John Speer
SAWDUST CHARLEY
By John Speer (written in 2015)
Sawdust Charley first came to my attention when they delivered a four-song demo-tape of original material to our KFDI studios in the mid-1970s. During that time I was a program director and an on-air personality for KFDI FM Radio.
It’s important to note that at that time AM country radio had a stronghold on the airwaves, and KFDI AM was the state’s No. 1 country radio station. Musically, however, things were rapidly changing, and the new genre of music emerging was deemed too rock for country radio and too country for rock radio. Listeners were frantically searching the dial for that unique amalgamation of underground outlaw country and country rock. In a sense, it was a perfect storm, where the right and left were forced to mingle. The results were surprisingly positive. To meet the needs of an ever evolving audience, KFDI created an FM sister station.
I played Sawdust Charley’s tape in the control room and shortly thereafter on the air. Within weeks the band was featured in our weekly top 40-Country hit list as the station’s most requested band.
For several years, Sawdust Charley had been developing a strong local following, but with the added exposure of FM radio air play the band’s popularity skyrocketed. The first KFDI sponsored concert resulted in more than 800 fans descending on the small Keg Ballroom in Colwich, Ks—a facility that seated slightly more that 125 people. Before the doors opened, the line extended completely around the building.
The benefits to the band and our station were mutual. Sawdust Charley now had a more far-reaching voice, and the fledgling KFDI FM had a face and sound with which listeners could identify with and support.
The majority of Sawdust Charley’s playlist was comprised of original material. Song writing responsibilities were handled by virtually every member of the band. This variety of songwriting styles and vocal treatments gave the group a versatility few other acts could rival. Taking great pride in its musicianship, well-crafted harmonies, strong-rhythm section, and song arranging ability, the final product was often well beyond the songwriter’s greatest expectations.
The band worked with KFDI FM Radio on many special promotions, as well as self-booking, and working with the Great Plains Booking Agency in Lawrence, Ks. Maintaining a strong local fan base while simultaneously developing a regional following meant many weeks on the road, and the band spent the waning years of the decade logging countless miles playing roadhouses, bars and ballrooms all around Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska. It was not uncommon for many die-hard Wichita fans to travel several hundred miles to attend the band’s out-of-town gigs. In addition to the regular road work, Sawdust Charley opened for such luminaries as Asleep at the Wheel, The Earl Scruggs Review and the Ozark Mountain Daredevils.
For Sawdust Charley, hometown gigs were viewed as precious holidays and the band never failed to pack local clubs and bars, including numerous capacity crowds at the 2,100 seat Cotillion Ballroom.
Searching for a recording contract, the band relocated to southern California in 1978, where they won the talent show at the Palomino, and performed at the Troubadour in Los Angeles. Immediately following the Troubadour appearance, the band was offered a co-management contract by the club’s manager and Gary Borman. In recent years Borman has managed such top-flight acts as James Taylor and Faith Hill.
During its ill-fated west coast stay, the band played around California, Oregon and Wyoming, and even performed at the prestigious Million Dollar Cowboy bar in Jackson Hole.
Road weary, disillusioned and facing a rapidly changing musical demographic, Sawdust Charley decided to hang up their spurs in 1979.
Today, nearly 40 years later, band members still remember these times with great fondness. In 2004, drummer and founding member Johnny Dondlinger suffered a heart attack and died.
Band members included, in alphabetical order:
- Harry Dobbin Bass guitar, guitar and vocals
- John Dondlinger (deceased) Drums and vocal
- Mike Ehrke pedal-steel guitar, guitar and vocals
- Bob Feldner Sound engineer
- Jamey Ratzlaff Guitar and vocal
- Doug Webb Guitar and vocal