When the Iowa teens of the 60's tried to define the term "Blue Eyed Soul," one group came to mind - Lincoln Reed and The Houserockers.
The Houserockers were formed in the fall of 1966, by the merging of two area bands, The Cavemen from Goodell and Clarion, Iowa, and The Insex from Eagle Grove, Iowa.
The five/six man act consisted of Denny Read-vocals, Pat Sweeny-lead guitar, Owen "Otis" Sweeny-drums, Scott Thompson-bass, Mike Sheriff-rhythm guitar, and Donnie Stark-keyboards. Donnie Stark left the band early on and was replaced by Mark Lickteig. In the fall of 1967, Scott Thompson left to join The Spartans, and Mike Sheriff switched to bass.
Lincoln Reed was a stage name for Denny Read, and it was a catchy one at that. The group was a top draw in Central Iowa, as well as being especially popular in Ames and Des Moines.
They took part in two recording sessions. One at the famed Ter-Mar Studios in Chicago in May of 1968, that produced "I'm So Glad/Funky Otis", which unfortunately was never released.
They also recorded again in 1969 at Ter-Mar, that produced "Peace of Mind/Watch Out Love" on the Heavy Label (Heavy 101) with Chuck Singleton from Des Moines on lead vocals.
Singleton had replaced Read, who enlisted in the Navy when threatened with the Vietnam-era draft. This recording reached P4 on Des Moines KIOA's Top 40 play list. This is a great soul 45 for any collection.
The group was managed by then ISU student, Charlie Walker. Walker was quite successful in getting the group known statewide. Today, Walker serves on the Board of Directors and is legal counsel for the Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association.
The group was known for its strong stage presence which included choreography, tight instrumentation, and killer vocals.
It's with great pride we introduce the Iowa Rock 'n Roll Music Association's 1999 Hall of Fame inductees - Lincoln Reed and The Houserockers.
