In New York, bass player Steve Boone teamed up with former members of the Mugwumps to form the Lovin’ Spoonful. The band rode high on the national charts from 1965 to 1968 and was formally inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. After leaving the Spoonful, Boone relocated to the Virgin Islands where he continued to write music and perform.
On a stopover in Baltimore while traveling to New York with Trudy Cooper, Boone realized the vast untapped talent pool in this town. He purchased ITI in Cockeysville. The operation became known as Blue Seas Studios and later moved to a barge at Pier 4 in the inner harbor (where the National Aquarium now stands).
During the ‘70s Blues Seas Studios recorded major sessions including Little Feat (“Feats Don’t Fail Me Now”), Robert Palmer (“Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley”), Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Gil Askey, the Country Gentlemen… as well as many local artists. Engineers included Guy Phillips aka ‘Yug’, Victor Giordano, and H. Leo McLaughlin – whose Downstairs Band worked as the in-house studio band… Producers included Scott Johnson… On Christmas Day, 1977, the barge and studio unexpectedly sank to the bottom of the Baltimore harbor.
Boone continued to perform locally including working with Trudy in the group Blanche. He sometimes sat in with bands at places such as the Latin Casino. The Lovin’ Spoonful continued to tour into the ‘00s. Also see Boone, Steve,
Photos courtesy of Scott Johnson “The photo (above) was taken in Flite 3 studio C control room. The people are (left to right): Ralph Fisher (drums), Jack Conners (engineer), Scott Johnson (piano), Mike Kelly (organ /vocals) and Sammy Dyson (trombone).”
“I believe this was one of the sessions we were recording or mixing the audio recording for Mike Kelly’s multi-media show/ tribute to Joe Cocker… I don’t remember whether I did any playing on that recording – I produced the recording.”
