the King's English

Dayton, 1965-6

The King’s English was a 4 piece, self contained vocal group band formed at the University of Dayton in September of 1965. Their four part vocals had them singing The Beatles Songbook and the best of the 50’s and 60’s pop hits. DooWop to The Mercy Beat… they sang it all! 

The band consisted of Joey DiGrazia from NYC (drums-lead vocals), Glenn Dryden from Detroit (lead guitar-vocals), Bobby Calzetta from Long Island (bass guitar-vocal) and Bob Miele from Long Island (rhythm guitar-vocals). The band recorded a local mid-western hit, “Could Be Bad/Toys In Her Attic”, on the Prism Label. Former Nashville producer, Floyd Whitehead, owned this record label which recorded much of southern Ohio’s top rock bands of the 60’s. The band toured from 1965 through1966 with Dayton being their hub.

In the summer of 1966, the band made it’s way to New York City, where they auditioned for RCA, in the Warwick Hotel “Beatle Suite”. They were offered a recording contract on the spot! The group was about to record when college, the war and just life got in the way. 

Even though they never got to achieve “The Top 40”, the band continues to perform for baby-boomers, senior facilities and many alumni events for the University of Dayton, throughout the country. They just celebrated 52 years as a band! The power of friendship and music is a magical force! The King’s English Forever!

Thanks to  Joey DiGrazia for writing the band bio! Editors note - they were interviewed in 1966 on WWST radio in Wooster. No trace of their interview is known to survive, but they are mentioned as the next weeks' guest on a WWST interview of the Es-Shades.