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THE FUGITIVES COME RUNNING OUT OF OF PORTLANDS PAST

Over the decades there’s been many bands calling themselves The Fugitives. The mid-60s group from Portland may have been the first-but it didn’t stop the record pressing plant from misspelling the name on the bands first single, ‘We Gotta Run’. Though it was labeled ‘The Fugatives’ Portland Oregon kids already knew who they were. The Fugitives were a popular band on the Northwest music scene at the time. In 1965 they'd won the city's Teen Fair battle of the bands and were on their way to national prominence. Today there are barely a footnote alongside the great bands that are associated with Portland during that era, the most famous being The Kingsmen and Paul Revere and The Raiders. The Fugitives were and are every bit as good as any band working in the Northwest at the time, so it’s an honor to be able to re-introduce them to 21^st century listeners. Somewhere along the way we discovered an anonymous teen journalist  writing in one of the local Portland newspapers. We thought we'd share it here since it such a step into the past!  The article:

BAND OF THE MONTH

Although the oldest member in the group is only 19, The Fugitives with Ann and Rhonda are an all-around professional group who can put on a great show to please a variety of audiences. Managed by John Hillsbury, who’s noted for his contributions to live theater in Portland, The Fugitives are winners of last year’s Teen Age Fair, winning over 96 other combos, and Rhonda (Rhonda Anderson) is a Miss Teen Talent contest winner in Long Beach California.

Band members can play anything from 4-4, hard rock to western and jazz, to formal dances. They prefer ballad rock. They have written much of their own material. A current disc “We Gotta Run” is on many jukes and is being played regularly by KGAR. The flip ballad is ‘Don’t Pretend’. On the Tork label. they are recording six new songs which were proven popular at numerous dances at which they have played.

When the group appears, a technical man, Dann Egan, travels with it to stage the show. The group is well-organized, talented, versatile and conscientious.


From March 10 to 19th The Fugitives with Ann and Rhonda will tour several cities in Canada, including Vancouver and Victoria, with even more exciting schedules coming up this summer

The group includes Bob Bentz, electric organ and sax; Mike Walker, lead guitar; Steve Evans, bass: Larry Burton, drummer; Rhonda, jet-dancer;: Ray Walker, lead singer; Ann Scott, blonde bombshell. Steve and Ray attend Jefferson, Rhonda goes to Marshall and Ann to Wilson. The remaining boys have graduated.

The A-Side of The Fugitives debut single is included on our compilation THAT'S DADASTIC!  Listen to 'We Gotta Run' below.