TO VIEW THE GARY MINES CERTIFICATE CLICK HERE
Gary Mines musical history began in the early 1940’s as a small boy , 0n a hill farm, in the backwoods of Missouri. There he managed to teach himself C,F, and G7th chords on an old $2 Sears guitar. (Child prodigy!!)
Gary’s first and literally, captive audience were milk cows, chickens, and work horses. (They loved it and begged for more) Considering his influences were Jimmy Rodgers, Roy Acuff, Eddy Arnold, Ernest Tubb, it’s no wonder Gary’s musical roots were strongly tied to Country Music.
Moving to Des Moines, Iowa in 1955, Gary enrolled in his senior year at East High School Singing in the boys glee club, and a local gospel quartet, Gary’s love for four part harmony was born, and a desire to have his own group and sound.
After a few uneventful years, Gary felt the call of the West and decided to investigate California. While in Los Angeles, he pursued a stellar career sitting on bar schools in small juke joints, playing requests for drinks and loose change. (Some of the animals were there!!)
While playing one night, Gary met a young-disc-jockey named Wink Martendale, who introduced him to the house band leader at the now-legendary
Palomino Club in North Holly. There Gary was asked to fill occasionally on guitar and played behind as yet unknowns but now superstars such as Roger Miller, George Jones, Roy Clark, and Johnny Western.
In 1962, feeling home sick for family and friends, Gary Returned to Des Moines, determined or become more serious about music. One Evening while jamming in the garage with three friends, (Jack Nelson, Jack McCan, and Glenn Whitehead, Gary decided to take a step forward. Calling the closest bar he asked if he and his friends could come in and play for free for the experience. The Manager said yes, but if the customers didn’t like them they would have to leave. The customers not only like them, the manager called up the owner, who after listening over the phone, hired the boys to play at a larger club he owned every Friday and Saturday night for $8.00 apiece. (WOW! Big Time, big money, big heads…..small bandstand.)
After a few weeks it was clear that to the three guys that one singer and three guitars was not a band so they went separate ways. While looking for musicians to keep the job, Gary met a young blues trio, (bassist Bob Knox, piano Lou Edwards, and drummer Jerry Butler.) gary, Bob and Lou became very good and life long friends and played many jobs together.
Eventually Lou Edwards decided to go on the road as a single, while Gary and Bob Knox stuck together, forming groups and playing with many fine musicians. (John Johnston, Mike Hardin, Pat Audsley, Clover and Roger Buckingham, Paul Baker, Perry Edinburn, Glen Whitehead, Bill Youngquist, and Rusty Young.)
In the mid 1960’s Gary joined the PMECI Musicians Club and performed with his group in many stage shows held at the Hoyt Sherman Place Auditorium, also at county fair shows and the legendary Prison Benefit Circuit, including Rockwell City, Anamosa and the Fort Madison State Penitentiary.( They offered Gary free room and board….more animals!!)
At some point through the years Bob Knox coined the perfect name for the group, THE NITE-SHIFT, which became a very popular and well known name to many Iowa music fans through out the Midwest region.
In 1979, while playing at a popular Des Moines night club, Gary was looking for musicians to fill out the band when a young steel-guitarist (Ray Morris) introduced himself, and that very night became a permanent and very key member of the Nite-Shift band. Not only was Ray the best steel player in the Midwest, but also sang a very good baritone harmony.
Shortly after, Gary ran into a long-time and good friend (drummer and harmony singer Lee Sales). Lee was looking for a group to work with (Nuff Said!!) The rest they say is history. Gary and the Nite-Shift became well known for their renditions of the Statler Brothers-Oakridge Boys- Alabama songs, plus a wide variety of music from Frank Sinatra-Roy Orbison to Hank Williams. Gary and the Nite-Shift played many of the most popular clubs and stages in town- Your Apartment-Rusty’s, Top of the tower, Riccelli’s, Ramada Downtown, and the Airport Hilton, They also entered the Wrangler Jeans National Battle Of The Bands contest, winning city and regional contests.
So after many years, many close and lasting friendships were formed and a young farm boys’ dream of a four piece vocal harmony group was realized.
Research and background History bio: written by Gary's Daughter, Shannon Mines, Nite Shift Band Secretary
For more info on Nite-Shift or Gary contact: nickurz@ yahoo.com
Or write Gary
Mines @4800 NE 30th St
Des Moines, Iowa 50317
515-266-5550
Gary was Nominated and Inducted into this CMSI Hall Of Fame Award on July 16th, 2006 by his musical friends, Certificate was presented to him
And Attested to by :
Harold L. Luick, CEO, Historian, Curator
Barbara A. Luick, President
Dennis Dyer, V.P.
TO RETURN TO THE HALL OF FAME DOORWAY CLICK HERE
