The Box Tops

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This day-by-day diary of The Box Tops' live, studio, broadcasting and private activities is the result of three decades of research and interview work by Bruno Ceriotti, but without the significant contributions by other kindred spirits this diary would not have been possible. So, I would like to thank all the people who, in one form or another, contributed to this timeline: Bill Cunningham, Russ Caccamisi, Danny Smythe (RIP), Michael Harris, Gary Talley, Swain Schaefer (RIP), Alex Chilton (RIP), Ross Hannan, Corry Arnold, Richard Rosebrough, Rob Jovanovic, DeWitt Shy Jr., Vera Ellis, Greg Vick, Roy Mack, Holly George-Warren, Bill Pierce, Kevin Casey, Lorene Thomas, The Concert Database, Adam Di Petto, Mary Ann Comparone Fialkowski, Jean Marc Vallejo, Lois, Ricky Gianco, Aldo Pedron, Kevin Schore, North Carolina Anvil, The Hayward Daily Review, Los Angeles Free Press, Northwest Passage, Stephen Andrews, Erick Crews, Ben Vaughn, Michael Hochonadel, Nick Warburton, Villages News, Candy Kayne, Time Out, Jeffrey Drucker, The Daily Pennsylvanian, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Patty Padgett, Fred Robbins, Keith Badman, Rob Branigin, Andrew G. Doe, Los Angeles Times, The Jackson Sun, Oakland Tribune, Playground Daily News, San Mateo Times, Binghamton Press And Sun-Bulletin, Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Iowa City Press Citizen, The Bridgeport Post, New York Sunday News, The Berkshire Eagle, The Oneonta Star, Ogden Standard-Examiner, The Post-Crescent, The Salt Lake Tribune, Carroll Daily Times Herald, Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star, The Post Standard, Ames Daily Tribune, The Sunday Pantagraph, Iowa City Press-Citizen, Jacksonville Journal, Elmira Star-Gazette, Statesville Record & Landmark, The Humboldt Republican, The Cumberland News.

November 1963 (?)
Undoubtedly one of the most famous American blue-eyed soul group of the 60's, The Box Tops emerged from a Memphis-based semi-pro rock 'n' roll group called The DeVilles (after the Cadillac Coupe de Ville). The band was originally an instrumental trio led by drummer Danny Smythe (b. Daniel Ernest Smythe, Wednesday, August 25, 1948, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee - d. Wednesday, July 6, 2016, Memphis, for heart attack), and also included Bartlett High School's students and best friends Ronald 'Ronnie' Carnie on rhythm guitar and Michael 'Mike' Wright on lead guitar. "I got my first set of drums on my 15th birthday," Danny Smythe recalls. "I was raised on rock 'n' roll but found that the drums in most songs just kept a beat, so I started listening to big bands from the 30s and 40s. That's where I discovered drum solos. That's the music that really turns me on. I had no desire in high school to join the marching band, so I formed a three-piece instrumental garage band." "When I started playing music my favourite local band was The Counts, aka Tommy Burk and The Counts," Danny adds. "Their drummer was [future The Box Tops] Tom Boggs. His drumhead featured a crest, Count's Crest. I thought that looked cool, so I painted the Cadillac crest on my drumhead and named the band The DeVilles [after my father's car]. The name was spelled DeVilles on the drumhead, but Devilles on the business card. Either was correct." Actually the name on Danny's drumhead was correct as Devilles when he acquired a new drums a year or so later.

THE DEVILLES #1 (NOVEMBER 1963 (?) - FEBRUARY 1964 (?))
1) Danny Smythe drums
2) Ronnie Carnie rhythm guitar
3) Mike Wright lead guitar

Danny Smythe, Memphis, 1963/64

February 1964 (?)
The DeVilles added three singers from Whitehaven High School (way on the other side of town): Steve Jourdan (who also acted as the band manager), Michael 'Mike' Mosley, and Ronald 'Ronnie' Jordan (b. 1945/46). "Ronnie was cute and had a Beatle haircut," Danny Smythe recalls, "he looked like Peter Noone [of Herman's Hermits] and his uncle, Roy Mack, was a top DJ in Memphis." Steve sang lead, while Ronnie and Mike sang backround (mostly of their repertoire were rhythm 'n' blues covers). John Campanova was also added on bass. Occasionally a kid called William 'Bill' Mosteller sat-in with the band on maracas. "Bill was never really in the band," Danny Smythe recalls. "He came to the practices and was more or less a 'hanger on'. He sat in the corner and played maracas, which really couldn't be heard. He found out where we bought our band coats, and bought one, and showed up at the gigs, until someone told him to quit coming up on the stage! Our rehearsals were like parties at first, and some people wanted to be part of the band even though they couldn't play an instrument." Also a local bass player called Frederick 'Freddie' Schaefer (b. Monday, August 2, 1948, Saint Joseph Hospital, 220 Overton Avenue, Memphis - d. Friday, February 15, 2019, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, of heart attack at his home), aka Swain Schaefer, formerly of the Berl Olswanger Orchestra, filled in from time to time when John Campanova wasn't available, either because of illness or girlfriend problems.

THE DEVILLES #2 (FEBRUARY 1964 (?) - APRIL 1964 (?))
1) Danny Smythe
2) Ronnie Carnie
3) Mike Wright
4) Ronnie Jordan backing vocals
5) Steve Jourdan lead vocals
6) John Campanova bass
7) Mike Mosley backing vocals
+
8) Bill Mosteller maracas (guest)
9) Swain Schaefer bass (guest)

April 1964 (?)
Mike Mosley leaves The DeVilles. "Mike didn't last very long," Danny Smythe recalls. "We rehearsed a lot, but I can't remember if he ever actually played any gigs."

THE DEVILLES #3 (APRIL 1964 (?) - 1964)
1) Danny Smythe
2) Ronnie Carnie
3) Mike Wright
4) Ronnie Jordan
5) Steve Jourdan
6) John Campanova
+
7) Bill Mosteller
8) Swain Schaefer

Saturday, July 4, 1964: Memphis Fairgrounds, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
The DeVilles (with Bill Mosteller on maracas) were filmed in color (but with no sound) by someone in the audience. A short clip was posted by Danny Smythe on his YouTube channel in 2008.

1964
Ronnie Carnie leaves The DeVilles (he went off to broadcast school), so Mike Wright switched from lead guitar to rhythm guitar, and Bartlett High School's student William 'Bill' Fargie joined on lead guitar. The band also added another Bartlett High School student, Michael 'Mike' Norris, on keyboards. By that time the so-called "British Invasion" hit the United States, so the two singers Ronnie Jordan and Steve Jourdan split singing lead. Steve sang lead on the rhythm 'n' blues songs, while Ronnie sang the British songs. As the British songs became more and more popular, Steve's popularity faded.

THE DEVILLES #4 (1964 - 1965)
1) Danny Smythe
2) Mike Wright rhythm guitar
3) Ronnie Jordan lead vocals
4) Steve Jourdan
5) John Campanova
6) Bill Fargie lead guitar
7) Mike Norris keyboards
+
8) Swain Schaefer

1964: 'Battle of the Bands', The Malco Theatre, 89 Beale Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
"It was the biggest Battle of the Bands in Memphis," Danny Smythe recalls. "It was at the Malco Theatre and was hosted by deejay and television host George Klein. I believe there were five bands. The winner was the Gentrys, but I think the Jokers, Randy and The Radiants, and the Scepters, as well as the DeVilles were on the show. The winner got to appear on the Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour. There were a lot of Battles of the Bands, but this was the biggest. I remember the Gentrys performed 'Bits And Pieces' like the Dave Clark 5. They dressed like the DC5 and stomped the stage like the DC5. The girls screamed and they won easily."

Saturday, unknown date, 1965: 'George Klein's Talent Party', WHBQ-TV Channel 13, WHBQ-TV Studios, 485 South Higland Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee (broadcast date)
The Devilles appeared on 'Talent Party', a television music show hosted by George Klein every Saturday afternoons and where local and national bands would lip-sync in the studio to their backing tracks while a chorus of dancing girls, the WHBQ-ties, would go-go along to the latest cool sounds in their mini-skirts and bouffant hair styles. A clip of the band's performance (with no sound) was posted by Danny Smythe on his YouTube channel in 2008.

1965
John Campanova leaves The Devilles and was replaced on bass by Danny Smythe's ex-schoolmate Russell 'Russ' Caccamisi (b. Wednesday, October 12, 1949, Memphis), formerly of The Chantelles, The Christian Brothers Dance Band, and The Christian Brothers Marching Band. At this point the band did not need anymore the service of "stand-in" bass player Swain Schaefer, and so the latter went to form his own band, The Scepters.

THE DEVILLES #5 (1965 - JULY 1965)
1) Danny Smyth
2) Mike Wright
3) Ronnie Jordan
4) Steve Jourdan
5) Bill Fargie
6) Mike Norris
7) Russ Caccamisi bass

July 1965
Mike Wright leaves The Devilles (his girlfriend made him quit) and was replaced on rhythm guitar by Bartlett High School's student Richard Earl Malone.

THE DEVILLES #6 (JULY 1965 - AUGUST 1965)
1) Danny Smythe
2) Ronnie Jordan
3) Steve Jourdan
4) Russ Caccamisi
5) Bill Fargie
6) Mike Norris
7) Richard Malone rhythm guitar

August 1965
Steve Jourdan leaves The Devilles. Ronnie Jordan was now the only singer and the star of the show, and so the band changed their name to Ronnie and The Devilles after him. Also, Ronnie's uncle, Roy Mack, became the band's new manager. Mack was a friend of local producer Chips Moman, then working at the American Sound Studio, so Moman agreed to take the band into the studio shortly thereafter. These sessions produced the band's two singles in 1965 and 1966.

RONNIE AND THE DEVILLES #1 (AUGUST 1965 - MARCH 1966)
1) Danny Smythe
2) Richard Malone
3) Ronnie Jordan
4) Russ Caccamisi
5) Bill Fargie
6) Mike Norris

Friday, September 10, 1965: Beverly Room (?), The Clearpool (entertainment complex), off Highway 78 (Lamar Avenue) close to the intersection of Winchester Road, just outside Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee (afternoon show)
Also on the bill: The Yardbirds, The Gants.

Friday, September 10, 1965: Skateland (roller-skating rink), 3238 Millington Road, Frayser, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee (evening show)
Also on the bill: The Yardbirds, The Gants.

Saturday, September 11, 1965: Joseph Taylor Robinson Memorial Auditorium, Robinson Center, 414 West Markham Street at Broadway Street, downtown Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas
Also on the bill: The Yardbirds, The Gants, The Commotions, The Groupe.

1965
Ronnie and The Devilles' debut single, 'Oh Love / Tragedy' (Youngstown Y-605), was released only in the US. The single came out locally on Youngstown Records, and it was also re-issued soon after with the same catalog number, but with 'Oh Love' on the flipside, and a new song titled 'Last Date' on the topside. 'Oh Love' was co-written by Ronnie Jordan & Bill Fargie, 'Tragedy' was co-written by Fred Burch & Gerald Nelson, while 'Last Date' was co-written by Cramer, Davis & Bryant. The single was recorded at the American Sound Studio, 827 Thomas Street, Memphis, and was produced by Chips Moman.

February 1966
Ronnie and The Devilles' debut single, 'Oh Love / Tragedy' (MGM K 13460), was re-released nationally only in the US.

1966
Ronnie & The Devilles' second and last single, 'Cindy's Carousel / I'm Just Waitin' (Youngstown Y-607), was released only in the US. The single came out locally on Youngstown Records and was recorded again at the American Sound Studio with Chips Moman as producer. 'Cindy's Carousel' was written by Jerry Hayes, while 'I'm Just Waitin' was written by Paul White.

March 1966
Mike Norris leaves Ronnie and The Devilles for "personal reasons".

RONNIE AND THE DEVILLES #2 (MARCH 1966 - SEPTEMBER 1966)
1) Danny Smythe
2) Richard Malone
3) Ronnie Jordan
4) Russ Caccamisi
5) Bill Fargie

August 1966: 'Ted Mack and The Original Amateur Hour', CBS TV Show, CBS Studio 52, 254 West 54th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York (filmed date)
Danny Smythe filmed his drum solo routine for 'The Original Amateur Hour', a music talent television show hosted by the late Ted Mack and broadcasted every Sunday afternoon on the CBS network. When it was screened later that autumn, he won three weeks in a row. It was an act that typified the times. He played his drums barefoot (he had taken off his shoes to warm up before the show, and the camera crew convinced him to play the actual set like that) while smiling and chewing gum. The clip of Danny's drum solo was posted by him on his YouTube channel in 2011.

September 1966
Bill Fargie received his draft notice and had no option to quit the group (he joined the Marines).

RONNIE AND THE DEVILLES #3 (SEPTEMBER 1966 - NOVEMBER 1966)
1) Danny Smythe
2) Richard Malone
3) Ronnie Jordan
4) Russ Caccamisi

November 1966: 'Christian Brothers High School Fall Rose Dance', The Peabody Memphis Hotel, 149 Union Avenue, downtown Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Ronnie and The Devilles played at Russ Caccamisi's high school.

Ronnie and The Devilles #3, The Peabody Memphis Hotel, Memphis, November 1966 - from left: Russ Caccamisi, Danny Smythe, Ronnie Jordan, and Richard Malone

November 1966
Ronnie Jordan leaves after dispute over musical future of the band (he went to play with a "rival" band called Honey Jug, and later went on to become a successful deejay) and was replaced by Russ Caccamisi's friend and former bandmate John A. Evans (b. Friday, June 18, 1948, Memphis - d. Tuesday, December 22, 2020, Memphis, for Parkinson's and dementia), formerly of Junior High School Orchestra, The Chantelles (with Russ), The Signets, and The In Crowd. Nedless to say, the band returned to their old The Devilles name.

THE DEVILLES #7 (NOVEMBER 1966 - DECEMBER ?, 1966)
1) Danny Smythe
2) Richard Malone
3) Russ Caccamisi
4) John Evans lead guitar, keyboards

December ?, 1966
With Ronnie Jordan gone, the band needed a new singer (a white boy who sang as if he was black) and John Evans suggested his former The In Crowd's bandmate Jimmy Newman, but the latter refused because he thought his vocals style did not suited well with the sound of the band. Jimmy, however, suggested them to hired a young singer who he had recently seen singing a cover of Bobby Hebb's 'Sunny' and of Wilson Pickett's 'In The Midnight Hour', at a talent show held at the Central High School in Memphis. The kid in question, who didn't win the talent but went down well, was called Alex Chilton (b. William Alexander Chilton, Thursday, December 28, 1950, Memphis) formerly of The Moondogs, and The Jynx. Chilton’s initial reaction to being asked to audition for the job of lead singer in The Devilles was not positive. “I didn’t care for them,” he said. “They had made a few records and I didn’t like them. They were pretty lame, really bad ballads that might’ve had some country appeal, but they were one of the big bands around town that made some money.” The fact that they had actually made some money convinced Chilton to give it a go. “I was failing my tenth grade royally, and here I was just hanging around, drinking, smoking grass, meeting girls, and looking forward to a very uncertain future. They said they’d give me $200 a week, which I liked fine.” The musical grudge that Chilton held against the band was not the only difference between them. The band dressed in button-down shirts and penny loafers - quite a conservative, preppy, look for a band in 1966. Chilton adopted a very different look. When he arrived for his audition in Danny Smythe’s bedroom at his parent’s house on Vaughan Road, the drummer was “kind of taken aback by his [Chilton’s] clothes. He wore a black T-shirt - nobody wore those - and torn jeans.” He also had on a denim jacket, and a long scarf around his neck. It was much more ‘hip’ look than the others had ever seen. “Ronnie was cute, but Alex had an edge,” Smythe continues. “I think the first song we tried was ‘Mustang Sally’. I knew instantly we were going to be a soul band.” Despite the initial shock of his appearance, it took just one song for Chilton to be offered the job. He took it, and the band, now also known as The New Devilles, started practising at the Chilton family’s large house on 145 North Montgomery Street, in midtown Memphis.

THE DEVILLES #8 (aka THE NEW DEVILLES #1) (DECEMBER ?, 1966 - MAY 1967)
1) Danny Smythe
2) Richard Malone
3) John Evans
4) Russ Caccamisi
5) Alex Chilton vocals, guitar, bass, hambone

Saturday, February 25, 1967 (?): Beverly Room (?), The Clearpool (entertainment complex), off Highway 78 (Lamar Avenue) close to the intersection of Winchester Road, just outside Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
The New Devilles' public debut gig.

Friday, March 3, 1967 (?)
One day the band manager Roy Mack stepped in and said: “We’re gonna have to send you boys in the studio to see what the new singer sounds like.” With Mack still keenly playing Chips Moman’s American Studios output on his WMPS show, Moman agreed to give the new line-up some studio time. He also agreed to get a demo tape of some new songs from a songwriter called Wayne Carson Thompson, a native of Denver, Colorado, now living in Nashville, Tennessee, who had recently written Eddy Arnold’s number-one hit ‘Somebody Like Me’ and would go on to write ‘Always On My Mind’, as recorded by Elvis Presley among others. So one Friday, in early March, Mack took Alex Chilton over to the American Sound Studio to collect the three-song demo tape and also to give him the chance to take a look around a recording studio for the first time. With tape in hand, Chilton went off to meet the rest of the band and listen to the three songs they’d been presented with. They were to pick one, practise it that Friday night, then go into the studio the following morning to record it. The first song on the tape was called ‘White Velvet Cat’, which failed to catch the band’s imagination, followed by a second, now long-forgotten track. The third and final song was called ‘The Letter’. They agreed it would need to be changed around a bit, but also that it was the best of the bunch. The Devilles settled down to work on an arrangement, but around 10:30pm Chilton decided he’d had enough and slipped off to meet some girls. He didn’t get home until the very early hours of Saturday morning, a little the worse for wear, having spent the night smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. He’d also gone out without a coat, and was starting to feel the effects of a cold, but he managed to drag himself out of bed and get to the studio for 10:00am.

Saturday, March 4, 1967 (?): American Sound Studio, 827 Thomas Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
At 10:00am The Devilles entered the American Sound Studio to record 'The Letter'. Everyone had arrived on time, but Chip Moman was conspicuous by his absence. It transpired that he hadn’t thought much would come of the session, so had handed the production duties over to his associate and rival Daniel Pennington, aka Dan Penn. As The Devilles had worked with Moman before, they were a little taken aback when Penn arrived to take the session. Aged 26 at the time, Penn was a recognised songwriter (with his partner-in-crime Linden ‘Spooner’ Oldham) but was just cutting his teeth as a producer. He had made his name by penning classics like Aretha Franklin’s ‘Do Right Woman’ and James Carr’s ‘Dark End Of The Street’, and had moved out to Memphis after previously working at Fame Studios and then Muscle Shoals. He was soon to make his mark on the impressionable young band standing uncertainly before him. After a few warm-up passes, the band set about trying to get the backing track right, with Chilton singing live on every take. Eventually, Penn started to concentrate on Chilton’s vocal delivery. “Penn really concentrated on Alex more than the band,” Smythe recalls. “If we messed up a take, he would just say, Again. I’m sure he saw Alex as the real sound, more than the rest of the band.” Chilton had started out by singing the song in the same manner as the singer of the demo tape, as an understated softly presented paean about getting home to his girlfriend. Penn let Chilton try this for a few takes, then came out of the control room and asked him to completely change his style of delivery. He wanted a very soulful rendition, which included spelling out the word ‘aer-o-plane’ as three distinct syllables. Chilton took Penn’s directions on board and it changed the song forever. In all they had attempted more than 30 takes, but by 1:30pm the track was done and the band went home. Once the band had left, Penn got to work on overdubs, first adding trombone and a string section. He thought that the ending was a little weak, but then in a flash of inspiration decided to add the sound of a jet plane to tie in with the singer’s request for a ticket to fly away. He sent out to the university record library, got hold of a recording of a plane, and overdubbed it onto the end of the recording. When the band heard the finished record they didn’t quite know what to make of it, given that it was so different from what they had heard when they left the studio. “We were eager to please Dan because he had produced some hit records,” says Smythe. “He seemed to take us under his wing, especially Alex. I suspected that he preferred country music. At dinner one night, I was talking about drummers, and he said if he had it his way, he wouldn’t even use drummers on records. That pretty much shut me up! I’ve read over the years that he liked us, but was under contract to work with the studio musicians, and there was resentment when he didn’t use them.”

April 1967: 'UT Martin Spring Dance', The University of Tennessee at Martin (aka UT Martin, aka UTM), 554 University Avenue, Martin, Weakley County, Tennessee
The Devilles performed 'The Letter' live for the first time at this gig.

Early May 1967: American Sound Studio, 827 Thomas Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
After a couple of months on which their first recording 'The Letter' sat on the shelf, Dan Penn had the chance to play it to representatives of Bell Records. They bought the rights to it on the spot, asking for a B-side so they could issue it as soon as possible. Penn and Oldham wrote a B-side, ‘Happy Times’, and recorded it with the studio's house band, The Memphis Boys (Gene Chrisman on drums, Tommy Cogbill and Mike Leech on bass, Reggie Young on guitar, and Bobby Emmons and Bobby Wood on keyboards). Alex Chilton was then called in to sing over a pre-recorded backing track.

May 1967
Richard Earl Malone had no option to quit the group after his father, who was a officer in the US Navy, relocated with his family to San Diego, California. The band replaced him with John Evans' friend and former bandmate Gary Talley (b. Sunday, August 17, 1947, Memphis), formerly of The In Crowd, who came from a strong musical background because his mother was a church pianist and his father a guitarist. “[Gary] is a genius at anything he does,” explained Alex Chilton in 1968. “His easy-going personality and his quick understanding are a great asset to the group when things start getting hectic - and with our schedule now, that’s pretty often.”

THE DEVILLES #9 (aka THE NEW DEVILLES #2) (MAY 1967 - JUNE 2?, 1967)
1) Danny Smythe
2) John Evans
3) Russ Caccamisi
4) Alex Chilton
5) Gary Talley rhythm guitar, bass, electric sitar, banjo

May or June 1967: unknown venue, Millington, Shelby County, Tennessee
The band former members Richard Malone and Swain Schaefer showed up to watch the show tonight and after that they got thrown in jail for fighting some guys!

June 2?, 1967
Russ Caccamisi leaves The Devilles after his high school graduation because he will enrolled in college later that fall (he had been offered a college scholarship), so he want to focus on his studies. The band replaced him with Alex Chilton's friend and former bandmate Bill Cunningham (b. William Oliver Cunningham, Monday, January 23, 1950, Memphis), formerly of The Jokers, The Jynx, and The Nerels. Bill also came from a strong musical backround because his father Buddy was a SUN recording artist and a Rockabilly Hall Of Fame member, while his older brother B.B. was a singer for The Hombres in the 60s, and then he played bass for Jerry Lee Lewis for almost 15 years.

THE DEVILLES #10 (aka THE NEW DEVILLES #3) (JUNE 2?, 1967 - JULY ?, 1967) / THE BOX TOPS #1 (JULY ?, 1967 - DECEMBER ??, 1967)
1) Danny Smythe
2) Gary Talley
3) John Evans
4) Alex Chilton
5) Bill Cunningham bass (both bass guitar and upright bass), vocals, organ, piano, cello

The Box Tops #1, 1967 - from left: Bill Cunningham, Danny Smythe, Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, and John Evans

The Box Tops #1, Alex Chilton's house, Memphis, 1967 - from left: John Evans, Danny Smythe, Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, and Bill Cunningham

The Box Tops #1, Memphis, 1967 - from left: Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, Alex Chilton, Danny Smythe, and John Evans

The Box Tops #1, above Danny Smythe's home garage, Memphis, 1967 - from left: Danny Smythe, Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, Alex Chilton, and John Evans

The Box Tops #1, 1967 - from left: Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, John Evans, Alex Chilton, and Danny Smythe

New Musical Express (Ocrtober 21, 1967) - The Box Tops #1, from left: Bill Cunningham, Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, Danny Smythe, and John Evans

KFXM Tiger Radio 590 (April 12, 1968) - The Box Tops #1, 1967 - from left: Bill Cunningham, Gary Talley, Danny Smythe, John Evans, and Alex Chilton

KFXM Tiger Radio 590 (October 1967) - The Box Top #1 , 1967 - from left: Bill Cunningham, Danny Smythe, Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, and John Evans

The Box Tops #1, 1967 - from left: Bill Cunningham, Danny Smythe, John Evans, Gary Talley, and Alex Chilton

KFXM Tiger Radio 590 (April 12, 1968)

The Box Tops #1, 1967 - from left: John Evans, Bill Cunningham, Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, and Danny Smythe

July ?, 1967
With their first single soon-to-be released that month by Mala (a Bell Records subsidiary which was based in New York and specialised in black soul music), Dan Penn thought The Devilles should changed their name to a more modern-sounding one, and also to avoid confusion with a couple of other more famous American bands called The Devilles. He suggested The Yard Children, which was Alabama slang for illegitimate children. Roy Mack vetoed the idea and suggested The Mail Boxes to tie in with ‘The Letter’, but when that sounded too twee he came up with The Box Tops. His reasoning was that a box top was something that you cut out and sent in the mail (usually for a breakfast cereal promotion), so it would tie in with ‘The Letter’. Having chosen the name of the band, Mack felt as though he owned them. It’s my name, he thought, and if you don’t like the way I do things I can easily replace you. At that point, John Evans’s mother and Alex Chilton’s father came in to negotiate the contracts with Bell Records.

July ?, 1967: Youth Center, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
The Box Tops' public debut gig. Besides doing their performance, they also backed up an African-American female single called 'Little Marion' Brittenum.

July 1967
The Box Tops' debut single, 'The Letter / Happy Times' (Mala 565), was released in the US. It was a prototypical slice of chugging, blue-eyed soul that took those who had actually seen the band by surprise. Because of Chilton’s gravel-voiced delivery and the overall style of the song, many listeners assumed The Box Tops must be a black band. This helped the record cross over onto the black radio stations, and soon it was streaking up the pop charts. Mixing pounding bass and drums with Penn’s skilful production and overdubbing and some subtle effects like the underlying keyboards, the whole thing was over and done in less than two minutes, which apparently made it a convenient fill-in for DJs. Another theory for the song’s success is that it caught the zeitgeist of the USA in 1967 - a year that saw thousands of American soldiers die in Vietnam. The B-side, ‘Happy Times’ - a jaunty little number than also benefited from string overdubs - was even more succinct, clocking in at just 1:17. With the single showing early signs of promise, Mala offered the band a contract for an album. Bearing in mind his recent academic achievements (or lack of), Chilton’s parents decided that Alex could take a year off school to concentrate on the band. (He never did go back, but eventually passed his GED and enrolled at Memphis State University). Mack obtained a set of garish - and, for 1967, very un-hip - uniforms, and off The Box Tops went off to promote the single in as many places as would have them. The constant touring was paying off, and later that fall, the single finally topped the national charts, knocking Bobbie Gentry's 'Ode To Billy Joe' from number one. Amazingly, it was the first time that a Memphis band had had the number one record on the national singles chart. The Box Tops held onto the top spot for several weeks, and by the end of the year ‘The Letter’ had sold a staggering 4,000,000 copies!

Italian sleeve

Belgian sleeve

French sleeve

Late July/Early August 1967: unknown venue, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama
The band's first performance outside Tennessee.

August ?, 1967: 'Jerry's Place', WFIL-TV Channel 6 (ABC network), WFIL Studios, City Line Avenue and Monument Road, Main Line, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The band debuted on television performing live their hit single 'The Letter'. The show was hosted by disc jockey and local icon Jerry Blavat. "I haven't seen anything from that show, although I recall doing it," recalls Bill Cunningham. "Particularly, I recall heading to the car post-show. A bunch of girls came running toward us screaming. They ran right past us, and I turned to see Jerry Blavat getting mobbed! My ego took a hit (LOL)." "Blavat was very popular in Philly at that time," recalls local fan Ben Vaughn. "Us locals watched the show every day. He had all the top acts on but I distinctly remember the Box Tops because Alex Chilton three Jerry a curve when he jokingly introduced himself as Dennis Yost [singer of the Classics IV]. It was very amusing, and I think some girls in the audience applauded when he said it. A funny first impression of him."

August ??, 1967: Philadelphia Fairgrounds, 2023 East York Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
"We drove all the way to Philadelphia to play on top of a hot dog stand at a fairground," Danny Smythe recalls. "When we showed up, the promoter didn't believe we were The Box Tops - he was expecting a black band. Alex had to sing the first few words - 'Give me a ticket for an aer-o-plane - [before] the promoter grinned and said, that's it!". Also on the bill: Jay and The techniques, The Soul Survivors.

August ??, 1967 (?): Grab Bag (ABV. East End Club), 22nd Street and Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The band was advertised as 'The Boxtops' [sic].

Friday, August 18, 1967: W.O.W. Building, 1113 East Main Street, Brownsville, Haywood County, Tennessee
One show, from 8pm to 12 midnight.

Summer 1967: Thomas B. Davis YMCA, 4727 Elvis Presley Boulevard, Whitehaven, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

The Box Tops #1, Thomas B. Davis YMCA, Memphis, summer of 1967 - from left: Bill Cunningham, Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, Danny Smythe, and John Evans

Friday, September 1 - Saturday, September 2, 1967: 'Pop Musical Festival presents... Fort Worth Teen Fair and Mardi Gras Festival', Amon G. Carter Jr. Exhibits Hall, Will Rogers Memorial Center, 3401 West Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas
Two shows each day, 2pm and 8pm.

September ?, 1967: Hullabaloo Club, Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi

September ?, 1967: The Stingray, Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia

September ??, 1967: 'Village Square', TV Show, Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia (filmed date)
The band lip-synched 'The Letter' and then they were interviewed by the show host. Also appeared: The Villagers, and others.

Saturday, September 23, 1967: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Typically the show would be rehearsed from about 9:00am until noon, working on the technical aspects like blocking and lighting. After that, the production team and talent would break for lunch and come back at 1:00pm to do the taping. It would take two to three hours to tape the one-hour show. This episode - that also featured The Jim Kweskin Jug Band, The Leather Boy, The New Yorkers, The Outsiders, Gene Pitney, Jerry Butler, and The Music Explosion - was broadcast today at 5:00pm, supposedly on the same day of the taping.

Thursday, September 28, 1967: 'Top of the Pops', BBC1 TV Show, Studio G, BBC Lime Grove Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Greater London, UK (broadcast date)
The Box Tops appeared only with a promo clip, performing 'The Letter'. Also appeared: Engelbert Humperdinck, Eric Burdon and The Animals, Frankie Vaughan, Procol Harum, The Bee Gees, The Dubliners, The Herd, The Move. This episode was hosted by the late deejay Jimmy Saville and was broadcasted today from 7:30 to 8:00pm.

September 1967: FAME (Florence Alabama Music Enterprises) Studios, 603 East Avalon Avenue, Muscle Shoals, Colbert County, Alabama
Bell Records needed an album to follow up the single's success, so The Box Tops were duly sent to the legendary FAME Studios. This was the first time the new lineup of the band was in the studio together, and it just didn't work. Dan Penn called a halt to proceedings after one solitary session. Only one song recorded that day, 'Break My Mind', was included in the band's debut album later that year.

September 1967: American Sound Studio, 827 Thomas Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
After the failed solitary session in Alabama, the rest (nine tracks) of the band's debut album was recorded at the American Sound Studio in Memphis. Alex Chilton, however, was the only band member that actually performed on it (he sang live), because Dan Penn decided to "replaced" the other Box Tops with the studio's house band, The Memphis Boys. “We found out later that on the Musician’s Union contracts that were filed for our record sessions, our names were purposely omitted,” says Gary Talley. “The studio musicians at American Studios were under contract with Chips Moman, and they got paid for every Box Tops session that was booked, whether they were there or not.”

first album master tape

Friday, October 6, 1967: Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum, 1202 East 38th Street, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Idle Few, The Chosen Few. One show, started at 7pm.

Friday, October 6, 1967: Freedom Hall, Kentucky State Fairgrounds, 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, Kentucky
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, Soul Inc., The Alphabetical Order. The show, which started at 8:45pm, was presented by WAKI, a local radio station, in association with American Productions.

Saturday, October 7, 1967: Cleveland Music Hall, 601 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Ohio Express, King Kirby, The US Male. Two shows, 7pm and 9:30pm.

Sunday, October 8, 1967: Civic Opera House, 20 N Wacker Dr STE 400, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys. Two shows, 5pm and 8pm.

Thursday, October 12, 1967: 'Top of the Pops', BBC1 TV Show, Studio G, BBC Lime Grove Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Greater London, UK (broadcast date)
The Box Tops appeared only with a film clip, performing 'The Letter'. Also appeared: Engelbert Humperdinck, Bobbie Gentry, Procol Harum, Stevie Wonder, The Hollies, The Kinks, The Troggs. This episode was hosted by deejay Pete Murray and was broadcasted today from 7:30 to 8:00pm.

Saturday, October 14, 1967: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: The Cowsills, Neil Diamond, The Fallen Angels, The New Yorkers, The Sandpipers, Johnny Tillotson, Ruby Winters

Sunday, October 15, 1967: 'Salve Regina College Fall Weekend Concert', Auditorium, Rogers High School, 15 Wickham Road, Newport, Aquidneck Island, Newport County, Rhode Island
The band was advertised as 'The Boxtops' [sic]. Also on the bill: The Rockin' Ramrods. One show, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm.

Monday, October 16 - Thursday, October 19, 1967: Capitol Building (aka 410 Asylum Street), 402-418 Asylum Street, High Street Historic District, Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
One show a day, started at 7:00pm.

Thursday, October 19, 1967: 'Top of the Pops', BBC1 TV Show, Studio G, BBC Lime Grove Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Greater London, UK (broadcast date)
The Box Tops appeared only on audio, when the in-house dance troupe The Gojo's danced on 'The Letter'. Also on the bill: Foundations, Seekers, Traffic, The Bee Gees, John Walker, Dave Dee & Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich, the Herd, Val Doonican. This episode was co-hosted by the late deejay Jimmy Saville and deejay Tony Blackburn, and was broadcasted today from 7:30 to 8:00pm.

Tuesday, October 24, 1967: 'Disc-O-Teen', WNJU-TV Channel 47, Mosque Theatre Building, 1020 Broad Street, Newark, Essex County, New Jersey (filmed date)
The Box Tops appeared on 'Disc-O-Teen', a "live" one-hour teenage dance show aired every Saturday afternoon after school (5 to 6pm) and hosted, in costume, by the great late television horror host John Zacherle (sometimes credited as John Zacherley), aka 'The Cool Ghoul'. In this special Halloween episode broadcasted on Saturday, October 28, the band actually did not performed, but their hit single 'The Letter' was played twice during the live dance show. The band endures Zacherle's jibes, including lessons on how to flirt with teenage girls from New Jersey. They also chat it up with the horror host while they plug their debut album, an upcoming European tour, and a "next day" New York City's live debut at The Cheetah discoteque.

Tuesday, October 24, 1967 (?): 'From The Bitter End', WOR-TV Channel 9, unknown television studio, Secaucus (?), Hudson County (?), New Jersey (filmed date)
The Box Tops appeared, performing live 'The Letter', on 'From The Bitter End', a music television show hosted by the late film and television producer Fred Weintraub, and broadcasted in color every Sunday at 10pm. Also appeared: Sandy Dennis, Gerry Mulligan, Amanda Ambrose, Dick Cavett, Jake Holmes, Ralph Ortiz, Betsey Johnson. This episode was broadcasted on Sunday, October 29. By the way, although the title of the show implied that it was filmed at the Bitter End, a famous nightclub in Manhattan, New York City, actually the performances were all filmed at a New Jersey sound stage mockup of the Bitter End main stage.

Sunday, October 29, 1967: 'Concert-Dance', Cheetah, Broadway at 53rd Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York
The Box Tops' first appearance in the "big apple". Also on the bill: Procol Harum (cancelled), The Jewels, The All Night Workers.

The Box Tops #1, The Cheetah, New York City, October 29, 1967 - from left: Bill Cunningham, Danny Smythe, John Evans, ? (unknown chick), Alex Chilton, and Gary Talley

Village Voice (October 19, 1967)

Village Voice (October 26, 1967)

Monday, October 30, 1967 (?): 'Clay Cole's Diskotek', WPIX-TV Channel 11, The Daily New Building (aka 11 WPIX Plaza), 220 East 42nd Street, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York (filmed date)
The Box Tops appeared, performing 'The Letter', on 'Clay Cole's Diskotek', an hour-long (6 to 7pm) Saturday-night rock music television show hosted by the late deejay Clay Cole. Also appeared: Dionne Warwick, The Grass Roots. This episode was broadcasted on Saturday, November 4.

Tuesday, October 31, 1967: 'Homecoming Concert', Curry Hicks Physical Education Building (aka Curry Hicks Cage), University of Massachusetts Amherst (aka UMass Amherst, aka UMass) campus, 100 Hicks Way, Amherst, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Also on the bill: The Blues Magoos, Mitch Ryder and his Baltimore Band, The Good Earth, The Boys, The Happenings.

The Box Tops #1, UMass, October 31, 1967 - from left: Danny Smythe, John Evans, Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham (almost hidden), and Gary Talley

The Box Tops #1, UMass, October 31, 1967 - from left: John Evans (almost hidden), Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham (almost hidden), and Gary Talley

November 1967: Groove Sound Recording Studio, New York City, New York
During their first trip in the "big apple", The Box Tops recorded three radio commercials for Coca-Cola: 'See The Pretty Girls', 'Hotels, Motels', and 'Hey There Taxi Get Out Of My Way'. The session was produced by Dan Penn and they were quite proud on how they turned out. it was in 1963 that Coca-Cola started using the slogan "Things Go Better With Coke." Advertising agency McCann-Erickson worked with popular acts to create musical jingles utilizing the slogan. The jingles became so popular that Coca-Cola eventually distributed 60,000 promotional "Let's Swing the Jingle for Coca-Cola" singles through their bottles. In these short radio spots, the original artists would rework their own popular songs to reflect the idea that "Things Go Better with Coke." What's amazing is that these short little reworkings are actually strangely compelling to listen to. In fact, even listening to several of them in a row is enjoyable, sometimes in a head-shaking kind of way. Anyway, nedless to say, these commercials were released posthumously in several bootlegs such as 'Things Go Better with Coke: Sixties Coca-Cola Commercials 1965-'69', and 'Coca-Cola Commercials.'

November 1967
The Box Tops' second single, 'Neon Rainbow / Everything I Am' (Mala 580), was released in the US.

single ad

Italian sleeve

French sleeve

Belgian sleeve

Spanish sleeve

November 1967
The Box Tops' debut album, 'The Letter / Neon Rainbow' (Bell 6011), was released in the US. Titled after the band's first two singles, the album included three songs by Wayne Carson Thompson: the two title tracks, plus ‘She Knows How’, which features a funky melody and a gravely Chilton vocal, the tight rhythm section of house band augmented by Stax-like horns and more soaring strings reminiscent of ‘The Letter’. A cover of Bacharach and David’s ‘Trains & Boats & Planes’ also hints at the band’s number-one hit with the overload of sound effects at the start: a night train’s lonesome wail, an ocean liner’s deep roar, and then another jet plane zipping by. Elsewhere, ‘Break My Mind’ is a country tinged, pedal-steel sing-along, but a cover of Procol Harum's ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ lacks the atmosphere of the original. The album also features a trio of Penn–Oldham songs: ‘Everything I Am’, ‘I’m Your Puppet’, and ‘I Pray For Rain’, and a brace of Bobby Womack tracks, ‘Gonna Find Somebody’ and the excellent ‘People Make The World’, with stunning backing vocals from The Sweet Inspirations. ‘The Letter’ aside, the other outstanding song on the album is the band’s second single, ‘Neon Rainbow’, which despite having a title that hints at psychedelia sounds like nothing of the sort. While some complained that it lacked the verve and immediacy of its predecessor, it has actually aged very well. It was considered a flop at the time because it sold ‘only’ half a million copies, partly because many people didn’t associate it with the band that had sung ‘The Letter’. But it was actually a perfect piece of mid-60s pop that bursts into life in the chorus after an understated first verse.

Saturday, November 11, 1967: 'Show and Dance - Caravan Of Stars', Bell Auditorium, 712 Telfair Street, Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia
One show, started at 8:00pm. Also on the bill: Neil Diamond, Dave Tragedy, Ronnie Done, The Daytonas, The Younger Brothers.

Wednesday, November 22, 1967: Salem-Roanoke Valley Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Boulevard, Salem, Roanoke County, Virginia
Also on the bill: Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, Staples Singers, Laura Lee, The Esquires, Mickey Murray, The Exciters, Harvey and The 7 Sounds. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Saturday, November 25, 1967: Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 500 Howard Baker Jr. Boulevard, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee
Also on the bill: Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, Staple Singers, The Esquires, The Exciters, Harvey and the 7 Sounds, Laura Lee, Mickey Murray. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Friday, December 15 - Saturday, December 16, 1967: Family Dog, 1601 West Evans Street, Denver, Colorado
Also on the bill: Soul Survivors, Jimmerfield Legend. These shows were presented by the Family Dog, a production company run by the great late Chet Helms, former manager of Big Brother and The Holding Company.

Saturday, unknown date, 1967: 'George Klein's Talent Party', WHBQ-TV Channel 13, WHBQ-TV Studios, 485 South Higland Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee (broadcast date)
The band lip-synched 'The Letter'.

1967: Maryland National Guard Armory, 18 Willow Street, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland

1967: Dundalk High School, 1901 Delvale Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland

December ??, 1967
Danny Smythe leaves The Box Tops to pursued studies at the Memphis State University. “I’d dropped out of college that fall and lost my draft exemption,” Smythe explains. “That December I decided I had to go back or I would end up in Vietnam. The record royalties put me through college, and I became a graphic artist. I was heavily influenced by Alex’s parents, who ran an art gallery out of his home, [where] there were paintings floor to ceiling in every room.” Smythe had also become disillusioned with the way the band was managed, and was suspicious about where all the money was going. “[Mack] got a lot more money than we did. He talked us into a bad contract. He said he had control over the name Box Tops, and could replace anyone who didn’t go along with what he said. We never got a clear accounting of the money from the royalties or the gigs. We were paid an allowance and told the rest would come later. In some instances we were told that he never got paid for some gigs, and we had no way to follow up on it. It was all so frustrating.” Anyway, the band replaced him with Thomas 'Tom' Boggs (b. Sunday, July 16, 1944, Wynne, Cross County, Arkansas - d. Monday, May 5, 2008, Memphis, for cancer), formerly of Tommy Burk and The Counts, Flash and The Board Of Directors, and (as road manager) Paul Revere and The Raiders. “Tom was brought on originally to replace Vincent Alfonso as road manager,” points out Bill Cunningham in 2023. “I think he just moved into drumming when Danny quit. He served both rolls from then on.” “He’s the hardest-working member of the group,” also recalled Alex Chilton in 1968. “He backs all of our songs up with a solid beat. Offstage, he keeps track of all the necessary little details like making sure we get to our jobs on time, making hotel reservations and giving us money for food, clothes and other expenses when we’re on tour.” Anhyway, following in the footsteps of Smythe, John Evans also leaves the band to pursued studies at the Memphis State University, although he didn't enjoy it so he ended up serving with the Army Corps of Engineers in Germany. The band replaced him with Rick Allen (b. Monday, January 28, 1946, Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas), formerly of The Gentrys, The Coachmen, The Yo Yo's, and The Castells (only as sessionman). “There’s a wide streak of independence in him, but he’s really dedicated to the group,” recalled Alex Chilton in 1968.

THE BOX TOPS #2 (DECEMBER ??, 1967 - FEBRUARY 1968 (?))
1) Gary Talley
2) Bill Cunningham
3) Alex Chilton
4) Rick Allen bass, organ, trumpet, harmonica
5) Tom Boggs drums

The Box Tops #2, 1968 - from left: Gay Talley, Tom Boggs, Rick Allen, Alex Chilton, and Bill Cunningham

The Box Tops #2, 1968 - from left: Alex Chilton, Tom Boggs, Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, and Rick Allen

The Box Tops #2, New Jersey, 1968 - from left: Bill Cunningham, Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, Rick Allen, and Tom Boggs

The Box Tops #2, New York City, 1968 - from left: Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, and Rick Allen

The Box Tops #2, New York City, 1968 - from left: Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham, Rick Allen, Tom Boggs, and Gary Talley

The Box Tops #2, 1968 - from left: Bill Cunningham, Alex Chilton, Gary Taley, Tom Boggs, and Rick Allen

The Box Tops #2, 1969 - from left: Rick Allen, Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham, and Tom Boggs

The Box Tops #2, New York City, 1968 - from the top: Tom Boggs, Alex Chilton, Rick Allen, Gary Talley, and Bill Cunningham

The Box Tops #2, New Jersey, 1968 - from left: Rick Allen, Bill Cunningham, Gary Talley, Tom Boggs, and Alex Chilton

The Box Tops #2, 1968/69 - from left: Gary Talley, Rick Allen, Tom Boggs, Alex Chilton, and Bill Cunningham

The Box Tops #2, 1968 - from left: Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, Rick Allen, Tom Boggs, and Alex Chilton

The Box Tops #2, 1968 - from left: Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, and Rick Allen

The Box Tops #2, 1968 - from left: Bill Cunningham, Rick Allen, Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, and Tom Boggs

The Box Tops #2, 1968 - from left: Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham, Tom Boggs, and Rick Allen

The Box Tops #2, 1968 - from left: Rick Allen, Tom Boggs, Bill Cunningham, Gary Talley, and (in front) Alex Chilton

The Box Tops #2, 1969 - starting at 12 o’clock going clockwise: Alex Chilton, Tom Boggs, Bill Cunningham, Gary Talley, and Rick Allen.

The Box Tops #2, 1969 - from left: Bill Cunnningham, Tom Boggs, Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, and Rick Allen

The Box Tops #2, 1968 - from left: Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, Rick Allen, and Tom Boggs

Saturday, December 23 or Sunday, December 24, 1967: unknown venue, Fargo, Cass County, North Dakota

Sunday, December 24 or Monday, December 25, 1967: unknown venue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
This is the first date of The Box Tops' two-week Canadian tour. Also on the bill: The Trade Winds.

Saturday, December 30, 1967: 'Upbeat - Top Artists of 1967', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: The Cowsills, The 5th Dimension, Tommy James and The Shondells, Jay and The Techniques, Jon and Robin, Gene Pitney, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Sam The Sham and The Pharoahs.

Sunday, December 31, 1967: 'New Year's Eve Show', Municipal Auditorium, San Bernardino, CA
Also on the bill: The Leaves (cancelled), The Outsiders (cancelled), The Soul Survivors (cancelled), Them (cancelled), The Standells, The Grass Roots, Danny Dare (MC).

Friday, January 12, 1968: 'Dance-Concert', Concord Coliseum, 1825 Salvio Street, Concord, Contra Costa County, California
Also on the bill: The Undecided.

Oakland Tribune (January 6, 1968)

Saturday, January 13, 1968: 'American Bandstand', ABC-TV Channel 7, ABC Television Center, 4151 Prospect Avenue at Talmadge Street, Central Los Angeles, California (broadcast date)
The Box Tops, lip-synched 'The Letter' and 'Neon Rainbow', appearead on 'American Bandstand', Dick Clark's popular midday weekend show that was aired every Saturday at 1:30pm on ABC network. Also appeared: Joey Bishop, Jimmie Rodgers, Frankie Valli.

Saturday, January 13, 1968: 'Boss City', KHJ-TV Channel 9, KHJ Studios, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California (broadcast date)
Also appeared: DJ Sam Riddle (host), The Classics IV, Jay and The Techniques, The Buckinghams.

Saturday, January 13, 1968: San Diego International Sports Center, 3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Point Loma, San Diego, California
Also on the bill: Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, The Turtles, The Rose Garden, The Stone Poynes, Sonny & Cher, Jay & The Techniques, Brenton Wood, Classics IV, October Country, Kenny O'Dell.

January 1968 (?): American Sound Studio, 827 Thomas Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
The Box Tops recorded their second album, 'Cry Like A Baby'.

January 25, 1968: 'Grand Opening', Aerodrome, 1588 State Street, Schenectady, Schenectady County, New York

Saturday, February 3, 1968: The Cheetah, 1 Navy Street, Santa Monica (actually just over the line in Venice Beach), Los Angeles County, California
Also on the bill: The Hook.

February 1968 (?)
Gary Talley had no option to quit the group for a couple of months after he got sick. He was replaced "ad-interim" by Jerry Riley on guitar.

THE BOX TOPS #3 (FEBRUARY 1968 (?) - APRIL 1968 (?))
1) Tom Boggs
2) Bill Cunningham
3) Alex Chilton
4) Rick Allen
5) Jerry Riley guitar

The Box Tops #3, 1968 - from left: Alex Chilton, Jerry Riley, Bill Cunningham, Tom Boggs, and Rick Allen

The Box Tops #3, 1968 - from left: Rick Allen, Jerry Riley, Bill Cunningham, Alex Chilton, and Tom Boggs

The Box Tops #3, 1968 - from left: Rick Allen, Tom Boggs, Jerry Riley, Alex Chilton, and Bill Cunningham

The Box Tops #3, 1968 - from left: Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham, Rick Allen, Tom Boggs, and Jerry Riley

February 1968
The Box Tops' third single, 'Cry Like A Baby / The Door You Closed To Me' (Mala 593), was released in the US. The single peaked at number two on the US singles chart. 'Cry Like A Baby' had come to Penn and Oldham in a flash of inspiration. They had been frantically trying to write a hit single for the band but were getting nowhere, so they decided to head over to a local diner for an early lunch break. At the end of the meal, as talk turned to his writer’s block, Oldham slumped forward. “I’m so frustrated with this,” he said, “I could cry like a baby.” It was a eureka moment for Penn, who rushed his writing partner back to the studio, where they knocked out their song in record time. The compulsive beat and the perfect blend of pop and soul pushed the single to sell over a million copies.

Spanish sleeve

Italian sleeve

Belgium sleeve

Thursday, February 29, 1968
The Box Tops were nominated at the 10th Annual Grammy Awards for 'Best Performance By a Vocal Group' and for 'Best Contemporary Group Performance (Vocal or Instrumental)', both with their hit song 'The Letter'. Sadly they lost to the 5th Dimensions' song 'Up, Up and Away' in both categories.

March ?, 1968: 'It's Happening' (aka 'Happening '68'), ABC-TV Show, Vine Street Theater, 1615-29 North Vine Street, Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California (filmed date)
Also appeared: Sal Vineo, Bobby Vee, Paul Revere and The Raiders, John Provost. The show, which was hosted by Dick Clark, was broadcasted at 1:00pm on Saturday, April 27.

Saturday, March 16, 1968: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: Beverly Ann, Cube, The Dells, Georgie Fame, The Fireballs, The First Edition, The Five Stairsteps, Gene and Debbie, The Jaybees, The Lemon Pipers, Tommy Leonetti, The Next Five, Benny Troy, Bobby Vee.

Friday, March 22, 1968: unknown venue, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida

Saturday, March 23, 1968: 'Cancer Benefit Dance', Community Center, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa County, Florida
Alex Chilton and Tom Boggs did an interview at WNUE, a local radio station, few hours before the show. The Box Tops played from 9:15pm to 9:45pm, followed by a group from Pensacola called 13th Hour Glass.

Playground Daily News (March 26, 1968)

Saturday, March 23, 1968: unknown venue, Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida

Friday, March 29, 1968: Chase Gymnasium, State University of New York College at Oneonta (aka SUNY Oneonta, aka SUCO) campus, 108 Ravine Parkway, Oneonta, Otsego County, New York
The band was misspelled as 'The Boxtops' on a newspaper ad. Also on the bill: Left Banke. One show, started at 8:00pm.

Oneonta Star (March 23, 1968)

Sunday, March 31, 1968: Fountains Pavilion, 90 Lester Avenue, Johnson City, Broome County, New York
The show, which lasted from 2:00pm to 6:00pm, was An RBJ Production. Also on the bill: British Walkers, C. M. Ice, Norm Sherwood from WENE radio station (MC).

Monday, April 1, 1968 (?): 'The Peter Martin Show', WPIX-TV Channel 11, The Daily New Building (aka 11 WPIX Plaza), 220 East 42nd Street, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York (filmed date)
The Box Tops appeared on 'The Peter Martin Show', an hour-long (6 to 7pm) Saturday-night rock music television show hosted by Peter Martin. Also appeared: Bill Medley, The 1910 Fruit Gum Company. This episode was broadcasted on Saturday, April 6.

April 1968 (?)
Gary Talley rejoined the band and, of course, Jerry Riley was fired.

THE BOX TOPS #4 (aka #2) (APRIL 1968 (?) - AUGUST 31, 1969)
1) Tom Boggs
2) Gary Talley
3) Rick Allen
4) Bill Cunningham
5) Alex Chilton

April 1968
The Box Tops' second album, 'Cry Like A Baby' (Bell 6017), was released in the US. The album was a rather more hit and miss affair. ‘Deep In Kentucky’ has an undercurrent of horns and counter melody, ‘Weeping Analeah’ is a powerful waltz by Dan Folger and Mickey Newman, who had also written for Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs, and ‘Trouble With Sam’ sounds like The Kinks mixed with Scott Walker. Unfortunately, these highlights are tempered by the overly slushy ‘Good Morning Dear’; by ‘727’, which is basically a poor man’s ‘The Letter’ (it expresses the same sentiments, and even makes use of the same ‘tap-tap-tap-tap’ drum solo); and by the closing ‘You Keep Me Hanging On’, a sludgy version of the song made famous by The Supremes, here not even saved by an impassioned Chilton vocal. The sloppiness even spread to the album cover. Gary Talley had been ill on the day of the photo shoot in New York City, so the designers put his "ad-interim" replacement Jerry Riley at the back of the group, and drizzled water over the window the band was peering through to disguise the fact that Gary wasn't even there.

Tuesday, April 9, 1968: Oracle Arena & Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland, Alameda County, California
Also on the bill: The Young Rascals (cancelled), The Hook, Blu Porpis. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Thursday, April 11, 1968: Long Beach Arena, 300 East Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California
Also on the bill: The Rascals, The Hook, Bul Porpis. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Los Angeles Free Press (March 29, 1968)

Friday, April 12, 1968: ‘Teen-Time U.S.A. - Spring Rock Festival,’ Anaheim Convention Center, 800 West Katella Avenue, Anaheim, Orange County, California
The Box Tops played on the seventh day of this nine-day event promoted by Tommy Walker Presents. Country Joe and The Fish, and Canned Heat were also on the bill. Two shows, 6pm and 9pm.

Los Angeles Times (April 11, 1968)

April ??, 1968: unknown venue, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Also on the bill: The Hombres, and many others.

April ??, 1968: 'Mulqueen's Kiddie A-Go-Go', WCIU-TV Channel 26, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois (filming date)
The Box Tops, lip-synched 'Cry Like A Baby', appeared on this black-and-white teen dance television show produced by the late Jack Mulqueen and hosted by his late wife Elaine. The show was aired every Friday at 4pm.

Thursday, April 18, 1968: 'Top of the Pops', BBC1 TV Show, Studio G, BBC Lime Grove Studios, Lime Grove, Shepherd's Bush, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Greater London, UK (broadcast date)
The Box Tops appeared only on audio, when the in-house dance troupe The Gojo's danced on 'Cry Like A Baby'. Also appeared: Engelbert Humperdinck, The Kinks, Louis Armstrong, John Rowles, Paper Dolls, Reparata & The Delrons, Showstoppers, Spanky And Our Gang. This episode was co-hosted by the late deejays Alan Freeman and Stuart Henry, and was broadcasted today from 7:30 to 8:00pm.

Saturday, April 20, 1968: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: The Bandwagon, Mouse and The Traps, Epitome, The Five Stairsteps, John Fred and his Playboy Band, Richie Loveworth, The Marcels, Phil Ochs, Tony Scotti, O.C. Smith, Norro Wilson.

Saturday, April 20, 1968: 'Boss City', KHJ-TV Channel 9, KHJ Studios, 5515 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California (broadcast date)
Also appeared: DJ Sam Riddle (host), Mitch Ryder.

May 1968
The Box Tops' fourth single, 'Choo Choo Train / Fields Of Clover' (Mala M-12,005), was released in the US.

Italian sleeve

Belgian sleeve

French sleeve

Spanish sleeve

Friday, May 3, 1968: Moravian College, 1200 Main Street, Bethlehem, Lehigh and Northampton Counties, Pennsylvania
Also on the bill: Oredad and The Marvelettes.

Tuesday, May 14, 1968
When they were in New York City to receive gold records for ‘The Letter’ and ‘Cry Like A Baby,’ the Box Tops held a press conference at what was then the Americana Hotel at 155 West 47th Street, Manhattan. At the same time, John Lennon and Paul McCartney were downstairs in the same hotel holding a press conference to promote Apple Corps in the United States. Needless to say, the band could hardly wait for their own press conference to be over, so that they could catch a glimpse of their idols. “I got in to see them,” recalled Alex Chilton to the New York Sunday News (July 8). “It was something I’ll never forget. The people in the room were asking them questions and clicking away with their cameras. McCartney and Lennon just sat there being very cool about the whole thing. It was really great. Even though the Box Tops have had four hits now, I still consider myself a Beatle fan. They’re really up there above everybody else.” “We knew press people who gave Alex a press pass, he was the only one of us that got it,” also recalls fifty-five years later Bill Cunningham. “I was in the lobby just oiutside the ballroom doors to watch what I could. Not sure anyone [in the band] other than me tried to see it. I certainly didn’t see the whole event. I did run into to Lennon. I was going out a back entrance; John was coming in and we passed and said hello to one another. No one else around.”

Friday, May 17, 1968: Space club, 49th Street and Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, New York

Friday, May 31, 1968: 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson', NBC-TV Show, NBC Studios, Studio 6-B, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, 6th Avenue b/w 49th and 50th Streets, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, Yew York
This episode was taped live in the afternoon and broadcasted later that same evening. Also appeared: Johnny Carson (host), Ed McMahon (announcer), Doc Severinsen (bandleader), Michael Dunn (guest), James Garner (guest), Jane Elliot (guest), Meredith MacRae (guest).

Friday, June 7 - Saturday, June 8, 1968: Concord Coliseum, 1825 Salvio Street, Concord, Contra Costa County, California
Also on the bill: Cold Blood, Fritz, Raybyne Memorial Band. Lights by GOD. One show from 8pm to 12 midnight on Friday, and from 9pm to 1am on Saturday.

Saturday, June 15, 1968: The Library, Highway 218 Across From The Ranch Supper Club, Cou Falls, Johnson County, Iowa
Also on the bill: The Vibrants. One show, from 9pm to 1am.

Iowa City Press Citizen (June 15, 1968)

Sunday, June 16, 1968: 'Picnic Concert (aka Picnic / Festival and Rock Concert')', Bjornson Park, 8000 Crow Canyon Road, Castro Valley, Alameda County, California
Also on the bill: Sonny & Cher, Sly and The Family Stone, The People, The Loading Zone, Brotherly Love with Jeannie Piersol, Transatlantic Railroad, Gale Garnett, Spiders, Jackie Lee, and many many more. The event, which lasted from 10:00am 'til sundown, was rescheduled from Sunday, June 9, after it was cancelled to mourn Bobby Kennedy's untimley death.

The Hayward Daily Review (June 7, 1968)

Oakland Tribune (Jne 7, 1968)

The Hayward Daily Review (June 7, 1968)

Summer 1968: George Welsh Civic Auditorium, Lyin Street Northwest, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan
Also on the bill: The Fredric, Band X, The 6 Pak.

July 1968
The Box Tops' third album, 'Non Stop' (Bell 6023), was released in the US. The album was the first to lack a bona-fide hit single. It relied heavily on previously used songwriting templates and offered little to either new or established fans of the band. The opener, the appallingly titled ‘Choo Choo Train’, has Chilton growling out a lyric that not only speaks of travelling home (again) but even features the “aer-o-plane” phrasing of the band’s most famous song. ‘I’m Movin’ On’ is a classic thigh-slapping country romp by Canadian legend Hank Snow, although The Box Tops (or at least Dan Penn) twist in an electric guitar solo before settling it back into its country time signature. Wayne Carson Thompson’s ‘Sandman’ does little to rouse the first side, although ‘She Shot A Hole In My Soul’ by Chuck Neese and Mac Gayden’s (of Nashville band The Sliders) does at least lift proceedings. There are two Penn–Oldham compositions, ‘People Gonna Talk’ and ‘I Met Her In Church’, with the latter the album’s undisputed highlight. Originally written as ‘I Met Him In Church’ for The Sweet Inspirations, it features a gospel choir on the chorus, lifting the song to new heights, while Oldham’s piano playing is glorious and a pleasure to listen to. ‘Rock Me Baby’ is a B.B. King song that does exactly as promised - it rocks - and is quite a departure from The Box Tops’ usual mixture of country, pop, gospel, and soul. Finally, while not the best song on the album, one of the most notable is ‘I Can Dig It’, the first Chilton composition to be recorded, which fits well with some of the funkier Box Tops songs of the period.

July ?, 1968: ‘Grand Ole Opry Show,’ Ryman Auditorium, 116 5th Avenue North, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
The band played 'The Letter' and 'Cry Like A Baby'. Also appeared: Tammy Wynette, Jimmy Angel, Ed Bruce, Jon & Robin, Guy & David, Slim Bean, Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, and many others. The show was taped and broadcasted in color on Tuesday, July 16 (8:00 - 8:30pm) on the NBC-TV Show 'Showcase '68' hosted by Lloyd Thaxton.

Friday, July 5, 1968: 'Super Summer Spectacular', Shreveport Municipal Auditorium, 705 Grand Avenue, Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana
Also on the bill: Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, Jon & Robin.

Wednesday, July 17, 1968: 'The Dick Cavett Show', ABC TV Show, ABC Studios, 77 West 66th Street, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York (broadcast date)
Also appeared: John V. Lindsay, Glynis Johns, Elliot Arnold, His Royal Highness and Maharajah of Indaipur and his wife.

Wednesday, July 17, 1968: 'Philadelphia Music Festival', John F. Kennedy Stadium, 5 Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Also on the bill: The Rascals, Country Joe and The Fish, Delfonics, Woody's Truck Stop. Lights by Joshua Light Show. The festival, which started at 8:00pm, was presented by Schmidt's of Philadelphia, a brewing company.

The Philadelphia Inquirer (June 30, 1968)

The Philadelphia Inquirer (July 14, 1968)

Saturday, July 27, 1968: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: The American Breed, John Fred and his Playboy Band, The Flavor, Gene and Debbie, The Human Beinz, Robert John, Lord Sutch, The Merrie Motor Co., Peaches and Herb, The Persians, The Yardbirds.

August 1968
The Box Tops' fifth single, 'I Met Her In Church / People Gonna Talk' (Mala M-12,017), was released in the US.

French sleeve

German sleeve

Friday, August 2, 1968: '2nd Annual WIXY Appreciation Day', Geauga Lake Amusement Park, Bainbridge Township, Geauga County, Ohio
Also on the bill: Gene Pitney, Jay and The Techniques, New Colony Six, 1910 Fruitgum Company, Peppermint Trolley Copmpany, The Amboy Dukes. The event was held by Cleveland's popular AM radio station, WIXY 1260, and drawing an estimated 100,000 to 120,000 people.

Friday, August 2, 1968: Ottawa Civic Centre, 1015 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, 3's A Crowd. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Saturday, August 3, 1968: Paul-Sauve Centre, 4000 Rue Beaubien Est, Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Munks. The show, which started at 8:30pm, was presented by CFOX, a local radio station.

Sunday, August 4, 1968: Lord Beaverbrook Rink, 536 Main Street, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, F.J. and the Soul-fingers. One show, started at 8:30pm. Almost 6,000 fans attended this show. Teenagers lined up around the block to catch a glimpse of the Beach Boys. Many also turned up to see the Box Tops, who were quite popular in Canada. According to a reviewer, “The screams and noise was deafening when the Beach Boys hit the stage and the audience never wavered in their support for the two groups.”

Monday, August 5, 1968: Halifax Forum, 2901 Windsor Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys. The show, which started at 8pm, was presented by CJCH, a local radio station.

Tuesday, August 6, 1968: Bangor Auditorium, 515 Main Street, Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Barracudas, Larry Donovan (MC). One show, started at 8pm.

Wednesday, August 7, 1968: Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Boulevard, Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Vogues, The Spectras.

Thursday, August 8, 1968: Pittsfield Boys' Club, Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachussets
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys. The show, which started at 8pm, was presented by Park Square Productions.

The Berkshire Eagle (July 18, 1968)

Friday, August 9 - Sunday, August 11, 1968: Steel Pier, 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The New Christy Minstrels.

Thursday, August 15, 1968: Bay Theater, Green Bay, Brown County, Wisconsin
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, Mother Smack. Two shows, 7pm and 9:30pm.

The Post-Crescent (August 13, 1968)

Friday, August 16, 1968: Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler University campus, 4602 Sunset Avenue, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys. Two shows.

Saturday, August 17, 1968: Asbury Park Convention Hall, 1300 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Brooklyn Bridge. Two shows, 7:30pm and 9:45pm. That day was also Gary Talley's 21th birthday and "Bll Cunningham, Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson went out and bought me a birthday cake and brought it to my hotel room," Gary recalls. "The Beach Boys and Bill sang 'Happy Birthday' to me."

Sunday, August 18, 1968: Dane County Coliseum, Dane County Expo Center campus, 1919 Alliant Energy Center Way, Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys. One show, started at 7:30pm.

Monday, August 19, 1968: Winnipeg Auditorium, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Surprise Package.

Tuesday, August 20, 1968: Regina Exhibition Stadium (aka Queen City Gardens), Regina Exhibition Park, 1700 Elphinstone Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Surprise Package. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Wednesday, August 21, 1968: Edmonton Gardens, southwest corner of 118 Avenue and 73 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Surprise Package. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Thursday, August 22, 1968: Stampede Corral, Stampede Park, 10 Corral Trail Southeast, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, Surprise Package. One show, started at 8:00pm.

Friday, August 23, 1968: Spokane Coliseum (aka The Boone Street Barn), West boone Avenue and North Howard Street, Spokane, Washington
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys, The Surprise Package. One show, started at 8:30pm. Only 4,000 fans turned out for this concert.

Saturday, August 24, 1968: Auditorium, Boise High School, 1010 West Washington Street, Boise, Ada County, Idaho
Also on the bill: The Pickle Brothers, The Beach Boys. Two shows, 7:00pm and 9:30pm, presented by KYME, a local radio station.

Saturday, August 31, 1968: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: Jackie DeShannon, Jeannie C. Riley, Don Juans, Terry Knight, Johnny Nash, Lou Rawls, The Temptations, The Visitors (possible aka Theze Visitors), Brenton Wood.

Friday, September 6, 1968: 'All State Dance', Agriculture Building, Montana State Fairgrounds, 400 3rd Street Northwest, Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana
Also on the bill: The Ravens, The Travel Agency.

Saturday, September 7, 1968: Lagoon (amusement park), 375 Lagoon Drive, Farmington, Davis County, Utah
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys. Two shows, 7pm and 9:30pm, presented by KNAK, al local radio station.

The Salt Lake Tribune (August 30, 1968)

Ogden Standard-Examiner (September 4, 1968)

Sunday, September 22 - Monday, September 30, 1968
The Box Tops cancelled a one-week tour in Italy (which included a television appearance) due to a reported earthquake!

Saturday, September 28, 1968: SIU Arena, 1400 Arena Drive, Carbondale, Jackson County, Illinois
Also on the bill: The Bitter Lemons, The Ashes Of Dawn.

Friday, October 18, 1968: Ottumwa Coliseum, 102 Church Street, Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa
Also on the bill: Heart & Soul. One show, from 8:30pm to 11:30pm.

Saturday, October 19, 1968: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: Johnny Cash, Wayne Cochran and the C.C. Riders, Jackie DeShannon, The Delfonics, Neil Diamond, The Grass Roots, Al Hirt, Tommy James and The Shondells, Johnny Nash, The 1910 Fruit Gum Company, The Outsiders, The T.I.M.E. Unit, Bobby Vee, Blue Cheer, Clarence Carter, Shipley and Brewer, Carla Thomas, Charlie and Inez Foxx, Junior Parker, Autry Inman.

Friday, November 8, 1968: 'Prince' - Tiger Dance', Herbert L. Dillon Gymnasium, Princeton University campus, Elm Drive, Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: Doug Clark and The Hot Nuts, The Motivations, The Charter Bus.

Friday, November 22, 1968: The New Place, Illinois Highway 31, two miles north of Algonquin, McHenry and Kane Counties, Illinois

December 1968
The Box Tops' sixth single, 'Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March / I See Only Sunshine' (Mala M-12,035), was released in the US.

German sleeve

French sleeve

Spanish sleeve

December 1968
The Box Tops' compilation album, 'Super Hits' (Bell 6025), was released in the US.

Friday, December 20, 1968: The New Place, Illinois Highway 31, two miles north of Algonquin, McHenry and Kane Counties, Illinois (canceled?)
Also on the bill: The Olivers. I don't know if this show finally happened or not, because the venue, a converted barn, burned to the ground that same day.

Saturday, December 21, 1968: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
The Box Tops lip-synced 'Cry Like A Baby'. Also appeared: The Buckinghams, Bobby Goldsboro, The First Ediiton, Brenda Jo Harris, The Irish Rovers, Clarence Carter, Fuzzy Bunnies, The Smubbs, Joe South, The Sounds of Modification, Lenny Welch.

Sunday, December 22, 1968: ‘Los Angeles Pop Festival - A Christmas Happening,’ Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Exposition Park, 3939 South Figueroa Street, University Park, South Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
The Box Tops played on the first day of this 2-day (December 22-23) pop festival that was A Golden Crest Production blessed by Wild Gypsy Boots. Also on the bill: Jose Feliciano, Righteous Brothers, Blue Cheer, Three Dog Night, Canned Heat.

Los Angeles Free Press (December 5, 1968)

Los Angeles Free Press (December 13, 1968)

Los Angeles Free Press (December 20, 1968)

Los Angeles Times (December 22, 1968)

Los Angeles Times (December 19, 19689

Saturday, December 28, 1968
On the day of his 18th birthday, Alex Chilton married his pregnant girlfriend Suzie Green, who he had met on tour in Dallas few months earlier. The couple married in the Chilton family living room in Memphis, and soon after that a son, Timothy, was born. According to a friend, the new parents were understandably dismayed at having to take on the responsibility of marriage at such a young age, and they were right: the marriage was shortlived, and Timothy would spend his early years shuttling back and forth between his mother and Chilton’s parents. Chilton himself had done a lot of growing up in a very short space of time. He was still only a teenager, but he had a wife and a child, and was the most visible figure of a million-selling band.

Sunday, December 29, 1968: 'Miami Pop Festival', Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino, 901 South Federal Highway, Hallandale Beach, Broward County, Florida
The band was billed as 'The Boxtops' [sic] on the poster/ad. Also on the bill: Marvin Gaye, The Grateful Dead, Hugh Masekela, Flatt and Scruggs, Butterfield Blues Band, Joni Mitchell, Procol Harum, James Cotton Blues Band, Steppenwolf. One show, from 1:00pm to 10:00pm.

The Box Tops #4 (aka #2), Miami Pop Festival, December 29, 1968 - from left: Rick Allen, Bill Cunningham, Alex Chilton, Tom Boggs, and Gary Talley

Bill Cunningham, Miami Pop Festival, December 29, 1968

Gary Talley, Miami Pop Festival, December 29, 1968

Miami Pop Festival, December 29, 1968 - from left: bill Cunningham and Alex Chilton

Columbia Daily Spectator (December 4, 1968)

1968: American Sound Studio, 827 Thomas Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Mostly from an idea of their assistant manager, who was of Italian descendants, The Box Tops were invited to partecipate, the next January 1969, at the annual 'Festival della Canzone Italiana', aka 'Sanremo Festival', the most oldest and famous Italian music festival. For their upcoming partecipation at the festival, they even recorded three songs in Italian language: 'Mi Sento Felice' (the Italian version of 'Cry Like A Baby' with a complitely different lyrics written by a famous Italian singer and songwriter called Ricky Gianco), 'Zucchero' (co-written by Roberto Soffici, Roberto Guscelli, Luigi Clausetti, aka 'Ascri', and last but not least, Giulio Rapetti, aka 'Mogol', the greatest Italian songwriter of all-time), and 'Ballerina Ballerina' (co-written by Ricky Gianco, Franco Migliacci, and Giovanni Sanjust aka 'Rompigli'). 'Mi Sento Felice' was released as single in Italy that year ('Mi Sento Felice (Cry Like A Baby) / The Door You Closed To Me' (Ricordi International SIR 20-072)), while the other two tracks were never released and no one but Bill Cunnningham have tape copies as far he know (they're not on the internet). "All three songs were done at the same session," Bill Cunningham recalls. "They were for the Sanremo Festival that we were scheduled to play. Ricky [Gianco] would have been there to help with the lyrics, but for some reason I only recall a female coaching Alex, Gary and me on the vocals. Everything was done line by line phonetically. I only have rough mix tapes that I took away that day, after we finished recording. 'Ballerina Ballerina' and 'Zucchero' were completed tracks, but never received horns or what we call 'sweeteners.' As for remixing, I only have a two track mix."

1968 (?): St. Louis Arena, 5700 Oakland Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri
Also on the bill: The Dave Clark Five.

1968 or 1969: Fieldhouse, Ferris State College, 1201 South State Street, Big Rapids, Mecosta County, Michigan

Early 1969
After touring with The Beach Boys a couple of times in the last two years, Alex Chilton was invited to visit the band in Los Angeles, California. By now, Chilton was staying at Dennis Wilson’s house, taking acid and having a merry old time until another of Dennis’s friends decided to move in for a while. “I was on the road meeting people like The Beach Boys, The Doors, Wilson Pickett, everybody,” Alex recalled. “Carl Wilson taught me to play the guitar. I was like the youngest Wilson brother, and I went to California and spent some time with them. I stayed at Brian’s house a few times, and that’s how I got to meet Charles Manson. Of course, no one knew what he was really up to. We were all there together in this really fabulous Malibu beach community in Dennis’s log cabin, and suddenly this guy shows up with a harem full of beautiful girls and starts playing songs at us. Occasionally, things got a little uncomfortable.” On one occasion, Chilton was sent out to fetch the groceries, much to his chagrin; when he returned without milk some of Manson’s family began to cause a scene. “[I] started thinking at around that time: hey, these are kinda strange vibes. Let’s leave. I’m not too sure about this Charlie.”

Saturday, January 18, 1969: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
The Box Tops lip-synced 'Sweet Cream Ladies'. Also appeared: Canned Heat, Bobby Darin, Jerry Jeff Walker, Jerry Butler, Sonny Geraci, The Good Rats, The Mauds, Mother Earth, The New Colony Six, Peppermint Rainbow, i Sugar and Spice, The Unifics, The Vogues.

Saturday, January 18, 1969: Pershing Auditorium, 226 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska
One show, started at 8pm.

Thursday, January 30 - Saturday, February 1, 1969: '19° Festival della Canzone Italiana (aka Festival di Sanremo)', Salone delle Feste, Casinò Municipale, Corso degli Inglesi 18, Sanremo, Liguria, Italy (The Box Tops cancelled)
The Box Tops cancelled their appearance at this famous Italian music festival.

Saturday, February 15, 1969: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: Canned Heat, Solomon Burke, The Duprees, Four Sonics Plus One, Chris Gantry, The Good Rats, The In-Keepers, Peaches & Herb, The Vogues, David Ruffin, The Snow.

Sunday, March 30, 1969: Seattle Center Arena, corner of Mercer Street and 4th Avenue North, Seattle, King County, Washington
Also on the bill: The Monkees.

April 1969
The Box Tops' seventh single, 'I Shall Be Released / I Must Be The Devil' (Mala M-12,038), was released in the US.

Italian version

Wednesday, April 2, 1969: 'Concert and Dance', Viking Union Gallery, Western Washington University campus, 516 High Street, Bellingham, Whatcome, Washington
Also on the bill: Gas Company. One show, from 8:00pm to 12 midnight.

Friday, April 4, 1969: Seattle Center Arena, corner of Mercer Street and 4th Avenue North, Seattle, King County, Washington
Also on the bill: Canned Heat.

Wednesday, April 23, 1969: Circle Ltd., Carrboro, Orange County, North Carolina

Friday, April 25, 1969: 'Die Drehscheibe', ZDF-TV Show, Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (broadcast date)
The Box Tops appeared only with a film clip.

Saturday, May 3, 1969: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: Iron Butterfly, Jay and The Techniques, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Thunder, Josh White Jr. Alzo and Udine, Baby Huey, The Raven, Buzzy Linhart, Mongo Santamaria, Ila Vann, Yellow Payges, The Wool, The Cowsills (uncertain), B.J. Thomas (uncertain).

Saturday, May 10, 1969: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: Bobby Goldsboro, The Grass Roots, Brenda Lee, The Magic Triplets, B.J. Thomas, The Amboy Dukes, Tony Drake, The Fireballs, Eddie Lovette, The McCoys, The Paper Train, Jeannie C. Riley, Bobby Womack.

June 1969
The Box Tops' eighth single, 'Soul Deep / (The) Happy Song' (Mala M-12,040), was released in the US.

Wednesday, June 25, 1969: Starline Ballroom, Highway 30, Carroll, Carroll County, Iowa
Also on the bill: Westminsters.

Carroll Daily Times Herald (JUne 25, 1969)

Late June or Early July 1969: Bell Auditorium, 712 Telfair Street, Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia
The show was apparently sponsored by a local FM radio station called WBBQ because "[they] had asked the public to greet the band at the airport [when they arrived that morning]. So I went," recalls a fan named Stephen Andrews who also attended the evening show. "The station had a dune buggy with them at the airport and was going to give the band a ride to the hotel. One small problem. The dune buggy did not have room for all the band and the dj from the station. [I went there with my car] so I offered to give a ride to one of the members to the hotel, but I do not remember which one."

The Box Tops in Augusta, Georgia, in June or July 1969

Friday, July 18, 1969: Grandmother's, 3411 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan

Saturday, July 19, 1969: Wampler's Lake Pavilion, Walkter J. Hayes State Park, US Highway 12, Irish Hills, Lenawee County, Michigan
Also on the bill: Head Over Heels.

The Argus (July 10, 1969)

Saturday, July 19, 1969: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: Paul Mauriat, The Spiral Starecase, The Sugar Cakes, The Vogues, Aesops Fables, Michael Allen, Sandy Alpert, The Buchanan Brothers, The O'Jays, The Swordsmen.

Saturday, July 19, 1969: Long Island Arena, 366 Veterans Memorial Highway, Commack, Suffolk County, New York
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Buchanan Brothers, The New Colony Six. One show, started at 8pm.

Sunday, July 20, 1969: Troy Armory, 15th Street, Troy, Rensselaer County, New York
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Buchanan Brothers. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Monday, July 21, 1969: Wentworth Curling Club, 2100 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Buchanan Brothers. One show, started at 8pm.

Tuesday, July 22, 1969: ‘Summer ‘69 Festival,’ The Gaelic Park Sports Centre (aka Gaelic Park), West 240th Street and Broadway, Riverdale, Bronx, New York City, New York
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, Brooklyn Bridge. The show, which started at 8:30pm, was sponsored by Manhattan College and WOR-FM radio.

Thursday, July 24 - Saturday, July 26, 1969: Steel Pier, 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Buchanan Brothers. Three shows a day.

Saturday, July 26, 1969: Olympia Stadium, 5920 Grand River Avenue at McGraw Street, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Also on the bill: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Savage Grace, Jethro Tull (cancelled), James Gang. The show, which started at 8:00pm, was presented by WKNR, an AM radio station licensed to Dearborn, Michigan.

Sunday, July 27, 1969: Oakdale Musical Theatre, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Buchanan Brothers. One show, started at 8pm.

Monday, July 28, 1969: ‘March of Dimes Benefit Concert!,’ Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, Maryland
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Buchanan Brothers, The Fugitives Six, Bill Myers & The Younger Americans. One show, started at 8pm.

Tuesday, July 29 - Wednesday, July 30, 1969: Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Boulevard, Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Buchanan Brothers, The Spectras. One show each night at 8:30pm.

Thursday, July 31, 1969: Irwin's Winnipesaukee Gardens Ballroom (aka The Weirs), Winnipesaukee Pier, 263 Lakeside Avenue, Weirs Beach, Laconia, Belknap County, New Hampshire
Also on the bill: The Beach Boys, The Buchanan Brothers, The Spectras.

August 1969
The Box Tops' fourth and last album, 'Dimensions' (Bell 6032), was released in the US. The album was the first not produced by Dan Penn. Penn had fallen out with Chips Moman, seemingly irrevocably, and had high-tailed it to Nashville, leaving production duties to be passed to Moman and The Memphis Boys' bass player Tommy Cogbill. Penn’s absence also meant there would be no more Box Tops songs by him and Oldham, but that did however offer a chance for Alex Chilton to get more of his own compositions on the album. The album does at least include some performances by the musicians in the band and opens on a very promising note with another Wayne Carson Thompson song, ‘Soul Deep’. Sounding very much like a Neil Diamond recording (perhaps not coincidentally, since Diamond had been recording at American around this time), it was possibly the best Box Tops song since their debut album. It also reached the US top twenty. Chilton shows great vocal versatility with his gentle reading of Bob Dylan’s ‘I Shall Be Released’, but then things go from the sublime to the ridiculous as he stomps through ‘Sweet Cream Ladies, Forward March’, which would subsequently be banned by some radio stations when issued as a single because of the lyrics, which extoll the virtues of the world’s oldest profession. The album also includes three of Chilton’s own songs: ‘Together’, ‘I Must Be The Devil’, and ‘(The) Happy Song’. “I started playing guitar pretty heavily around the time that The Box Tops took off,” he recalled in 1994. “I started writing the next year, 1968, or something like that, attempting to find my writing style.” When he first got the chance to try out one of his own songs, however, Chilton felt that he was not taken seriously. “It always sounded shitty the way they did it. They’d spend 20 hours working on a project of theirs, and I’d get sent in with an apprentice engineer and some bad musicians for 30 minutes and get to record my song. The attitude around was: well, you’re just the artist, we’re the ones who come up with the songs, we’re the ones who make it sound good, we’re the musicians, you’re just the singer and you don’t know how to play a guitar or anything.” ‘I Must Be The Devil’ features spiralling bluesy-piano, a hypnotic rhythm section, and an impassioned vocal, and was Chilton’s best composition to date; ‘(The) Happy Song’ is an upbeat country-pop effort but little more; ‘Together’ features organ and a brass section. The album closes with another glaring example of the band’s lack of new material: ‘Rock Me Baby’, which previously appeared on Non Stop, here extended from 3:46 to a blues jam of almost ten minutes.

Saturday, August 9, 1969: ‘Summer Pop Festival’, Public Auditorium (aka Public Hall), 500 Lakeside Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
The festival, which started at 8:00pm, was produced by Belkin Productions. Also on the bill: Sly and The Family Stone, Friends Of Distinction, Sir Douglas Quintet, Chuck Dunaway of WIXY (MC).

Saturday, August 23, 1969: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
The Box Tops lip-synced 'Soul Deep'. Also appeared: The Four Freshmen, The Guess Who, Jeannie C. Riley, Tommy Roe, J.D. Blackfoot, Bill Deal, Isaac Hayes, Illusion, Iron Butterfly, Jefferson Lee, Bobby Merritt, Frankie Valli (uncertain), People's Choice (uncertain).

Saturday, August 30, 1969: Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th Street Northeast, Salem, Marion County, Oregon
Also on the bill: Alice Cooper, Fatt-Twice-Together.

Sunday, August 31, 1969
Bill Cunningham leaves The Box Tops after he decided to return to school to get a music degree in performance (upright bass). He was replaced on bass by William Harold Cloud.

THE BOX TOPS #5 (SEPTEMBER 1, 1969 - OCTOBER 1969)
1) Tom Boggs
2) Gary Talley
3) Rick Allen
4) Alex Chilton
5) William Harold Cloud bass

September 1969
The Box Tops' ninth single, 'Turn On A Dream / Together' (Mala M-12,042), was released in the US.

September 1969
By late summer, things had started to change for Alex Chilton. The Box Tops were slowly coming to an end and he realised that his marriage to Suzie had been a mistake. Soon after that, he started an affair with Vera Ellis, and then he decided to move to New York with her. Ellis had met Chilton the previous year through a mutual friend, Earl Smith, who was also friends with Alex's future Big Star's bandmate Chris Bell and Andy Hummel at Memphis State University. “Alex was with The Box Tops, touring quite a bit at the time,” she recalls. “He was very laid back, intelligent, and open minded. He appeared to be confident and sure of himself but not proud to be in The Box Tops. They were too commercial; the music embarrassed him and caused him to feel he was looked down on by other musicians. “He was living with his parents when he was in town. Earl and I dropped by to visit Alex and we became friends. I spent many days and nights with Alex at his parents’ home on Montgomery Street. We would go to the Sharecropper, a Memphis club, to listen to Sid’s band. Alex’s family was very political, liberal Democrats, ahead of their time in Memphis.” After Chilton and Green had separated, he started seeing Ellis, and at the end of the summer they relocated to New York. “They [Chilton and Green] didn’t live together as man and wife very long,” Ellis adds. “Suzie and I were thrown together quite often because of Timothy, and we were always friendly. My affair with Alex was not secret or hidden, and he was not living with Suzie at the time.”

Saturday, September 13, 1969: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
The Box Tops lip-synced 'Soul Deep'. Also appeared: Lesley Gore, Sam The Sham, Joe South, William Bell, The Four Freshmen, Jonathan Frid, The Underground Sunshine.

Saturday, October 18, 1969: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
The Box Tops lip-synced 'Turn On A Dream'. Also appeared: Jerry Butler, Bobby Goldsboro, The 1910 Fruit Gum Company, The People Tree, Joe South, Mauroks.

Thursday, October 23, 1969: Stepan Center, University of Notre Dame campus, Stepan Drive, Notre Dame, north of South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana

October 1969
Rick Allen leaves The Box Tops and was replaced by their old friend and bandmate Swain Schaefer, formerly of The Scepters, The Blazers, and Excalibur.

THE BOX TOPS #6 (OCTOBER 1969 - NOVEMBER 1969)
1) Tom Boggs
2) Gary Talley
3) William Harold Cloud
4) Alex Chilton
5) Swain Schaefer vocals, organ, bass

The Box Tops #6, 1969 - from left: Tom Boggs, Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, Swain Schaefer, and Harold Cloud

Saturday, November 15, 1969: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
The Box Tops lip-synced 'Cry Like A Baby'. Also appeared: Johnny Mathis, Tommy Roe, Evie Sands, Big Foot, Patti La Belle and The Bluebelles, The 1910 Fruit Gum Company, Sam The Sham, Wind.

November 1969
Tom Boggs was fired from The Box Tops (he retired from music and began working in the restaurant business) and was replaced on drums by Robert 'Bobby' Guidotti (b. Tuesday, April 11, 1950)

THE BOX TOPS #7 (NOVEMBER 1969 - OCTOBER 1970)
1) Gary Talley
2) Swain Schaefer
3) William Harold Cloud
4) Alex Chilton
5) Bobby Guidotti vocals, drums

The Box Tops #7, London, UK, December 4, 1969 - from left: Swain Schaefer, Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, Harold Cloud, and Bobby Guidotti

The Box Tops #7, London, UK, December 4, 1969 - from left: Swain Schaefer, Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, Harold Cloud, and Bobby Guidotti

The Box Tops #7, 1970

Friday, November 28, 1969 (?): 'The Mike Douglas Show', KYW-TV Channel 3 (NBC network), KYW Studios, 1619 Walnut Street, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (filmed date)
The band lip-synched: 'Turn On A Dream' and 'Soul Deep'. Also appeared: Mike Douglas (host), Virginia Graham (co-host), Enzo Stuarti (guest), Howard H. Baker Jr. (guest), Joey Adams (guest), Cindy Adams (columnist). This episode was broadcasted on Friday, December 5.

Sunday, November 30, 1969 (?)
As The Box Tops went out on their final run of dates during the autumn of 1969, the atmosphere within the band continued to worsen. Conflicts between new band members, unsatisfactory live performances, and falling chart placings all contributed to the general malaise. “Our financial statements were two or three months behind,” says Gary Talley. “Our manager and his attorney were getting their money right off the top, so the band was paying for everything from pencils to studio time. We’d had two gold records and were getting an advance of $150 dollars a week apiece, and the band was exhausted from touring.” The final straw came when the band arrived in London in December ahead of a two-week UK tour. After checking into their hotel on Bayswater Road, they went off to rehearse, only, as Talley recalls, “our rehearsal space turned out to be in the basement of an elementary school while school was still in session. As we walked in with our guitars, we were surrounded by boisterous six-year-olds with funny accents. We were led to the basement, where our gear for the tour was supposed to be set up for us. “Our equipment rider had specified what amps, drums, and keyboards were to be provided. What waited was quite unexpected. We were greeted by our opening act, a West Indian reggae band called King Ollie & The Raisins. Their equipment was what we were going to have to use on the tour. Instead of Ludwig or Slingerland drums, there was a tiny drum kit identical to the one I received for my birthday when I was ten. Instead of the Fender amps, there were Marshall P.A. amps - not guitar amps. The not-Hammond B3 organ was a tiny Farfisa, but it did have a big wooden Leslie cabinet. We soon learned that the loud clunking sound we were hearing came from the broken rotating speaker in the Leslie, which banged against the cabinet every time it turned.” The band’s management’s attempts to cut costs were proving to be at the expense of things that were essential for touring success in a foreign country. “In the winter of 1969 and 1970, I’d had more than I could stand,” Chilton recalled. “And so finally, in a huff, I just blew it off. That’s how we disbanded.” Chilton and Talley discussed the situation and agreed that the band had reached the end of the road - literally. The tour was cancelled; some of the entourage went home, while a few stayed in Europe for a vacation, which included taking the opportunity to visit France. There was no storming offstage, as has been reported elsewhere. It was all pretty low-key.

Tuesday, December 2, 1969: St. Matthew's Baths Hall, Civic Drive, Ipswich, Suffolk, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Thursday, December 4, 1969: Locarno Ballroom, Blenheim House, 23 Market Pavement, Basildon, Essex, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Friday, December 5, 1969: Mistrale Club, 2-4 High Street, adjoining Beckenham Junction Station, Beckenham, London Borough of Bromley, Greater London, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Saturday, December 6, 1969: Leyton Super Baths, High Street, Leyton, London Borough of Waltham Forest, Greater London, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Sunday, December 7, 1969: Blaises Club, Imperial Hotel's basement, 121 Queen's Gate, South Kensington, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Greater London, UK (canceled)

Sunday, December 7, 1969: The Surrey Tavern, Kennington Oval, Kennington, London Borough of Lambeth, Greater London, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Monday, December 8, 1969: Acton Town Hall, High Street, Acton, London Borough of Ealing, Greater London, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Wednesday, December 10, 1969: Royal Victoria, Tonbridge, Kent, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Thursday, December 11, 1969: Rebecca's, Severn Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Saturday, December 13, 1969: California Ballroom, Whipsnade Road, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Sunday, December 14, 1969: Theatre Royal, Theatre Square, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Monday, December 15, 1969: Orchid Ballroom, 112A Brighton Road, Purley, London Borough of Croydon, Greater London, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Tuesday, December 16, 1969: Central Hall, 170 High Street, Chatham, Kent, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins, Percy Sledge, The Upsetters.

Sunday, December 21, 1969: Locarno Ballroom, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Monday, December 22, 1969: Locarno Ballroom, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK (canceled)
Also on the bill: King Ollie & The Raisins.

Saturday, January 24, 1970: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: The Buchanan Brothers, Jerry Butler, The Frunnox, Bobby Goldsboro, Luther Ingram, The Lettermen, The Out-of-Sights, The Seven, Billy Sharae, Johnny Velvet.

Sunday, February 8, 1970: James McVean Student Center Gymnasium, Jefferson Community College (aka SUNY Jefferson) campus, 1220 Coffeen Street, Watertown, Jefferson County, New York
One show, started at 3:00pm.

The Word (December 15, 1969)

The Word (February 16, 1970)

Friday, February 13, 1970: Daniel's Den, 2525 State Street, Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan

Saturday, March 14, 1970: Pershing Municipal Auditorium, 226 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska
Also on the bill: The Crows.

The Daily Nebraskan (March 13, 1970)

March 1970
The Box Tops' tenth single, 'You Keep Tightening Up On Me / Come On Honey' (Bell 865), was released in the US. The A-side was written by Wayne Carson Thompson and driven by the now familiar sitar-like guitar sound, while the B-side was written by Alex Chilton. The single stuttered to number 92 in the US charts.

Belgian sleeve

Saturday, April 25, 1970: 'Upbeat', TV Show, WEWS Channel 5, WEWS Television Studios, 3001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (broadcast date)
Also appeared: Owen B., The Cuff Links, Tyrone Davis, The Glass House, Bobbi Martin, The Impressions, Evie Sands, Garrett Scott.

Friday, May 8, 1970: ‘Weber State College Wildcat Week,’ Gymnasium, Weber State College campus, Ogden, Weber County, Utah
The show, which started at 8pm and was part of the Weber State College Wildcast Week festivities, was presented by WSC Associated Students.

Saturday, June 13, 1970: 'Show And Dance', Dreamland Ballroom, Conneaut Lake Park, 12324 Comstock Street, Conneaut Lake, Crawford County, Pennsylvania
One show, from 8:30pm to 11:30pm.

Tuesday, June 30, 1970: ‘Youth Day,’ grandstand, Western Illinois Fair, 516 South Oak Street, Griggsville, Pike County, Illinois
Also on the bill: Wabash Resurrection, Bob Trent (MC). One show, started at 8pm.

Tuesday, June 30, 1970: ‘Youth Day,’ tennis court, Western Illinois Fair, 516 South Oak Street, Griggsville, Pike County, Illinois
Following their abovementioned appearance on the grandstand stage, the Box Tops and Wabash Resurrection also played at a dance held on the fairgrounds tennis court. Nationally famous ventriloquist Bob Trent emceed this event too.

Wednesday, July 1, 1970: University Union ballroom, Illinois State University campus, 100 North University Street, Normal, McClean County, Illinois
The show, which started at 8:15pm, was presented by the Illinois State University Entertainment Board.

Wednesday, July 22, 1970: Dance-Mor ballroom, 77 2nd Street SE, Swisher, Johnson County, Iowa

Iowa City Press-Citizen (July 21, 1970)

Wednesday, August 5, 1970: Starline Ballroom, Highway 30, Carroll, Carroll County, Iowa
Also on the bill: Pilgrims, Kioa.

Ames Daily Tribune (August 4, 1970)

Thursday, August 13 - Saturday, August 15, 1970: ‘Grandstand Show featuring Youth Festival,’ grandstand, Chemung County Fairgrounds, 170 Fairview Road, Horseheads, Chemung County, New York
Also on the bill: Rotary Connection, 6IX. One show a day, started at 8:15pm.

Elmira Star-Gazette (August 14, 1970)

Sunday, August 16 - Saturday, August 22, 1970: Steel Pier (amusement park), 1000 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: The Golddiggers.

Saturday, September 12, 1970: ‘1970 Debutante Ball Festivities,’ Carolina Country Club, 635 Deauville Road, Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina
The Box Tops and Catalinas provided music for dancing at the Carolina Country club on Saturday morning at 11am, during one of the events held for the 1970 Debutante Ball festivities.

October 1970
The Box Tops' eleventh single, 'Let Me Go / Got To Hold On To You' (Bell 923), was released in the US.

October 1970
The Box Tops disbanded. Alex Chilton went to form the legendary Big Star, Bobby Guidotti and Swain Schaefer went to form another band together called Manna (later Bobby will play with Love Song, while Swain will became a sessionman), while Gary Talley was chosen as staff guitar player for the Sounds of Memphis Studio where he worked with artist such as Hank Ballard, Billy Lee Riley, and David Allen Coe.

December 1970
Shortly after the break up of the Box Tops, the band manager Roy Mack, who probably owned the rights of their name, put together a "fake" version of the Box Tops led by his nephew Ronnie Jordan, who used to sang with them when they were still named the Devilles.

THE BOX TOPS #8 (DECEMBER 1970 - DECEMBER 1971)
1) Ronnie Jordan vocals
2) Ronnie Hodges lead guitar
3) Tommy Duncan rhythm guiitar?
4) Tommy Rigsby drums
5) Joe Savage bass

Sunday, January 3, 1971: Star Ballroom, Dakota City, Humboldt County, Iowa

The Humboldt Republican (December 23, 1970)

Thursday, February 25, 1971: Dells Ballroom, Lake Lansing Park North, Haslett, Ingham County, Michigan

March 1971
The Box Tops' twelfth and last (posthumous) single, 'King's Highway / Since I Been Gone' (Bell 981), was released in the US.

Friday, August 6, 1971: National Guard Armory, Union Street, Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland
Also on the bill: Town Creek, Flutter. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Saturday, December 4, 1971: 'Show & Dance - Christmas Caravan of Stars', Bell Auditorium, 712 Telfair Street, Augusta, Richmond County, Georgia
The show, which started at 7:30pm, was sponsored by WBBQ, a local FM radio station. Also on the bill: Pacific Gas & Electric, Five Man Electrical Band, The Stampeders, Bullett.

December 1971
The “fake” version of the Box Tops disbanded.

October 1996
The Box Tops reformed with the original lineup of Chilton, Cunningham, Smythe, Talley, and Evans.

THE BOX TOPS #9 (aka #1) (OCTOBER 1996 - SEPTEMBER 1999)
1) Bill Cunningham
2) Alex Chilton
3) Danny Smythe
4) Gary Talley
5) John Evans

The Box Tops #8 (aka #1), 1990s - from left: Alex Chilton, John Evans, Bill Cunningham, Danny Smythe, and Gary Talley

The Box Tops #8 (aka #1), 1990s - from left: Gary Talley, John Evans, Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham, and Danny Smythe

Fall 1996: Easley McCain Recording, 2272 Deadrick Avenue, Midtown Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
The Box Tops recorded and self-produced their new album,'Tear Off!', which was released two years later. They recorded 13 out of 14 tracks there. Additional overdub recordings and mixing took place in 1997.

from left: Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, and John Evans, during the recording session of their new album, 'Tear Off!', at the Easley McCain Recording studio, Memphis, Fall 1996

John Evans, Easley McCain Recording, Memphis, Fall 1996

1997: Robin Hood Studio, 2200 Sunnybrook Drive, Tyler, Smith County, Texas
The Box Tops recorded and self-produced a new version of 'The Letter', which was later released in their new album 'Tear Off!'.

Friday, April 18, 1997: House Of Blues, 7060 Hollywood Boulevard, West Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California

Saturday, April 19, 1997: 'Private Party', David Gest's house, Los Angeles, California
The Box Tops played at a private party held in the house of the late music producer David Gest.

Sunday, May 4, 1997: 'Beale Street Music Festival', Tom Lee Park, Riverside Drive, downtown Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
Also on the bill: Luther Allison, Marcia Ball, Barenaked Ladies, Better Than Ezra, Bobby 'Blue' Bland, Rory Block, The Bluebirds, Blues Traveler, Lonnie Brooks, Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, R.L Burnside, Shawn Colvin, Cravin' Melon, Bob Dylan, Eric Gales Band, FreeWorld, The Grifters, The Hazies, Jonny Lang, Leftover Salmon, Lillian Lily, Los Lobos, Taj Mahal & Phantom Blues Band, Bob Margolin, Modern English, Coco Montoya, Blind Mississippi Morris, Mud Flaps, Tracey Nelson, Pinetop Perkins, Jimmy Rogers, Ross Rice, Saffre Uppity Blues Women, Saliva, Boz Scaggs, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, The Staple Singers, Garrison Starr, Steve Miller Band, Stir, Storyville, Jimmer Thackery, The Wallflowers, War, Williams Brothers, ZZ Top.

Saturday, June 7, 1997: 'WGRR OldiesFest', Festival Park, 1020 Front Street, New Richmond, Clermont County, Ohio
Also on the bill: Neil Sedaka, Brian Hyland, Johnny Rivers, Johnny Tillotson, The Dixie Cups, Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods.

Saturday, June 21, 1997: Tramps, 45-51 West 21st Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York
One show, from 8:30pm to 11:30pm.

Friday, July 11, 1997: unknown venue, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana

Friday, July 25, 1997: unknown venue, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachussets

Saturday, September 13, 1997: unknown venue, Reno, Washoe County, Nevada

Saturday, October 25, 1997: unknown venue, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah

Saturday, November 8, 1997: Isle of Capri Casino & Hotel, 711 Isle Of Capri Boulevard, Bossier City, Bossier Parish, Louisiana

Sunday, November 16, 1997: Whittemore Center Arena (aka The Whitt), University of New Hampshire campus, 128 Main Street, Durham, Strafford County, New Hampshire

1998
The Box Tops' new CD album, 'Tear Off!' (Last Call Records 3027412; tracklist: '1. Flying Saucers Rock 'n' Roll / 2. Wang Dang Doodle / 3. Ain't That A Lot Of Love / 4. It Tears Me Up / 5. Last Laugh / 6. Treat Her Right / 7. Soothe Me / 8. I'm In Love / 9. The Letter (new version) / 10. Trip To Bandstand / 11. Little Latin Lupe Lu / 12. Keep On Dancing / 13. Last Bouquet / 14. Big Bird'), was released all over the world.

French front cover

German front cover

German back cover

Saturday, March 21, 1998: 616 Club, 600 Marshall Avenue, Midtown Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

Wednesday, April 15, 1998: Rockford MetroCentre, 300 Elm Street, Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois

Thursday, April 16, 1998: Ak-Sar-Ben Race Track and Coliseum, 6800 Mercy Road, Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska

Friday, April 17, 1998: Pershing Auditorium, 226 Centennial Mall South, Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska

Friday, May 8, 1998: St. Augustine Amphitheatre, 1340 Florida State Road A1A S # C, St. Augustine, St. Johns County, Florida

Saturday, May 9, 1998: Dr. Phillips High School, 6500 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando, Orange County, Florida

Saturday, May 30, 1998: L. C. Walker Arena, 470 West Western Avenue, Muskegon, Muskegon County, Michigan
Also on the bill: The Kingsmen.

Sunday, May 31, 1998: Kellogg Arena, 36 West Hamblin Avenue, Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan
Also on the bill: The Kingsmen.

Monday, June 1, 1998: Jack Breslin Student Events Center, Michigan State University campus, 534 Birch Road, East Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan
Also on the bill: The Kingsmen.

Saturday, June 13, 1998: Showroom, JR's Executive Inn Riverfront Hotel, 1 Executive Boulevard, Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky
Wayne Jackson of The Memphis Horns played trumpet on this show with The Box Tops.

Saturday, June 20, 1998: 'Polish Fest', Henry Maier Festival Park, 639 East Polk Street, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Thursday, August 13, 1998: Riverside Park, Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin

Friday, September 4, 1998: Columbia Township Auditorium, 1703 Taylor Street, Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina

Saturday, September 5, 1998: Atlanta Civic Center, 395 Piedmont Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia

Sunday, September 27, 1998: Salem Civic Center, 1001 Roanoke Boulevard, Salem, Roanoke County, Virginia

Monday, September 28, 1998: Paul S. McBrayer Arena, Alumni Coliseum, Eastern Kentucky University campus, 521 Lancaster Avenue, Madison County, Kentucky

Friday, October 9 - Saturday, October 10, 1998: Boomtown Casino Biloxi, 676 Bayview Avenue, Biloxi, Harrison County, Missouri

Wednesday, February 10, 1999: House Of Blues, 329 North Dearborn Street, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois

Thursday, February 11, 1999: Prairie Meadows Casino and Hotel, 1 Prairie Meadows Drive, Altoona, Polk County, Iowa

Saturday, May 15, 1999: 'Vet Rock '99 Benefit Concert', Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base WIllow Grove, Horsham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Also on the bill: Beach Boys Family & Friends, America, The Animals II, Blood, Sweat & Tears featuring David Clayton-Thomas, The Dovells, The Lovin' Spoonful, Feix Cavaliere's Rascals, Britt Small & Festival, War, The Wolf.

Sunday, May 16, 1999: Coney Island High, 15 Saint Marks Place, Manhattan, New York City, New York

Saturday, June 12, 1999: Westgate Village Shopping Center, 3450 Central Avenue, Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio

Friday, June 18, 1999: Clinton Square, 161 West Genesee Street, downtown Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York

Saturday, June 19, 1999: Paradise Rock Club, 967 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachussets
Also on the bill: The J. Geils Band.

Saturday, July 3, 1999: Warner Park, 2930 North Sherman Avenue, Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin

Sunday, July 4, 1999: 'Annual Taste of Minnesota Summer Festival', State Capitol grounds, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota

Thursday, August 5 and Saturday, August 7, 1999: Wisconsin State Fair Park, 640 South 84th Street, West Allis, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Sunday, August 8, 1999: 'Dry Bean Festival', unknown venue, Tracy, San Joaquin County, California

Thursday, August 26, 1999: World Trade Center Plaza, Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York

September 1999
Due to increasing computer-field demands (he had earned an honors computer degree and works as a computer network administrator since the early 90s), John Evans had to quit the band.

THE BOX TOPS #10 (SEPTEMBER 1999 - JUNE 2001 (?))
1) Bill Cunningham
2) Alex Chilton
3) Danny Smythe
4) Gary Talley

The Box Tops #9 - from left: Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham, and Danny Smythe

Saturday, October 2, 1999: '12th Annual Legends of Rock 'n' Roll', Greek Theatre, 2700 North Vermont Avenue, Griffith Park, Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
The festival was presented by K-Earth 101 FM. Also on the bill: Bobby Sherman, Chubby Checker and The Wildcats, Al Wilson, Jay & The Techniques, The Casinos, The Hues Corporation, The Legendary Blue Notes.

Saturday, March 18, 2000: Coachman Park, 301 Drew Street, Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida

Friday, April 7, 2000: Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, 922 USS James Madison Road, St. Marys, Camden County, Georgia

Friday, May 19, 2000: 'Fine Arts Festival', unknown venue, Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Saturday, May 20, 2000: 'Jubilee Jam', unknown venue, Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi

Sunday, May 21, 2000: 'Spring Festival', unknown venue, Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida

Saturday, June 3, 2000: Peoria Civic Center, 201 Southwest Jefferson Avenue, Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois

Saturday, June 17, 2000: Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 14141 Riverport Drive, Maryland Heights, St. Louis County, Missouri

Tuesday, July 4, 2000: Glover Park, 50 North Park Northwest, Marrietta, Cobb County, Georgia

Wednesday, July 5, 2000: Riverfront Park, Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky

Wednesday, August 23, 2000: World Trade Center Plaza, Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York

Friday, August 25, 2000: unknown venue, Main Street, Deadwood, Lawrence County, South Dakota

Sunday, August 27, 2000: Majestic Theatre, 1 Majestic Lane, North Tonawanda, Niagara County, New York

Monday, September 4, 2000: 'Festival', unknown venue, Sugar Land, Fort Bend County, Texas

Tuesday, January 9, 2001: unknown recording studio, 5th Floor, Jade Condominum, 16 West 19th Street, Chelsea, West Side of Manhattan, New York City, New York
The Box Tops recorded a cover of the famous Blondie's song 'Call Me' (theme to the 1980 film American Gigolo), produced by Benjy King for a Various Artists compilation CD entitled 'When Pigs Fly: Songs You Never Thought You'd Hear' (XEMU 1011). The album, which was released in the US by Xemu Records on Tuesday, May 21, 2002, was a collection of popular songs recorded by artists considered unlikely to cover them.

January ??, 2001
The Box Tops added keyboard player Barry Walsh as "unofficial member".

THE BOX TOPS #11 (JANUARY ??, 2001 - MARCH 17, 2010)
1) Bill Cunningham
2) Alex Chilton
3) Danny Smythe
4) Gary Talley
+
5) Barry Walsh keyboards

Thursday, January 18 - Saturday, January 20, 2001: Club Regent Casino, 1425 Regent Avenue West, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Barry Walsh's debut gigs with The Box Tops.

Friday, February 23, 2001: Zembo Shrine Building (aka Zembo Mosque), 2801 North 3rd Street #2, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Also on the bill: Tommy James, Spencer Davis.

Thursday, April 19, 2001: Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts, 350 Madison Street, downtown Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett, Grass Roots.

Friday, April 20, 2001: Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Boulevard, Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett, Grass Roots.

Monday, May 28, 2001: 'Annual Mayfair Festival of the Arts', Cedar Beach Park, 2600 Parkway Boulevard, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Tuesday, July 17, 2001: World Trade Center Plaza, Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York

Friday, August 3, 2001: Long Branch Park, 3813 Long Branch Road, Liverpool, Onondaga County, New York

Sunday, September 2, 2001: 'On The Waterfront', annual music festival held on the streets of downtown Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois

Saturday, November 17, 2001: 'Diamond Awards Festival - The 2001 Show', Antwerpen Sportpaleis, Schijnpoortweg 119, Merksem, Antwerpen, Belgium
Also on the bill: Petula Clark, Mungo Jerry, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds, Will Tura, Quentin Elias, George Baker Selection, Gilbert O'Sullivan. One show, started at 8:30pm.

Saturday, December 8, 2001: 'The Purple Weekend - 3 Day Internacional Mod Festival', Sala Tropicana, Leòn, Spain
Also on the bill: Brian Auger.

Friday, January 25, 2002: Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, 1100 West Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita, Pima County, Arizona

Thursday, March 21, 2002: Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino, 1200 Futurity Drive, Sunland Park, Dona Ana County, New Mexico

Friday, July 19, 2002: Casino Aztar Caruthersville, 777 East 3rd Street, Caruthersville, Pemiscot County, Missouri

Friday, August 2, 2002: Verizone Wireless Ampitheater, 633 North 130th Street, Bonner Springs, Kansas

Saturday, August 24, 2002: Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island, Glynn County, Georgia

Saturday, October 5, 2002: 'Festival', unknown venue, downtown Henderson, Clark County, Nevada

Saturday, October 19, 2002: Embassy Suites by Hilton Pittsburgh International Airport, 550 Cherrington Parkway, Coraopolis, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Friday, November 8, 2002: Holiday Inn Allentown Center City, 904 Hamilton Street, Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

Wednesday, January 22, 2003: WinnaVegas Casino Resort, 1500 330th Street, Sloan, Woodbury County, Iowa

Sunday, January 26 - Sunday, February 2, 2003
The Box Tops did a one-week Carribean tour with dates in San Juan (Puerto Rico), Saint Thomas (Virgin Islands), and Nassau (Bahamas). Their former organ player Swain Schaefer filled in for Barry Walsh for this tour.

The Box Tops #10, somewhere in the Carribean, January or February 2003 - from left Toni Wine (a songwriter friend), Bill Cunningham, Alex Chilton, Danny Smythe, Gary Talley, and Swain Schaefer

Friday, March 28 - Saturday, March 29, 2003: '13th Annual Porsche Oldie Night', Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Mercedesstraße 69, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Also on the bill: Hello, The Hollies, Smokie, The Legends of Doo Woop, Edwin Starr. One of The Box Tops' performance was recorded and three of the eight songs they played ('The Letter', 'Cry Like A Baby' and 'Soul Deep') were broadcasted on German radio and later that same year also relased on the compilation album: 'Porsche Oldie Night 2003'.

The Box Tops #10, Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, March 28 or 29, 2003 - from left: Gary Talley, Alex Chilton, and Bill Cunningham

Friday, September 19, 2003: Guilford Fair, 111 Lovers Lane, Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut

Saturday, August 9, 2003: Reno Hilton Outdoor Amphitheatre, Reno Hilton hotel and casino, 2500 East Second Street, Reno, Washoe County, Nevada
Also on the bill: Jay and The Techniques, Tommy Roe.

Saturday, September 27, 2003: LCO Casino Lodge & Convention Center, 13767 West County Road Boulevard, Hayward, Sawyer County, Wisconsin

Saturday, October 25, 2003: 'Audubon Park Arts in the Park', Audubon Park Place, 939 Getwell Road, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

Friday, April 23, 2004: 'The Arbor Daze Festival', huge field, Euless, Tarrant County, Texas
Also on the bill: Three Dog Night.

Friday, June 25 - Saturday, June 26, 2004: The Sands Casino Hotel, South Indiana Avenue and Brighton Park, Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: Felix Cavaliere, Richie & Charlie Ingui (former lead vocalists of The Soul Survivors).

Sunday, July 11, 2004: Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, 1100 West Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita, Pima County, Arizona

Wednesday, October 6, 2004: 'David Gest's All-Star Holiday Extravaganza', The Cannon Center For The Performing Arts, 255 North Main Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennesse
Also on the bill: Three 6 Mafia, Lil’ Whyte, The Doobie Brothers, Dionne Warwick, The Emotions, Mya, Deborah Cox, William Bell, Jerry Butler, Petula Clark, Topol, Jane Russell, Patricia Neal, Tippi Hedren, Gale Storm, Barbara Rush, Candi Staton, Martha Reeves, Freddie Scott, Kim Weston, Carl Carlton, Robert Osborne of Turner Classic Movies, Billy Gilman, Barbara Mason, Billy Paul, Archie Bell, Gene Chandler, and many others.

Sunday, November 14, 2004: Win-River Resort & Casino, 2100 Rancheria Road, Redding, Shasta County, California

Saturday, December 11, 2004: Executive Inn Rivermont Hotel, 43557 Executive Boulevard, Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky
Also on the bill: Jay and The Techniques.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004: 'unknown car show festival', unknown venue, Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada

Friday, February 11, 2005: Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
Also on the bill: Badfinger.

Saturday, June 25, 2005: 'Summer Concert Series in the Park', DCR Hatch Memorial Shell, 47 David G Mugar Way, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachussets
Also on the bill: Eric Burdon.

Sunday, June 26, 2005: Waukesha County Expo Center, 1000 Northview Road, Waukesha, Waukesha County, Wisconsin

Saturday, July 2, 2005: 'Kool Concert '05', Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Boulevard, Greenwood Village, Arapahoe County, Colorado
Also on the bill: B.J. Thomas, Little Richard, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, The Spinners, Paul Revere and The Raiders, The Raspberries.

Monday, July 4, 2005: Comerica TasteFest, 3011 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Also on the bill: Down To The Bone, North Mississippi Allstars, John Hiatt, Toots & The Maytals.

Tuesday, July 5, 2005: Coors Amphitheatre, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Boulevard, Greenwood Village, Arapahoe County, Colorado
Also on the bill: B.J. Thomas, Little Richard, Gary Lewis and The Playboys, The Spinners, Paul Revere and The Raiders, The Raspberries.

Friday, August 5, 2005: Brookhaven Amphitheater, 55 South Bicycle Path, Bald Hill, Farmingville, Suffolk County, New York

Sunday, August 7, 2005: Ulster County Fair, 249 Libertyville Road, New Platz, Ulster County, New York

Saturday, September 24, 2005: Public Square, Columbia, Maury County, Tennessee

Thursday, November 10, 2005: Fort McDowell Casino, 10424 North Fort McDowell Road, Fort McDowell, Maricopa County, Arizona

Saturday, March 18, 2006: 'Moondog Coronation Ball', Quicken Loans Arena (aka The Q), 1 Center Court, Downtown Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Also on the bill: Tommy James, The Turtles, Mary Wilson, Badfinger.

Friday, May 26, 2006: George Mason University Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax, Virginia
Also on the bill: The Shadows of Knight.

Saturday, May 27, 2006: Toyota Arena, York Expo Center, York Fairgrounds, 334 Carlisle Avenue, York, York County, Pennsylvania
Also on the bill: The Shadows Of Knight.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006: Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza (aka Empire State Plaza, aka South Mall), b/w Madison Avenue and State Street and b/w Swan Street and Eagle Street, Albany, Albany County, New York

Friday, March 2, 2007: Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, 15711 Waterloo Road, Cuyahoga County, Cleveland, Ohio

Friday, October 26, 2007: Liberty Park, 810 Madison Avenue, Madison, Madison County, Mississippi

Saturday, December 29, 2007: Cherokee Casino, 44 North 193rd East Avenue, Catoosa, Rogers County, Oklahoma

Monday, December 31, 2007: Valley View Casino & Hotel, 16300 Nyemii Pass Road, Valley Center, San Diego County, California
Also on the bill: Jay and The Techniques, The Shadows Of Knight.

Thursday, September 18, 2008: Fort Payne City Auditorium, 100 Alabama Avenue North, Fort Payne, DeKalb County, Alabama

Sunday, May 3, 2009: 'The 15th Annual Hoboken Spring Arts & Music Festival', Observer Highway, Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: East of Venus, Yung Wu, Wild Carnation, Mad Happy, Val Emmich.

Friday, May 29, 2009: 'Annual Memphis Italian Festival', Marquette Park, 4946 Alrose Avenue, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

Thursday, August 6, 2009: Deer Path Park, 120 West Woodschurch Road, Flemington, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Friday, November 27, 2009: Bear's Den, Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, 310 4th Street, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, New York
One show, started at 8:00pm. The Box Tops #12's last gig.

Danny Smythe in front of the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, November 27, 2009

Danny Smythe outside the Bear's Den, Seneca Niacara Resort & Casino, November 27, 2009

The Box Tops #10, Bear's Den, November 27, 2009 - from left: Gary Talley, Danny Smythe, Alex Chilton, Bill Cunningham, and Barry Walsh

The Box Tops #10, Bear's Den, November 27, 2009 - from left: Danny Smythe, Gary Talley, and Alex Chilton

The Box Tops #10, Bear's Den, November 27, 2009 - from left: Danny Smythe, Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, Alex Chilton, and Barry Walsh

The Box Tops #10, Bear's Den, November 27, 2009 - from left: Gary Talley (hidden), Bill Cunningham and Alex Chilton

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Alex Chilton died of a heart attack in a hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. Nedless to say, The Box Tops disbanded.

September 2015
The Box Tops reformed again with the original members Bill Cunningham and Gary Talley, Barry Walsh from the 2000s version of the band, and plus newest members Rick Levy on vocals and guitar, and Ron Krasinski on drums.

THE BOX TOPS #12 (SEPTEMBER 2015 - TO PRESENT)
1) Bill Cunningham
2) Gary Talley
3) Barry Walsh
4) Rick Levy guitar, vocals
5) Ron Krasinski drums

The Box Tops #11 - from left: Barry Walsh, Gary Talley, Bill Cunningham, Rick Levy, and Ron Krasinski

The Box Tops #11, 2017 - from left: Gary Talley, Barry Walsh, Rick Levy, Ron Krasinski, Bill Cunningham

The Box Tops #11 - from left: Alex Chilton, Gary Talley, and Rick Levy (missed in the photo Barry Walsh and Ron Krasinski)

Saturday, January 9, 2016: Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, 4300 North Michigan Road, Shelbyville, Shelby County, Indiana

Saturday, January 23, 2016: Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, 1415 Grand Falls Boulevard, Larchwood, Lyon County, Iowa

Friday, January 29, 2016: Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, 1721 West Canal Street, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Saturday, February 6, 2016: Peabody Auditorium, 600 Auditorium Boulevard, Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida

Saturday, May 28, 2016: Cannery Hotel & Casino, 2121 East Craig Road, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada

Saturday, November 5, 2016: Savannah Center, 1575 Buena Vista Boulevard, The Villages, Sumter County, Florida
The Box Tops played a concert to raised money for the Chapter 1036 Vietnam Veterans of America.

The Box Tops #11, The Villages, November 5, 2016 - from left: Gary Talley and Bill Cunningham

Bill Cunningham, Savannah Center, The Villages, November 5, 2016

Gary Talley, Savannah Center, The Villages, November 5, 2016

Friday, June 9, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', IP Casino Resort Spa, 850 Bayview Avenue, Biloxi, Harrison Country, Mississippi
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, June 10, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Sunday, June 11, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Florida Theatre, 128 East Forsyth Street, Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Tuesday, June 13, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South Street, Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, Middlesex County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Thursday, June 15, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Calvin Theater, 19 King Street, Northampton, Hampshire County, Massachusetts
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Friday, June 16, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', NYCB Theatre At Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury, Nassau County, New York
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, June 17, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Palace Theatre, 19 Clinton Avenue, Albany, Albany County, New York
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Sunday, June 18, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main Street, Tarrytown, Westchester County, New York
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, Bergen County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Thursday, June 22, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Penn's Peak, 325 Maury Road, Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, Pennsylvania
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Friday, June 23, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Community Arts Center, 220 West 4th Street, Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, June 24, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', American Music Theatre, 1423 - 2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Sunday, June 25, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Boulevard, Hampton Beach, Hampton, Rockingham County, North Hampshire
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Marin County Fair & Exposition, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael, Marin County, California
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Thursday, July 6, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Gallo Center For the Arts, 1000 I Street, Modesto, Stanislaus County, California
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Friday, July 7, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Cache Creek Casino Resort, 14455 CA-16, Brooks, Yolo County, California
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, July 8, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Elsinore Theatre, 170 High Street Southeast, Salem, Marion County, Oregon
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Sunday, July 9, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Snoqualmie Casino, 37500 Southeast North Bend Way, Snoqualmie, King County, Washington
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Wednesday, July 12, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Mountain Winery, 14831 Pierce Road, Saratoga, Santa Clara County, California
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Friday, July 14, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Chumash Casino Resort, 3400 CA-246, Santa Ynez, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, California
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, July 15, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Bloulevard, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles County, California
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Sunday, July 16, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', The Pacific Amphitheatre, 100 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, Orange County, California
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay, 2241 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego, San Diego County, California
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Friday, July 21, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Celebrity Theatre, 440 North 32nd Street, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, July 22, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Cannery Hotel & Casino, 2121 East Craig Road, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Friday, August 4, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Ives Concert Park, 43 Lake Avenue Exit, Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, August 5, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Sunday, August 6, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', The Wilbur, 246 Tremont, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Monday, August 7, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', The Playhouse on Rodney Square, 1007 North Market Street, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Erie County Fair, Hamburg, Erie County, New York
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Thursday, August 10, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Fraze Pavilion, 695 Lincoln Park Boulevard, Kettering, Montgomery County, Ohio
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Friday, August 11, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Hard Rock Cafe, Four Winds Casino, 11111 Wilson Road, New Buffalo, Berrien County, Michigan
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, August 12, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Little River Casino Resort and Hotel, 2700 Orchard Highway, Manistee, Manistee County, Michigan
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Sunday, August 13, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, 2014 Sycamore Street, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Monday, August 14, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Indiana State Fair, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Wednesday, August 16, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Effingham Performance Center, 1325 Outer Belt West, Effingham, Effingham County, Illinois
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Thursday, August 17, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Ryman Auditorium, 116 5th Avenue North, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Friday, August 18, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Oaklawn Park Race Track, 2705 Central Avenue, Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Sunday, August 20, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Prairie Band Casino & Resort, 12305 150th Road, Mayetta, Jackson County, Kansas
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Kentucky State Fair, 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Foellinger Theatre, 3411 Sherman Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Thursday, August 24, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Genesee Theatre, 203 North Genesee Street, Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante. One show, started at 7:30pm.

Friday, August 25, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Paramount Theatre, 23 East Galena Boulevard, Aurora, Kane County, Illinois
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, August 26, 2017: 'Happy Together Tour 2017', Event Center, Grand Casino Mille Lacs, 777 Grand Avenue, Onamia, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota
Also on the bill: The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Association, Chuck Negron formerly of Three Dog Night, The Cowsills, The Archies featuring Ron Dante.

Saturday, January 20, 2018: 'Where The Action Is - 25th Annual Concerts At Sea Rock & Roll Cruises', Crown Princess, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida
The Box Tops performed over a period of a week onboard the 'Crown Princess', a Grand-class cruise ship owned and operated by Princess Cruises. Also on the bill: Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Lettermen, Paul Revere's Raiders, The Lovin' Spoonful, Chubby Checker, Tom Garrett (MC), J.R. & The Stingrays, The HitMakers.

The Box Tops #11 on the Crown Princess cruise ship with Chubby Checker, January 2018 - from left: Ron Krasinski, Rick Levy, Gary Talley, Chubby Checker, and Bill Cunningham

Sunday, January 21 - Monday, January 22, 2018: 'Where The Action Is - 25th Annual Concerts At Sea Rock & Roll Cruises', Crown Princess, somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Lettermen, Paul Revere's Raiders, The Lovin' Spoonful, Chubby Checker, Tom Garrett (MC), J.R. & The Stingrays, The HitMakers.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018: 'Where The Action Is - 25th Annual Concerts At Sea Rock & Roll Cruises', Crown Princess, Antigua, West Indies, Caribbean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Lettermen, Paul Revere's Raiders, The Lovin' Spoonful, Chubby Checker, Tom Garrett (MC), J.R. & The Stingrays, The HitMakers.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018: 'Where The Action Is - 25th Annual Concerts At Sea Rock & Roll Cruises', Crown Princess, Saint Maarten, Atlantic Ocean
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Lettermen, Paul Revere's Raiders, The Lovin' Spoonful, Chubby Checker, Tom Garrett (MC), J.R. & The Stingrays, The HitMakers.

Thursday, January 25, 2018: 'Where The Action Is - 25th Annual Concerts At Sea Rock & Roll Cruises', Crown Princess, Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Lettermen, Paul Revere's Raiders, The Lovin' Spoonful, Chubby Checker, Tom Garrett (MC), J.R. & The Stingrays, The HitMakers.

Friday, January 26, 2018: 'Where The Action Is - 25th Annual Concerts At Sea Rock & Roll Cruises', Crown Princess, Amber Cove Cruise Terminal, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Lettermen, Paul Revere's Raiders, The Lovin' Spoonful, Chubby Checker, Tom Garrett (MC), J.R. & The Stingrays, The HitMakers.

Saturday, January 27, 2018: 'Where The Action Is - 25th Annual Concerts At Sea Rock & Roll Cruises', Crown Princess, somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Lettermen, Paul Revere's Raiders, The Lovin' Spoonful, Chubby Checker, Tom Garrett (MC), J.R. & The Stingrays, The HitMakers.

Sunday, January 28, 2018: 'Where The Action Is - 25th Annual Concerts At Sea Rock & Roll Cruises', Crown Princess, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, The Lettermen, Paul Revere's Raiders, The Lovin' Spoonful, Chubby Checker, Tom Garrett (MC), J.R. & The Stingrays, The HitMakers.

Friday, March 2, 2018: Solivita Social Club, 395 East Village Drive, Osceola and Polk Counties, Florida

Friday, May 4, 2018: Arcada Theatre, 105 East Main Street, St. Charles, Kane County, Illinois

Sunday, June 10, 2018: Rams Head On Stage, 33 West Street, Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Friday, June 15, 2018: Golden Nuget Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, 129 East Fremont Street, Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada

Saturday, June 16, 2018: Dosey Doe Breakfast & BBQ, 2626 Research Forest Drive Suite B, The Woodlands, Montgomery County, Texas

Friday, August 3, 2018: Cafe Wha?, 115 Macdougal Street, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York

Saturday, August 4, 2018: Daryl's House Club, 130 NY-22, Pawling, Dutchess County, New York

Wednesday, August 8, 2018: Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Avenue, Cape May, New Jersey

Saturday, August 25, 2018: '24th Annual Kool Deadwood Nites' (outdoor free event), Main Street, Deadwood, Lawrence County, South Dakota

The Box Tops #11, Deadwood, August 25, 2018 - from left: Bill Cunningham and Rick Levy

Thursday, September 6, 2018: 'Gottschalk's Grosse 68er Show', ZDF TV Show, Mehr! Theater am Großmarkt, Banksstraße 28, 20097 Hamburg, Germany (filming date)
This television special, which was broadcasted on Saturday, October 6, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the "wild 1968ers". The host Thomas Gottschalk revives the lifestyle of a generation with prominent guest and "real" 68ers. Together with numerous companions and contemporary witnesses Thomas Gottschalk looks back on a formative period and 50 years of good music. In the Hamburg Mehr! Theater he welcomes world star Peter Fonda, Uschi Glas, Claudia Roth and other surprise guests. International stars of the evening include music legends Melanie, Donovan, Chris Thompson and The Box Tops (who performed 'The Letter' live). In addition, Wolfgang Niedecken, Katie Melua, Vanessa Mai, David Garrett, Stefanie Heinzmann and many others surprise with their own live interpretations of well-known 68 songs. The Best Of the Flower Power hits is musically accompanied by Germany's most famous television band, the Heavytones.

Saturday, October 13, 2018: Historic Everett Theatre, 2911 Colby Avenue, Everett, Snohomish County, Washington
Also on the bill: Gary Puckett and The Union Gap.

The Box Tops #11, Historic Everett Theatre, October 13, 1968 - from left: Gary Talley, Barry Walsh, Bill Cunningham, Rick Levy, and Ron Krasinski

Saturday, October 20, 2018: 'American Pop', Golden Nugget Atlantic City Hotel Casino & Marina, 600 Huron Avenue, Atlantic City, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Also on the bill: Grass Roots, Buckinghams.

Bill Cunningham at Golden Nugget Atlantic City Hotel Casino & Marina, October 20, 2018

Thursday, November 1, 2018: Cannon Center For The Performing Arts, 255 North Main Street, Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee
The Box Tops were inducted into the 'Memphis Music Hall of Fame', and then after their induction speech they performed live 'Cry Like A Baby', 'Soul Deep', and 'The Letter'.

Saturday, December 22, 2018: 'American Pop', Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, 1100 West Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita, Pima County, Arizona
Also on the bill: Grass Roots, Buckinghams.

Saturday, March 30, 2019: 'Flower Power Cruise 2019', Celebrity Infinity, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida
The Box Tops performed over a period of a week onboard the 'Celebrity Infinity', a Millenium-class cruise ship owned and operated by Celebrity Cruises.

Sunday, March 31, 2019: 'Flower Power Cruise 2019', Celebrity Infinity, somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean

Monday, April 1, 2019: 'Flower Power Cruise 2019', Celebrity Infinity, somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean

Tuesday, April 2, 2019: 'Flower Power Cruise 2019', Celebrity Infinity, Saint Maarten, Atlantic Ocean

Wednesday, April 3, 2019: 'Flower Power Cruise 2019', Celebrity Infinity, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Atlantic Ocean

Thursday, April 4, 2019: 'Flower Power Cruise 2019', Celebrity Infinity, somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean

Friday, April 5, 2019: 'Flower Power Cruise 2019', Celebrity Infinity, somewhere in the Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean

Saturday, April 6, 2019: 'Flower Power Cruise 2019', Celebrity Infinity, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida

Sunday, August 25, 2019: Corn Palace, 604 North Main Street, Mitchell, Davison County, South Dakota
Also on the bill: Blood, Sweat and Tears.