“The Passing of Johnnie Bolin”
Dr. Rox Remember When?
Article #163 September 2024
I found in trying to write this article, this was the most difficult I have ever attempted. To try and write about my friend, who just passed. John Vern “Johnnie” Bolin: 17 August 1954: Sioux City, Iowa. 5 September 2024. The story goes something like this.
I first heard of Tommy Bolin from my Uncle Jeff S. when he lived with us on 34th and Douglas in Sioux City, Iowa back in 1971. My Uncle Jeff and Aunt Cindy used to go see Tommy in his 3rd Band “A Patch Of Blue” (a film from 1965) perform at Heelan Catholic High School also in Sioux City. As my Grandparents moved to Scottsdale, AZ. my Uncle Jeff stayed behind as he had plans to move to Eugene, OR. Tommy had already released his 2nd album with ‘Zephyr’ “Going Back To Colorado” by this time. Jeff knew how much I loved music and specifically at this time The Beatles “Sgt. Pepper’s” was my jam, he told me he knew someone who released a record, that would be Tommy Bolin in Zephyr. I was amazed, as at that time I thought only mega rock bands released records, The Beatles, The Monkees, Steppenwolf etc. I was in disbelief, how could a guy from our neighborhood release a record album, as at this time I was so naive I actually thought they made only one copy of each album. (I remember I was shocked the the first time I saw a second copy of Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid”).
By late 1974 my family had moved to (Brandon) Jackson, Mississippi, being Catholic in a Baptist area there was only one church for us to attend, and the was St. Jude in Pearl, MS. I would find out many years later from Ricky Lee Reynolds of ‘Black Oak Arkansas’ that none other than Drummer Tommy Aldridge was in fact from Pearl, MS. Unfortunately Tommy Bolin died on 4 Dec 1976. In late 1977 my family moved back to Sioux City, Iowa on 25th and Pierce St. Then in Spring 1979 my Mom (Carol) had some news for me “Did you see we have some new neighbors that moved in across the street, next to the McClure’s?” me “yea, so” my Mom “well, maybe you’re familiar with their last name, Bolin?” me “You mean Tommy Bolin’s parents live across the street from us?” my Mom “Yes they do”.
Summer of 1979, the Bolin’s had a backyard BBQ, and there was a lot of people over there, including the band ‘The Penetrators’ which Tommy’s younger brother Johnnie was their drummer. My younger sister Michelle and her friends went across the street to see what all the fuss was about, I sheepishly followed behind, we ended up getting Johnnie’s autograph. I have to admit I was star-struck. On a few occasions Tommy’s mother Barb “Keek” used to come over to our house to have coffee with my mom. One time I saw “Keek” going to get the mail, I stopped her and asked her “Say Mrs. Bolin, I heard you have the tapes for Tommy’s 3rd Solo album?” she replied “Oh, we have tapes” Later in Dec 1980 my family was about to move from 25th and Pierce to W.16th street. So on a Saturday night in December I went over to the Bolin’s as the would let fans in to look at photo albums and sometimes even listen to Tommy’s own personal reel to reels, I went this night because I had heard Johnnie was in town and as luck would have it he was and he brought with him former ‘Energy’ percussion and vocalist Archie Shelby. So we hung out in Bolin’s Kitchen for several hours, it was then Johnnie told me that ‘The Penetrators’ would be no more and they had made some changes and now be ‘DVC’. In 1981 I moved to Mesa/Phoenix I was in a mall bookstore when I saw an ad for the DVC album, I was impressed I thought “Bolin’s got a new band, cool”. Eventually I moved back to Sioux City and I saw DVD headline the “Battle Of The Bands” in May 1982, and later that year I attended and recorded the last DVC show at “The Patio” in Sioux City, my memory was they played there on Friday and Saturday night, but I only recorded Saturday night, a couple weeks later I saw Dare Force open for KISS in Sioux City.
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After DVC, Johnnie was recruited to replace Mark Miller in Dare Force sometime in early 1983 while on tour with ‘High Fever’ on a night off I saw Dare Force in St. Paul at Libation Station in Summer 1983. I worked at RecordShop when “The Ultimate” was released in 1989, and the Bolin’s signed a merchandising deal with Roellco Ind. out of MLPS, I had worked with Steve for about 3 years by that time, and I told him about my tale of Sioux City and The Bolin family, so he gladly gave me one of the 1st Tommy Bolin “Teaser” t-shirts ever printed. Yes I still have it, but back then T-Shirts ran about 1 or 2 sizes smaller than today. In the fall of 2003 I saw an ad for a Black Oak concert in October 2003 at the Medina Ballroom, so I thought I would head over and try to reconnect with Johnnie after all these years. I did end up going and meeting up with Johnnie before and after the show. It was this night Ricky Lee Renyolds asked me “How do you know Johnnie?” I told him how when we moved back form Mississippi the Bolin’s moved in across the street. Ricky Lee informed me “Mississippi, huh… well our old Drummer Tommy Aldridge was from Pearl, MS.” I exclaimed “Pearl, well that is where I attended St. Jude Catholic Church was in Pearl, MS.” wow, what a small world.
In 2001 I was a staff member on the book “KISS: Alive Forever” I made sure to make sure Tommy and Johnnie were mentioned in the book. Starting about Spring 2005, I started making regular trips back to Sioux City and every time I went I would stop by and I showed Johnnie the book i was part of, and one day in 2006 Johnnie called me at work and asked “Say Rik, would you like to do a book on my brother?” I answered “I would be honored” so I went to Sioux City about 1 weekend a month and went through every room of the Bolin house sorting, filing and reading everything in that house, including things that did not pertain to Tommy. It was on one of these visits that Johnnie told me, his favorite drummer was in fact Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones. In 2009 I decided I would like to own at least one “Strat” type guitar, so I created a “Tele-Strat” in tribute to Tommy’s “Coffee Brown” Tele-Strat, I named it “Alexis” and had Johnnie sign it for me, this same day Johnnie took the time to show me how to play “Walk In My Shadow” “Owed To G” and “Take 5” (Crazed Fandango).
I remember on one visit Johnnie was writing the liner notes to “Last Concert In Japan” re-issue CD on Fridays Music released in 2012. He handed me his hand written notes and asked me “Proof this will ya, and see if it’s ok” I responded “I’d be honored, a few months later when I bought the CD, the was the exact same liner notes I had proofed only a few months earlier in Bolin’s dining room. Since 2005 I had spent a lot of time in Johnnie’s house, not as much as some but way more than many, I think it’s a real tradition in Sioux City for folks to hang out in the kitchen, and Bolin’s was no exception. The things that went on in “Bolin’s Kitchen” were unreal, when I tell people some of them or when Johnnie and I would retell the stories, we used to laugh and laugh and he would look and me and say “You know we could make a lot of money if we were able to film the things that go on in here and sell it as a reality TV Show, “Bolin’s Kitchen” …. you know what I mean?”
In 2019 Johnnie heard me sitting in with Billy (Holmberg) Hart’s BanG GanG, singing and playing rhythm guitar. After I walked off the stage Johnnie came up to me and said “Hey Rik, that was pretty good” I thought he was busting my chops the way we do in Sioux City, so I replied “Then let me sit in with your Tommy Bolin Tribute Band, I have been asking you to do so for years” JB replied “Yea, maybe, we’ll see next year” and So from 2020 to 2024 I was able to sit in with Johnnie’s Tommy Bolin Tribute Band, and perform songs like “Gettin Tighter, Teaser and Walk In My Shadow, now while it was my dream come true, the first couple times it was very nerve racking, but my dream come true none the less. All thanks to Billy Holmberg, Jesse Christian and Dean Christopher.
I have worked for Johnnie Bolin in one way or another since 2006. and this month my friend passed away. On the day I received the news I thought “I should call him, I haven’t heard if he got my Birthday Card, with my joke to him inside. About 30 min after I had this thought I got the call he had passed. I am beside myself. I will miss him dearly and to think I will never get to sit at that kitchen table listening to and telling stories for hours on end and laughing it up, I will miss his dry sarcastic sense of humor. In fact the last time I was there Johnnie made my son lunch, PB&J, Chips and a bottled water. I am choked up writing this. I could not attend Johnnie’s funeral, but his son Bobby made me an honorary Pallbearer, I am honored. So in return I tried to tell Bobby’s Fathers story in short. The second to the last conversation I had with Johnnie he said to me “You know some people think I just ride on my brother’s coat tails, but you I had my own musical legacy too you know. Bear, I got that job through my audition, not because of Tommy’s name drop. DVC, Bartle and I put that together, because we had played together for so long. And Dare Force was because of my ability, I suppose my name didn’t hurt. And Black Oak, sure they knew Tommy but they hired me for me, not Tommy. I just wish people could remember what what I did too” So to honor Johnnie’s wish, here is a list of what Johnnie accomplished, to the best of my memory, forgive me if I have left something out.
Here is a history of Johnnie’s bands and recordings:
‘IBM: Instant Blues Machine’ based at Central High School. From 1970-71
‘Legs Diamond and Hothouse’: 1972 to 1974: with Stanley Henry Sowienski Jr: 4 Mar 1949- 29 Jan 2021: Vocals and Bass. Phil Kelly: Guitar, Marc Engel: Guitar and Jeff Byrne on Drums, eventually replaced by Johnnie Bolin. Stanley eventually took the name “Legs Diamond” years before national act form L.A.
‘Sailing’ 1974-76 John Bartle on Vocals and Guitar, Johnnie Bolin on Drums. Johnie told me they had a regualar gig playing the local truck stop in Sioux City.
‘The Gassers’ Summer 1975: John Bartle, Tommy Bolin: Guitar, Johnnie Bolin and Roger Rothwell: Bass. When Tommy Bolin came back to Sioux City he would call up the members of “Sailing” and perform as ‘The Gassers’ there is a couple of recordings of this band thanks to Andrew Wissing.
‘Tommy Bolin Band’: Johnnie was asked to join his brothers band after long time Drummer Bobby Berge had left to join Buddy Miles Express, Buddy was a childhood friend of Berge’s. Johnnie was in the Tommy Bolin Band MkIII from August to October 1976. There is an Video on YouTube from 29 August 1976 in Denver, CO. with Johnnie on drums.
Hear are the Tommy Bolin band releases Johnnie appears on:
CDS:
“Live 9/19/76: King Biscuit Flower Hour” Albany, NY. TBACD-22. 2001
“Albany NY, September 20, 1976” TBACS-6. 2004
“Live at Northern Lights Recording Studio, Maynard, MA. 22 Sep 1976” TABCD-4. 1996
“Alive In Detroit”: 5 Oct 1976: JVBolin #TBB 3-10576. 2023
“Live at the Jet Bar” 24 Nov 1976 #TBACS-7. 2005
This may have been when Johnnie moved to Florida for a while.
‘Malachi’ 1977: Sioux City. Johnnie has a Concert Poster for this band hanging in his memorabilia room in his house.
‘Richard T. Bear’ 1978-1979. with Bob Kulick: Guitar, Mark Clarke:Bass and Johnnie “Boots” Bolin on Drums. After Johnnie left the Tommy Bolin Band, he told me, he started auditioning for national acts, whereupon he landed the drum seat with Richard T. Bear, the unofficial Keyboardist of KISS, which is where Bear picked up Bob Kulick to be his guitarist. Bear Johnnie the nickname “Boots” for the thigh-high leather boots Johnnie used to wear. There is a Video film at SIR Studios in NYC, of Bear and his band including Bolin and the #41 Billboard Hit “Sunshine Hotel”
Albums released by Bear that features Bolin on drums:
“Captured Alive” 1979 RCA #PL-13462 (Johnnie appears on the back cover)
“Bear” 1979 RCA #AFL1-3313
‘The Penetrators’ Des Moines, Iowa; 1979 -1980: John Bartle, Johnnie Bolin, Rob Forest, David Ducharme-Jones, Rockin Rick Reed. After Bartle left ‘The Jan Park Band’ (Columbia Records) the above-mentioned formed this band in Des Moines, Iowa.
‘DVC’ (Latin: Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas: Speed, Accuracy, Power) Minneapolis from 1981 to 1982. Ducharme and Reed left The Penetrators and Forest and Bolin recruited New Jersey transplant to Minneapolis, one Max Padilla on Vocals and Bass to create this band.
Albums released by DVC:
“1st” 1981 Alpha #AAB-11005
Japan Release 1982 #ULR-28005
and 2 Single 45s “Let Me Be Your Fantasy” and then “Goosebumps”
“2nd” 1982 (2023) #JVB #03005-11005-1
*Recorded Live Shows:
8 August 1981: Silver Dollar Saloon; Sioux City, Iowa
2 May 1982 Sioux City Auditorium: Video
24 September 1982 Maplewood Bowl; Maplewood, MN.
8 December 1982: Patio; Sioux City, Iowa
‘Dare Force’ Minneapolis Bolin’s stint: 1983 to 1988. Brian Bart: Guitar and Vocals, John O’Neal: Vocals and Guitar, Brian Lorenson: Bass, Mark Miller: Drums. In 1983 Miller left Dare Force due to health issues, and Bolin took over for the next few years.
Albums released by: Dare Force featuring Bolin.
“EP” 1985 #DME-224-949
“Makin Our Own Rules” 1985 #DME-1002
‘Brian Bart’: Solo 1987. Brian Bart released his 1st solo album with Bolin on Drums for the Tommy Bolin Cover “Post Toastee” on the Cassette:
“Future Vision” 1987 Logic Recordings #2630
‘Bolin’s Alley’ Early 1990s, with Rick “Pudge” Bolin on Vocals and Johnnie on Drums.
‘Rogue’s Gallery‘: 1988 Minneapolis. When Dare Force finally called it quits, John O’Neal and Johnnie Bolin formed this band, apparently this band did not last for very long.
‘Black Oak (Arkansas)’: Johnnie left Rogue’s Gallery to fill the drum throne of Tommy Aldridge in Jim Dandy’s Black Oak on and off from 1988 all the way up to 2018.
CDs Johnnie appears on;
“Wild Bunch” 1999 Cleopatra #CLP-0705-2
“Back Thar Over Yonder” 2013 Atlantic #535984-2
‘Chill Factor’: Sioux City mid 1990’s John Bartle, Dave Napier: Sax, Bob Birch: Bass, Johnnie Bolin. Bartle and Napier were in the Sioux City band “7 Sons” in the early 70s. Norm Waite of Gateway Computers opened a record label and signed his old High School friends. They released one CD. Including a re-make of a DVC song form their 2nd album “Tonight’s The Night” “Some Like It Cold” 1996 Antipreneur #602582100026
‘Tommy Bolin Tribute Band’ Colorado and Texas: After the 2nd Annual “Tommy Bolin Music Festival” Glenn Hughes (Trapeze, Deep Purple) and johnnie Bolin took their tribute band on the road.
CD and DVD releases:
DVD: “Tommy Bolin Tribute” 23,24 August 1996 in Denver, CO. at Bluebird Theatre 1997 #TBADVD-2
“Hughes/ Bolin 1997 Tribute” 1998 #TBACD-12
‘Sioux City Rockestra’ Early 2000s. I saw this show in May 2009 (I believe it was) at the old Central High auditorium, which I had not been in since 1971, it was very cool, just time travel.
‘Bolin/ Bartle Blues Band’: Sioux City 2000 teens With Sam Irish: Bass. After Johnnie left Black Oak he went back to playing with his old musical partner Bartle.
I have made 2 radio shows on Johnnie Bolin:
Johnnie Bolin PsychoGello Show Episode #106: Aug 2019
DVC PsychoGello Radio Show Episode #259: July 2023
Both can be found at www.MrZeroS.Com -Podcast
You can hear Mr. Zer0’s PsychoGello Radi0 Show 8am Sundays on Radio WDGY. 740AM, Streaming, FM: 92.1, 103.7, 107.1. Since 2017. Also you can hear the last 90 Episodes at www.MrZeroS.Com -Podcast. And hear Mr. Zer0’s “Evolation Show” and “Hits And History w/ Rick Burnett” at www.MixCloud.Com, under MrZeros.
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