Former schoolmates get the band back together

r With some help from a music teacher and some older brothers, six guys in high school got together in 1960 in Provo and started a musical group. They played for the school assembly and church groups and even played for Janie Thompson at Brigham Young University in the Program Bureau in several places.

Missions, marriage, education and careers split up the group by 1962. But retirement finally began to set in the guys moved back to Utah Valley. In 2006, they got back together. Five of the original group are still playing and the sixth is a welcome addition with good fife skills. Three live in the Spanish Fork-Salem area now and the other three are in the Provo-Orem area.

The Blowhards Fife, Jug and Bottle Band has been playing regularly at no charge for the senior citizen groups in Springville, Spanish Fork, Payson and Santaquin/Genola. They visit assisted living centers regularly. The music is for oldies, and the jokes between numbers are even older at times. They last played for the Tabitha’s Way Christmas benefit dinner at the Veterans Hall in Spanish Fork.

Its members are as follows: Karl Weight is a retired engineer living in Woodland Hills. Clyde Nielsen is a retired pharmacist living in Spanish Fork. Clay Airington, fife player, is retired Air Force and  currently a school bus driver living in Spanish Fork. Tom Powell is a retired BSA Scout executive living in Provo near Val Jones, who is retired Air Force and is tuning pianos now. Glen Miller, not the famous Glen Miller, is a retired grade-school teacher living in Orem.

Contact Clyde at 801-798-9323.