Jackson’s 1960’s Rock & Roll Scene Rivaled All Other Michigan Cities

Before summer's gone, I figure it's a good time to once again re-live the terrific Rock 'n Roll that used to permeate throughout the Jackson area.

Sure, Lansing and Ann Arbor had their share of rock venues & bands but Jackson had an unexpected wealth of Rock 'n Roll that remains largely unknown by anyone under 40 years old and forgotten by some others. But there is still a large number of those who remember it, lived it and loved it during the 1960's up to the early 1970's.

Jackson was a hotbed of rock activity, ALMOST rivaling (percentage-wise for the square mileage) that of the Detroit area. There was:
Granny's A Go-Go
Jackson Armory
Hullaballoo Club
YMCA Blue Light Dances
The Back Door
Green's Pavilion
Wampler's Lake Pavilion
Goose Lake Festival
Ella Sharp Park concerts
Michigan Theatre
...not to mention some great national acts that came to the Jackson County fair and local high schools, like Parkside and Jackson High.

Okay, WHAT national acts came here?
Dave Clark 5
Freddie & The Dreamers
Paul Revere & The Raiders
Mitch Ryder
Jethro Tull
Chicago
Tiny Tim
Bob Seger
Amboy Dukes
Outsiders
Brownsville Station
Beach Boys
Alice Cooper
The Knack
James Gang
Joe Cocker
Rod Stewart
Turtles
REO Speedwagon
Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
...and many, many others.

Jackson had it's share of local rock bands: Confusions, Toad, House of Lords, Yesterday's Maile, Jim Judge & The Jury, Younger Than Yesterday, Misanthropes, Fugitives, Telstars.....too numerous to name them all...and I was in one of 'em myself, The Concussions. We played many gigs at the Armory, Granny's, surrounding high schools and various other venues.

Then, it all just disappeared, seemingly after the Goose Lake Festival in 1970. Why? Who was responsible? The City Council?

To read more, CLICK HERE for a great mlive article on the Jackson rock scene of the 60's.

Then, CLICK HERE to read the mlive article about some of the wonderful local bands. Unfortunately, mine isn't listed. Well, heck.

If you were around and remember these great local rock times, consider yourselves lucky...if you weren't, soak up this information and maybe you can do something about it in the future.