 The duo Floyd and Jerry top a KRUX Hit Parade 1966 with Valley-wide hit, “Dusty.” They found success in Phoenix, but was never able to reach the charts anywhere else. Photos courtesy: Norm Seeley  |
Floyd and Jerry Real-life Phoenix brothers Floyd and Jerry Westfall, got their first Valley hit in 1965 as a part of the garage band Door Nobs with “Hi-Fi Baby.” After the band broke up shortly thereafter, Floyd and Jerry signed locally with the Presta label, and recruited guitarist Grier Cook, keyboardist Ken Mulholland, and drummer Johnny Guthrie of the local band, Counterpoints, to record their very first single: “Believe In Things” (’66). The song topped the KRIZ Boss 50 and was a Phoenix smash. Floyd and Jerry came out with two more smashes in the same year, “Summer Kisses” and “Dusty” (which topped the KRUX Hit Parade, as pictured to the left), but never went national. The brothers signed onto Double Shot, a Los Angeles label, and in early 1967 came out with “The Airplane Song,” which went instantly nowhere after the Royal Guardsmen entered the charts with the same song. After other released singles, their career was delayed by the draft of Jerry to the military. Floyd came out with a solo single in 1968 called “The Worst of Luck” on Presta. They didn’t return until 1980 playing local clubs, and released one single in 1981 on their very own Westfall label, titled “It’s So Easy.” |
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P-Nut Butter P-Nut Butter formed in 1965 with the combination of talent, including that of a popular Phoenix band about to dismantle– The Playthings– which included future KRUX/KRIZ/KUPD jock Phil Motta. Phil’s girlfriend, Arlee Marshall, knew and had seen a guitar player Earl Jarred (previously of Earl and The Essex) perform at some school functions. Knowing that Phil’s band was about to break up, she matched the two together to form P-Nut Butter. The P-Nut Butter lineup included Phil Motta (lead singer, drummer), Earl Jarred (lead guitar), Steve Oliverio (rhythm guitar, backup vocals), Bob James (bass, backup vocals), and Don Phillips (keyboards, saxophone, backup vocals). They were one of the hottest local bands, making their rounds at school functions, state fairs, radio promotions and events, the VIP Club and others. |
P-Nut Butter meets KRUX jock, Norm Seeley (right), at a Valley department store in 1966. KRUX as well as other Phoenix Top 40 stations at the time played their big hit: “What Am I Doin’ Here With You.” Courtesy: Norm Seeley
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P-Nut Butter opened up for major concerts like the Dave Clark Five, Sam the Sham, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Mamas & Papas, and Beau Brummels. The band participated in several Battle of the Bands including battling The Vibratos, Floyd and Jerry, and The Spiders (Alice Cooper). Their biggest hit came in 1966: “What Am I Doin’ Here With You”, which couldn’t be missed on a Phoenix Top 40 radio station at the time. The song was written by national songwriters, P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri, and had all the makings of a national hit. It surprisingly never did, but reached charts at a few other locations. It was the sixth record of the year for Australia in 1966. P-Nut Butter broke up in 1967 when members went different ways, and some heading off to college. |
