Iowa Rock ‘N’ Roll Music Association Hall of Fame Press Release

P. O. Box 557
Arnolds Park, IA 51331
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irrma@okobojichamber.com
www.iowarocknroll.com

Friday, January 2, 2009
For Immediate Release
2009 Hall of Fame Honorees Announced

(Arnolds Park): The famous voice immortalized in the Smokey & the Bandit movies, the subject of the Wayne’s World exhibit in the Surf Ballroom and that rowdy band with a catchy name will be among the 2009 inductees into the Iowa RockNRoll Music Association Hall of Fame.

Audubon native Bill Fries is known throughout the world as the fictional truck driver C.W. McCall. Fries created the character to sing on commercials for Old Home Bread. His lyrics, combined with music by Chip Davis made “Convoy” a musical giant and C.W. a folk hero nationally.

Mary Arnold Miller is a talented musician and singer. She toured internationally as a member of Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. She later married and is now the widow of “King of the Road” Roger Miller. Also from Audubon, the “Women Who Rocked” inductee now resides in Nashville, TN.

All who enter the lounge area of the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake find themselves in “Wayne’s World.” The walls are lined with pictures of Hall of Fame inductee Wayne Christgau with many famous musicians. Christgau will be inducted in the Support Staff category, an honor richly deserved after years behind the scenes at the famous ballroom.

The Out of State inductee for 2009 is Minnesota’s Crow, the band that made “Evil Woman” a national hit.

The Deputy Dawg Band had its origins in Mason City. The band toured the Midwest and Canada extensively, opening for 24 national acts along the way. Among “Dawg’s” recordings were “Skylab” and the Billboard charted “Feelin’ Good.”

Inductees joining Deputy Dawg from Northeast Iowa are the Melody Mill Ballroom of Dubuque, disc jockey Darrel Winkie of Decorah and KWWL Radio in Waterloo.

Southeast Iowa is represented by bands: The XL’s from Iowa City, Morning After, and Uncle and the Anteaters.

From the Southwest, in addition to Fries and Arnold-Miller, honorees include The Impacts and Lou & Red Berry & the Bel-Raves from Council Bluffs.

Central Iowa inductees are outstanding musician Paul Wilson, Con Brio and Genuine John’s in Ames.

The West River Region is represented by The Charades from Marcus, Natural Color and Sioux City’s Larry Means.

Representing Northwest Iowa, in addition to Christgau are The Surfinks from Jewell, Lyle Steece of Spencer and the Lakewood Ballroom at Lakeview.

Many successful decades of dedication to the music industry in Iowa are bringing IRRMA Dan Matousek Lifetime Achievement Awards to Ralph Gatton of What Cheer, Dale Black of Fort Dodge and Dick Matousek of Sioux City.

These 24 multi-talented and dedicated honorees will be honored at the 2009 Hall of Fame Induction Spectacular slated to take place on Sept. 5-6 in Arnolds Park.