Sleight of Band – The Musical Magic of the Fabulous Illusions

Easily one of the hottest rock bands to ever emerge from the small town of Winchester, Kentucky, the Fabulous Illusions were a true mystery for years. It was great to finally shed some light and give some long overdue credit to the guys behind such a great record. [2022 Shawn Chambers / Lexingtunes]

The origins of the Fabulous Illusions share an oft-told tale of humble beginnings and a gang of young musicians with the drive to create their own unique sound. Around 1961 or 1962, local drummer Bob Goodman offered up his bedroom as a practice space and it was here that guitarist Donnie Reed and bass player Charles Britt Sewell started down the long path to finding a sound. If the Goodman family hated the racket they hid it well as it was Bob’s mother who dubbed this first incarnation The Gyros.

This pre-teen trio expanded quickly with the addition of Jimmy Potts on keys, but they Gyros would prove to be short-lived. The Goodman family relocated to Lexington, which caused young Bob to lose his job on the skins*. Steve “Skinny” VanHooser was brought in to replace Bob and the new band became the Fabulous Illusions (often shortened to just ‘The Illusions’).

The new personnel followed with new equipment upgrades as well. The country was still in the throes of Beatlemania and the boys wanted Fab Four style equipment. Guitarist Reed had started his early years on a three-stringed acoustic before upgrading to a Kay. His dad saw his earnestness and talent and finally bought him a “serious” guitar from Carl’s Music in Lexington – a Rickenbacher complete with a Fender amp. While Reed riffed away on his John Lennon-approved guitar, Skinny settled in nicely behind a fancy Ludwig kit. Sewell tried a Hofner Beatle bass (which he later changed to a Fender) while Potts had more freedom of choice, but did eventually upgrade his cheap organ to a stylish Farfisa Compact Deluxe.

The timeline is a bit vague, but it was not too long after the proper band formation that Lonnie Cole was brought in as another guitarist and vocalist. This took some pressure off Reed and, again, allowed the boys to explore a richer sound while offering more opportunity for experimentation. With a full catalog of popular songs worked up they needed shows and a manager.

 

With the brashness that only youth brings, several of the band put sneakers to pavement and trudged down Iron Works Road to Winchester’s WWKY to speak to whoever was manning the DJ console that shift to discuss management. Serendipity would prove to be an ally. The young man on duty was David Snowden who was initially underwhelmed by the bands offer of a managerial position and politely declined. It must have been a long, quiet walk home. By chance, Snowden received a call asking if he knew a band that could play a show at the skating rink in nearby Stanton. Well, it just so happens…

 

David Snowden committed full throttle and became a gifted promoter. He was as comfortable behind the mic as in dealing face-to-face with club owners. Most importantly he had contacts well beyond the Clark County line, which would ultimately prove incredibly valuable to the boys as well as his own future career.

Under his guidance, the band took on a new level of professionalism. The boys upgraded to matching ruffled shirts and Cole often sported shiny pants as a bit of extra flair. High quality band photos were turned into professional flyers just ready for the details to be penned in as the band came to YOUR town. Later Snowden was able to secure a touring van complete with a custom paint job on the side panel.

 

Certainly by 1967 the boys had booked shows all around the area. They played down in Pineville with the similarly named Allusions, back home at St Agatha’s, Lexington’s hot Carnaby Club… so many great shows including a Snowden Productions presentation of the Illusions opening for both Billy Joe Royal and the Outsiders.

 

It was not all psychedelic sunshine and rainbow puppies, however. A particularly cold February night at the Bethel Skating Rink found the boys playing for one single guy in attendance!

The late 60s recording scene in Winchester was understandably limited as was the number of local rock bands based out of there seeking studio time. The popular band The Utmost had utilized RCM for their first single before moving on to Lemco in Lexington for their sophomore effort. Likewise, the Maltese went straight to Lexington and Chetwyd Records to cut their fuzz classic. RCM would ultimately release well over one hundred singles, but it was unapologetically a country label and certainly not the best way to showcase the Illusions. Snowden knew this and he also knew the scene in Louisville. With so many miles under their belts…what was a hundred more?

The Illusions hit the Sambo Studio on February 7, 1968. With Soul, Inc’s legendary guitarist Wayne Young acting as engineer, the band laid down four tracks. The two tracks subsequently released for the Boss label would be the original “Just Be You” penned by Lonnie Cole paired with a cover of J.J. Jackson’s classic “But It’s Alright.” If the picture floating around of the 4 Track 3M packaging box can be believed they also cut “How Can You Tell Me” (later made famous by the Flirtations) and “You Don’t Know What You’ve Got (Until You Lose It)” – the smash hit for Ral Donner back in 1961.

It is “Just Be You” that has kept the band’s name on collector want lists for the past fifty plus years. Cole’s feel-good lyrics could have been culled straight from the Haight-Ashbury scene and encouraged self-acceptance and positive affirmation. This was no hippy record though. Cole’s vocal laid over a garage fuzz blast from Reed and a key-melting solo from Potts resulted in a scorcher. The boys from small town Winchester sure delivered a “big city” sound.

The impact on the central Kentucky radio market was felt quickly. The single debuted on WLAP’s radio survey in April 1968 coming in at number 36 just behind local juggernauts the Mag 7. It lit up phone lines at several other area stations as well. Beyond hawking records and tying up request lines, the record opened more opportunity for the Illusions.

During the time the boys were reaching the local charts, David Snowden was making a huge splash as a promoter for Triangle Talent in Louisville. He joined the company in 1969 during his Illusion years and was able to add them to the roster of represented stars alongside such other local greats as the Exiles, the Keyes, the Carnations and the Trendells. Snowden would eventually become CEO of Triangle Talent – a position which he still holds.

For the rest of the band, it was at the height of popularity that changes struck – Donnie Reed had transitioned out of the band and into the military in late 1967 and 1968, but was still on hand for the recording session. Replacing a great guitarist is not insurmountable, but can be daunting.

 

The band carried on with some new recruits and were one of the bands on the Triangle Talent pyramid of pop, but the constant shuffle of musicians and adult life was creating challenges. The final straw was Lonnie falling asleep behind the wheel and crashing the van and damaging the equipment. In the very early 70s, the Illusions performed the ultimate magic act by vanishing completely from the music scene.

Donnie Reed kept his axe sharp with many performances during his time in the Navy opening for both the Grass Roots and the Doobie Brothers in the Washington D.C. area. Unbelievably a series of random events opened up a slot for him to even play at the White House!

Back home following his discharge, Donnie would continue on the local music scene. Remember Winchester’s country label RCM? Reed would embrace a softer sound and cut his own version of the Eagles’ hit “Peaceful Easy Feeling” for them in 1975. It was backed by “Blue Ridge Mt Skies” and must have sold in the thousands in the region as it surfaces very often and was also very popular in Texas.

 

Beyond his years of playing music, Reed has launched his own Academy of Local Musicians in Winchester as a way to remember the men and women who defined the music scene in central Kentucky over the past many decades. He continues to actively promote the organization and has launched additional chapters in Nashville, Texas, and Canada. His annual Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremonies have been a true Who’s Who of music greats.

Lonnie Cole went into business and was last known to be working for BP Oil and living in the Atlanta area. Britt Sewell retired to Florida after a long career working in state government. Neither were able to be contacted for this article.

Steve VanHooser moved to Florida and remained a true child of the 60s. He passed away from illness in 2018.

Jimmy Potts remained in Winchester, but died in his early 50s in 2004.

“Just Be You” has continued to enjoy a resurgence in recent years. Comped on the 2019 Gear Fab CD “Louisville in the 60’s – The Lost Allen-Martin Tapes” it has surprisingly also appeared on Season 1 Episode 3 of the TV horror series Chucky in 2021. Clearly there is still a new and appreciative audience for the Fabulous Illusions!

Discography:

BOSS   9925          Just Be You / But It’s Alright            1968

 

*Don’t feel bad for Bob – he later moved to California and had Chuck Connors for a neighbor!