Verne Byers
Encyclopedia
Verne Byers, aka Vern Byers, ( Vincent LeRoy Beyer, b. March 14, 1918, Denver, CO; d. December 19, 2008, Las Cruces, NM) was an American
bandleader
of a territory band
, a bassist
, a concert promoter, and an owner-operator of several live music clubs and restaurants in Denver. Byers is most widely known and remembered as the man who, as executive producer and promoter, brought The Beatles
to Denver — their only Denver appearance. The Beatles performed at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
on August 26, 1964.
dance bands, including those of Glenn Miller
, Artie Shaw
, and Tommy Dorsey
. The orchestra toured the Midwest and Rocky Mountain area in the 40's and 50's as one of many territory band
s, playing in venues such as dance halls, ballrooms, and hotels — mostly in Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, and Minnesota. The band often played at Elitch Gardens
; and once opened for Benny Goodman
there. The band had twelve players. During 1950s, bookings for the orchestra were handled by the Omaha office of National Orchestra Service
.
August 26, 1964 — a 32-minute affair that stands as the group's only Denver appearance. As head of Lookout Mountain Attractions, Byers said he had never heard of the Beatles before booking them. Byers also booked and promoted concerts by Peter, Paul & Mary, Otis Redding
, Count Basie
, James Brown
, Glen Campbell
.
.
, Byers (known growing up as Vince Beyer) started playing piano at age 9 but switched to double bass
in junior high because "there was more call for it."
, Denver.
for two years — 1937-38 and 1938-39. His transcripts, under the name Vernon LeRoy Beyer, show that he was a liberal arts major and had enrolled in several journalism classes.
(around 1939) and ended up playing with the Navy Concert Band
during World War II
.
.
Before playing with Verne Byers, sometime around 1941, Bemis was a featured trumpeter — known as "the mite-sized trumpet player" — with Joe Buzze and His Orchestra, a Texas territory band
. Bemis died in 1947 at the age of 27 on the band bus from a sudden illness while being rushed back to Denver a traveling gig in Kansas.
Three years after the Jimmy's death, Jeanne and Verne were urged by mutual friends to date. They married in the Summer of 1950, two weeks after their first date. They honeymooned at one of Verne's gigs in at Grand Lake, Colorado
.
Byers died in Las Cruces, New Mexico
, December 19, 2008, at the age of 90.
.
The swing band era was at a low, and major casinos were switching from live bands to taped music, which resulted in a major musicians strike. And interest in swing bands seemed to be waning. When traveling for territory bands waned, his orchestra played regularly in Las Vegas until his move into retirement to Columbus, NM, in 2002.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
of a territory band
Territory band
Territory bands were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands typically played one-nighters, 6 or 7 nights a week at venues like VFW halls, Elks Lodges,...
, a bassist
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, a concert promoter, and an owner-operator of several live music clubs and restaurants in Denver. Byers is most widely known and remembered as the man who, as executive producer and promoter, brought The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
to Denver — their only Denver appearance. The Beatles performed at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
on August 26, 1964.
Bandleader
Verne Byers & His Orchestra — The Band That Sings and Swings — played compositions of the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
dance bands, including those of Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
, Artie Shaw
Artie Shaw
Arthur Jacob Arshawsky , better known as Artie Shaw, was an American jazz clarinetist, composer, and bandleader. He was also the author of both fiction and non-fiction writings....
, and Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
. The orchestra toured the Midwest and Rocky Mountain area in the 40's and 50's as one of many territory band
Territory band
Territory bands were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands typically played one-nighters, 6 or 7 nights a week at venues like VFW halls, Elks Lodges,...
s, playing in venues such as dance halls, ballrooms, and hotels — mostly in Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa, and Minnesota. The band often played at Elitch Gardens
Elitch Gardens
Elitch Gardens was a family-owned seasonal amusement park, theater, and botanic garden in the West Highland neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, United States at 38th and Tennyson streets. For more than a century Elitch's was one of the most popular entertainment destinations in Colorado...
; and once opened for Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman
Benjamin David “Benny” Goodman was an American jazz and swing musician, clarinetist and bandleader; widely known as the "King of Swing".In the mid-1930s, Benny Goodman led one of the most popular musical groups in America...
there. The band had twelve players. During 1950s, bookings for the orchestra were handled by the Omaha office of National Orchestra Service
National Orchestra Service
The National Orchestra Service, Inc. , was the most important booking and management agency for territory bands across the Great Plains and other regions from the early 1930s through 1960...
.
Selected venues
† At Danceland and at the Pagosa Springs Lions Club, the band was billed as: Verne Byers and His CBS Orchestra — The Most Danceable Band in the Land.Concert promoter
Byers also was a concert promoter. He was best known for producing the Beatles concert at the Red Rocks AmphitheatreRed Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
August 26, 1964 — a 32-minute affair that stands as the group's only Denver appearance. As head of Lookout Mountain Attractions, Byers said he had never heard of the Beatles before booking them. Byers also booked and promoted concerts by Peter, Paul & Mary, Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
, Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Glen Campbell
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
.
Nightclub owner
Byers also was the owner and operator of several live music clubs in the Denver area during the 1960s and 1970s, including the "Baja" on Stout Street and the jazz nightclub, the "Robins Nest" atop Lookout MountainLookout Mountain (Colorado)
Lookout Mountain is one of the larger foothills which overlooks Golden, Colorado. The Denver metropolitan area can be seen clearly from the mountain. It is known for its natural scenery and has played a major role in area recreation, transportation, water supply and telecommunications...
.
Growing up
Born and raised in DenverDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Byers (known growing up as Vince Beyer) started playing piano at age 9 but switched to double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
in junior high because "there was more call for it."
High school
Byers was a graduate of South High SchoolSouth High School (Denver)
South High School is a high school in the Washington Park neighborhood on the south side of Denver, Colorado. It is part of Denver Public Schools.-History:...
, Denver.
College
As an undergraduate, Beyer attended the University of DenverUniversity of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
for two years — 1937-38 and 1938-39. His transcripts, under the name Vernon LeRoy Beyer, show that he was a liberal arts major and had enrolled in several journalism classes.
Musicians Union
At the age of 19, in 1937, Byers joined the Denver Musicians Union for $50. In his naivete, he incorrectly thought that music jobs would come to him.Merchant Marines
Before graduating from college, Byers joined the Merchant MarinesUnited States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
(around 1939) and ended up playing with the Navy Concert Band
Navy Music Program
As part of Navy Personnel Command's Enlisted Assignment Division , the Navy Music Program Management Office is located aboard Naval Support Activity Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee. PERS-4014 centrally manages the Navy's 11 Fleet bands, one support unit, and two premier bands...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Post war danceband era
Later, Byers worked with Ted Fio Rito for a year and then toured with Herb Miller, Glenn's brother. Byers likes to tell people how Herb was jealous of his more famous brother and refused to play any of his songs. He also played with Tommy Tucker, Teddy Powell, and Jan GarberJan Garber
Jan Garber was an American jazz bandleader.-Biography:Garber was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He had his own band by the time he was 21 . He became known as "The Idol of the Airwaves" in his heyday of the 1920s and 1930s, playing jazz in the vein of contemporaries such as Paul Whiteman and Guy...
.
Return to Denver in 1946
- The Rainbow Ballroom — On December 7, 1946, Byers' father, Felix Bernard Beyer, and a business partner, James Raymond Norton, purchased The Rainbow Ballroom from Orlaf K. Farr (1894-1981; Orlaf was married to Dorcas N. Farr).
- The Rainbow Ballroom was located on the SWC of 5th Avenue and Lincoln, Denver. Farr had it built, owned it, and managed it the entire time he owned it since its opening on September 16, 1933. Rudolph Michael Schindler was the architect.
- Norton was also the owner of the Lewiston Hotel at 731 18th Street, Denver, and Beyer was owner of the York Hotel, Denver (both hotels may have been more like boarding houses). According to a 1946 Billboard magazine article, The Rainbow Ballroom was one of the best known dance halls west of the MississippiMississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Byers took over managing the Rainbow Room January 24, 1947.
- Byers continued the past policy of booking territory bands and name bands. The hall had a capacity of 3000 and was open six nights a week. During this era, Verne met his wife, Jeanne.
- After years of abuse and neglect, the red brick building at 38 E. Fifth Ave. was renovated in 2002 into offices by the architectural firm of Sink Combs Dethlefs.
- Club Baja — From about 1960 to 1969, Byers owned and operated Club Baja at 1346 Stout Street (at 14th St.), downtown Denver. Before the Club Baja, the building had been used by the Denver Dancing Academy (from about 1937 to 1960). Club Baja featured national and local touring acts including Glen CampbellGlen CampbellGlen Travis Campbell is an American country music singer, guitarist, television host and occasional actor. He is best known for a series of hits in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as for hosting a variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television.During his 50 years in show...
, Count BasieCount BasieWilliam "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, Stan KentonStan KentonStanley Newcomb "Stan" Kenton was a pianist, composer, and arranger who led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. In later years he was widely active as an educator....
, and James BrownJames BrownJames Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, among many others. Club Baja was the venue that helped launch the careers of The Astronauts.
- The Thunderbird — Before owning The Robin's Nest, Byers operated the Thunderbird, a jazz dinner club atop Lookout MountainLookout Mountain (Colorado)Lookout Mountain is one of the larger foothills which overlooks Golden, Colorado. The Denver metropolitan area can be seen clearly from the mountain. It is known for its natural scenery and has played a major role in area recreation, transportation, water supply and telecommunications...
. Byers' business partner at The Robin's Nest, Ray Iverson (a saxophonist and piano tuner), was a longtime friend and eventually became married to the owner of The Thunderbird, Betty Lou.
- The Robins Nest — Byers, and a partner, Ray Iverson (1929-2006), owned and operated a jazz club atop Lookout MountainLookout Mountain (Colorado)Lookout Mountain is one of the larger foothills which overlooks Golden, Colorado. The Denver metropolitan area can be seen clearly from the mountain. It is known for its natural scenery and has played a major role in area recreation, transportation, water supply and telecommunications...
called the Robins Nest (across from Buffalo BillBuffalo BillWilliam Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody was a United States soldier, bison hunter and showman. He was born in the Iowa Territory , in LeClaire but lived several years in Canada before his family moved to the Kansas Territory. Buffalo Bill received the Medal of Honor in 1872 for service to the US...
's grave). They owned it from 1957 to 1977. The club had a spectacular nighttime view of the Denver landscape. Many local musicians congregated there for late night jam sessions. Kenny BurrellKenny BurrellKenneth Earl "Kenny" Burrell is an American jazz guitarist. His playing is grounded in bebop and blues; he has performed and recorded with a wide range of jazz musicians.-Biography:...
played there in 1972, along with Stanley TurrentineStanley TurrentineStanley William Turrentine, also known as "Mr. T" or "The Sugar Man", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.-Biography:Turrentine was born in Pittsburgh's Hill District into a musical family...
in 1973. Sarah Vaughn performed there, as did Stan GetzStan GetzStanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
, Hank CrawfordHank CrawfordBennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. was an American R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, soul jazz alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter...
, McCoy TynerMcCoy TynerMcCoy Tyner is a jazz pianist from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet and a long solo career.-Early life:...
, Herbie MannHerbie MannHerbert Jay Solomon , better known as Herbie Mann, was a Jewish American jazz flutist and important early practitioner of world music...
, DaveDave GrusinDavid Grusin is an American composer, arranger and pianist. Grusin has composed many scores for feature films and television, and has won numerous awards for his soundtrack and record work, including an Academy award and 12 Grammys...
and Don GrusinDon GrusinDon Grusin , is an American songwriter, producer and keyboardist. He holds a Masters Degree in Economics from the University of Colorado and for a period of his life taught at the National Autonomous University of Mexico as well as at Foothill College, California before deciding to enter the music...
.
Family
At the time of Byers' death, he had been married to Jeanne Byers for 58 years. Jeanne was once married to one of Verne's fellow band-mates, Jimmy Bemis, a trumpet player and college student at the University of Denver.Before playing with Verne Byers, sometime around 1941, Bemis was a featured trumpeter — known as "the mite-sized trumpet player" — with Joe Buzze and His Orchestra, a Texas territory band
Territory band
Territory bands were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands typically played one-nighters, 6 or 7 nights a week at venues like VFW halls, Elks Lodges,...
. Bemis died in 1947 at the age of 27 on the band bus from a sudden illness while being rushed back to Denver a traveling gig in Kansas.
Three years after the Jimmy's death, Jeanne and Verne were urged by mutual friends to date. They married in the Summer of 1950, two weeks after their first date. They honeymooned at one of Verne's gigs in at Grand Lake, Colorado
Grand Lake, Colorado
The Town of Grand Lake is a Statutory Town located in Grand County, Colorado, United States. The population was 447 at the 2000 census....
.
Byers died in Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
, December 19, 2008, at the age of 90.
Las Vegas years
Verne and his wife, Jeanne, moved to Las Vegas in 1983, a time that Byers refers to as when the music industry began to fall apart in Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, Byers was able to recruit high quality musicians willing to travel with his territory bandTerritory band
Territory bands were dance bands that crisscrossed specific regions of the United States from the 1920s through the 1960s. Beginning in the 1920s, the bands typically had 8 to 12 musicians. These bands typically played one-nighters, 6 or 7 nights a week at venues like VFW halls, Elks Lodges,...
.
The swing band era was at a low, and major casinos were switching from live bands to taped music, which resulted in a major musicians strike. And interest in swing bands seemed to be waning. When traveling for territory bands waned, his orchestra played regularly in Las Vegas until his move into retirement to Columbus, NM, in 2002.
Relating to territory bands
Relating to the Denver Beatles concert
- List of The Beatles concerts
- Peter Michael Jones (1963- ), The Beatles at Red Rocks, It was 40 years ago today, Aug 2004, 5280, Denver's Magazine
- FBI Records, File No. 9-42653, Investigation of a threatening postcardPostcardA postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
received by Vern Byers on Aug 18, 1964, warning him to cancel the Beatles concert:
-
-
- If you know what's good for you cancel Denver engagement. I'll be in the audience and I'm going to throw a hand grenadeHand grenadeA hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
instead of jelly babies. — Beatle Hater
- If you know what's good for you cancel Denver engagement. I'll be in the audience and I'm going to throw a hand grenade
-
- The letter had been postmarked "GREELEY COLO. AUG 17, 1964 AM." The Denver Police DepartmentDenver Police DepartmentThe Denver Police Department is the full service police department jointly for the City and County of Denver, Colorado, which provides the full spectrum of police services to the entire county, and may provide contractual security police services to special districts within the county.The current...
, the FBI, an Assistant United States AttorneyUnited States AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
– James A. Clark (1931-2009) – and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, investigated the case. Clark erroneously categorized it as an extortionExtortionExtortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
case. Two letters, both signed by J. Edgar HooverJ. Edgar HooverJohn Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972...
, were sent to the Denver Field Office stating that (a) "no latent impressions of value" (fingerprintsFingerprintA fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
) were found on the threatening postcardPostcardA postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
and (b) "the results of the latent fingerprint examination will be forwarded separately." Nonetheless, there was no incident and the investigation was closed for lack of suspects.