Feature of the Month
DO YOU REMEMBER....IVORY
Written on 8.23.11

This is the twenty second edition of the Feature of the Month for the South Dakota Rock & Roll Music Association. We are rock and roll fans, and looking to write a feature each month, that will not only bring back wonderful memories, but will also remind us all of the history that was made in our great state of South Dakota. We are hoping to write a feature each month selecting one of the many talented Bands, DJ's, Radio Stations, and Dance Halls throughout SD.

In August 1975, nestled in a remote Black Hills canyon, an old one-room school house serving as a practice hall witnessed the formation of what was destined to become South Dakota's Ivory. They originated with a hand-picked collection of the Black Hill's best musicians taken from the top bands in the area, and that tradition carried throughout the 13 year history of the band as top, talented rockers from Milwaukee to Denver became members of Ivory.

For the next 13 years with its semi-trucks, big sound and light production, tech crews and environmental stage sets, Ivory would cut a wide swath throughout the central United States sharing concert stages with some the music industry's biggest names. Back on the home-front, nearly every rock and roll venue and college in the eight-state circuit hosted Ivory to packed houses.

As a truly professional full-time touring band, sometimes playing over 200 mostly one-nighter shows a year, the musicianship constantly filled the changing ranks of the band featuring some of the region's finest musicians. Ivory, always the big production, upped the ante by putting five or six lead vocalist/multi-instrumental musicians all on the stage at one time. Their show was truly a potpourri of the decades of the 60's, 70's & 80's. Each of the original members was a strong lead vocalist, and later (to be in Ivory) you were expected to sing lead sometime during the show.

In their 13 history from 1975-88, various incarnations of the band (a revolving door of about 30+ musicians) reflected the current styles at that time. So there were "Ivories" covering everything from the Beach Boys and 60's material to soul music; Bee Gee's disco; Eagles's country rock; heavy metal; and the power of pop rock's Journey and Boston.