Sites n’ Sounds, The

Teen rock band formed in Delta, Pennsylvania. The group played covers of Beatles, Stones, Yardbirds, Traffic, Animals, etc. at high school dances and teen centers throughout York County (New Freedom, Glen Rock, York…) and Harford County (Jarrettsville, Joppatowne, Aberdeen, Edgewood, Fallston…)

In fall of 1967 the Sites n’ Sounds recorded at Flite Three Studios in Baltimore and released a single “The Night Is So Dark” on CEI Records. Members on the recording were Danny Blankenship (lead guitar, vocals), Dick Blankenship (harmonica, vocals), Jim Ward (rhythm), Randy Taylor (bass), Mike McFadden (organ), and Leon Williams (drums). Williams was later replaced with Tom Smeltzer.

The group played regularly at the Railroad House in Marietta, PA. The biggest performance for the group was the WSBA Radio 25th Anniversary Show at Hershey Park for a crowd of over 25,000. The group went door to door collecting donations to buy post cards to stuff the ballot box. They were ultimately chosen to play the show along with other top South Central PA groups including Jay & the Techniques, and the Magnificent Men.

After the group split up, members went on to various York area bands. Danny was later with Porkfish (which later became Utopia). Dick was later with Yorklyn, and Small Talk. He became one of the area’s top blues harmonica players. Smeltzer attended the University of Tennessee and became a jazz drummer.

Danial ‘Danny’ Blankenship became a radio announcer and changed his name to his professional name Danny Reese. He began his radio career working at stations in Pennsylvania, then spent 20 years as a popular morning man in Baltimore on WPOC, WITH, and WCAO. Danny also did mobile DJ work in the early ‘80s at clubs including the Salty Dog at Spittel’s Half Shell in Catonsville

1967           CEI 125                         The Night Is So Dark / “T”

A Danny Reese Story by Joe Vaccarino

Danny, real name Danial Blankenship, grew up in the small town of Delta, PA. and graduated from Kennard-Dale High School in 1969, and had long since moved Owings Mills, Maryland. Danny Reese, his on-air name, was a successful radio personality for over 20 years, starting at WNOW in York, PA, then with Baltimore Stations WPOC, WITH, and WCAO. After radio he worked in the insurance and mortgage industries.

I met Danny in 1981 around the time I had aspirations of working in radio. We became friends and I went to a number of his record hops especially many occasions at Spittels’ Salty Dog Saloon on Rolling Road in Catonsville where he encouraged me, often letting me sit in as a guest DJ, and a couple times filling in for him on nights when he had other engagements.

I saw Danny sporadically over the years, but when the first Baltimore Sounds book came out he called to congratulate me. He and his wife Ronni were in the process of packing up their house for a move to Naples, Florida, and he wanted to meet with me before he left, as he had something for me. So we met for lunch. He told me that he had played in bands as a youngster and that he still played and collected guitars, a side of him I had never known. Then he handed me a record that his band released back in 1967. His Delta, Pennsylvania teen garage band Sites N’ Sounds released a single on CEI Records out of Aberdeen, Maryland. We had a great conversation over lunch, vowed we would get together again, and said our farewell’s.

Fast forward to 2009, I was in Florida looking at real estate around Fort Myers / Cape Coral (but never bought anything there). While in the area I visited with my friend Jack Gale and his wife Lovey. At that time he was doing commercial voice-overs at his in-home studio, AND he liked to play pool! I always had an open invitation and this was my second visit. Jack was a Baltimore radio legend of the late ‘50s to early ‘60s, later going on the road as Johnny Cymbal’s (“Mr. Bass Man”) manager, then later owner of recording studios in Nashville. Jack was involved with dozens of record releases and he was always amazed at how much I knew about his early releases that even he had forgotten about. I made CD’s of many of his records for him that he no longer had. He always told me that I was born 15 years too late.

Anyway, while in the neighborhood I wanted to look up Danny and surprise him with a visit, but was disheartened to learn that I had misplaced his number. Not knowing if I would ever make it to SW Florida again, I tried a phone book search and disappointingly found that his number was unlisted. Knowing that he collected vintage guitars I jotted down the numbers of several music stores in the area, but thinking it was too much of a long shot almost didn’t call. Finally before my trip was over I tried the number for a store called Gator Music and explained to the clerk that I was just grasping at straws but maybe he may know of my friend, guitarist, and guitar collector Danny Reese. Without hesitation the person exclaimed “of course, that guy is a guitar legend in this town!” and at that very moment I recognized unmistakable voice of Danny himself who answered the phone! What a coincidence, he was working part time at that store! We got together that evening for pizza and a couple beers and a few laughs.

In 2010 Danny organized a Sites N’ Sounds reunion back in Delta, but I was unable to attend.

In 2011 Danny joined the Fort Myers based classic rock band Redemption. They were a popular cover band that performed throughout Naples and the southern gulf coast of Florida.

Sadly, Danny passed away on April 18, 2013 at age 61. His friendship, sense of humor and spirit will never be forgotten.