Aloha from Kauai, Hawaii.........The Shakers profile is featuring songs from their two female singers....Janet Small ("Emergency Call" from 'Yankee Reggae' and "Hey Now" previously unreleased) and Ronnie Rhoades ("Because Of You" from 'Good Days Ahead' and a 12" KDL mix of the unreleased gem "My Whole World Is Falling Down"). We hope you enjoy these classic "old school" tunes from American reggae pioneers....The Shakers.
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The Shakers reggae band was formed in the early seventies by several San Francisco Bay Area musicians hoping to ride the popularity of the cult movie 'The Harder They Come' featuring reggae singers Jimmy Cliff and Toots and The Maytals. Johnny Nash's 'I Can See Clearly' and the pre Rasta Jamaican pop music of Trojan Records' imports played a huge role in influencing the band. They became so popular at a local nightclub that they were eventually signed to Elektra/Asylum records in 1975 and went on to record an album produced by Chuck Plotkin called 'Yankee Reggae' (a moniker given to them by Toots Hibbert after working together). The Shakers were the first American reggae band to be signed to a major label and spent much of 1976 touring the United States turning people on to reggae music and what they knew of the history. They worked with, and learned from, many of the first "wave" of Jamaican acts to come to the U.S. including, Toots and The Maytals, Dennis Brown, Inner Circle, Eric Donaldson, The Soul Syndicate, Third World and many others. The Shakers further exposed reggae when they opened huge stadium concerts for 'The Pointer Sisters', 'Three Dog Night', 'Blood, Sweat and Tears', and 'Booker T and The MG's' among others. The band remained together in one form or another thru much of the 70's and into the 80's.
Two original members, lead singer/drummer, Ron Rhoades and rhythm guitarist Bill Wallace, reformed the group (this time including Ron's wife Ronnie on vocals) on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai in 1990 and enjoyed two great years of performing live reggae music two nights a week at the Poipu Beach Hotel until disaster struck in the form of hurricane 'Iniki' in 1992. The storm had a devastating effect on the small Island and The Shakers never played at the Poipu Beach Hotel again which was destroyed. The group eventually reformed again under the guidance and production of Ron Rhoades, the only original member to remain, and released a recording they had done prior to the hurricane which was picked up by Honolulu label, 'Hitown Records' and released in April 1995. The CD, 'Strictly Pleasure', was a statewide success and brought much needed work for the band as they traveled from Island to Island selling out nightclubs and concerts due in great part to rap sensation Teomon and the pop reggae hits of Ron and Ronnie. It was during this time that Ron started Koloa Dub Lab as an in-house production studio to record not only The Shakers' next record but some other fine "local" singers and rappers including renowned Maui reggae star 'Marty Dread' for whom Ron has produced three records including 'Reggae For Love' and two "Album of the Year" Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominees 'Reggae Suite' and 'On The Beach'.
1998 saw the release of The Shakers second CD 'Good Days Ahead' which was on their new KDL Records label after securing a deal with Olinda Road Distribution. The success of the CD enabled the group to keep working locally and statewide. "Run Away" "You'll Always Be The One" "Strong To Survive" and Ronnie's "Reggae Vibration" featuring Teomon were all big local radio hits and the band was rockin' out and having a lot of fun despite the uncertainty of the revolving players as reggae musicians were hard to find on such a small Island.
As the decade came to an end, Teomon decided to leave the group and join his family on the Island of Maui. Ron and Ronnie, bassist John Hunt and a handful of rotating musicians carried on for some time and KDL released 'The Best Of The Shakers Volume One' in November 2001 before the band called it quits due to poor CD sales, and the eventual bankruptcy of their distributor. Teomon returned to KDL to record his solo effort 'The Choice We Make' and Ronnie is recording a solo project as well.Upcoming projects include "The Best Of The Shakers Volume Two" and the much anticipated "The Dubs Of Koloa Dub Lab" series of exclusive KDL dub mixes.PRESS QUOTES FOR THE SHAKERS 1975-2006".....The Shakers' material is original and "BABY PLEASE" is a good listen for any music lover.......""......They've been instrumental in introducing the "DANCEHALL" style of reggae in Hawaii......." (Soundsgood Magazine)".....Their sound is authentic enough to satisfy hardcore reggae fans,while being individual and fresh enough to attract new and previously wary reggae followers....."
(Earth News Magazine)".....the vocals are strong and the band is spunky and fun......"
(Haleakala Times)".....The Shakers have captured the basics of this infectious Jamaican music and interpret it well....." (Oakland Tribune)".....The Shakers have tapped a new source of energy for American music....."
(San Francisco Chronicle)....."Ron Rhoades, founder of what is probably the first recorded white reggae band,The Shakers..........."(Roger Steffens-The Beat Magazine)".......popular - very upbeat reggae music.'Baby Please' is still sought after by local reggae fans - it was probably The Shakers biggest hit." (Tropical Isle)
".......Kauai 's The Shakers continue to be one of Hawaii's most popular reggae groups. There are things that set The Shakers apart from the current crop of Jawaiian bands (like): the vocals of (Oahu native) Ronnie Rhoades, one of the few female reggae musicians being recorded in Hawai'i........" (Maui Time)".....perfect pau hana party music.This Kauai reggae band, the first U.S. reggae group ever signed by a major label, delivers great vocals, tight harmonies and jammin' reggae rhythms....." (Honolulu Magazine)".....The Shakers had people out on the dance floor from the first measure-a standard occurrence....." (Performance Magazine)THE SHAKERS
Ron Rhoades - drums,vocals,guitar,keyboards,bass,record producer,arranger,engineer
Ronnie Rhoades - vocals John Hunt - bass,vocals,sound engineer
also:
Bill Wallace - guitar,vocals Al Martinez - guitar,vocals Chris Solberg - guitar,vocals
Fred Sampson - guitar,vocals Kirby Keough - guitar,vocals Don Fulton - bass,vocals
Dave Russ - bass Janet Small - keyboards,vocals Jeff Walters - keyboards
Kenny Wilson - keyboards,vocals Chris Capka - keyboards Chaka Taylor - keyboards
Teo Mullen (Teomon) - vocals Carroll "Rico" Knapp - sax,flute,saxcello David Boyle - guitar Alberto Genovia - guitar,vocals Alika Simpson - vocals John Cuniberti- producer, engineer, soundman, photographer, percussion. THIS SITE IS MAINTAINED BY RON RHOADES FROM KEKAHA, KAUAI, HAWAII.......NONE OF THE OTHER BAND MEMBERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED IN ANY WAY........I WISH THEY WOULD, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST ME!! IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING ANY MUSIC FROM THE SHAKERS PLEASE "MESSAGE" ME AND I'LL DO WHAT I CAN TO TAKE CARE OF YOU.
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