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THE "CLIFFS NOTES" VERSION...
Formed in 1965, the now
legendary California band, PAPA DOO RUN RUN, quickly discovered their forte -
they sounded like the Beach Boys! That sound led them to surf music icons,
Jan & Dean, and from 1976-80 Papa toured North America with the duo. In the
80s Papa graduated from J&D to the Beach Boys, and toured and recorded with
members of that band throughout the next 2 decades. The group also had
an unprecedented 15-year run as the "Celebrity House Band" at Disneyland from
1975-90!
Papa’s 1975 Top 40 hit “Be
True To Your School” reached No. 1 in California. Their ground breaking CD
“California Project” (1985) exploded onto the Billboard Hot 100
Chart at no. 17 and earned the band their second Gold Record and a Grammy
Nomination. Additionally, Papa Doo Run Run appeared in, and recorded the
soundtrack album for the CBS-TV movie “Deadman’s Curve”. The band currently
has 10 CD releases and a full length DVD.
Today, Papa Doo Run Run
still averages about 100 dates a year, worldwide. Their act encompasses all
the great Classic Rock hits of the 60's and 70's, with a special emphasis on
their award winning re-creation of the hits of the Beach Boys. Their best
kept secret... Papa Doo Run Run is who the Beach Boys call when they
need someone to fill in in their band.
Want to know more? - Read on.
THE WHOLE STORY...
The year was 1965. The air was clean, music was refreshingly innocent,
and in Cupertino California, a small, pre-silicon valley town just south of
San Francisco near Santa Cruz, 4 high school buddies (Don Zirilli, Jim Rush,
Steve Dromensk, and Jim Shippey) got together to form a garage band. This
was not just any garage band - this band was special. They would succeed
where others would fail - they would continue where others would die off.
They had a focus where other bands just rambled. They wore suits! They
believed that "good enough" never is. They practiced their 4 part harmony
until their throats bled - and it paid off.
WHERE WE GOT OUR NAME...
From 1965-71 the band had 3 name changes. They started out as "the ZU",
then "GOODIE TWO SHOES", and finally "Papa Du Run Da Run", and later
shortened to "PAPA DOO RUN RUN", (their name derived from the background
line of Jan & Dean's New Girl in School). PAPA established a solid
performance schedule, playing as many as 200 dates a year, covering North
America and two other continents, and a ton of island resorts.
(Photo - John Boren)
During their humble beginnings in the 60's and 70's, PAPA DOO RUN RUN
performed at nearly every high school and college in California. Some of
PAPA's opening acts in the early days included Van Halen and the Doobie
Brothers, when those bands were still in
their garage band phase.
WHERE WE GOT OUR ACT...
In 1971 the band (performing as Goodie Two Shoes) literally stumbled into
their "beach party" format. They were doing their "top 40" act (Beatles,
Doors, Animals, Chicago, etc.) opening the show for Tower of Power. Tower
was late, so the promoter asked the band to do another 30 minutes. The
"Shoes" launched into a gigantic medley of Beach Boys' tunes that they had
played around with in the garage, but never dared to perform in public (to quote Jimi Hendrix "Surf music id dead!". The BB's were about as OUT in 1971 as they could get). Well, the place erupted
- the audience went nuts - surf music was apparently still alive, and Papa Du Run Da Run was born.
The boys spent the next few months honing their act and perfecting their
"surf" chops, and in late 1971 booked some "test" gigs to be sure the new
format they accidentally found was not just a one time fluke. On some of
those "test" gigs, the band actually opened for themselves, coming out as
Goodie Two Shoes to open the show, then following a costume and set change,
headlining as Papa Du Run Da Run. The "test" gigs were a rousing success,
and Goodie Two Shoes was shortly there after laid to rest in favor of PDRDR.
In the early 70's PAPA got into the club circuit. They played all the hot
spots in California, Reno, Tahoe, and Vegas. The band was a regular at
Harrah's Tahoe and Reno doing some 12 weeks a year there!
(Photo - Henry Grambergu)
DEAN TORRENCE, BRUCE JOHNSTON, NEW BLOOD...
In 1973 they met and got to be friends with Dean Torrence (Jan & Dean).
Dean would occasionally come out to PAPA's concerts and sit in with the
band, adding some legendary credibility to their act. By 1975, Stevie Surf,
wanting to go in a more comedic direction, left the band to form a musical
comedy act. Two new guitar player / vocalists, Mark Ward, and Jim Armstrong
would join PAPA to replace Steve. The "new blood" in the band brought a new
youthful energy to the group, that was evidenced after their very first
concert together, July 4th 1975, in Palm Springs, CA. That concert was followed
by a series of shows at cheerleader camps throughout California. Suddenly
the band was more popular than ever.
BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL...
Dean was amazed with PAPA's popularity surge, and brought his friend,
Beach Boy, Bruce Johnston to a sold out concert at the Santa Cruz Civie
Auditorium. Bruce and Dean both joined the band on stage that night. Bruce
was so taken with the band that he produced PAPA's first single on RCA,
Be True To Your School.
Be True...
made the top 40 charts nationally, and NO. 1 in California, and earned PAPA
"KAHUNA" status among the veteran surf legends of the day.
(Photos - Alan Matre)
1977 - Mark, Jimmy D, Jimi-Jo, Krazy
Jim, Donnie. 1978 - Papa's
bassist Jim Rush at a Fresno State Concert
DISNEYLAND...
The flip side of Be True... was a song called Disney
Girls which opened the door to what was to become a 15 year
relationship with "the happiest place on earth" - Disneyland! PAPA played their first gig
at Disneyland in 1975, opening the show for Bo Donaldson and the Haywoods
on the old Tomorrowland "Rainbow" stage. The band was well known in the
Southern California / Orange County area, having played at nearly every high
school and college there several times over the past decade, so it was no
surprise when hundreds of their local fans came out to see them at
Disneyland. The reaction and size of the teenage throng was overwhelming,
and PAPA DOO RUN RUN was asked back - the next time to headline their own
show! The band formed a tight relationship with Disney, and wound up
performing at Disneyland and Disneyworld every summer, holiday, and special
event, as "Disneyland's Celebrity House Band" for the next 15 years!
(Photo - Vicki Pancino)
Brian Wilson would occasionally come out to "jam with the band" on the
Tomorrowland Stage. In fact, one memorable night PAPA had Brian and Carl
Wilson, Dean Torrence, (Jan & Dean) and half of the Beach Boys back-up band,
all on stage jamming with them.
THE MID 70'S AND THE JAN & DEAN CONNECTION...
PAPA DOO RUN RUN is the band responsible for reuniting Jan & Dean a
decade after Jan’s fateful car accident (1966) put an abrupt end to their
careers. In the early part of 1976, PAPA was appearing at the world famous
Palomino Club in Hollywood, and Dean Torrence was on hand, sitting in with
the band. Unbeknownst to PAPA, Jan Berry was in the audience. Dean spotted
him and called him up to the stage, but Jan was reluctant. So after a
minute or two of the overflow audience chanting "Jan & Dean...Jan & Dean!"
he made his way to the stage, despite his lingering disabilities from his
decade old accident. PAPA then launched into a series of Jan & Dean hits,
capping the set off with J&D's prophetic "Deadman's Curve". The audience
went bananas over the unbelievable reunion that just took place.
(Photo: Greg Clevenger)
The next day, there was a write up on the front page of Variety Magazine
(the entertainment industry Bible at the time), with a headline that read:
"Jan & Dean Return from Deadman's Curve" Well, the phones started ringing -
agents from all over calling to book Jan & Dean and Papa Doo Run Run. A
"test" mini-tour of the Pacific Northwest was planned, that covered 5 or 6
cities in a 2 week motor home tour. Those concerts were a rousing success,
prompting Jan & Dean to hire management, and an agent, who would
subsequently book the act (with PDRR) throughout J&D's come-back glory
years, (some say their finest years 1976-80), for 4 major concert tours
across the U.S. and parts of Canada.
DEADMAN'S CURVE...
The success of those initial concert dates led to the CBS-TV docudrama "Deadman's
Curve - the story of Jan & Dean", recounting the rise, fall, and rise again
of the legendary duo, in which PAPA appeared and for which they recorded
the musical soundtrack.
(Photo: Margie Dorr)
(Photo: Margie Dorr)
At the end of their 1980 tour, PAPA and J&D parted ways. After 5 years
of touring with the duo PAPA needed to explore other recording and
performance adventures, aside from being Jan & Dean's opening act and
back-up band. Mark and Jimmy D. decided to stay with Jan & Dean and were
replaced with Stevie Surf (returning after a 5 year hiatus), and guitarist
Steve Barone, and a new direction for PAPA DOO RUN RUN was launched.
The band continued performing as Disney's favorite band. In addition to
performing with PAPA, Donnie, and Jimi-Jo, plus former bandmate, Jimmy D,
and yet to be bandmates, Bo Fox and Jeffrey Foskett, would also perform with
Mike Love (Beach Boys) as the "Endless Summer Beach Band" throughout the
80's. (Jeffrey was also performing at the time with the Beach Boys
(1980-1990).
(Photo -Paula (Seitz) La Chance) (Photo - Riley Gaynor)
A NEW RECORD DEAL...
Between 1981 and '84 PAPA released several singles and an EP, all of
which received a respectable amount of airplay, but especially in the
Southern California area where the band was becoming "California's Band". In
1984, Krazy Jim Shippey left the band and struck gold selling real estate in
the San Diego area. He was replaced by ace drummer Andy Parker.
HANDS ACROSS AMERICA... Papa's California
Music was the focal point at the West Coast celebration and termination
point of Hands Across America. Sharing the stage and jamming with the band
were numerous celebrities, including, John Stamos, Lyle Alzado, and Kenny
Loggins.
(Photos: Margie Zirilli)
(Photo: Don Zirilli)
STAMOS...
In the early 80's, John Stamos was just another good looking kid hanging
out at Disneyland. Being there night after night, he and the band got to be
friends. Then in the mid 80's John's popularity as an actor took off. He
landed a role on "General Hospital" and became a serious Teen Idol. In the
mid '80s the band teamed up with John (prior to starring in Full
House, and ER), for a series of concerts and fair dates. Through PAPA,
John got to be friends with and eventually became the celebrity drummer for
the Beach Boys.
(Photos - Margie Zirilli)
KINGS OF CORPORATE...
The 80's also saw PAPA's original 60's/70's audience growing into
prominent businessmen and women. Those kids who cut their teeth on PAPA DOO
RUN RUN were now running major corporations - and they remembered the great
times they had growing up with the band. PAPA began performing at private
corporate events, conferences, and conventions - the untapped gold mine that
other bands had yet to discover. They became the "Kings of Corporate",
doing up to 150 corporate dates a year, worldwide - and at every one of them
someone would come up and say "Hey! You guys played at my high school." or
"I danced to you guys at Disneyland!" It's unbelievable how many lives PAPA
DOO RUN RUN's music has touched over the years.
TWO NEW FACES...
The early 90's saw another personnel change. One of PAPA's original
founding members (Stevie Surf) left the band and was replaced by Donnie's
brother-in-law, Jeffrey Foskett, who for the past 10 years (1980-90) was the
high voice and guitarist in the Beach Boys. A couple of years later,
drummer, Andy, left the band and was replaced by Bo Fox. "We first met Bo
and Jeffrey in the 80's when touring with Mike Love". Bo subsequently moved
on to tour with Jimmy Buffett and the Eagles before joining PAPA.
(Photo
- Al Nassar)
A NEW LIVE CD...
The mid 90's arrived and the band decided that it was about time for
another CD - it had been nearly a decade since the last one! They thought
about doing something that was a little more representative of their live
show. What better way to do that, than with a LIVE album. Over the next year
PAPA recorded and honed down the material that would go into their new
album. Then, toward the end of 1995, they did some studio tweaking, and
released IT'S ALIVE! (Blue Pacific Records).
BRIAN...
In 1999, Jeffrey was recruited by Brian Wilson, to be a part of his
touring band. In his sporadic absence, he was replaced by Jan & Dean band
member, Randell Kirsch, who, had played with Bo and Jeff's band in college,
and since then had toured, performed, and recorded with just about every
legendary 60's/70's pop star from the Beach Boys, to the Byrds.
THIRTY FIVE - AND COUNTING...
The year 2000 marked the 35th anniversary of the band, so to celebrate
their history the band put together a retrospective CD. Archeology XXXV
(Blue Pacific Records), a collection of some rare tracks, and some of
PAPA's historical singles and EP cuts was released in the summer of that
year. It turned out to be a true collector's item and a heavy seller at
Amazon.com.
AN ORIGINAL ANTHEM TO SANTA CRUZ...
Throughout the band's 35 year history, their fans have always clamored
for more original songs, and once every few years, they would come up with
something worthy of being played to a live audience, but in 2001 the band
undertook the task of recording an ALL ORIGINAL album, and in the summer of
2001 released Santa Cruz (Blue Pacific Records). Most of the tunes
on this critically acclaimed album are anthems to Santa Cruz and surfing,
reliving some great old memories from the band's youth in their former
stomping ground. It's one of their proudest accomplishments.
ANOTHER FORMER BEACH BOY JOINS PAPA...
In the Spring of 2004, Papa Doo Run Run was proud to announce the most
recent addition to their line-up - Adrian Baker, who for the past 20 years
was the high voice and guitarist in the Beach Boys. Papa actually traded
Randell to the Beach Boys for Adrian, much like ball teams trade players.
During his tenure with the Beach Boys, Adrian was also in Frankie Valli's
band (Four Seasons). His smooth, powerful falsetto is the perfect
compliment to Papa's rich vocal sound. SYMPHONY DATES
Today, in addition to performing at corporate dates, festivals, concerts, etc., as they always have, Papa Doo Run Run is exploring new frontiers. In 2008 they did their first live symphony performance with the 87 piece Pacific Symphony, in Irvine CA to a sold out crowd of 18,000 people. That event gave birth to a whole new set of opportunities for PDRR. Since that initial symphony date, the band has performed with orchestras all across the country. It's the same music they've always played, but now with dozens of guys playing strings and horns along with them, and audiences are loving
it. They are literally out of their seats, dancing in the aisles. And orchestras are loving the excitement the audiences generate. One symphony director explained the phenomenon this way... "Papa still has the same Baby Boomer core audience that they've always had, but now the Boomers are in their 50's and 60's. They still want to hear the music they grew up with, but going to clubs with their kids is out, and going to "day-on-the-green" type concerts is not something people their age do. But... going to a symphony show that's playing "their music" is respectable, and they can bring their kids
(and grandkids). It's a win-win deal. And now instead of stinking like beer and cigarettes after a concert, they can stink like champagne and cigars."
EPILOG...
Over the years, PAPA DOO RUN RUN has appeared in concert with such
luminaries as Roy Orbison, Fleetwood Mac, Kenny Loggins, Chicago, Jimmy
Buffett, and a zillion other huge names. Their most notable performances include two Olympics, seven Super Bowls, and two Inaugurations, and most recently they have been performing live with symphony orchestras around the country. There's nothing like hearing the sound of a full orchestra backing Papa Doo's music.
(Photo - Rocky Romero)
PAPA DOO RUN RUN today is (L-R): Bobby "G" Gothar - guitar and vocals
(performed with such legendary country greats as Merle Haggard, Lee
Greenwood, and Charlie Daniels); Jim Rush - bass and vocals (1965 founding
member); Jeffrey Foskett - guitar and vocals (member of the Beach Boys
1980-90, now performs with Brian Wilson in addition to PDRR); Adrian Baker -
guitar and vocals who joined PAPA after his 20 year stint performing with
the Beach Boys and Frankie Valli; Don Zirilli - keyboards and vocals
(another original member since 1965); and Bo Fox, drums and vocals (a long
time friend who toured with Jimmy Buffett, Mike Love, and the Eagles
throughout the '80s).
PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT...
PAPA's 4 decades of accomplishments can be summed up in the seven little
words in the band's mantra... "We never had to get real jobs!"
On October 19, 2007, PAPA DOO RUN RUN was honored to be inducted into the
N California / Silicon Valley Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
PDRR's TEN ALBUMS...
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