'Pamela Rose' Recalls The Jolly Beggars
The Jolly Beggars played street dances, high school dances and an occasional fraternity party at Cornell University in nearby Ithaca, New York. While performing at a street dance in Midtown Plaza in Elmira, they were noticed by a local songwriter and music producer. Mike Ocello asked The Jolly Beggars if they would be interested in playing some of his songs. ‘Last Step of Doom’ and ‘Don’t Walk On Me’ became the focus of the group’s practice sessions in Jack’s basement at his Elmira Heights home. After The Jolly Beggars had perfected the songs, Mike set up a date with audio engineer Mike Riposo at Riposo’s Recording Studios in Syracuse, New York. The group cut the two songs on September 10, 1966. The record label was named “Pamela Rose” after Mike’s younger sister.
Three hundred copies were pressed. Local radio stations repeatedly played ‘Last Step of Doom’ and received a flood of phone calls from people wanting to know where they could buy a copy. Three hundred 45s were gone in a week and a half. One radio station owner took the record to a music industry executive in New York City, but The Jolly Beggars had a sound that was too original—a sound that would later be called punk rock. The vice president of a top record company had let gold slip through his hands.
The Jolly Beggars continued performing until several members of the group were drafted and sent to the Vietnam War. Jack passed away from leukemia at the age of 19. Bart moved to California and passed away in the 1990s of cancer. Harry moved to Florida and is currently a machinist. George still lives in the Elmira area and runs a copy machine business. Mark also lives in the Elmira area and is studying to be a Pastor. Could this be a familiar refrain? Maybe his church will be the place where two teenagers meet and talk about forming a band.
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