Cryan' Shames

The Cryan' Shames is an American garage rock group from Hinsdale, Illinois. They originally formed as The Travelers, with founding members Tom Doody ("Toad"), Gerry Stone ("Stonehenge"), Dave Purple ("Grape") of The Prowlers, Denny Conroy and Jim Fairs from The Roosters, Jim Pilster ("J.C. Hooke", so named because he was born without a left hand and wore a hook), and Bill Hughes. In 1966, upon learning that another band already had the name The Travelers, they needed to find another name; J.C. Hooke remarked that their difficulty in doing so was "a cryan' shame," and thus named the band.

After signing with Bob Monaco, the promotion manager for Destination Music, their first hit single was "If I Needed Someone", which was not released in the US (but included on their debut album). It was soon followed by "Sugar and Spice," a Tony Hatch song that was a hit in 1963 (everywhere but in the US) for the English group The Searchers. The Shames' version reached #49 in the USA (while reaching #4 on local radio WLS).

They signed to Columbia in 1966, and while they never were to become a national success, their singles and albums continued to sell well in the Chicago area.

The group disbanded in December 1969, but reunited again and continues to tour. Jim "J.C. Hooke" Pilster and Tom Doody (Toad) are the only remaining original members in the current lineup. Two members of The Cryan' Shames have since died: bassist Dave Purple in June 2001, and his replacement Isaac Guillory, on December 31, 2000.

Past members    
Tom Doody
Jim Pilster
Gerry Stone
Dave Purple
Denny Conroy
James Fairs
Lenny Kerley
Isaac Guillory
Dave Carter
Alan Dawson
Bob Stroud
Ron Kaplan
Ron Brandt
Larry Coveny
Tim Rutter
Ted Kalamatas

Discography: