The fifties in the Northwest were an interesting melting pot. Clubs such as The Black and Tan, Birdland, and the Evergreen Ballroom routinely brought black R&B acts to town, and Ray Charles was based in the area. Rockabilly had made its presence known, and Elvis Presley was huge. It was out of this environment that five teenagers from Tacoma, Washington formed the Fabulous Wailers.

They hit nationally while still in high school. "Tall Cool One" reached the national charts at #36 in June of 1959. Fame called the band to the East Coast for some appearances, including the Alan Freed Show and American Bandstand. Turning down high-powered management, they returned to the Northwest to dominate the local entertainment scene.

As with any band with a ten year longevity, membership changed in the Wailers. Kent Morrill (keyboards, lead vocals) was there for the band's entire history. Buck Ormsby (bass, guitar) joined immediately after "Tall Cool One" and lasted the duration. Over the years they had several guitar players: Rich Dangel, John Greek, Neil Anderson and Denny Weaver. The band's original drummer was Mike Burk and later Dave Roland. Mark Marush playe d sax, and was replaced by Ron Gardner who also sang lead and developed into a compelling front man.

Frustrated about the way they were handled (or mishandled) by the major record labels, Ormsby, Morrill and Rockin' Robin Roberts formed their own "indie" record label "Etiquette". Thus, their material was self-recorded and self-promoted. They produced a number of other acts, and Etiquette has left a fine history of some of the Northwest's most gritty recordings.

The Wailers were always experimenting and progressing musically. They had several fine vocalists, and with Rockin' Robin Roberts cut the definitive version of "Louie Louie". The band also featured singer Gail Harris. She was only 13 years old when she first sang with the Wailers, and eventually became a regular during the early sixties. Audiences were so awed by the powerful performances by this group of musicians and singers that an album was produced called "The Wailers At The Castle" recorded live at the then famous Spanish Castle Ballroom. This was the first record featuring The Wailers, Gail Harris and Rockin' Robin Roberts all together. They often toured and recorded with female back-up singers, thus emulating and updating the R&B revue/extravaganzas that had been so influential years earlier. Songs such as "Hang Up" and "Out of Our Tree" showed their abilities with mid-sixties "punk rock", but they were certainly as talented in any other musical sub-genre of that magical decade.

The Wailers are probably directly responsible for the sixties rock explosion in the Northwest. Paul Revere and the Raiders aspired to be as big as the Wailers were; the Kingsmen had a hit with their arrangement of "Louie Louie; the Sonics were groomed by the WailersÑthe list goes on and on.

A new Wailers CD recently released on the original Etiquette Record label is titled "the boys from tacoma" Anthology 1961-1969 and features 27 key recordings of the band.

Beginning in the late seventies and through the 80's the Wailers joined together for a number of successful reunion concerts. Today a new wave of interest and fans all over the world have enticed the "boys from tacoma" to once again pick up their instruments and play their rock 'n' roll. Call for updates, concerts...etc.

- Neil Skok (excerpts from an article by Neil Skok -1993, photos by Jini Dellaccio)

the boys - Wailers - Transitions:

1960 - 64 - Kent Morrill, Buck Ormsby (bass), Rich Dangel, Mark Marush, Mike Burk). (Rockin' Robin' Roberts - recorded Louie Louie - 1961)

1964 - 65 - Kent Morrill, Buck Ormsby, Rich Dangel, Ron Gardner (sax, vocals), Mike Burk

1965 - 68 - Kent Morrill, Buck Ormsby, Neil Anderson, Ron Gardner, Dave Roland (drums, vocals)

1968 - 69 - Kent Morrill, Buck Ormsby, Denny Weaver (guitar) Ron Gardner, Dave Roland

the fabulous WAILERS: Discography

Later re-recorded versions of Dirty Robber and Tall Cool One released on Etiquette Records are contained on this anthology.

1961 - Louie Louie/MaryAnn - Rockin Robin w/The Wailers - 45 - ET 001

1961 - Mashi/Velva - 45 - ET 002 (Instrumentals)

1961/2 - Wailers At The Castle - LP - ETLP 1 (with Rockin Robin & Gail Harris)

1962 - Doin' The Seaside/Stompin' Willie - 45 ET 004 (instrumentals)

1963 - We're Goin' Surfin'/Shakedown - 45 ET 006 (vocal/instrumental)

1963 - Seattle/Partytime U.S.A - 45 ET 007. (Instrumental/Vocal)

1963 - Wailers & Company - LP - ETLP 022 (Vocals/Instr./RockinÕ Robin/Marshans)

1964 - Frenzy/Tall Cool One - 45 - ET 009 (Instrumentals)

1964 - Mashi/On The Rocks - 45 - Imperial 66045 (Instrumentals)

1964 - Tall Cool One - The Wailers - Imperial Rec. LP 9262 (Compilation)

1964 - Don't Take It So Hard/You Better Believe It - 45 - ET 012 (vocals)

1965 - Back To You/You WerenÕt Using Your Head - 45 - ET 015 (vocals)

1965 - Wailers Wailers Everywhere - LP - ETLP 023 (vocals/1 Instr.)

1965 - Dirty Robber /Hang Up - 45 - ET 019 (vocals)

1965 - Out Of Our Tree/I Got Me - 45 - ET 021 (vocals)

1965 - Merry Christmas - ETLP 025 - (Wailers/Sonics/Galaxies) (vocals)

1966 - The Wailers - Out Of Our Tree - ETLP 026 (vocals)

1966 - It's You Alone/Tears - 45 - ET 024 (vocals)

1966 - Outburst - United Artists - LP - UAL 3557 (vocals)

1966 - Its You Alone/Tears 45 - UA 50026 (vocals)

1966 - Think Kindly Baby/End Of The Summer - 45 - UA - 50065 (vocals)

1966 - You Won't Lead Me On/Tears - 45 - UA-500110 (Vocals)

1967 - I'm Determined/I Don't Want to Follow You - 45 VIVA 614 (vocals)

1968 - You Can't Fly/Thinking Out Loud - 45 - Bell 694 (vocals)

1968/9 - Walk Thru The People LP - Bell Rec.. Bell 6016 (vocals)

The last single 45 recording for Etiquette Records was by Rockin' Robin Roberts in 1967. The title was You Don't Love Me/You Weren't Using Your Head (ET 45 - 026) with the Wailers. Robin also recorded the first Etiquette single, Louie Louie (ET 45 001) with the Wailers.

Other CD's also available on Etiquette Records:

THE ULTIMATE SONICS - ETCD 024027 - (2 CD Box Set) 32 Songs

MERRY CHRISTMAS (Sonics, Wailers & Galaxies) ETCD 025