Howard County band. With the Prodigals holding down the weekly Lisbon Fire Hall Saturday night dances for several years, the Tremolos decided to try their own weekly gig at the Winfield Fire Hall on Route 26 west of Eldersburg. They appeared there for several weeks but it didn’t catch on like they had hoped. The band, however was popular on the teen circuit as they played all the usual teen center dances around the county.
The February 1966 line-up consisted of Jim Reske (trumpet), Ed Bulson (sax), Earl Stinchcomb (sax ex-Ghost Walkers), Don Brown (rhythm), Bruce Casteel (lead guitar ex-Knights), John Martinelli (bass), Ron Fleming (drums ex-Knights), Bill Laing (lead singer), and Carl Fischer (piano).
In April of 1968 trumpet player Rex Allen (ex-Rebels) joined the group. By July the band had slimmed down as Bulson, Stinchcomb, Brown, and Laing had moved on. Monnie Wrightson was the new keyboard player, and Chip Fischer had taken over the lead vocals.
The group was a Hullaballoo winner on November 27, 1968.
Martinelli, Fleming, Laing (kneeling). Not pictured: Fischer
In 1969 Jim Liller (drums ex-Excursians) joined the band. With the addition of Liller and the previous personnel changes they decided to change their name. The new name S.M.U.T. stood for “Superior Music, Unlimited Talent.” They won a Battle of the Bands contest at Mt. Hebron High School.
Reske went on to play guitar for the Chelseas. Allen played for The Boat, Liberation Front… Fleming joined Sage. Liller went on to Liberation Front, Seed, Shane…
