Oxford Nights: "Our mother was our music our father was the road".  The Oxford Nights band was a southeast regional Beach Music/Northern Soul group from Augusta, GA the home of James Brown and soul. We were a regional "one hit wonder" with the song:   Oxford Nights: "I'm Such a Lonely One"  documented as one of the songs on the accompanying CD of the book "The Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music". The book is out of print now but at one time the book and bands in the book were honored in an exhibit at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The Oxford Nights Vinyl 45 and song is still popular for DJ's and dance clubs in the U.K. as Northern Soul and in the "Beach Music" scene of the Carolina's. 

As of this writing the recording was done about fifty years ago (yes that is 50). Trumpeter and good buddy of mine Pat Hegler has been in contact with some folks in the UK. He and I are working to get some of the remaining members together for a reunion of some sort. Pat's a cool dude and is working on putting together some stuff on the social media side of the web.

As noted the Oxford Nights band was born out of the 1960's soul, rhythm and blues of Augusta, GA. As musicians in Augusta and the surrounding area we really didn't know we were part of something special. We were just "brothers growing up together" described in the Nortune Oh Jimmy from the people and places CD. At the time of the recording the lineup consisted of Ben Barnard - Lead Vocal,  Jack Barnard - Drums, Mark Parrish - Keys,  Norton Wade - Guitar,  Frank Caneda - Bass,  Pat Hegler - Trumpet,  A. Nathan Youngblood - Trumpet,  Jimmy McKinney - Tenor Sax and  Jim Autry Bari Sax. 

For the recording we also had with us Pete Pendleton whose performance name was Billy Scott. He was part of one of the all time great bands of the region "Billy and Barbara and the Georgia Prophets".   The background vocals were performed by Billy, Jimmy, Jim and Frank. These four could have backed any group or any act at anytime. Each voice was different but perfect in every way. The result creates a product that has incredible range, incredible mix but yet is also like one incredible "instrument of vocal harmony" executed under one brush stroke of sound. Jimmy and Pete each had strong high falsetto voices. Frank’s voice had the sweetness and purity of his Hawaiian heritage. Jim had an indescribable soulfulness who could sweeten up any song in any range.

Our songwriter/producer Roy Smith was also with us at Master Sound in Atlanta to lead us through the midnight session as we recorded two songs. In addition to "I'm Such A Lonely One" Ben and Billy sang a soulful duet of another Roy Smith composition "Just Give Us Time".

The Oxford Nights had quite a nice run. We were together for about four years which for me began with high school and lasted through one year of college. Some of the other musicians to play with us included Gerald Robbins, Tony Pittman and Hank Sulzycki on Bass as well as Jim Mckinnis and Ronnie Janelle on Trumpet.

Augusta was the home of James Brown and his presence in Augusta was incredibly strong. We were very young when we first went to see Mr. Brown at the Bell Auditorium. He performed here often especially when he was getting ready for the road (air). His band was composed of  drums, male and female backup singers, guitar (mostly rhythmic chinks), Hammond B3 organ, bass and a magnificent horn section.  Its not surpising that a similar lineup formed the basis of the Oxford Nights and is pretty much the lineup for "I'm Such A Lonely One". There is also no coincidence that the Nortunes band called "The Georgia Locomoters" had similar instrumentation for our combo songs. Here's an example from Heartsfull Town, Panama City, and beyond...: Nortunes Saluda Truck Stop.   In the early 70's Jim, Hank and I played in band located a few miles down the road in Newberry, SC called "Godfather" and piled on the miles rolling the Woodpecker Trail through Saluda to Newberry.

The Oxford Nights backed up or opened for traveling artists coming to Augusta. Johnny Hensley whose band "The Red Hots" recently had their 60th reunion was a promoter and he booked artists at venues including the Bell Auditorium and National Guard Armory. Being a local band with B3 and horns opened up a lot of doors for us to back up vocalists and vocal groups that traveled to Augusta without their own band. There are too many to list (and remember) but some of them include B. J. Thomas (really enjoyed that one at the Bell), Jackie Wilson (really, really enjoyed that one at Augusta University PAT), Little Anthony and the Imperials and others. We also were the opening act for such artists as Jerry Butler, The Showmen, The Tams and others. But then we became the road band of Bettye Swann, a story of luck, family and opportunity.

Bettye Swan and the Oxford Nights:  In 1967 and 1968 we were the road band for Bettye Swann. Bettye Swann had a Billboard Magazine number one hit record in "Make Me Yours". Wiki has a nice note about Bettye and the song. We lucked out when Bettye Swann's manager George Barton's office was above the sandwich shop in Athens where my brother was slinging Hoagies while attending UGA. From time to time my brother delivered sandwiches upstairs and would see the Gold Records on the wall. He couldn't help but tell Mr. Barton about his brother and band the Oxford Nights. He talked us up enough to get an audition in Athens and we got the gig.

During that time we played all around the southeast both at large venues and small clubs. Ben has a funny story in the Heeey Baby Days book about us rolling around the south in a 1965 6 cyl Econline short bed van with broken motor mount and often times broken other things. Our tenor sax player recently recalled a very suspenseful story of him getting the van running while we were traveling somewhere. If it hadn't been for Mr. McKinney we wouldn't have made it. Jimmy retired from sax and built a career in auto tires and service over in Aiken, SC which is now shared with his sons.

We would usually play Friday, Saturday and Sunday sometimes with a matinee on Sunday. At the big venues we would usually be the show band for other artists such as Major Lance, Emory and the Dynamics, Mittie Collier, and many others. No matter where we played we always got resounding approval of being a "white band" in mostly black venues backing up black artists. It was great fun while it lasted but on April 4, 1968 the world changed. There was really nothing said but Bettye went off to LA to record and that was that.