The Shades of Blue (Danville)

Rick Miller, Cloyd Shank, Mike Supp, Tim Frazier, Chuck Olmsted

The Shades of Blue were a group of fun-loving college students from Danville, Illinois.  They recorded two singles in the late 1960's and have the distinction of being one of the first bands to be managed by Irving Azoff.

While attending Danville High School, several of the members were in an earlier group known as the Avengers.  They eventually changed their name to the Coachmen.  The band was managed by their friend and fellow classmate, Irving Azoff.  According to Shades of Blue guitarist Tim Frazier, "I believe he wanted to play (with us), but he couldn't sing or play, so we made him our manager."  The Coachmen stayed together until 1966.  The Shades of Blue formed later that year.

Early members of the Shades included Rick Miller, drums; Tim Frazier, guitar; Mike Supp, keyboards; Cloyd Shank, guitar and Bruce Collins on bass.   Most of the members could sing and took turns on lead vocals.

Before the end of 1966, Tim Frazier left the group temporarily.  The others continued on as a four-piece for a few months.

Christmas 1966: Bruce Collins, Rick Miller, Cloyd Shank and Mike Supp

Frazier rejoined the band by the Spring of 1967.

Bruce Collins, Rick Miller, Tim Frazier, Mike Supp and Cloyd Shank

Not long after Frazier's return, Bruce Collins was replaced by Chuck Olmsted who had moved to Danville from Urbana, Illinois.  At the time of the lineup change, Frazier switched to bass with Olmsted taking over on lead guitar.

Shades Of Blue on stage with Irving Azoff in crowd, facing camera

In the summer of 1967 the Shades of Blue won the "Battle of the Bands" contest at the Eastern Illinois Fair in Danville.   According to Tim Frazier their victory was a sure thing.  "I can't remember whom we played against, but it could have been The Stones and we still would have won.  We found out later that Irving paid the judges off."  Their prize was a free recording session.

On September 29, 1967 the Shades of Blue recorded two songs in Roger Francisco's basement studio in Urbana, Illinois.  All of the band members at the time were students at Danville Junior College (now Danville Area Community College).

Danville Commercial-News, November 2, 1967

Their first single was available by November 1967.  It included the original tune, "That's Not The Way Love Should Be," written by Frazier and Shank.  The flipside was a cover of "You Must Believe Me," originally done by the Impressions and covered by the Hollies, among others.  The record was released on the Shades label, a custom product of RoFran Enterprises.

 

The group continued to perform throughout eastern Illinois and parts of Indiana at school dances and teen clubs.  In Danville, they played regularly at the Navy Club and the YMCA.

St. Paul's Gymnasium, July 1967

They also opened for Chicago area bands that passed through town, such as the Shadows of Knight, New Colony Six, the Cryan' Shames, the Mauds and many others.

In late December 1968, the Shades of Blue traveled to Chess Studios in Chicago where they recorded "The Time Of My Life," a song written by Tim Frazier (miscredited on the record as Tom Frazier), as well as a cover of the Byrds' rendition of "Turn Turn Turn."  The record was released on the Shades label in early 1969.

 

After the 1969 school year, most of the band members transferred to Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois.  During that period, the group went through another lineup change.  Mike Supp had already left the group and Rick Miller was the next to depart.  They were replaced by Bill Cunningham on keyboards and Danny Odum on drums.

Cunningham had previously been a member of another Danville group, The Villagers, whereas Odum had been a member of the Cobras, also from Danville.  In 1966, Odum and the Cobras released a single on Danville's own Milky Way Records, "Try" / "Good Bye."  Most of the band were still in junior high at the time.

 

The Shades of Blue carried on for a few more years around the campus of ISU.  By early 1971, Cunningham, Odum and Olmsted had formed a new group at ISU called America, Inc.  Odum briefly joined Head East in September 1971 before being drafted the next year.  Later on, both Danny Odum and Tim Frazier went on to play with Willard Cratchelow at different times.  Odum eventually joined back up with Head East around 1980.

In the early 2000's, members of the Shades of Blue reunited and performed in Danville as part of a benefit concert.  Guitarist Cloyd Shank passed way in 2016.

Shades Of Blue at the Vermilion County Airport, 1967

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You can read Tim Frazier's full interview with the now-defunct 60sgaragebands.com: HERE