York Weekend is the entertainment section of The York Dispatch. To have your news published, send the information at least two weeks in advance to: Weekend, P.O. Box 2807, York, PA 17405 or e-mail mbarber@yorkdispatch.com
Tribute concert honors Magnificent '60s R&B group MARY BEILER, For The York Dispatch
Posted on Thursday, November 19 @ 03:11:44 CST
Topic: Music
They had an R&B sound beyond their years, but what surprised their audience the most wasn't their youth; it was their skin.
The Magnificent Men broke into the rhythm and blues "chitlin' circuit"
in the 1960s, playing venues well-known for African American artists.
So when the crowd saw the seven-member band full of Caucasian guys, it
was a little shocking.
"Clearly these guys did something very unique," said Dave Zang, a
sports and American studies professor at Towson University. Zang is
working on a documentary of the band.
In the late 1960s, Americans were torn between hope and despair with
racial relations, Zang said. The Magnificent Men offered something that
inspired people. However, the young men from York and Harrisburg never
made it into the national spotlight, which is why their story is still
relatively untold, he said.
Zang hopes to change that with a documentary of the band. Filming of
the documentary is still ongoing; recently, the crew filmed at the
Uptown Theater. Zang said he hopes to start editing the movie in
February and have everything finished by summer.
The Magnificent Men were the only white act to ever headline New York's
legendary Apollo Theater. Later, they impressed Godfather of Soul James
Brown when they played backup for him in 1967.
"It was one of those moments in time that really worked," said Bob
Angelucci, the drummer of the Mag Men. "He really enjoyed it and so did
we."
Acceptance: The opportunity to play in those theaters was
amazing in and of itself, but to be accepted by the audience was the
part that made the experiences wonderful, Angelucci said.
"We were very fortunate to play some of the places we played and be
accepted," he said. "With racial relations what they were, you never
knew if you would be accepted."
The audiences they played for were always appreciative and let them
know they were enjoying the entertainment. Angelucci said he's happy it
turned out that way.
For seven 20-something young men from York and Harrisburg, the
opportunity to travel across the country and play live shows was a big
deal. They gave many college concerts while also playing bigger venues
like Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
The Mag Men eventually landed a recording contract with Capitol
Records, where they produced two studio albums and one live album. They
were the first R&B band to be signed by the recording label.
Integrity: Although the band failed to ever hit Billboard's Top 40, they have stayed true to themselves.
"We're not trying to be something we're not," Angelucci said. "We do what we do and we enjoy what we do 100 percent."
Perhaps that's why they are still going strong. Angelucci formed the
band Class Act featuring Rita in which four of the original seven
Magnificent Men are members. Though they play their own tunes, they
always revert to their roots to play Magnificent Men tribute shows.
"We've always maintained the integrity of playing what we play, which is rhythm and blues," he said.
-- Reach Mary Beiler at 854-1575 or news@yorkdispatch.com.
In concert
The Annual Celebration of the Magnificent Men, starring Class Act
featuring Rita with special guest Buddy King, takes the stage at the
Whitaker Center at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28.
Tickets are $38. The show is in the Sunoco Performance Theater at the center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg.
"The Story of the Magnificent Men," a concert DVD that pays tribute to
the band, can be purchased through the band's Web site at
www.magnificentmen.org. The DVD costs $20.
