Calvin Hunter (“What’s the happs”)
FOND ROCK & ROLL MEMORIES…
-By Cal Hunter
I have no other pictures to send along. They were destroyed when my radio station burned to the ground in April of 2000. Sniff, Sniff,
When I think back on “COTTONWOOD, I think of so many things. But most important, is my friends. Alex Conger, Gary Rhoads and Craig Gregersen. I mean we had a fine time as a rule. We practiced hard in the band room… working to learn all the latest songs we could while writing a few originals. “COTTONWOOD played a lot of dances, from High Schools to Gold and Green balls. It seems as though we played every venue in southeast Idaho and beyond…
But I still remember the first time. I think we had rehearsed maybe three times and there was this street dance in downtown Pocatello. I had to go to Idaho Falls, because the radio station for which I worked (KSNN) had just agreed to air Idaho State University games.
It was my lot to make a presentation to a group of alumni in IF. Afterward, I screamed back down the freeway and squealed in just in time to start the music. The other guys in the band had been kind enough to set everything up and off we went… making a little music and lots of memories. How we got the gig? I’ll never know…
I think we knew maybe ten songs, including the Conger favorites. “Hot and Nasty”, and “Sweet Home Alabama”. Oh… and “I’m a Man … (yes I am and I can’t help but love you so… Oh no no…”). The curse of a former singer. So many songs… so many lyrics!
Anyway… a guy looked at me after we had performed one of Craig’s favorites,“We’re an American Band”, and screamed at the top of his lungs… “This is A M E R I C A ! ! !”
He was right! A warm night with people moving in rhythm… Innocence, hope, loud music leading to the dance right downtown on one of the main streets… How American is that? How pre- nine eleven! It was 1975 I think., Jimmy Carter was President???! How did THAT happen?
The roller rink in Rexburg was a blast. Ricks College kids got off campus and kicked up their heels a little bit. One night, a familiar face was walking toward us from out of the crowd, and I realized it was my cousin, from Hawaii. He’s now a dentist in Spokane-Seattle. I wonder if cousin John remembers the roller rink? I know I’ll never forget it!
Burley- American Falls- Firth- Shelley- all over. Even Chubbuck! Man it was fun!
There are many more things… I went from Pocatello to Butte, Montana to break into television, and went from there back to Idaho Falls and Pocatello, and from there to Redding, California where I served as an Anchorman and NEWS Director for thirteen years. I am now the President of a very small radio company with stations (AM stations, that is) in Red Bluff, Marysville, Yuba City, Westwood, Quincy (just purchased) and Susanville (yet to be built), California. We’re struggling along but keeping busy.
I have often thought how much fun it would be to get the players in “COTTONWOOD” back together again. But then I realize the fun would mostly be for us… and the world is full of self-indulgent people doing things just to please themselves.
It seems best to leave well enough alone – be thankful for the great run “COTTONWOOD” enjoyed, and for my small part in it. I’ll remain thankful for all the people who followed us from dance to dance, before adulthood crept up and made us all slaves to different priorities.
Donna and I remain married (33 years now), and our nine children are scattering like the stuff that falls from a Cottonwood tree. Six grandchildren. Two kids in Utah – one in New York City – the rest nearer to us in California and two still at home. Now, I look in the mirror and wonder who that grey-haired man with the bypass scar is, looking back from the glass?
My music these days is limited to singing along to one of our radio stations, in church, and writing an occasional jingle for broadcast clients.
There is much more to tell, but I fear the memories of a faded musician are of little interest to anyone but the writer.
