.

AREA TRIVIA

Rods Roadhouse.com
is simply a fun site covering some of what the South Central Pennsylvania area offers. From links to Pennsylvania businesses, to access to newspapers and government, to finding out what year your favorite song was from there is a little bit of everything here. This site will never claim to show you everything but we will endeavor to bring you things of interest. .. If you want to know what's going on now or what has gone on over the years then always keep an eye and an ear on these pages. Harrisburg is action packed again and the Harrisburg area is full of opportunity.... For comments or questions about this web site click here

So... What's Happened in Harrisburg in the past?

May years ago the Rolling Stones appeared in Harrisburg about 1964... Does anyone know someone who was there at the concert and who has a picture of them when they appeared here?

Harrisburg city Island used to be a place where some very good concerts were held until people complained about the noise and they were stopped. Some of the groups that appeared on city Island were the Beachboys, Chicago, The Grateful Dead and others. If anyone has tidbits about those concerts, or promotional graphics they could share with others on this site please let us know.

Of course Hershey has had the biggest names in music over the years appear in Hershey Stadium and continues to schedule great events.

The Pixies Three above in the 60's are still performing together today and the late Billy Stewart below in a vintage photo. Billy died in a 1970 auto accident.

We are not affiliated with the nightclubs, Rods Roadhouse Cafe in Harrisburg or Carlisle Pennsylvania but I have provided contact information at the bottom of this page for those looking for information on the clubs. There is also more information on other South Central PA clubs and restaurants on the Links page.

MEMORIESof the Greater
Harrisburg Area

• DID YOU KNOW that the Magnificent Men, a 60's group made up of musicians from the Harrisburg and York areas were the first white group to ever appear at the Apollo in New York City?
• Members of the Magnificent Men have gotten together with members of other local bands from that era, Custer's Last Band, the Del-Chords and the present group Class Act featuring Rita and have recorded at least four new CD's of new and old tunes. I have included a link to there website here, so if you are interested in finding the album, you will at least know what you are looking for. They are well worth the search. CLASS ACT or 60 SOMETHING's website
• WHAT 60'S DUO was known as the Blue Eyed Soul Brothers?
• Who, from Baltimore was known as 300 Pounds of Soul?
• REMEMBER the Frugg and the Slop, the Mashed Potatoes and the Swim? How about the Manhattan Line Dance? Line dances have been around since before the Stroll in the 50's....Remember when Joey Reynolds had "Rats In My Room?" Odyssey and the VIP in Harrisburg?
• GOT a story or piece of Harrisburg Trivia? Share it with us and we will share it with everyone. CONTACT US

• DOES anyone know how to Hokey Pokey?
• REMEMBER the El Dantes, the Legends (Danny Hartman) and Kenny Chandler?
• EVER GO to "The Raven" on Chambers Hill and the "Coral Club" near the square in the alley in downtown Harrisburg? How about "The Meadowbrook" in Hummelstown and "Martinis" in Hershey?
• THE BARBECUE COTTAGE and Dave's Dream in Harrisburg were popular 60's teenage hangouts and they had curb service. The Cottage was located where the Arches Restaurant is now on Front Street and was a Front and Second street circuit drive through and turn around until the Cottage's management decided they were losing money and started to charge a minimum 35 cents service charge if you parked there and didn't buy anything. The 1965 GTO pictured in the header of these pages was one car that drove through the Barbecue Cottage's parking lot many times. Also a big place to meet was the 24 hour Restaurant "The Spot" which was located on Market Square in Harrisburg where the Harrisburg Government Building is now
• Rod's Roadhouse Cafe first opened in it's present form in 1985 as an oldies club. Although there have been a few remodeling adjustments the club has remained very popular through the years. The previous club that occupied the Rod's space was "JO JO's" For years JO JO's was a neighborhood club that feature a full menu of food, and live bands at night until around 1980 when for five or six years it was a topless bar. From the beginning with the name change to Rod's Roadhouse Cafe it has been a success and continues that tradition of offering great food, drink and musical entertainment. It's 50's styling theme has never died along with the Rock and Roll era which now spans almost 50 years. Other clubs come and go but Rod's has thrived and grown by offering a place to really have a party.
  
• What trio of ladies from Hanover, Pa. cashed in on the popularity of girl groups of the 60's? I actually met these bubbly ladies a couple of years ago in Hanover, Pa. where they were doing a reunion concert...They can still sing after all these years...and they released a new CD with all their original songs and some new on the CD.
  
• Remember The "Juke Box" oldies store in Harrisburg and York that operated between 1977 and 1988?

• Tell us what your Top Ten songs of all time are. I will list your favorites here. Email Your Top Ten
• A Murder in 1983 inspired the writing of a True Crime mystery featuring in part yours truly. Walter Scott, lead singer of Bob Kuban and the In-Men who hit it big with their song "Look out for the Cheater" in 1966 was a very good friend of mine. He hailed from St Louis but appeared quite often in Harrisburg, York and Hershey. On December 27th, 1983 Walter disappeared and wasn't found for 3 and a half years until they discovered his body in the backyard Cistern of the eventually convicted murderer. The story is vividly told by Scottie Preismeyer, a St Louis writer in a book called "The Cheaters-The Walter Scott Murder" available from your local book store or at amazon.com or Barnes & Noble My name is prominantly mentioned numerous times because I had Walters band equipment and personal belongings at my home Christmas week 1983 after I had taken Walter to the airport so he could fly home for the holidays. I actually had the convicted murderers sitting at my kitchen table 48 hours after they murdered Walter Scott. Two weeks before that I had Walter Scott at that same kitchen table eating dinner as a guest with us. The book tells a gruesome story of cheating and hate, deceit and finally murder. It takes you from Walter's childhood through his celebrity years and finally through his marriages and murder. It took 9 years from the time he was murdered to the time a trial was held in 1992. The convicted murderers still to this day deny doing the deed. I personally don't know for sure. Read the book and make up your own mind...!!
• 300 pounds of soul was Billy Stewart who recorded "I Do Love You," "Summertime", and "Sitting In The Park" in the mid sixties, huge hits in the Harrisburg area.
• The Blue Eyed Soul Brothers were of course the Righteous Brothers, Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield. There two number one hits included "You Lost That Loving' Feeling", "You're My Soul & Inspiration", and of course their best known ballad "Unchained Melody" a song that got to number 4 on the charts in 1965. Also in 1965 they charted at number 5 with "Ebb Tide" and in 1973 they reached Number three on the charts with "Rock and Roll Heaven". Bill Medley also teamed with Jennifer Warnes to do the number one hit "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life" from the movie "Dirty Dancing" in 1987..
• From Hanover, the three ladies were The Pixies Three, "442 Glenwood Avenue" and "Birthday Party". For more information on the Pixies Three go to their website linked here"