TINY AND THE SURFERS

NORMAN------------ DONN---------------- TINY

ERNIE

Another Jacksonville, FL band

Memories from a "super fan ":

I remember this Jacksonville band from the 60's, quite well because my high school sweetheart was in that group for quite some time.  They played at the Woodstock Teen Club, and I am probably not going to spell this next one right but it was a teen center named after a local politician and it was called the Brad Treddnick or Traddenick (or something like that!), Southside Woman's Club,  and several other teen haunts in Jax. and surrounding area.  They played several times at Fernandina Beach in a little place right on the main access to the beach at that time.....can't recall the name of it.  I think they may have also played at the Westside Teen Club on occassion.  I remember them playing at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Jacksonville...quite a few times. They played high school dances frequently, too. 

"Tiny" was actually Charles Tackle (or Tackel) from the Oceanway area in Jax. and he played lead and sang, Norman Ford was the bass player (if memory serves, he worked with fire dept. or emt of some sort) Donn Finney was sax player, lived in Orange Park (went on to be with Rowe Brothers with Dru Lombar, Ken Webb, etc), played with the Red Foxx orchestra for a short time, then, I heard, Wet Willie & Razzy Bailey (and others in the Macon scene!), Greg Allman - he was still playing with Greg in the early 80's . He passed away a few years ago.) and I think, at one time, Ernie Pilcher (sp) played rhythm guitar with them, and "Mack" McCormack was drummer.  (He was from the west side)  It seems to me there was someone else prior to Ernie but I just can't recall anything about him....and, I don't think Mack was always their drummer, either....it seems to me that there may have been someone else from time to time.  It is difficult to remember after so many years.  No one took pictures when we were running all over Jax. back then!  Wish I could tell you I have photos of the band but I don't!  I am doing good to recall this after 40+ years!!!!  Talk about brain strain!!!  

I remember Tiny telling people Dick Dale (surf guitar fame) taught him how to play guitar.  (He didn't elaborate, so if he learned by listening to 45's...oh well!)  Norman Ford eventually married the girl he dated back then - her name was Diana Cubley and she was from the Jax. beach area.  I haven't talked to her since the mid seventies....you know, people just loose touch.  Then, a bit later, a couple of girls (one was dating Tiny at the time) started doing a little go-go girl thing with the group when they played at certain places.  Their names were Mary and Brenda...am trying hard to recall last names...dunno! 
 

One thing I remember for sure, they all decided that they should have cars which were all painted the same color...Norman had a red and white Mercury of some sort...Donn had a red and white Fairlane and Tiny had a red and white SOMETHING OR OTHER!!!!  Ernie, I think, was the only one who showed up in a blue vehicle!  That is one reason, when they were out to impress...they would take the three red and white cars and someone was pulling the equipment trailer which had TINY and the SURFERS on the side in bold letters.  When they drove up to a gig....it looked like the Blues Brother come to town!!!!!

 

Can't recall exactly why the group disbanded....Norman married, Donn went on to be in another group and went off to college.....not really sure what happened to the rest of the guys.....

(So much for the stroll down memory lane!  Donn was my old beau, later a fiance....though we never married.  He was in so many groups after them, I just can't remember the specifics about all of the various ones.)

Also, I did remember Tiny used to perform a song he said he wrote at various venues.  I think the name of it was "Girl You Had Your Chance" or "You Had Your Chance." and since most of the bands in those days were strictly "cover bands," the fact that he had actually written one and performed it, was pretty cool. 

Info. courtesy of Loretta Jones

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