R&B / Top-40 band formed by friends at Poly and City High Schools originally known as the Trojans circa 1957-58. The Trojans included Earl French (lead vocals, rhythm guitar ex-Skyliners), Roland Gannon (guitar), Bill Barlage (guitar), Elwood ‘Woody’ Schneider (bass), and Gary Rusinovich (drums). Woody recalled that the Trojans were sometimes jokingly referred to as ‘The Rubber Band.’
In 1958 the group became known as the Nomads. The group was the same lineup as the Trojans minus Barlage. They added saxophonists, Butch Wagner, Harvey Phillips (tenor). Ed Hall joined and the group sported two tenor saxes, but Phillips left the band after about six months to join the Air Force. Tom Fischer then joined on keyboard.
Rusinovich, Hall, Correlli, Fitez
Other keyboardists included Danny Fitez (ex-Bonnevilles), and Stan Dulski. Later saxophonists for the group included Phil Correlli, Al Gross, John Zaucha…
Courtesy of Woody Schneider
The group played teen centers, wedding receptions, and clubs – including the Buddy’s Subway in Brooklyn, Club Paradise, Rhapsody, Club Astoria, Port Welcome cruises… In 1962 during the height of the Twist craze they were referred to as the ‘Twistin’ Nomads’ and they performed as the house band at the Desert Lounge on Hamburg Street.
The Nomads often played a hall in Chambersburg Pennsylvania where they backed many nationally known performers including the Crystals, Orlons, Jimmy Clanton, Marv Johnson, Little Anthony…
Bill Becker, a friend from Chambersburg, wrote some songs that the group recorded at Edgewood Studios in D.C. The songs “Town Crier” and “A Saint or a Sinner” were pressed on acetates but never released commercially.
The group broke up in 1965 and other incarnations of the group began as Phil Correlli & the Nomads, Phil Correlli & the Birds, Sonny & the Nomads… Hall and Fitez formed a new group called the Busters that lasted until 1966 when the draft called on various members.
The new Nomads group included Clayton Stevenson aka Steve Clay (lead vocals), Mike Marcellino (drums), later replaced with Danny Brewer. Bob LaMer (trumpet), Billy Smith (bass), Stan Dulski (electric piano)… Ricky Peters also played sax for the band briefly before joining the Progressions in 1965. Brewer also did a stint as member of the Progressions.
As the ‘60s progressed, the Nomads performed British rock sounds and soul music at the Homeland House on York Road, a stint as house band at Nina’s, the Escapade, Carl’s Club 33, Sperl’s, as well as other area clubs and summers booked in Ocean City.
By the mid-’60s the group was known as Phil Correlli & the Nomads and featured Phil on tenor sax. Members included Earl French (vocals, sax), Sonny Rossbach (lead vocals –Lafayettes), Roland Gannon (guitar), Charlie Gross (piano), Elwood Schneider (bass), Stevie Lake (bass), Tommy Helms (drums), Harry Hudson (trumpet), and Bill Rheem (trumpet). French eventually left to go out west where he briefly joined his hometown friend Randy Holden (ex-Iridescents) in a psychedelic group called the Sons of Adam. After the split of the Busters Steve Clay returned and took Earl’s place as the new lead vocalist.
Rheem joined the Upsetters. Helms went on to join Jay & the Jury. Lake, French, and Helms later formed Sticky Leaf. Schneider also played in the bands Papa Bear, Muffin… Dulski went on to play for Jay & the Jury, Satin Doll, Dragonfly, Strider…
French appeared on the 1973 LP by Millard & Dyce. Helms continued to play in the ‘00s with the B-More Blues Band. Their first live gig was a benefit in the name of Ricky Peters after he passed away.
