The Castaways

The Castaways are an American rock band from the Twin Cities in Minnesota, United States.[1]

This article is about the garage rock band. For the short story by P. G. Wodehouse, see The Castaways (short story). For the film, see The Castaways (1910 film). For the television series, see The Castaways (TV series).

The Castaways
OriginMinneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, United States
GenresGarage rock, rock and roll
Years active1965 (1965)–1968 (1968)
Present
Websitethecastawaysrock.com
the-castaway.com
MembersJames Donna
Bob Donna
Rick Snider
Ralph Hintz
Past membersDenny Craswell
Robert Folschow
Dick Roby
Roy Hensley
Tom Husting
Dennis Libby

Their first and only hit single was "Liar, Liar".[1] Written by band leader James Donna and drummer (and band co-founder) Dennis Craswell, the song was produced by Timothy D. Kehr and released by Soma Records, reaching number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1965. "Liar, Liar" was later featured in the films Good Morning, Vietnam[1] and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and was covered by Debbie Harry in Married to the Mob. The Castaways performed "Liar, Liar" in the 1967 beach movie It's a Bikini World. Their followup, "Goodbye Babe", was another local hit, but did not break nationally.[2]

Although the group released several more singles throughout the 1960s, it appears that they never released a full-length album, until the appearance of their 1999 Greatest Hits compilation.

History

The original members were Jim Donna on keyboards, Robert Folschow and Roy Hensley on guitars, Dick Roby on bass guitar and vocal, and Dennis Craswell on drums.[1] Folschow sang the distinctive falsetto vocal on "Liar, Liar", and Dick Roby contributed the scream.

Following the dissolution of the band, original drummer Dennis Craswell went on to join Crow, a Minneapolis-based rock band of the late 1960s and early 1970s.[1]

In the early 1980s, Folschow and Craswell led a West Coast version of the band under the name The Castaways in Pismo Beach, California. Folschow, who was using the stage name of Bob LaRoy, played guitar and a keytar on many songs, including "Liar, Liar". At some point, this lineup also included fellow original members Roby and Hensley, leaving Donna as the only original member not participating.[3][4]

Rhythm guitarist Roy Hensley (born on December 31, 1947) died on June 8, 2005, at the age of 57, and was buried in Lewisville, Minnesota.[5]

In 2006, all five members of the classic Castaways lineup were inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with the group's former producer, Timothy B. Kehr accepting the award on behalf of posthumous inductee Hensley.[3]

The Castaways with original band leader Jim Donna continue to perform for fairs, festivals, and private events in the upper Midwest.

Dennis Craswell still performs today under the name The Original Castaway in and around Detroit Lakes, Minnesota and the Rio Grand Valley in Texas.

Discography
Singles
  • "Liar, Liar" / "Sam" (1965)
  • "Goodbye Babe" / "A Man's Gotta Be a Man" (1965)
  • "She's a Girl in Love" / "Why This Should Happen to Me" (1967)
  • "I Feel So Fine" / "Hit the Road Jack" (1967)
  • "Walking in Different Circles" / "Just On High" (1968)
  • "Lavender Popcorn" / "What Kind of Face" (1968)

[6]

References
  1. Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 240. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
  2. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, by Joel Whitburn, ISBN 0-8230-7518-4
  3. "The Castaways Liar Liar...(2006) video taken in 2006". YouTube. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  4. "The Castaways Liar Liar Some Years Later...video by Sheila". YouTube. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  5. "Roy Merlin Hensley (1947-2005)". Findagrave.com. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  6. Joynson, Vernon (2007). Fuzz Acid and Flowers Revisited. Glasgow, United Kingdom: Borderline Productions. p. 154. ISBN 1-899855-14-9.


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