The story of the Flippers began in Hays when a group of high school friends decided to form a band. After graduation from school, they ended up attending college at The University of Kansas in Lawrence.
The Flippers consisted of Terry Wierman on lead guitar, Jerry Tammen on drums, Dennis Fredrick on bass, Roger Lewis on trumpet, Gary Claxton and Doug Crotty on sax, and Danny Hein and Dennis Loewen on keyboards, guitars, and lead vocals.
While in Lawrence, they had the good fortune to become the lead performers in the legendary Mid Continent Productions booking agency owned by one of the businesses best music promoters, John Brown. It was while they were a part of Mid Continent that Brown established them on KOMA Radio out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
These Radio ads along with the group’s talent, helped Mid Continent establish the name of the Fabulous Flippers over a 10+ state area.
Throughout the Flipper’s career, they recorded eight singles, one LP, and one EP. Perhaps what they are best remembered for is their release on Chicago’s Cameo-Parkway Records “Harlem Shuffle/I Don’t Want To Cry.
In 1970 The Fabulous Flippers broke the all-time attendance record at Darlowe Olesen’s Roof Garden Ballroom at Lake Okoboji. On July 4th of that year, they drew over 6,000 teens for a dance, beating the old record of 4,000 set in the early ’60s by The Everly Brothers. The Roof Garden itself was only meant to hold 4,000 people.
Today, when you hear the name The Fabulous Flippers one thinks of a warm sound, an exciting show, great showmanship, and those eight amazing men from Lawrence – you remember what rock and roll of the ’60s were meant to be.
Opener: Daybreak
Tickets on presale for $20, price increases to $25 the day of the show.
The Roof Garden