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- Original Rock'n Flames Business Card
~ Rock'n Flames History ~
The Rock'n Flames was one of the first Rock N' Roll bands
to form in eastern Iowa. Founded by brothers James & Sidney Moore in 1957. The original members were James
on lead guitar, Sidney on bass guitar, Roy Cadwell on drums, and Ron Coghlan on rythem guitar. All four were from What
Cheer, IA.
Their first booking was the the Moores' sisters graduation dance at Thornburg High School shortly
after they appeared on a teen hop show at KTVO-TV in Ottumwa, IA. From that point on their popularity skyrocketed.
The band moved to Marengo, IA in late 1957 early 1958 and picked up saxophone player Walt "Dean" Cheney of North
English to play in the band. In mid 1958, piano player Vern Sandersfeld from Williamsburg joined the band.
They traveled all over Iowa and the Midwest in a 1955 pontiac and a trailer full of equipment. They were on of the
first groups in the area to combine choreographed moves with there own arrangement and original works as well as all
the top tunes of the day making them the show band to be watched. They had the honor to open for stars such as Sue Thompson,
Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vee, Bobby Bare, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Ray Charles, Conway Twitty, and many others.
Venues
played in Iowa include: the Surf Ballrom in Clear Lake, Dance Land & Armar Ballrooms in Cedar Rapids, Val Air Ballroom
in Des Moines, Roof Garden in Lake Oka Boji, Electric Park Ballroom in Waterloo, Hawk Ballroom in Iowa City, Checkerboard
Ballroom in Prairie Du Chien, WI., Gayla Ballroom in Independence, and Swisher Ballroom in Swisher. They also played at several school dances in Chicago, IL. They played
at Harolds Club in Peoria IL., Parsons College in Fairfield, IA., and Ottumwa Heights College in Ottumwa, IA.
 
From L to R: Vern Sandersfeld, Sidney Moore,
From L to R: James Moore, Walt "Dean"
James Moore, Roy Cadwell, Walt "Dean" Cheney
Cheney, Roy Cadwell, Vern Sandersfeld,
Sidney Moore
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