The Nashville Shadows

The Shadows ca. 1965

A rock n roll combo from the mid-60s with several members and connections to other acts of the day.

Performing as The Shadows, The Shadows Combo, the Nashville Shadows, they were known as Sam Robinson and the Nashville Shadows when he was their frontman. They backed Lou Christie on his southern tour in the late 60s. The group briefly reformed to play the 2007 Glencliff HS 40th year reunion of the class of '67.

Not to be confused with the other The Shadows, led by Chip Curley.

History

History from Larry Rice: Shortly after the Beatles came on the scene in 1964, Larry Rice, Mike Kelly, Ed Waller, and Baily “Bear” Gibson, all Glencliff High School friends, decided to start their own band. Mike wanted to be the drummer so that part was easy. Nobody wanted to play bass, but since all the girls swooned over Paul McCartney, Larry decided it might be worth a try. The other two guys wanted to play guitar. So, using paper route money and whatever they could scrounge, they bought Silvertone, Danelectro, etc. instruments, and a band was born. Not realizing that “The Shadows” was already a fairly popular name, they adopted “The Shadows Combo” as the name for their band.

Sporadically they played at friends’ parties and church functions until they came to the realization that no one could sing very well. Mike Kelly knew of a Central High School guy named Sam who sang and was looking for a band. Sam Robinson joined the band and things picked up immediately. Sam was quite a showman. His style was a combination of Mick Jagger and James Brown. At their first gig with Sam, a knife fight broke out resulting in a murder later that night. At the next gig, Sam did the splits and ripped his pants from front to back in front of a packed house at a Central High School basketball game. People began to notice. From there, it was Don’s Den, Pirate’s Cove, The Dog House, and many area high school dances.

'67 concert opening for Lovin' Spoonful

In late 1965, due to high school graduations and such, some of the guys left the group. Larry Bell (an undiscovered guitar virtuoso) and Ronnie Batts (keyboard player from “Chip Box and the Corners”) joined the group. Then when Ronnie went to UT in Knoxville, Dennis Carney (now the well known Nashville photographer) replaced him. This was the band that most people remember as the “Nashville Shadows”.

Dan Hoffman, “D J Dan” of WKDA radio, became the group’s manager in 1966 and changed the name from “The Shadows Combo” to the “Nashville Shadows” to distinguish them from the other successful Nashville band named “The Shadows”. The “Nashville Shadows” went on to play Vanderbilt fraternity and sorority parties, high school dances, and concerts with acts such as The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Turtles, Lou Christie, The Circle, and B. J. Thomas for the next three years.

Eventually, Sam left to join “The Anglo Saxon”, Larry Bell left to start his own band, “Speed”, and Mike left because he said he hadn’t had a date in two years. Larry and Dennis continued the band with Tommy Becker as drummer, Terry Fain on guitar, and Larry Gould singing. The Nashville Shadows disbanded around 1971.

Bassist Larry Rice passed away on September 30, 2019. Ronnie Batts passed away in 2017.

Larry Reid sat in on one occasion: "I played regularly with the Majestics and Ministers of Sound, but I sat in as lead guitar when Larry Bell wasn't able to make a gig (who had a date that night). I remember playing at Overton High School as Sam Robinson and the Nashville Shadows. Larry Bell loaned me his Echoplex so we could do "We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet" by the Blues Magoos, and quickly learned to use a volume foot pedal for "Strawberry Fields." I was proud to perform with such talented musicians ~ especially in front of people I knew. I think this may have been in 1966 or early 1967."

Larry Bell's life after the Shadows: "I recall the Bradley's Barn, Chet Atkins / RCA, and Columbia Studio 'B' era, Shelby Singleton's first 16-track studio in town, and a lot of other stuff (like almost running over Bob Dylan and Charlie McCoy on 18th Avenue late one night after a club gig). In the 70's I decided against a musical career and became a synthetic organic chemist for The Upjohn Company (now owned by Pfizer) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I started playing steel and dobro in 1972 and felt my 'roots' coming back to me.  In Michigan, I've played with numerous (mostly weekend) bands and have opened for Eddie Rabbit, the Oak Ridge Boys, Highway 101, Pirates of the Mississippi, etc.  I've played steel guitar concerts with Buddy Emmons, Maurice Anderson, Jimmie Crawford, and others.  My 'day job' became more and more computer oriented and I became responsible for computer application development and laboratory automation for Research & Development.  I have a small project studio in my home. In 2004, I retired and have relocated to the south Gulf coast of Florida.  I have been playing with local artists and doing a few theatre shows. I have recorded several instrumental albums."

Members

Larry Rice - bass. founding member

Mike Kelly - drums. founding member

Ed Waller - guitar. founding member

Baily “Bear” Gibson - guitar. founding member

Sam Robinson - vocals.

Larry Bell - guitar

Ronnie Batts - keyboard

Dennis Carney - keyboard. after Ronnie Batts.

Tommy Becker - drums. after Mike Kelly

Terry Fain - guitar.

Larry Gould - vocals. after Sam.

External references

https://pbase.com/deadelvis/shadows Nashville Shadows History according to bandmember Larry Rice.

http://www.larrybell.org/id1.htm

Comments left on Chip Curley's dedication page for the Nashville Shadowsː

Johnny Wood 14-Dec-2015 17:30

Just Googled: Sam Robinson and the Nashville Shadows - Delightfully I arrive here. Hello Sam from another CHS Golden Tornado. Says here you are in Atlanta. I landed in California married to a long, tall California girl. I will always fondly remember the time in the mid sixties when you came to my apartment and drank from a pitcher of some crazy frozen moonshine daiquiri I concocted. I still remember to this day how you let out a yell and said, "Now that's a potent pitcher!" Hope you are well my old friend.

Audrey Brown 19-Feb-2015 19:43

I remember you guys coming to our school at Two Rivers!! You guys were great!!

Guest 01-Apr-2009 02:11

I still think you guys are groovy!

Little Sister Again

DEBBIE WATSON KAYLOR 19-Dec-2007 17:57

HEY GUYS, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY HAVE YOU PLAY AT OUR CLASS REUNION ALSO....CLASS OF 68'....LOOKING FORWARD TO OLD TIMES....

Danny Elmore 11-Sep-2007 17:54

Man, whatever happened to paisley shirts and high-heeled suede boots? Ha! You guys brought back some GREAT memories....

Sam Robinson 10-Sep-2007 01:13

Thank you for the kind comment's Randy. We had a blast! Thank you for coming.

Randy Ventress 09-Sep-2007 14:50

As an Alumni of Glencliff High, Class of '67 I had the golden opportunity to be among the crowd at our 40th reunion to see the rebirth of The Nashville Shadows. It was great hearing you guys again after all these years. Talk about bringing back memories.

Rock and Roll Forever!!

lil sam 03-Sep-2007 04:03

hi everybody,its samuel,sam robinson's nephew i read the articles...they were great!!! I also saw the pictures those were really cool....oh and hi uncle poo poo!!!

Charlotte 20-Jun-2007 17:27

Hi Guys, Thanks for sharing the latest snapshot and for all the good memories. Love to all of you and your families, Charlotte (Sam's big sister)

Larry Rice 16-Jun-2007 14:40

Mitzi is my little sister. Please forgive her.

mitzi & connie 16-Jun-2007 01:05

We remember the cool dances at the Skate Center where we met cool guys, or so we thought. We thought Sam was the hot one but he was in love with Nancy (at the time). We used to sing along with their practices in my basement and thought we were really groovy.

Larry Reid 27-Jan-2007 13:02

It was one of the best memories of this period when I sat in for Larry Bell (who had a date that night) on lead guitar with Sam Robinson and The Nashville Shadows. It was a dance at my high school (John Overton) and I still have vivid memories of that night. I borrowed Larry Bell's echoplex for the song "We Ain't Got Nothing Yet" and quickly learned to use a volume foot pedal for "Strawberry Fields." I was proud to perform with such talented musicians ~ especially in front of people I knew. I think this may have been in 1966 or early 1967. Thanks for the terrific memories. Oh yeah, I'm another Larry!

T.G. Engel 24-Dec-2006 16:06

Hey Larry Gould,

Where have you been? tg335ruck@hotmail.com

Larry Rice 28-Nov-2006 14:03

What does "film at 11" mean?

Larry Bell 09-Nov-2006 19:08

I guess I MUST make a comment, if only to make the 'Larrys' even more unanimous. :-)

The current Shadows news involves our commitment to play Glencliff's 40th HS reunion next year, assuming they will have us. It will be an interesting project but we currently have Larry Rice, Dennis, Sam, Mike, Tommy Becker, and me onboard. With Sam in Atlanta and me in south Florida it will be a logistical challenge.

Film at 11, y'all.

Larry Rice 18-Aug-2006 15:12

To Larry Reid:

Sam lives in Atlanta and is a salesman. He gets to Nashville occasionally. He still has family here.

Larry Reid 17-Aug-2006 22:36

My name is Larry Reid. I played regularly with the Majestics and Ministers of Sound, but I sat in as lead guitar when Larry Bell wasn't able to make a gig. Any news about Sam Robinson? I remember playing at Overton High School as Sam Robinson and the Nashville Shadows. Larry Bell loaned me his Echoplex so we could do "We Ain't Got Nothin' Yet" by the Blues Magoos. I also remember doing "Strawberry Fields" and we really nailed it. Great memories.

Larry Gould 14-Jun-2006 18:18

Hi,

My name is Larry Gould and I was the singer in The Nashville Shadows in 1970 and '71. What a freak out. I would love to get in touch with Larry Rice, Dennis Carney, Tommy Becker, and Terry Fain. I am still a song writer and have a little 6 song CD I wrote, produced, arranged, and sing on. Please respond when you can.

Thank you, Larry