In the vicinity of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, back in 1964, a band very true to their name, emerged on the teen hop scene.
The first inception of this band was a three man group. Band camp pals from the get-go, the trio wanted to break free from their normal routine. This decision made Dave Hartman (guitar, vocals), Ralph Schwartz (drums) & Greg Neville (guitar) the kick bored area kids needed.
In 1965, Dave’s brother Dan joined (with a little convincing) to add vocals & play the keyboard. His songwriting talent was instrumental in building the Legends music catalog. The Legends endured many battle of the bands & managed to hold their own, even up against more well-known & established bands at the time. Popular bands got to play dances at fire halls, ballrooms & places like VFW posts. Deejay’s played a key role in booking the hometown boys gigs to earn money.
To keep people interested, the guys played songs from the Top 10 charts, surf-type music, soul tunes, Motown & the ever popular British Invasion standards from bands like the Kinks & Rolling Stones. UK freak beat, psychedelic music & garage fuzz entered into the Legends catalog - all the bases were covered. Generally speaking, if the music kept people dancing & happy, it got played. That same year, Greg left the band, Denny Woolridge came on board to play bass & in September Dave went active duty in the Navy. A new guitar player was needed & Larry Swartzwelder liked what he heard & enlisted as the new, fourth member.
Ever evolving, the new lineup incorporated rhythm & blues from the likes of Booker T & the MG’s, the Four Tops & Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels into their setlists. Originally penned songs were well received by audiences & a devote following of fans formed - A record setting 1,200 people at an outdoor pavilion in Lancaster is something to be very proud of.
In 1966, Ralph left the band briefly to attend college & later returned. Mike Smithsell took over on drums during that period. Shortly after, Denny joined the Air National Guard & Derek Parsons filled in on bass. An original song called “Why†was released on record in 1967 with “Baby Get Your Head Screwed On†(originally done by Double Feature) on the flip side. This first single was pressed in very limited numbers.
The guys were really digging hearing, “Why†played on local Top 40 radio WFEC. Denny returned soon after the record release as did Dave that fall. Unfortunately, the music style leaning towards psychedelic at that time, did not suit Ralph or Dave. It was noticeable in the crowd, as people were not too keen on that type of music, the songs & some of the bands that seemed to fuel the direction Dan wanted to go. Dave exited the Legends after a few shows.
As the times got more radical, the Legends unleashed some interesting stage antics & energy. Hendrix was known for lighting his guitar on fire (and Dan the floor, at times) & these guys knew how to incorporate some action in a smart way. Picking up pawnshop guitars for a couple bucks allowed for some creative angst on stage. They met their final end by being sawed or smashed. The amps & drums didn’t get off easy either.
(Joe Caloiero, Dan Hartman & Larry Sadler)
Denny left the band in 1968 & was replaced by Dave Cope. Ralph departed that same year. In his own local band, Phantoms & the Revolution, Larry Sadler became a fan of the Legends early on. Introduced to the Legends by a neighbor, Larry befriended the band & often found himself plucked from the audience to sit in on the skins for Ralph at times. When Ralph left, Larry got the call to join the band full-time with the remaining members. Covers of the Spencer Davis Group’s “Keep On Running†& the Animals “Cheating†were recorded for the 2nd single release in 1968.
Joe Caloiero replaced Dave Cope on bass & added vocals. Known for their excellent reputation on the music circuit, Joe accepted Dan’s invitation to join the band & the different lineup headed into 1968 with interest in changing their sound and plenty more original songs penned by Dan. Swartzwelder left the band in 1969, before the 3rd single “High Towers†& “Fever Games†got released. Uncle Sam came calling for Joe, who instead voluntarily enlisted in the Army Reserves. Until his return, Joe Abbondanza was his replacement.
The band often ventured into the big city (Philadelphia & NYC) to pick up clothing inspired by the more big name bands. The clothes, wigs & mustaches, that provided a unique-for-the-area image, helped make the band stand out from other local bands. Joe would also rub his bass against the amplifier & shake it to create odd sounds which added to the “different†factor at the shows.
By the end of 1969, the Legends were in Baldwin Studios recording “Jefferson Strongbox,†“Gone April Gone,†“Yes, Someone Called Me,†“Circle Rise,†“Marianne Summer,†“Somebody Else†and “Deceptionâ€, all original penned songs by Dan Hartman. Although these recordings were shipped off to major labels in 1970 & 1971, they weren’t picked up, but the guys did get a rushed audition with RCA & promotional recording sessions at Atlantic. Being rejected just fueled their desire to strive harder to reach success. Their press kits for fans, radio stations & booking agents even included a record.
Success came in 1971 for Dan Hartman. Edgar Winter heard a demo & sent Rick Derringer & his manager Steve Paul to Pennsylvania to check out a Legends gig. Looking for new material & a band, they found exactly what they needed. Dan joined the Edgar Winter Group & appeared on “They Only Come Out At Night†in 1972. His “Free Ride†is a classic rock & roll song regularly played on radio stations everywhere. Another familiar solo song for Dan is “I Can Dream About You†covered by Daryl Hall & John Oates.
Larry Sadler & Joe still had the fire to continue making music. With perfect timing, Larry Swartzwelder returned from Vietnam & was ready to continue where he left off with his guitar. Reformed as a trio for a few months, Dean Lescallette was soon added to play rhythm guitar & sing lead. Despite Dan being gone, he produced & added background vocals to the Legends 4th single (later remixed by Rick Derringer), which he also penned, called “Rock & Roll Woman†with “Problems" written by Joe on the flip side. Joe sang lead on “Rock & Roll Woman," as he did most of the time. Dean was not present on the single that was released, but he did participate in the studio sessions of the song. Rock and Roll Woman was originally on the Heart label and was then picked up by Epic.
If you were watching American Bandstand in ‘72 you may have heard “Rock & Roll Woman†in its heyday. There was never a personal appearance on the show, but they came close. As the usual turn-around goes, Dean went away to the Army Reserves in 1973 & was replaced by Gene Brenner. This was the final lineup of the Legends band & after a few other songs were turned down by record executives, the Legends became part of Central Pennsylvania music history & around October 1973, they were done. The Legends had a short lived revival in 1975 & reunion of the ‘72-‘73 lineup followed years later.
The Legends will always be remembered for their great music & home-grown talent.
