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| Early Kinderhook Creek promo photo |
Kinderhook Creek was a popular New Jersey country rock band in the 1970s and 80s. They kind of created a live bar band market for country rock music in the Jersey/NY club scene. They had a devoted following of fans that literally followed them from gig to gig.
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| Early Kinderhook Creek press photo |
They may not be well known nationally, but Kinderhook Creek (later shortened to just Kinderhook) was a band I knew well. Jerry Kopychuk (banjo, guitar, lead vocals) was a friend in high school and we both went to Rutgers College. There I met bass player Andy Fediw and I recall acoustic sessions in our Tinsley dormitory with a rotating group of other students.
They were serious enough about music in 1973 to leave school for a time and give the music business a full-time chance.
The other founding members were Yuri Turchyn on guitar, violin, and vocals and Stan Taylor on pedal steel guitar. Craig Barry came on later on the drums and when the rest of us were graduating a few years later, Joe Breittenbach was added on lead guitar.
They played a regular circuit of venues (most of which are now gone) including The Wooden Nickel, Widow Brown's, The Gypsy, The Final Exam, Dodds Crest, Dodds Orange, Creations, The Beach House, the famed Stone Pony, the Royal Manor, Baby-O's, and The Joint In The Woods.
They later opened for The Flying Burrito Brothers
, Conway Twitty, Pure Prairie League, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Outlaws, Richie Havens, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Commander Cody, Poco, and others in larger venues.
The word "kinderhook" might be Dutch for “children on a hill” but the founding band members have Ukrainian roots and Kinderhook Creek was a popular place for Ukrainians in New York state (near Albany) and hence the name was chosen.
Though a record contract and national tour eluded them, they played six nights a week for almost nine years and were arguably the top-drawing band in the state.
Kinderhook was the only unrecorded act to play at the Central Park Schaefer Music Festival (1975), opening for Poco before 25,000 people.
They were serious enough about music in 1973 to leave school for a time and give the music business a full-time chance.
The other founding members were Yuri Turchyn on guitar, violin, and vocals and Stan Taylor on pedal steel guitar. Craig Barry came on later on the drums and when the rest of us were graduating a few years later, Joe Breittenbach was added on lead guitar.
They played a regular circuit of venues (most of which are now gone) including The Wooden Nickel, Widow Brown's, The Gypsy, The Final Exam, Dodds Crest, Dodds Orange, Creations, The Beach House, the famed Stone Pony, the Royal Manor, Baby-O's, and The Joint In The Woods.
They later opened for The Flying Burrito Brothers
, Conway Twitty, Pure Prairie League, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Outlaws, Richie Havens, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Commander Cody, Poco, and others in larger venues.The word "kinderhook" might be Dutch for “children on a hill” but the founding band members have Ukrainian roots and Kinderhook Creek was a popular place for Ukrainians in New York state (near Albany) and hence the name was chosen.
Though a record contract and national tour eluded them, they played six nights a week for almost nine years and were arguably the top-drawing band in the state.
Kinderhook was the only unrecorded act to play at the Central Park Schaefer Music Festival (1975), opening for Poco
before 25,000 people.They reunited in 2010 and are playing gigs in New Jersey.
The current band lineup (with occasional guest players) is Jerry Kopychuk - Vocals and acoustic guitar, Andy Fediw - Bass, Craig Barry - Drums, Jim Ryan - Pedal Steel, Gary Oleyar - Fiddle and guitar and Jack Kurlansik - Electric Guitar
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| Kinderhook 2010 Photo: Christina Kotlar |
Kinderhook at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ 9-20-13
An Empty Bottle, A Broken Heart & You're Still on My Mind; Still Feeling Blue; Diggy Liggy Lo
- Official Kinderhook Website
- See Kinderhook on Facebook for news and upcoming shows.
- Here is a video of the reunited Kinderhook performing in March 2010 in New Jersey on a bill with the New Riders of the Purple Sage. Lineup: Yuri Turchyn, Craig Barry, Andy Fediw, Jerry Kopychuk, John Greenaway and John Korba. Video by Christina Kotlar.
Post updated August 2022
A friend of mine sent me a link to this site and I have to admit that I'm impressed and humbled by the response after all of these years. We are in fact working on a new web site and are in the process of transferring the "archives" to a digital format. We'll be making them available soon. I will touch base with this site periodically to give updates. Thanks
ReplyDeleteAndy.......Bass Player/Kinderhook
This band is one of the most formative bands of its time back in the day and now it’s time to do something about it! They have over 500 MEMBERS on their facebook site and for a band that is OVER 30 years gone...that speaks volumes!!! Their own website should be up and running soon....just Google kinderhookmusic.com and you should find it! For a generation of "jersey girlz" and "jersey boyz" they are the "jersey shore.” Hopefully on their new site they will have originals from back in the day available for downloads and also some new originals also available for your IPod...now and forever …KINDERHOOK ROCKS!
ReplyDeleteI was just commenting on Metrolyrics about the song "Diggy Liggy Lo" and it was Kinderhook Creek at Art Stock's Royal Manor North in North Brunswick NJ in the late 1970's when I worked there. Decided to Google the band and see what I could find. I loved hearing and seeing this band. Great memories! One funny thing - I remember actually correcting one of the band members on the lyrics to "Hotel California".... it's "Tiffany-Twisted", not "definitely twisted" as it was being sung then. :-)
ReplyDelete