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Dayton Sidewinders


Dayton, 1969-75

The Dayton Sidewinders were another band in the first wave of Dayton funk, starting around 1968/9. The band leader was sax/flute player Carl Cowen. Other members included organ/keyboard player Dean Hummons, guitarist/singer Ricky Earl, Harold Smith, and Paul Brooks. Cowen was playing in local jazz groups going back to the early 1960s. 

Unlike most of their peers, they didn't get any record company offers, so Carl Cowen came up with the Carlco label to release 45s. The band recorded 5 45s at Cybertekniks over a period of about 5 years. Some of the songs were their own songs, mostlyinstrumentals. They did an instrumental version of the War classic "Slipping Into Darkness" and covered a fairly obscure song written and recorded by Willard Burton, "Funky In Here". They also do the Beatles' "Something",  the Jim Webb/Glen Campbell smash "By the Time I Get To Phoenix", and "Oh Me Oh My (I'm A Fool For Baby)", a big hit for Lulu. All the records had local sales. "Funky In Here" was listed as #4 on the WDAO chart for late October 1972.

Dayton had a lot of public events, such as outdoor concerts and community benefits in the early 1970s. The Sidewinders played a number of them. A couple from 1973 were a Black teenage beauty pageant and Dayton holiday festival in November. A 1970 Summer In The Park event had them co-billed with the London Fog and Continentals, and two orchestras.

The 45s are highly regarded in the collector scene. In 2002 a collection of 8 of their songs - nothing unreleased - was issued by the Funkadelphia label with the band's cooperation. The LP includes a history of the band.

There is one other Carlco 45 with Ace Davis listed as the artist. The backing band on that record were Sunnygoodge Street.

Discography:
Heavenly Love / Funky Chicken Stew -  Carlco 101, R-25943/4
Something / Your The One I Need - Carlco 102, Sept 1970
Go Ahead On / Phoenix - Carlco 103, July 1971
Funky In Here / Oh Me Oh My (I'm A Fool For You  Baby) - Carlco 4507, Sept 1972 (All copies seem to have the band name stamped on with silver/white ink)
Let's Go Down To Funksville / Slippin' Into Darkness - Carlco no #, Oct 1974 (credited to Mr G, The Dayton Sidewinders Band)