dog Inn (Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS)
• 1960s
• 1970s
• KOMA Radio
• Kansas Music Hall of Fame

8 ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

8.1 Restrictions on access

None

8.2 Restrictions on use

None

8.3 Custodial History/ Provenance

The material of the John Brown Music Collection originated from the personal collection of John Brown. In 2024, Brown loaned a majority of this collection to the Kansas State Historical Society, State Archives Division, for digitization. Digital archivist Cordell Moats compiled the digitization project of the collection, and acquisitions assistant Rebekah Stewart conducted initial processing and metadata creation. Digital copies of the loaned materials compromises most of the collection as it appear in the State Archives collection.

8.4 Alternate forms

A majority of this collection has been digitized and is stored in a digital format. Original material the State Archives’ digital copies were created from has been returned to the donor.

Digitized materials available through Kansas Memory Include:

• Dance to the Red Dogs signed poster (Item Number 531355)
• Fabulous Flippers and Red Dogs Only Time Ever photographs (Item Number 532141)
• Fabulous Flippers Poster (Item Number 531363)
• Fabulous Flippers reunion tour posters (Item Number 531367)
• Fabulous Flippers sticker poster (Item Number 531364)
• Featuring at the Red Dog Inn poster (Item Number 531353)
• Magnificent Sanctuary Band photographs (Item Number 531344)
• Magnificent Sanctuary Band photographs at Allen Field House (Item Number 531346)
• Miscellaneous Fabulous Flipper photographs (Item Number 531349)
• Original Red Dogs poster (Item Number 531352)
• Photograph of Steve Clark and Walter Downing (Item Number 531351)
• Red Dog Cookin Music posters (Item Number 531366)
• Red Dog Inn construction and opening night photographs (Item Number 532138)
• Red Dogs induction to the Kansas Music Hall of Fame celebration poster (Item Number 531357)
• Red Dogs photographs and slides (Item Number 531348)
• Rising Suns Pass (Item Number 531371)
• Signed Featuring at the Red Dog Inn poster (Item Number 531354)
• South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and concert poster (Item Number 531368)
• Spider and the Crabs photograph slides (Item Number 531343)
• Spider and the Crabs poster (Item Number 531356)
• The Fabulous Flipper photograph slides (Item Number 531342)
• The Fabulous Flippers Then and Now cassette tapes (Item Number 531347)
• The Original Fabulous Flippers Photograph (Item Number 532139)
• The Red Dogs band photograph (Item Number 532140)

8.5 Preferred citation

Note: [document and/or series description, date], John Brown Music Collection, Kansas State Historical Society.

Bibliography: John Brown Music Collection, Kansas State Historical Society.

8.6 Acquisition information (Accession #)

Accession # 2025-078

UID # 531297

8.7 Processing information (Processor name)

Cordell Moats, digital archivist, 2025. 

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