The Gators

Starting in 1958 by a group of Hillsboro High classmates, The Gators played early rock and soul to audiences from combo parties to Printer's Alley to military bases, with the height of their fame and activity in the early to mid 60s.

from Tom Henderson's book "Best of Times"

History[edit | edit source]

Founded in 1958 by Ed Hoge, aged 16, and Hillsboro classmates Wayne Stagg and Pete Townes, along with drummer Billy Edward, The Gators performed.a lot in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, usually for high school and college frat and sorority "combo parties" around the South and eastern seaboard. Local Historian Tom Henderson in an interview with founding member Ed Hoge, noted that "The Gator" was the name of a risque dance, that along with "The Dog" were the only dances prohibited by American Bandstand. According to Chip Curley, local music historian, The Gators played 50s and 60s rock, pop, doo-wop, R&B, Memphis soul and Motown.

Starting out the band played driveway and backyard parties as well as 'The Chicken Coop', the name given to the Bellevue Roller Rink. From there they started playing sock hops and Battle of the Bands events. Along the way they picked up Jerry Tuttle on sax. Regularly competing with the Sliders, The Monarchs, and the Escorts. Pat Patrick, of the Saturns combo, remarked to Tom Henderson,"I heard them many times sneaking into backyards and at the Bellevue Roller Rink. I was impressed with Ed's vocals, Tuttle's sax solos and Pete's humongous Rickenbacker bass. They were fantastic." Their popularity and active schedule brought them to the attention of local DJ Noel Ball who produced their 1961 7" single on Dot Records. The single from that "Sunburst" made it onto the the Top-40.

In 1962-3 they played at the Black Poodle Lounge and the Jolly Roger in Printer's Alley during the 'Peppermint Twist" craze. At the Black Poodle they were held over for 14 consecutive months, which broke all existing records at that time. The Black Poodle -a set-up bar where patrons kept their own provisions, when by-the-drink was illegal- had a reputation and notorious management known to law authorities. The Gators were playing when it got raided one time in '62: the establishment was closed temporarily and the band members were banned subsequently, being minors. In order to play again, many of the members had to pursue a "Removal of Minority" to maintain employment. Ed Hoge recalled that it got approved "because one of member's father was a good friend of Wilson West, an attorney who was the brother of then mayor Ben West," as noted to historian Tom Henderson. The Four Seasons once enjoyed a Gators performance as audience members at the Black Poodle after a show in town, having heard there wa a regular club act covering their songs. Ed Hoge sang with a falsetto modelled after Frankie Valli.

The house band for the Black Poodle required a commitment of 6 nights a week, playing til 2 am Monday thru Thursday and til 3 am on Friday and Saturday nights. This new schedule required band leader Ed Hoge to transfer from MTSC (Middle Tennessee State College at the time) to Peabody and involved a series of line-up changes. Drummer Billy Edwards was replaced by Dewey Martin, who hten left to jon Buffalo Springfield, and was replaced by Steve Bess. When Ed left to finish schooling in Memphis, Steve Bess became bandleader, most notably for the later LP, "The Gators in Concert" that came out in 1965.

In the liner notes for the LP, Neal Matthews, of the Jordanaires, asks the reader to "Picture yourself in a nice plush booth at the Black Poodle or the Jolly Roger in Nashville, Tennessee's Printer's Alley. Perhaps you just polished off a delicious steak, and you are in the mood for something rare, a little different. The air is filled with anticipation. Suddenly the audience breaks out into a thunderous roar of approval. This si what they came for - to see this talented group make its appearance. They came to see The Gators in Concert... You sit there thinking that there must be ten or twelve guys in the group, and you are bewildered because of the full sounds generated by these boys. You listen to the big band sound, you hear solo voices, vocal background and you wonder just how only four guys can do it." The LP was supported by the band touring military bases along the Eastern seaboard.

Prior to joining the Gators, Quitman Dennis was in The Sliders with Mac Gayden. Both Quitman and Mac also played with Charlie McCoy & the Escorts.

Watching his older brother Ed play in the Gators inspired Peyton Hoge to start the Charades.

Dan Folger moved to Nashville at the urging of friend Roy orbison and Joe Melson. They put him in touch with Acuff-Rose Music Publishers and Hickory Records, where he was placed under contract. Dan worked closely with Don Gant, Wesley Rose and many of the finest record producers of that era. His most frequent writing partners were Joe Melson and Mickey Newbury. He recorded the great 'The Way Of The Crowd' for Elf Records in 1967. Dan passed away in 2006 in Bentonville, Arkansas after a lifelong struggle with alcoholism

Steve Bess, who became the bandleader in the mid 60s, was the son of Jeff Bess and stepson of Hattie Louise "Tootsie" Bess who were singers and comedians in the radio act, Big Jeff & the Radio Playboys. After their radio work ended -- and their marriage dissolved -- Tootsie's became the local hangout for musicians, including for Steve Bess, who was working as a guitarist for Ray Price. Steve would go on to have a successful music career, incl a single on Spar Records, and later as the owner of a talent and booking agency.

On the occasion of his retirement from his practice in Tullahoma, the local paper in 2012 wrote about Dr. Ed Hoge:

Growing up in Nashville, Hoge had played electric guitar and became a professional musician for many years, even paying part of his way through school at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis by playing with rock bands there.

“I used to really enjoy playing Doo-Wop, blues and 50’s rock-n-roll,” he said, “but now I just play at home with mp3’s of my favorite artists, like Jeremy Lister, the Eagles, Christopher Cross, Eva Cassidy, and people like that.”