Formed by members of Howard County bands the Coming Generation (formerly the Mystics), the Horde, and eventually featured over 37 members over the years. Cherry Smash played both in the Baltimore area as well as the D.C. area.
They began as house band at the Gaslight on Route 40. The club, which had previously featured a piano bar, happened to be hosting a rock band. Brent Woodall was in the lounge and commented to the manager that his band was better than the one playing. When Brent was offered a chance for his band to play, he went home and called his friend and former band mate Paul Lorenz to begin putting a band together – Brent didn’t even have a band at this time! The original band featured Mike O’Connell (lead guitar), Ken Johnson (bass ex-Jakes), Lorenz (piano), and Woodall (drums – it was at this point that the former lead singer Brent made the switch to drums). Vocalist Bonnie Cole was added as the band eventually worked their way up to playing 6 nights a week at the Gaslight. The addition of Bonnie allowed the band to perform such songs as White Rabbit, and Somebody to Love. Former “X” guitarist Dale German was later added to the group.
In addition to the band’s start at the Gaslight at the Howard Johnson’s Lounge on Route 40 West they were seen as frequent performers at Sarano’s, and the Pirates Den. The group traveled to Ocean City (appearing at the Dungeon, Paddock), New York City, and many points in-between.
Later in 1969, the band traveled to Philadelphia where they recorded some cuts at Virtue Studios. The above listed line-up (without Bonnie) recorded 4 sides including “Old 1102”, “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing”, along with the following two sides which were released on the Fayette label – a 3/4-time version of the Beatles’ “She Loves You” b/w “Bug Huntin’ Monkey” – a Brent Woodall composition. (The first two sides were pressed on an acetate but not released).
Eventually Dale left the band later resurfacing in the band Grok. Lead guitarist Bob Flurie (also formerly of X, and the Bleu Lights) joined the band adding a new dimension to their sound. While performing at the Beach Club in Ocean City, another Ellicott City drummer Dave Reid had been working a summer job cooking french fries at the shop next door. He asked if he could sit in, consequently becoming a drummer for the band. As a two-drummer band they performed material by bands such as the Allman Brothers. Woodall recalls this as being the most creative line-up. They traveled to Nashville in ‘73 and recorded an album’s worth of material that unfortunately was never released.
There were many members of Cherry Smash throughout the years including Bobby Reed (sax, keyboards) who went on to become a Windham Hill artist, he also toured with Bruce Hornsby, and a progressive jazz group called Motorico. Doug Allen (lead vocals, guitar ex-the Jakes). Chuck Ansell – keyboard player of Appaloosa also spent some time with the group…
In Washington D.C. they a held the record for the longest stint as house band at the famous Bayou Club. The group performed there in 1973 through parts of 1974 when the band briefly split up, only to re-form and continue through the early 1980s. Other bands that shared house gigs at the Bayou included the Nighthawks, and Sinbad.
Flurie left the band in ‘73 or ‘74 and traveled to California where he collaborated with some fine musicians. He is featured on albums with Barry Melton (of Country Joe & the Fish), Toni Brown, and Terry Garthwaithe (of Joy of Cooking). Bob returned briefly to the area and rejoined a newly re-formed Cherry Smash.
After a brief split and the return of Flurie from the west coast, Cherry Smash re-formed with the members being Flurie, Johnson, Woodall, Allen, and Reid. They resumed their status as a Bayou band. After some more of a hectic touring schedule, and one episode when they were broke and stranded out of state during a tour, Bob returned to California where he would stay for the next 20 years where he toured with Quicksilver, and the Hoodoo Rhythm Devils. He recorded a number of songs in 1980 that are available on his Ssastar Records CD – featuring a guest performance by Country Joe McDonald. Reid later played for Carry On.
An early 1975 line-up featured Woodall (lead vocal, percussion – the last remaining original member), Allen (guitar, vocals – who had been with the group almost four years), and members who had joined in late 1974 Tim Tanner (lead guitar), Fred Crittendon (bass), and Barry Holober (drums ex-D.C. group Critical Point). Also, in 1975 veteran musician Lee Foy (ex-Upsetters, Time Machine, Legend) joined the band and contributed with sax, piano, harmonica, flute, violin, etc. It was said that every time you blinked Lee would be playing a different instrument!
During this time the group continued their stay at the Bayou, and also performed at the Pub at the U of MD. They embarked on a 1976 tour that took them to Cocoa Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a 3-week stint at an 1,800-seat arena in El Paso Texas, and a month playing clubs in Aspen Colorado.
In 1976 the group was managed by Barry Seidel who had once managed legendary D.C. groups Fallen Angels, Mad Hatters, and the Telstars, before going on to become the head of A&R at Mercury Records. By this time Foy had left to join Dion’s Streetheart Band and CS added keyboard player Ron Fether.
The final remaining original member Brent Woodall decided to leave in January 1978. With the changing music scene and the punk groups gaining popularity he decided it was time to move away from the style of rock that he had been playing. The group became known as ‘C. Smash.’ They continued their reign at the Bayou in the ‘80s. Also seen at Stardust Inn (Waldorf) and their usual Ocean City haunts.
Woodall later formed a group called the Jetz. The band was made up of musicians from the Annapolis area and they played gigs around Annapolis and D.C., Holober went on to join Band Of 1000 Names, Meretrex, and the Hubcaps.
Starting in 1995 Johnson, Flurie, and Woodall formed the Rivers Edge band. The band began as a way for these veteran players to relax, but it turned into a serious project. They have been referred to as a country style “American Music” band and play throughout the mid-Atlantic region opening for groups such as Lone Star, Diamond Rio, Sawyer Brown, and many other top performers. They have performed in the world-renowned Farm Aid 2000 Concert, Rocky Gap Music Festivals, Ocean City SunFest, Fanfare 2002 at the Ryman Auditorium, Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester Virginia, Heritage Festival in Moraine Ohio, E.J. Nutter Center in Dayton Ohio, Belle Chere Festival in Ashville North Carolina, and appeared on the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree on WSM radio in Nashville. Brent leases a theater in Strasburg Virginia where the band often performs. He hosts many national country music acts at the theater as well. Rivers Edge CDs include 1997 “Cabin Fever”, and 1999 “On the Edge.” Woodall, Johnson, and Tanner later formed the country group Brent Woodall and the Natchez Trace Band. They released the CD “Out with the Old” in 2002 on the Barracuda label. Their song “Who Cares” charted nationally.
1970 Fayette 62970 She Loves You / Bug Huntin’ Monkey
Flurie, Johnson, Reid, and Woodall
