The Dearly Beloved (band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1963 in Tucson, Arizona, United States |
| Founder | Terry Lee, Tom Walker, Shep Cooke, Pete Schuyler |
| Defunct | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Tucson , United States |
| Products | Music recordings, singles, albums |
The Dearly Beloved were a garage rock ensemble hailing from Tucson, Arizona, originally performing under the name the Intruders. They began their career as an instrumental surf rock outfit but incorporated vocals after the British Invasion influenced their style. Following the release of their initial single as the Intruders, they briefly adopted the moniker Quinstrels before finally settling on the Dearly Beloved. Alongside fellow Tucson band the Grodes, they emerged as one of the city's premier groups, scoring a local chart-topping hit and drawing interest from major labels such as Columbia Records. Despite gaining some national radio exposure, they were unable to maintain momentum for widespread success. Their recordings continue to hold value among collectors of garage rock and psychedelic music.
Origins
Established in 1963 in Tucson, Arizona—a city with a thriving music environment influenced by its Air Force base and university community—the band initially called themselves the Intruders. The founding members were Terry Lee and Tom Walker on guitars, Shep Cooke handling bass duties, and Pete Schuyler on drums. They started out playing instrumental surf music inspired by the Ventures but incorporated vocalist Larry Cox after the Beatles' impact transformed popular tastes. Winning a local battle of the bands earned them a recording contract with Gallantry Records, whose studio was situated in the proprietor’s home.
Their first single, "Every Time It's You," backed with "Let Me Stay," was issued on Gallantry in 1964. By this time, the Intruders had established themselves as one of Tucson’s leading bands alongside the Grodes. In 1965, they released two singles on manager Dan Peters' Moxie label: first "Then I'd Know" with "My Name" as the B-side, followed by the fuzz-laden "Why Me" backed by "Now She's Gone." Due to legal issues concerning their name, they switched to the Quinstrels, releasing "I've Got a Girl" b/w "Tell Her" in 1966 at Audio Sound Recorders in Phoenix. Shortly thereafter, local KTKT DJ Dan Gates encouraged them to adopt a new name: the Dearly Beloved.
As the Dearly Beloved
Under Gates’ guidance, the band recorded his composition "Peep Peep Pop Pop" at Audio Sound. Although reluctant about the song, they were persuaded it would highlight their talents. They selected Dearly Beloved as their new name, inspired by a book title despite initial hesitations.
The single, paired with "Is it Better," was released on the Boyd label based in New Mexico in July 1966. A printing mistake led to the label listing them as "the Beloved Ones." The track dominated Tucson radio charts throughout that summer, becoming the city’s top-selling single and holding the #1 spot locally for several weeks. Boyd’s label owner Bobby Boyd negotiated a buyout with Columbia Records, which reissued the record in September. It received moderate airplay nationally and nearly cracked Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. On Dick Clark's American Bandstand during the "Rate a Record" segment, it was preferred over Count Five's "Psychotic Reaction." However, Columbia’s limited pressing numbers restricted broader commercial success. The Dearly Beloved played frequently in Tucson and Los Angeles venues including Sunset Strip hotspots such as Gazzari's and the Hullaballoo.
Columbia organized an album recording session in Los Angeles where the group tracked twenty songs over three days. Dissatisfied with the outcome, Columbia shelved the album; only the single "Wait 'Till Mornin'," penned by Tom Walker, saw release in September 1966. Frustrated by insufficient promotion, the band initiated legal action to terminate their contract and were eventually freed from it. Drummer Pete Schuyler departed amid these difficulties and was succeeded by Rick Mellinger from the Grodes.
Tragedy and final phase
In 1967, the group made their way back to Los Angeles to serve as the opening act for the Leaves and obtained a recording deal with White Whale Records. Lead vocalist Larry Cox was due to be married the following morning in Tucson. After their performance, the band departed at 3:00 a.m. for the journey home. Unfortunately, the designated driver fell asleep behind the wheel, resulting in a fatal accident near Yuma, Arizona, on July 3, 1967, which claimed Cox's life instantly. His passing nullified the White Whale contract, which stipulated the participation of the original members. Not long before his death, Cox had penned "Merry Go Round," a track reflecting on mortality. The band collaborated with Split Sound Records to release "Merry Go Round"—featuring Jim Perry on vocals—as the B-side to "Flight 13," sung by Terry Lee; this single achieved regional success. Shortly after, bassist Shep Cooke departed to join Linda Ronstadt's Stone Poneys. Following Cooke's exit, the band gradually disintegrated and ultimately ceased activity.
After dissolution
Post-breakup, Tom Walker and Shep Cooke continued their musical endeavors professionally. Walker became part of Butterscotch (later Jon Sorrow), contributing to the soundtrack of Hells Angels '69 and collaborating with country group Sunset Limited. In 1970, Cooke established the Floating House Band alongside former Stone Poneys member Bobby Kimmel, as well as Andrew Gold and Kit Alderson. He appeared on recordings with Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, and Tom Waits, in addition to releasing four solo albums: Shep Cooke, Concert Tour of Mars, Live at McCabe's, and Everyday Hero. Cooke also participated in albums by Chuck Wagon and the Wheels. Pete Schuyler enlisted in the Marines and pursued a career in electronics; Rick Mellinger advanced to director of respiratory therapy at University of Arizona Medical Center while maintaining musical involvement; Terry Lee embarked on a prosperous architecture career in Tucson. Tom Walker passed away on July 20, 2007.
In 2005, several founding members briefly reunited. The Dearly Beloved’s recordings are esteemed among garage rock enthusiasts. Voxx Records issued a comprehensive LP anthology titled after the band in 1985. Their 1967 track "Flight 13" was re-released on the Pebbles Box LP (Ubik Records) and the Trash Box CD (Hit Records). Bacchus Archives issued a combined anthology in 1997 featuring The Dearly Beloved alongside the Grodes under the title Let's Talk About Girls: Music From Tucson 1964–1968.
Around 1963–1964
- Terry Lee (guitar)
- Tom Walker (guitar)
- Shep Cooke (bass)
- Pete Schuyler (drums)
- Del Livingston
Around 1964–1966
- Larry Cox (lead vocals)
- Terry Lee (guitar and vocals)
- Tom Walker (guitar)
- Shep Cooke (bass)
- Pete Schuyler (drums)
Around 1966–1967
- Larry Cox (lead vocals)
- Terry Lee (guitar and vocals)
- Tom Walker (guitar)
- Shep Cooke (bass)
- Rick Mellinger (drums)
Around 1967
- Terry Lee (lead vocals and guitar)
- Tom Walker (guitar)
- Shep Cooke (bass)
- Rick Mellinger (drums)
As the Intruders
- "Every Time It's You" b/w "Let Me Stay" (Lee) (Gallantry, 1964; Galaxy 745–300, 1964)
- "Then I'd Know" b/w "My Name" (Lee) (Moxie 101, April 1965)
- "Why Me" b/w "Now She's Gone" (Lee) (Moxie 104, 1965)
Under the Name Quinstrels
- "I've Got a Girl" paired with "Tell Her" (Lee) (Moxie 105, 1966)
Performing as the Dearly Beloved
- "Pee Peep Pop Pop" backed with "It is Better" (Boyd 157, July 1966; Columbia 43797, September 1966)
- "Wait 'Till the Mornin'" (Walker) coupled with "You Ain't Gonna Do What You Did to Him to Me" (Walker) (Columbia 43959, January 1967)
- "Flight 13" (Lee/Lee) accompanied by "Merry Go Round" (L Cox) (Split Sound, 1967)