Very popular Bethesda based rockin’ blues boogie band that played both the D.C. and Baltimore areas. Original line-up featured Bob Radcliff (guitar), Lou Morgan, Joe Bradley (drums), and Larry Boley. Mark Wenner (vocals, harmonica) had recently returned from a trip to New York and transformed the group adding new members Jim Thackery (guitar ex-Crawlin’ Kingsnake Blues Band, Powerhouse), Bill Holland (keyboards), and Don Monahan (bass). This line-up was seen at D.C. area clubs such as the Far Inn, Apple Pie, and Radcliffe’s.
The band had undergone some personnel changes in 1973 and featured Wenner, Holland, and Monahan, with Lee Smith (drums), Anton ‘Ace the Bass’ Hansmann, Peter ‘Tex Luigi’ Bonta (keyboards and rhythm guitar). With this line-up they became one of the premier D.C. regional boogie bar bands, winning the Cellar Door’s Best of the Hoots competition. The Nighthawks toured extensively across the country. They went on to open for many national acts including Linda Ronstadt, Kinky Friedman, Roy Buchanan, Bo Diddley, Freddie King, Sha Na Na, James Cotton… Their first album was released in ‘73 and a single from the LP was listed as a Record World magazine ‘pick hit.’
In ‘74 Luigi left and went on to join the Rosslyn Mountain Boys, Ace went on to form the Flyin’ A’s, and Larry also departed for other endeavors. Pete Ragusa (ex-Razz) joined as the new drummer, and Jan Zukowski (ex-Nobody’s Children, Cherry People) became the new bassist. Holland later re-formed his Rent’s Due Band as Rent’s Due II.
They played an extended stint at the Bayou Club as house band in the mid-’70s where they were sometimes seen on double bills with Cherry Smash. Their recordings of “Ubangi Stomp”, and “Pretty Girls and Cadillacs” were included on a D.C. compilation album titled “Direct Current” in 1977.
In ‘80s Greg Wetzel came on board as keyboard player. Steuart Smith played on and produced their 1986 album “Hard Living.”
The group continued to tour nationally and has played most of the large clubs in the area including the Famous Ballroom, Stardust Inn (Waldorf), Pier 7 (Annapolis), JHU with Catfish Hodge (March 16, 1979), Painter’s Mill Music Fair (July 29, 1979), La Paz (Frederick), Cellar Door, Psyche Delly…
A mid-’90s line-up featured Wenner, Ragusa, Zukowski, along with guitarist Pete Kanaras.
Kanaras also appears of recordings by Big Jesse Yawn, and The Remnants. Zukowski joined the Hubcaps in 2006.
Single by the Nighthawks:
1975 Aladdin 5557 Red Hot Mama / Keep Cool
Albums by the Nighthawks:
1973 Aladdin 101 Rock n’ Roll
1976 Adelphi 4105 Open All Night
1976 Adelphi 4110 Live
1977 Adelphi 4115 Side Pocket Shot
1978 Adelphi 4120 Jacks & Kings
1979 Adelphi 4125 Jacks & Kings “Full House”
1979 Vanguard 79424 Hot Tracks (with John Hammond)
1980 Mercury 3833 The Nighthawks
1982 Chesapeake 101 Ten Years Live
1982 Adelphi 4130/4136 Times Four
1983 Varrick 007 Rock ‘n’ Roll
1984 Varrick 009 Hot Spot
1986 Varrick 022 Hard Living
1987 Varrick Live in Europe
1988 Varrick Backtrack
1988 Adelphi 4145 Best of the Rock
1990 Gene’s Best of the Nighthawks
1991 Gene’s Trouble
1999 Ruf Still Wild
2002 Ruf Live Tonite!
Albums by Mark Wenner:
1989 Powerhouse 104 Nothin’ But…
Other recordings include the albums “Runs Good, Needs Paint” and “Mama Tries” as by Mark Wenner & the Belairs.
