When one of the most successful bands from Erie, during the 1960s, broke up, three of the former members of the Fabulous Epics: Walt Slivinski, with Neil Myers and Larry Parker, went on to create their own band.
Paul Yoculan, Vinnie Frazini and Vince Hopkins, formerly of the Fabulous Epics, had regrouped and formed the Younger Brothers Band, at the suggestion of Warner Brothers, who had signed the Epics to a recording contract while they were playing at the Peppermint Lounge in the early 60s. Walt Slivinski, along with Neil Myers and Larry Parker, around 1967, moved to San Francisco looking for an opportunity to capitalize on the success of the former Epics, and to attract a broader audience.
In the 1960s California was the place to be for any band seeking to be discovered. San Francisco was in the middle in of The Summer of Love and Psychedelic Music got top billing in the city. It was there that they formed the band, Larry Younger and The Epics, hoping that the success the Fabulous Epics enjoyed at the Peppermint Lounge would follow. They worked out of a club in the San Francisco’s Mission District called “The Rock Garden” as an opening act for bands like Country Joe And The Fish, and Buffalo Springfield. With their experience being that of a house band, befitting popular music, they soon would discover that San Francisco wasn’t their niche. Larry Parker, disappointed in their lack of progress, left the band.
San Francisco was a learning experience that influenced both the band and its members and in 1968, when the band opted to relocate to Southern California, hitting the Los Angeles club circuit, they quickly attracted the attention of Universal Studios. It was at Universal's insistence that they adopted the name, Orange Colored Sky. Universal signed them to a recording contract, along with a brief cameo in the Don Knotts film, The Love God. They also appeared in TV commercials with Petula Clark, as well as The Steve Allen Show.
Teaming the band with producer Norman Ratner, fronted by singer Tony Barry and keyboardist Walter Slivinski, who is credited with penning all 11 tracks, the band produced their first and only album.
With three lead singers in Tony Barry, Jack Skinner and Harold Little, their only album was released:
ORANGE COLORED SKY
1. The Sun and I (Walter Slivinski) - 2:45
2. The Shadows of Summer (Walter Slivinski) - 3:45
3. Knowing How I Love You (Walter Slivinski) - 3:13
4. Just Like Humpty Dumpty (Walter Slivinski) - 2:55
5. I'm Taking Her To Dinner (Walter Slivinski) - 2:32
6. Sometimes (I Wish I Didn't Love You) (Walter Slivinski) - 2:22
7. Everyday I Love You More (Walter Slivinski) - 3:25
8. L.A. (Los Angeles) (Walter Slivinski) - 3:55
9. Girl of My Dreams (Walter Slivinski) - 2:41
10. Orange Colored Sky (Walter Slivinski) - 2:55
In the early 1970s producer Don Costa brought Orange Colored Sky to MGM records, under the direction of future California Lieutenant Governor Mike Curb. At MGM, Sky recorded “Simon Zealotes” from the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, arranged by Don Costa and released to U.S. radio stations three months prior to the appearance of the "Superstar" national cast album.
Bassist/vocalist Larry Parker joined Orange Colored Sky in 1974. Undergoing a string of personnel changes throughout the years the band found a home on the Las Vegas and Tahoe casino circuit, opening in the for such acts as Burt Bacharach and Frank Sinatra. By the 1980s many showrooms had been replaced by discotheques and Sky slowly disbanded.
The band reunited in the early 1990s under a new band-leader, Michael Chanslor, who was Susan Anton's longtime keyboardist vocalist, conductor and arranger. Also in the band was bassist and vocalist, Larry Parker; drummer and vocalist, Dennis Edwards, formerly with Eric Burdon and Eddie Money; and guitarist and vocalist, Tom Bethke. Sky’s founder, Walter Slivinski, had long since, after the band’s first break up, returned to Erie, opening the Honey bear Studio there.
The band newly formed band performed at casinos, conferences and other events throughout the Southwest. Sky is known to Southern California sports fans for their unique, a cappella performances of the The Star-Spangled Banner for the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center and for the Mighty Ducks at Arrowhead Pond.
Partial List of Band members:
Tony Barry - vocals
Michael Chanslor - keyboards
Ernie Hernandez - vocals, guitar
Harold Little - vocals, drums
Neal Myers - guitar, backing vocals
Larry Parker - vocals, bass
Jack Skinner - vocals, bass
Walter Slivinski - keyboards
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| A San Francisco Newspaper ad promoting the Larry Younger and the Epics Band along with Country Joe and the Fish (1967) |