A lighthearted and loving look back at the glory days of the Shady Dell, the historic haven for teenagers in York, PA, and the magnanimous couple that created it, John & Helen Ettline.
CLOSE YOUR EYES. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. OPEN YOUR HEART.
SHADY DEL KNIGHT, ADMINISTRATOR
High School Yearbook Photo
"More than a place, the Shady Dell was and will forever remain a state of mind." - Shady Del Knight
HELLO STRANGER ... IT SEEMS LIKE A MIGHTY LONG TIME!
Hi, I'm Shady Seaweed, the World's Oldest Living Toddler. Welcome to my second annual New Year's Rockin' Eve in the Shady. Tonight we're going to kiss 2016 goodbye with KISS!
Kiss will destroy you with three of their
songs, beginning with "Talk To Me" from
Unmasked, the band's 8th studio album.
Released in the spring of 1980, Unmasked
was the last Kiss album to feature the four
original members - Paul, Gene, Ace and
Peter, although an uncredited Anton Fig
replaced Peter on drums for the entire
session. Here they are, the loudest and
hottest band in the world, (yessum...
I looked it up, and they are, in fact,
the loudest and the hottest)...
KISS!!!
"Talk To Me" - Kiss
(November 1980 single from
May 1980 album Unmasked)
ROBYN
You're tuned to New Year's Rockin' Eve
in the Shady, and next, let's go live via
satellite to Stockholm for a performance
by Robyn, Sweden's most exciting
export
since ABBA. She's a little bit
Madonna...
a little bit Billy Idol... and
ALL THAT!
Click the vid at the 25 second
mark,
crank the loudness up to 10 and
experience an artist who must be
seen (and heard) to be believed.
Robyn is INDESTRUCTIBLE!
"Indestructible" - Robyn
(Live at Berns Salonger, Stockholm, Nov. 2010, highest chart pos.
#4 Sweden, #13 Denmark,
#21 UK Dance, from the
Nov. 2010 album Body Talk)
(START PLAYING VIDEO
AT 25 SEC. MARK!)
KISS
Kiss takes the stage once again, this time
to perform a song written by Paul Stanley.
"Got To Choose" is the lead track on
the band's second studio album Hotter Than Hell released
in the fall of 1974.
"Got to Choose" - Kiss
(from October 1974 album
Hotter Than Hell)
IN THIS MOMENT
I am pleased to welcome back for the second
year in a row Maria Brink, Chris Howorth
and their Los Angeles metalcore
band In This Moment.
You are about to experience one of the
greatest live metal performances ever
as Maria and the boys do "Daddy's
Falling Angel," a song from their
debut album Beautiful Tragedy.
"Daddy's Falling Angel"
In This Moment Live at DeepRockDrive
(from Mar. 2007 album Beautiful Tragedy)
(START PLAYING VIDEO
AT 25 SEC. MARK!)
DNCE
If you're just tuning in, you're watching
New Year's Rockin' Eve in the Shady,
and now it's time to meet the second
act of the night coming to you
from Boss Angeles.
It's Joe Jonas, one of the singing Jonas
brothers, and his uber cool band DNCE.
These guys and a girl play an exciting
blend of funk pop and dance-rock.
Here they are with their top 10
hit single "Cake By the Ocean,"
Kiss them hello... D-N-C-E!
"Cake By the Ocean" - DNCE
(Sept. 2015, highest chart pos.
#9 Hot 100/#1 U.S. Adult Top 40,
#4 UK/#1 Germany, Israel, Japan
and four other countries, from
Oct. 2015 EP Swaay and
Nov. 2016 album DNCE)
KISS
The clock strikes twelve and Kiss makes
a final curtain call to ring in the new year
with a song from their 11th studio album Lick It Up. From the fall of 1983, here
is "Young and Restless Wasted."
X Factor alumni Little Mix are back to
perform for us in this the 12th and final
volume of my year long series on the
exciting young female stars of pop.
Little Mix specializes in girl power anthems
like "Wings," the lead single from their 2012
debut album DNA. "Wings" vaulted to #1
on the charts in the UK, Scotland and
Ireland. I love the cold intro on this
recording. With "Wings" these
fly girls take off and soar!
"Wings" - Little Mix
(Aug./Sept. 2012, h.c.p. #26
US Mainstream Top 40,
#1 UK, Scotland & Ireland,
from Nov. 2012 album DNA)
In the fall of 2013, Little Mix released
their second studio album Salute.
"Move," the album's lead single,
is a bass heavy R&B style song
inspired by 90s club sounds.
"Move" - Little Mix
(Nov. 2013, h.c.p. #3 UK,
#2 Scotland/#5 Ireland,
from Nov. 2013 album Salute)
Get Weird, the third Little Mix studio
album, dropped in the fall of 2015.
"Hair," a dance-pop single from
the album, features guest vocals
by Grammy nominated Jamaican
dancehall/reggae artist Sean Paul.
"Hair" - Little Mix
(Apr. 2016, highest chart pos. #11 UK,
#10 Australia, #7 Scotland, from
Nov. 2015 album Get Weird)
"Love Me Like You" is another
Little Mix single from Get Weird.
The retro style video recalls 60s proms
and sock hops along with girl groups
like the Ronettes and Supremes.
"Love Me Like You (Christmas Mix)" -
Little Mix (Christmas season 2015,
h.c.p. #1 New Zealand Heatseekers,
#11 UK, #5 Scotland/#8 Ireland,
from Nov. 2015 album Get Weird)
JADA FACER
Jada Facer is best known as an actress.
Born in Utah, now living in Los Angeles,
Jada won the Young Artist Award for
Best Leading Young Actress in a TV
Movie for her part in the 2011 film Love's Christmas Journey. In 2014
and 2015, Jada had a recurring
role on the ABC Family TV
series Melissa & Joey.
Thanks to her YouTube channel, Jada is
getting noticed for her ability as a singer
and musician. Listen to Jada's pure, sweet
voice on this next song. Accompanied on
guitar by singer, songwriter and producer
Tyler Ward, 15 year old Jada performs a
cover of "Shout Out To My Ex," the lead
single from the just released Little Mix
album Glory Days. Shady sez: as an
actress, singer, or both, Jada Facer
is destined for stardom!
"Shout Out To My Ex"
Dec. 2016 Little Mix cover
by Jada Facer ft. Tyler Ward
Now it's time for me to name my Pick To Click
for the entire 12-part series. Taking into account
her age: 14... her voice: incredible... and her
star potential: ginormous... I proclaim our
hometown heroine, Tampa Bay native
Skylar Stecker
Pop Artist of the Year!
You might be saying "Let it snow,"
but here in Florida we say
"Let It Show."
"Let It Show" - Skylar Stecker
(Aug. 2016 single)
"Rascal" - Skylar Stecker
(single from Sept. 2015
album This Is Me)
"That's What's Up" - Skylar Stecker
(single from Sept. 2015 album This Is Me)
What a journey it has been!
Thank you very much for following me
all this year as I presented some of the
greatest, most exciting young female
performers of modern pop, pop rock
and pop rap. We now return to our
regularly scheduled programming.
Go, Johnny, Go! (1959) was one of the many
rock 'n roll movies produced in the late 50s
and early 60s. This one starred legendary
DJ/promoter Alan Freed and featured
teen pop idol Jimmy Clanton whom
you'll see in the following clip.
Go, Johnny, Go! was released six months
before Clanton gained a top 5 hit with
"Go, Jimmy, Go." The musical lineup
of the film included Jo Ann Campbell.
In this scene Jo Ann takes the stage
and performs her latest release
"Mama, (Can I Go Out Tonite)."
"Mama (Can I Go Out Tonite)"
(February 1959, uncharted, scene from June 1959 film Go, Johnny Go!)
In Part 2 you listened to Jo Ann's 1959
single "Beach Comber." On the B side
of that platter is a cute novelty ditty
with male and female spoken parts.
It's a familiar theme in early 60s
teen pop songs: "I Ain't Got
No Steady Date."
"I Ain't Got No Steady Date"
(July 1959, B side of "Beach Comber")
Switching to ABC-Paramount in 1960,
Jo Ann waxed "Kookie Little Paradise."
It's yet another novelty 45 and begins
with the sound of Tarzan's ape call.
"Kookie Little Paradise" was one
of only three Jo Ann Campbell
singles to make the chart.
"Kookie Little Paradise"
(Sept. 1960, highest
chart pos. #61)
In 1961 Jo Ann kicked her jets
and put the pedal to the metal.
The result was another novelty
rocker that used sound effects.
Meet "Motorcycle Michael."
"Motorcycle Michael"
(Mar. 1961, uncharted)
Jo Ann was rockin' the blues in this
1961 single which paid tribute to
rockabilly star Duane Eddy
and his twangy guitar.
"Duane"
(October 1961, uncharted B side of "Mama Don't Wait")
Hey, Let's Twist is another of those
quick and dirty "jukebox" movies.
This one milked the early 60s Twist
craze and starred Joey Dee and the
Starliters. The flick featured singing
and acting performances by Jo Ann.
Released on New Year's Eve, 1961, Hey, Let's Twist marked the acting
debut of Joe Pesci, then only 18.
In the movie, curvaceous cutie Jo Ann
takes the stage, turned heads and begs
"Let Me Do My Twist." The boys in the
Peppermint Lounge were only
too happy to oblige.
"Let Me Do My Twist"
(from the 1961 movie Hey, Let's Twist!)
THIS VIDEO HAS LOW AUDIO. CRANK IT UP LOUD!
Jo Ann Campbell married country singer
and guitar player Troy Seals, brother of
Jim Seals of Seals and Crofts, Dan Seals
of England Dan and John Ford Coley, and
Brady Seals of Little Texas/Hot Apple Pie.
Jo Ann & Troy recorded a couple of duets
together and in 1965 were regulars on
Dick Clark's Where The Action Is.
Soon after Jo Ann retired from
the music scene to focus
on raising a family.
Jo Ann Campbell was prolific and terrific.
She was also versatile, able to perform
rock 'n' roll, rockabilly, country style
ballads and novelty ditties with
equal dexterity.
Jo Ann's recordings on the Gone label
in particular are what I consider to be shockingly good given the fact that
not one of those 14 sides reached
the chart. It's typical that I like
Jo Ann's uncharted records
more than her hits.
Jacksonville spark plug Jo Ann Campbell
started rockin' and rollin' at the age of 18.
Jo Ann released a string of great records
but most of them missed the chart.
Like another favorite of mine,
Wanda Jackson, Jo Ann Campbell
looked innocent but could turn on
the nasty. On her 1958 Gone Records
release "Whassa Matter With You,"
Jo Ann uses a Wanda Jacksonesque
growl to get the point across. Jo Ann
also sounds like Connie Francis did
on that female singing star's early
career rock 'n' roll records. When
you hear how the band cooks on
this Campbell's classic I know
you'll be stirred!
"Wassa Matter With You"
(April 1958, uncharted)
On the B side, Jo Ann rocks again
with another catchy concoction.
This 45 features a Bossa nova
beat, vocal melismas by Jo Ann
and a cool chorus - all the makings
of a hit. Whassa matter, Billboard?
"You-OO"
(April 1958, uncharted B side of
"Wassa Matter With You")
The next Gone classic released by Jo Ann
was another song she wrote, this time
under the pseudonym of Doris Hatcher.
Big, bold, brassy, brash and sassy,
and hinting of danger, it's another
Campbell platter that had hit
written all over it. Nada!
"I Really, Really Love You"
(July 1958, uncharted)
Flip Jo Ann's record over and
you've got the glorious B ballad
"I'm Nobody's Baby Now."
It was bad enough that Jo Ann's
dance records sold poorly. It was
a crime that this dreamy country
style ballad saw no chart action
whatsoever. To Shady's ears
"I'm Nobody's Baby" (Now)
sounds a lot like the
Connie Francis hit
"Who's Sorry Now."
"I'm Nobody's Baby"
(July 1958, uncharted B side of
"I Really, Really Love You")
Jo Ann's bad luck streak was unfortunate
and unfair because the quality of her
records remained high year after year.
Jo Ann was still only 20 when, at the end
of 1958, she released a fabulous big beat
ballad. It's soon time to ring in the new,
and Jo Ann gets us in the spirit with the
Neil Sedaka - Howard Greenfield song
"Happy New Year Baby."
"Happy New Year Baby"
(Nov./Dec. 1958, uncharted)
"Tall Paul" was Annette's "all."
Jo Ann Campbell urged gals to get
a "Tall Boy." Bobby Darin wasn't
exactly tall (5' 9") but, as you might
have gathered from watching the
videos in this series, Bobby and
Jo Ann were lovers for a couple
of years before Bobby married
actress Sandra Dee. The vid
you are about to watch contains
more candids of Bobby and Jo
for your edification.
"Tall Boy"
(Nov./Dec. 1958, uncharted B side of
"Happy New Year Baby")
With an irresistible rock 'n' roll rhythm,
killer guitar solo and effective use of a
male chorus, Jo Ann's "Beach Comber"
should have made waves on the chart.
Nothing - not even a ripple!
In this 3 part series we're turning back the clock
to the 50s and early 60s. You will meet zesty
singer Jo Ann Campbell and hear some
of her greatest recordings.
For decades the only thing I knew about
sassy songstress Jo Ann Campbell was
her 1962 top 40 hit single "I'm the Girl
From Wolverton Mountain," an answer
to country
crooner Claude King's hit "Wolverton Mountain,"
which spent
nine weeks at the top of
the
country music chart.
"I'm the Girl From Wolverton Mountain"
(Sept. 1962, highest chart pos. #38)
I lied. I was also familiar with another
novelty record that became a minor hit
for Jo Ann the following year. "Mother,
Please!" (I'd rather do it myself) was
based on the popular slogan from the
Anacin pain reliever commercials.
"Mother, Please"
(May 1963, highest chart pos. #88)
When I did some digging I realized that I
had missed a bunch of great recordings
made by this vivacious vocalist from
Jacksonville, Florida. Let's go back
to the start of Jo Ann's career
and check 'em out.
Jo Ann's debut single, released in 1956
when she was age 18, set the rockin' tone
for many records that followed. "I'm Coming
Home Late Tonight" is an up tempo goody
reminiscent of "Sixty Minute Man," the
hit by Billy Ward's Dominoes
five years earlier.
"I'm Coming Home Late Tonight"
(1956, uncharted B side of
"Where Ever You Go")
I was thoroughly impressed by the bluesy
authenticity of Jo Ann's follow-up
single, "Come On Baby."
I was surprised to learn that Jo Ann wrote
the song and did so while still in her teens.
"Come On Baby" was released on break-in
novelty record king Dickie Goodman's
Eldorado label as the B side of a less
than spectacular ballad written by
Goodman. If I had been in charge
I would have picked Jo Ann's
original song as the A side!
"Come On Baby"
(1957, B side of "Forever Young")
Jo Ann next signed with Gone Records
and released seven excellent singles,
most of them doublesiders.
Here's a great example. The A side
features a boogie woogie piano intro that
sounds like the beginning of Little Richard's
hit "Lucille." I declare, Jo Ann Campbell,
"You're Driving Me Mad!"
"You're Driving Me Mad"
(1958, uncharted)
On the flip side of most up tempo records you
usually find a ballad. Not so on this single.
What you''ll find instead is more of
that pounding piano and a whole
lotta "Rock and Roll Love."
Welcome to part 11 of my salute to female
poppers, pop rockers and pop rappers -
the established hit makers of today
and the stars of tomorrow - young
women with millions of fans and
YouTube followers. These multi-
talented artists sing, write their
own songs, make videos and
films, host tutorial vlogs and
tour the U.S. and the world.
They richly deserve all the
recognition they are getting.
CHRISSY COSTANZA
AGAINST THE CURRENT
You first met this group in May in
part 2 of this series, Float Upstream.
They're The Pride of Poughkeepsie (NY) -
the pop rock band Against The Current -
featuring their exciting lead singer
Chrissy Costanza.
Chrissy has a lot going for her. When she's
not singing with ATC and collaborating with
other artists on recordings and videos, she
runs her popular YouTube channel and vlog
dispensing advice as a beauty guru.
Now please listen to Against The Current
performing "Talk," a song partly written
by Chrissy, from ATC's 2015 EP Gravity,
and see if you agree that Chrissy is
poised, polished and professional
as they come.
"Talk" - Against The Current
(from 2015 EP Gravity)
ZEDD ft.
SELENA GOMEZ
I introduced Selena Gomez back in August
in Modern Material Girls. As you might recall,
Selena starred with James Franco in the movie Spring Breakers (2012), filmed in and around
St. Petersburg, Florida, the area Shady has
called home for more than 32 years.
Another wildly popular Generaton Y
"it girl" Selena is firing on all cylinders -
a singer, actress and style icon. In the
spring of 2015, Selena was featured
vocalist on "I Want You To Know,"
a hit single by Zedd, a Grammy
Award winning Russian-German
producer of electro house music.
In the video we get a chance to tag along
and rub elbows with the beautiful people
as Selena hits the club. (I convinced the
burly bouncer at the front door to let
me in by insisting "I'm with her.")
"I Want You To Know"
Zedd feat. Selena Gomez
(Mar./Apr. 2015, highest chart pos.
#17 Hot 100/#1 US Hot Dance/Electronic
from May 2015 Zedd album True Colors)
1964 FLASHBACK!
CONNIE TALBOT
The next four songs and videos flash us
boomers back to the 60s, 70s and 80s.
First, let's welcome for the second time
English child singing star Connie Talbot.
Connie, who turned 16 a week ago, sings
with maturity as she covers the 1964
Lesley Gore hit "You Don't Own Me,"
successfully covered in 2015 by the
Australian recording artist Grace.
"You Don't Own Me"
(Grace cover, originally by Lesley Gore)
Connie Talbot (December 2015)
1970 FLASHBACK!
ANGELA "ANGIE" VAZQUEZ
VAZQUEZ SOUNDS
Let's move the boomer timeline forward to
early 1970 as we meet Vazquez Sounds,
a trio of talented siblings from Mexicali,
Baja California, Mexico - Abe, Gustavo
and Angela "Angie" Vázquez.
Lead singer Angie was only 10 when she
and her brothers exploded on YouTube.
Since then Vazquez Sounds has released
two albums and at least 14 singles, most of
them in English and a few in Spanish. On
their 2012 debut album, Vazquez Sounds
performed a cover of "I Want You Back,"
the first chart topping hit for Motown's
sibling act, the Jackson Five. Listen as
11 year old Angie conjures up the
King of Pop, Michael Jackson,
in this live performance!
"I Want You Back" (Jackson Five cover)
Vazquez Sounds (from July 2012
album Vazquez Sounds)
(The exciting live video I want to show you was removed from YouTube.
vignette that recalls the 1979 Linda Blair movie
musical Roller Boogie. The intro seems to be
a mash-up of disco hits, "Doctor's Orders"
by Carol Douglas and "He's the Greatest
Dancer" by Sister Sledge. The song
Megan sings, "Silver Medal," has a
melody and arrangement that remind
me of Michael Jackson's late 1979 -
early 1980 single "Rock With You,"
one of the last hits of the disco era.
With their talent and poise these young
women could be the Mariah Careys,
Katy Perrys and Taylor Swifts of
the music industry by the time
we reach the Roaring Twenties
of the 21st century. Hard to
believe it's coming soon!
It's the series formerly known as Version Sacrifice,
which before that was called Battle of the Banned,
which before that was called Battle of the Bands.
Confused? Why another name change, Shady?
Plain and simple, I changed the format
because I no longer feel like
hosting band battles.
In Winning Hand: Three Pairs! I'll present
three pairs of recorded songs, three originals
and three covers. Naturally I am curious to
learn which versions you like, but I am not
asking you to vote and there will be no
follow-up post to announce a winner.
I might be a wild card and
a joker, but I'm no poker.
Therefore, without further delay,
I will introduce the queens
of song in today's post.
Remember, ladies and gentlemen...
This is only an exhibition... This is not a competition... Please... no wagering.
VAL McKENNA
Image courtesy of 45cat.com
Teenage UK singer and songwriter Val McKenna
had bleached blonde hair and often wore sunnies
(probably even at night). I think of her as Britain's
answer to Mickey Lee Lane. Near the end of 1965
Val released a killer cover of Ike and Tina Turner's
R&B barn burner "I Can't Believe What You Say."
"I Can't Believe What You Say" Val McKenna (October 1965)
IKE AND TINA TURNER
The incendiary husband and wife team of
Ike and Tina Turner released their original
version of "I Can't Believe What You Say
(For Seeing What You Do)" a year earlier.
"I Can't Believe What You Say (For Seeing What You Do)"
Ike and Tina Turner (Sept. 1964, highest chart position #95)
BERYL MARSDEN
Liverpool thrush Beryl Marsden possessed
powerful pipes and a passion for singing
American soul songs. Near the end of
1965 Beryl released a single with a
cover of soul man Stevie Wonder's
"Music Talk" on the A side.
The fab flip, "Break-A-Way," is a song
originally released as an obscure B side by
American R&B singer Irma Thomas. Neither
side of the record won Beryl the recognition
she deserved, but her energetic version
of "Break-A-Way" went on to become
a fan favorite of the Brit girl genre.
"Break-A-Way" - Beryl Marsden
(Dec. 1965, B side of "Music Talk")
IRMA THOMAS
Louisiana born Irma Thomas earned the
nickname The Soul Queen of New Orleans.
In the spring of 1964 Irma's original rendition
of "Break-A-Way" came and went almost
unnoticed as the B side of a minor hit
"Wish Someone Would Care."
"Break-A-Way" - Irma Thomas
(April 1964, B side of "Wish Someone Would Care")
LOUISE CORDET
Mary Wells was the first singer to give
Motown Records a top 40 hit. It happened
in 1961 when Mary's "I Don't Want To
Take a Chance" reached #33
on the pop chart.
Many artists in the UK and other parts
of Europe covered Mary Wells, among them
Louise Cordet, an English singer who also
performed in French. In 1964 Louise waxed
an uptempo version of the Mary Wells hit
"Two Lovers" and it was released on the
B side of "Don't Make Me Over," a
cover of a Dionne Warwick hit.
"Two Lovers" - Louise Cordet
(April 1964, B side of "Don't Make Me Over")
MARY WELLS
Now let's listen to the Mary Wells
original recording of "Two Lovers."
Released in December of 1962, Mary's single
was a top 10 hit on the pop chart and topped
the R&B chart in the early weeks of 1963.
"Two Lovers" - Mary Wells
(Jan./Feb. 1963, highest chart pos.
#7 Hot 100/#1 R&B)
I think these queens of song are aces!
Do you agree? As always I am interested
in knowing which ones you like, but please
remember that voting is strictly prohibited
“Words and photographs could never do those dancers justice because you had to be there - in a club with great music, like minded people and loads of atmosphere.” David Meikle of Glasgow, Scotland wrote those words in an article remembering the Twisted Wheel, the legendary northern soul club in Manchester, England. Yet, Mr. Meikle could just as easily have been describing the scene at my favorite "in" spot of the 1960s, the Shady Dell in York (Pennsylvania, not England).
THE SHADY DELL
YORK, PENNSYLVANIA
The Shady Dell: Part of York County's Colorful History
What began as a home based restaurant and bakery in 1945 evolved over the next two decades into the hottest teen nightspot in York county complete with indoor and outdoor dance floors. It went beyond that. Shady Dell owner John Ettline and his wife Helen put out the welcome mat offering hospitality, comfort, support, and encouragement to generations of young people. During its impressive 45-year life span the Dell became a home away from home for countless area youth from a variety of backgrounds.
At the height of its popularity in the early and mid 60s the Dell, located on the southern outskirts of the White Rose city, was as widely known as North York’s White Oak Park ("the Oaks"), Harrisburg's Raven club or any other youth-oriented venue in central Pennsylvania. The Dell attracted crowds from all over the region. It brought together under one roof kids from middle class families and kids from working class families - city kids, suburban kids, small town kids and farm kids.
The diverse cast of characters that constituted the Shady Dell family was a potentially volatile mix. Each of us had to find a way to fit in and get along (or risk being voted off the island). In the end, in spite of our differences, most of us learned to dance together without stepping on each other’s toes.
Shady Dell regulars were nicknamed Dell rats and we had at least two things in common: a love of the music that played on the Dell’s jukebox and a genuine respect for John and Helen Ettline who graciously made their home our home.
GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS
The Dell was a unique, magical coming of age experience - a proving ground - a secluded hideaway where adolescents could develop social skills, learn to handle responsibility and test the waters of adulthood free from the hassles of ubiquitous adult micromanagement.
SHOCKING TRUE CONFESSION: I WAS A TEENAGE DELL RAT! by Shady Del Knight
I became a Dell rat in 1965 at the age of fifteen. Disparaging rumors about the place had been circulating for years. If you were to believe the gossip the Dell was a snake pit where bad boys and bad girls went to do bad things. Some people, including my mother, referred to the Dell as a “den of iniquity.” Intrigued by the horror stories, I was determined to get there and see for myself what all the fuss was about.
In preparation for my grand entrance, I subjected myself to weeks of rigorous training at a Shady Dell boot camp of my own devise. I grew my hair longer and took up the smoking habit. I practiced in front of a mirror until I was convinced that my stance, walk, and dancing style were all cool.
To complete my extreme makeover, I went shopping for my 'uniform' which consisted of a tapered shirt from the Hub, slacks by H.I.S. and two wardrobe essentials: a pair of blue Jack Purcell sneakers and the all-important Baracuta jacket "Made in England." Wearing my 'Cuta' made me feel so terribly, terribly British, you know. Spot on for us bird watchin' blokes, right gov'na?
'JACKS'
AN ABSOLUTE MUST...FOR DANCIN' ON DELL DUST!
THE CLASSIC NATURAL COLOUR BARACUTA
STRICTLY CONTINENTAL, MATE!
Moment of Truth: Boy Meets Dell
Too young to drive, I made my first Dell visit happen by bumming a ride one night with my college-age cousin and two of his buddies. Clearly, none of the above was thrilled to be babysitting.
As we drove past York Hospital on South George and headed toward Violet Hill, what began as giddy anticipation was turning to apprehension. Fear of the unknown started creeping into my brain. What if the rumors turned out to be true? Would I soon be sharing a needle with a gang of rowdy bikers?
At Violet Hill, we made a dogleg turn to the right and began to climb the narrow, winding, bumpy Starcross Road. By this time my breathing had become labored and I felt queasy. It was as if, on a foolish dare, I had agreed to spend the night with Vincent Price in his House on Haunted Hill. Was it too late to leap from the car and bolt?
"I See the Lights... I See the Party Lights..."
We rounded a bend and I caught my first glimpse of her a short distance up the road. Perched on the hillside was a three-story brick house. Down to the left stood a barn. The festive glow of colored lights rose skyward from an area behind the house. As I would soon learn, the atmospheric illumination originated from strings of lanterns hanging above a patio rigged with remote speakers for outdoor dancing.
As we banked to make our final approach I detected the percussive beat of uptempo music emanating from the barn. We turned left into a gravel parking lot overflowing with vehicles. Here, in all of her rustic splendor, stood the infamous Shady Dell, my destination for the evening and my obsession for years to come!
I Found My Thrill on Violet Hill
My heart was thumping as we climbed the steps that led to the entrance and approached the admission booth. Following my cousin’s lead, I slid a quarter through the window and looked up to see a balding, bespectacled old man grinning back at me. Old? John Ettline would have been 59 at the time. I'm older than that now. Yikes!
“Good evening, gentlemen!” John delivered his cheerful salutation in a booming baritone. Immediately, my anxiety vanished. John’s warm welcome made me feel right at home. It made me feel like I belonged. I didn’t get it at the time but later came to realize that John’s presupposition that we were "gentlemen" was a clever and tactful way of admonishing us to behave accordingly.
Toto, I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas Anymore!
From the moment I entered the compound I was hooked. The Shady Dell was a private playground for teenagers - a candy land - a fun factory - a safe haven where kids could congregate and blow off steam without having to worry about parents and teachers giving them the evil eye. Instantly I became intoxicated - not by alcohol - but by a sense of total freedom. The place gave off a vibe that was completely new to me – an exhilarating blend of romance, adventure and danger!
Instead of placing a ton of restrictions on their young patrons, John and Helen granted them the independence they craved. The Ettlines were willing to take a step back and trust our judgment. It was okay for us to party as long as things didn’t get out of hand. Most of us eagerly embraced that arrangement. If and when we screwed up, the Ettlines gave us another chance. John and Helen cut you plenty of slack, but if you disrespected them or trashed their establishment both were capable of unleashing a fiery temper.
Of Rats and Men
Contrary to popular belief, the Dell did not harbor gangs of juvenile delinquents eager to conceal their wicked deeds from law enforcement. Sorry, Mom - there weren’t any guns, switchblades or brass knuckles - no gangs, career criminals or prostitutes - just a bunch of ordinary teenagers who loved to meet, mix and mingle, dance and have fun.
Fights were few and far between. There was tacit agreement that it was our duty to preserve and protect the unique setting that the Ettlines had created for us. It required us to police ourselves to prevent incidents that would generate negative publicity or hassles with the law. Scuffles were settled quickly, often through John’s bold intervention. The first lesson a guy learned at the Dell was as follows. Don’t let the gray hair fool you. Nobody messes with John. He’s the boss!
A Special Welcome to All Incoming Freshmen!
I was punched in the face three times during my first year of matriculation on the campus of the Shady Dell School of Hard Knocks. Apparently a few of the guys were determined to teach me a lesson. Yet, getting socked in the kisser did not dampen my enthusiasm or scare me away from the place. In fact they had the opposite effect. They whet my appetite for more! As a Dell newbie desperate to break free of mom’s apron strings and earn respect and acceptance, I wasn’t about to let a bloody nose deter me. For the first time in my life I felt like a man instead of a boy and I loved it. Like Secret Agent Man I was living a life of danger. I was addicted to the rush!
Determined to create an image that would allow me to blend in, appeal to the ladies and avoid becoming a frequent target of the tribe's dominant males, I did a lot of posing, posturing and pretending. I decided that it would be advantageous for me to look tough even though I wasn't. Whenever I strolled into the dance hall, I made sure that my hair was messed up, my shirt tail was hanging out, a lit cigarette was dangling from my lips and my game face was on.
One afternoon before anybody else arrived, my best friend and I rolled around on the dance floor of the barn so that we could properly break-in our new Baracuta jackets by getting them coated with Dell dust. This drove my mother crazy. She kept asking me how I got my jacket so badly soiled. She was even more perplexed when I forbade her to get it cleaned. How could I explain to her that I didn’t want to risk weakening my status with the other guys by wearing a clean jacket?
In my mom’s day the ideal guy wore a white sport coat and a pink carnation. His hair was neatly cropped, oiled down and slicked back off his forehead. That look would have spelled social suicide at the Dell in the mid 60s. My goal was to look like I had just been in a fight at reform school, and if I got my uniform dirty or bloodied in combat, it was a GOOD thing.
Helen & John Ettline
Shady Dell Owners
Helen and John: Not Your Typical Mom and Pop
Even by mid 60s standards, John Ettline seemed part of a vanishing breed of men. John never called me by my first name. He always chose to address me as “Mr. Knight." John maintained that friendly formality through all the years I knew him. I’m very glad he did. John always made me feel important when he added the title “Mr.” to my name. Making insecure teenagers feel good about themselves was John’s greatest gift. He always treated young people with dignity and respect and that made them want to return it.
Along with his outstanding people skills, John possessed a photographic memory. He could always match a face with a name. He seemed to know a lot about anything or anybody that you happened to be discussing. John Ettline had a million stories to tell - all of them interesting.
Although old enough to be our grandparents, there was no generation gap between the Ettlines and their teenage guests. They seemed to remember better than other grown-ups what it was like to be young. John and Helen stayed in touch and in tune with the youth culture. Never was that more in evidence than one day at the York Fair in September, 1968. I was sitting in the grandstand awaiting the start of the James Brown concert. I turned around to search the crowd for familiar faces and there, a few rows behind me, sat Helen and John. In a year when racial tension was running high in York and elsewhere, it was remarkable to see a white couple in their 60s at a James Brown concert, chanting along with the rest of us, “Say It Loud: I’m Black and I’m Proud!”
John and Helen were cool. Young people felt at ease talking with them. Unlike many adults, John and Helen listened to us. They cared without preaching or judging. The Ettlines treated their teen visitors like extended family. They believed in the potential of every young person, including troubled youth from broken homes. They spoke to us about the value of an education and honest hard work. They sponsored athletic programs and honored America’s armed forces. They shaped young lives by instilling a sense of pride and self esteem. John and Helen went out of their way to make all of their kids feel like somebody - even those whose families were telling them they were nobody.
The Dell Jukebox: ALL KILLER AND NO FILLER!
Upon arriving on the Dell scene I soon realized that the jukebox in the dance hall was loaded with the greatest, most danceable records to be found anywhere. There were quite a few songs that I had never heard before and would never hear anywhere else. The music mix that played nightly at the Dell was consistently better than what I was hearing on the radio. In the mid 60s the Dell's musical menu was an exciting blend of Motown, Chi-town, New York and Philly soul, Memphis, southern R&B, blue-eyed soul, Brit beat, sunshine pop, garage, psych and folk-rock plus a few do-wop favorites held over from the 50s.
Shady Dell regulars, the gang I now refer to as the Rodentia Intelligentsia, prided themselves on having radar for cool. Year in and year out they discovered and popularized songs that radio stations across the country overlooked. Records that lingered near the bottom of the national chart often became cherished classics at the Dell. Forgotten flips were elevated to mega-hit status by Dell rats unfettered by the limitations of radio play lists.
Certain songs resonated with the Dell crowd to such an extent that they stayed on the jukebox for years. The best example of this phenomenon is the record ranked #1 on my survey of the 200 Greatest Hits Of The Shady Dell. It remained one of the most popular jukebox selections a dozen years after its initial release in the 50s. That very special song, the greatest and longest lasting Shady Dell hit of all time, was "Close Your Eyes" by the Five Keys.
THE FIVE KEYS
"Close Your Eyes" Ranked #1
Del-Chords & Magnificent Men
Another mighty evergreen at the Shady Dell was "Everybody’s Gotta Lose Someday," an intense, power-packed r&b/soul ballad by the Del-Chords, a racially mixed group from York. Released in 1964, the record was still being played heavily two years later, jamming the floor with slow dancers several times a night. Dave Bupp and Buddy King, lead vocalists from the Del-Chords, eventually merged with band members of Harrisburg’s Endells to form a blue-eyed soul group called the Magnificent Men. The “Mag Men,” as we called them, were white guys who had a passion for black music and the vocal talent and musicianship to authentically perform it. Their inspiring ballad "Peace of Mind" was the first in an impressive string of Dell hits for our hometown heroes.
Magnificent Men
HEAVY HITTERS AT THE DELL!
The Emperors of Harrisburg
Records by the Emperors, another home-grown act, were also enormously popular with Dell dancers. A black group from the state capital, the Emperors were exponents of the “Harrisburg sound,” a blend of r&b, soul, garage and Latin influences. "Karate," the Emperors’ best known recording, was the first of eight raw, funky, organ-driven numbers to achieve hit status at the Dell in 1966 and 1967.
THE EMPERORS
DELL ROYALTY - THEY RULED!
End of an Era
Once addicted to the Dell, I pretty much lived there until the fall of 1967 when I left York to attend an institution of higher learning. Over the next four years I visited my Dell family whenever possible during holidays, spring breaks, and summer vacations. My stint as a Dell rat officially ended in 1971 when I found a job in another city and moved away from York for good.
My final visit to the Dell came in March of 1984 when my career took me out of state. My last piece of business before leaving was to drop in at the Dell and say a final goodbye. I entered the house to find John sitting on a stool at the lunch counter reading the newspaper. “Well, hello stranger!” John bellowed, rising to his feet and extending his hand. “Long time no see, Mr. Knight!" After shaking hands with John and exchanging a few pleasantries, I inquired about Helen. I was stunned to learn that she had passed away a few weeks earlier. I never got the news! John and I stood alone in Helen’s snack bar, reminiscing about the good old days and lamenting how much things had changed since the Dell’s golden era.
After a brief chat with John I excused myself and walked down the sidewalk to check out the barn. The old dance hall was dimly lit and nearly vacant. The only customers were two boys with shoulder length hair standing by the jukebox with a couple of girls. No music was playing. The place was dead or, more accurately, in the final lonely stages of life. If it had been twenty years earlier, the joint would have been jumpin’. The four young people eyed me suspiciously. Is this guy a narc? I put myself in their combat boots and realized that the sight of a stranger in his mid thirties was probably making this new generation of Dell rats uncomfortable. I promptly exited the barn and returned to the house to bid farewell to John.
That night marked the last time I ever saw John or entered the Shady Dell. I made one final pilgrimage in 1988 when I returned to Pennsylvania to visit my parents. I drove up to the Dell one afternoon with every intention of going inside. I’m sure I would have encountered a smiling John Ettline and that he would have immediately remembered my name. Yet, I never got out of the car. I chose not to enter because I didn’t want to further contaminate my memories by seeing how much older John looked and how much more dilapidated the Dell had become. All I could do was sit there in the parking lot gazing at the barn, the house, the bench and the steps to the admission booth where the whole journey started. My mind flooded with a thousand memories of the people, the place, and the time of my life.
John Ettline closed the Dell in the fall of 1991. He died at the beginning of 1993. John’s family auctioned off the restaurant equipment, signage and other Dell paraphernalia in the spring of that year.
(Mike Argento's 1993 article in the York Daily Record was used as a reference source for portions of this cover story.)