The Night People (Olney)

Melvin Knoblett, Larry Dressback, Michael Warnelis, Jim Housley and Charlie Broussard

The Night People were a 1960's rock group from Olney Illinois.  The band included Michael Warnelis of Olney on vocals, Melvin Knoblett of Robinson on guitar and backing vocals, Larry Dressback of Newton on bass and backing vocals, Jim Housley of Olney on drums and Charlie Broussard from South Carolina on keyboards.  All of the band members, except for Knoblett, were students at Olney Community College at the time.  Knoblett attended Eastern Illinois University.  Kelly Walker, also of Olney, was the band's manager.  He also played tambourine with the group during a few live performances.  

Mt. Vernon Register-News, July 21, 1966

The group performed around southern Illinois for several years at various teen venues such as the Teen Tower in Oblong, Teen Town in Carmi, Teen Beat in Mount Vernon, and the Cellar in Olney (which was partially owned by their manager). The Night People also had regular gigs at the Crystal Club in Effingham where their music, according to one advertisement, was promoted as "the Liverpool Sound." The group even performed at Elsie's in Sigel, a country music bar that had rock music on Saturdays for the college crowd.

In 1967, the group recorded their only single at Crusade Studios in Flora, Illinois:  The original "Ain't Gonna Happen" backed with a cover of Wilson Pickett's "Midnight Hour."  The 45 was "presented" by Tuggie Records.

 

The song "Ain't Gonna Happen" is credited to Knoblett and Warnelis.  According to a comment left on YouTube by Mike Warnelis, "I was the lead singer and had a head cold which is my excuse for the nasal sound.  The song was about, partially based, a off and on again girlfriend of mine who cheated on me."  Warnelis and Knoblett wrote at least one additional song together, a ballad called "Tell Me You Love Me."  Unfortunately, the group did not record it.

By 1969, Larry Dressback and Melvin Knoblett had been drafted into the Army.  The group continued on without them for a brief period of time but did not last too much longer.  Like so many groups of the era, the Vietnam War put an end to The Night People. 

Sixty years later, Melvin Knoblett is still writing songs, playing guitar and performing in Alabama.  Listen below to his song about the fun they used to have, back in the "Good Ole Days," while playing music in the 1960's.

On his website, Knoblett shared an alternative mix of "Ain't Gonna Happen" which includes harmonica and backing vocals not heard on the single.

  

Also, Knoblett recorded a solo version of "Tell Me You Love Me," the song he wrote with Michael Warnelis in 1967.  He re-titled the song "Always Be My Girl."

 

Sadly, Michael Warnelis died on June 23, 2018.  Larry Dressback passed away on March 20, 2008.