The Debutantes Detroit, Michigan 1964-1969    The Debutantes came on the Detroit scene in 1964 soon after Jan McClellan, 14, watched the first Beatles appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and was struck with the idea of having a band in the Beatles genre, but all girls.  McClellan recruited two friends and taught them to play guitar and drums.  Using acoustic instruments, the Debutantes auditioned for the Michigan State Fair Teen Scene and scored a spot in the program.  McClellan's grandfather, Fred Collins, a General Motors PR exec and former reporter, got the girls a photo shoot to promote the Fair.  It took place in the old house on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit that was the recording studio called Hitsville USA.  As it turned out, the shoot also included the legendary Marvin Gaye and a skinny Little Stevie Wonder, right after the release of "Fingertips Part II".  Hitsville later became Motown. The Debutantes made return appearances to the Michigan State Fair Grounds Music Shell, sharing the marquee with Stevie, Marvin, The Supremes, Four Tops, Martha & the Van Dellas, Buddy Rich & His Orchestra, Buddy Greco, Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66, "?"& the Mysterians, and the Rationals.  The Debutantes appeared in the Music Shell one last time for the entertainment of the National Guardsmen when the 1967 Detroit race riots had the city under siege.  The spectacular Detroit Auto Show at Cobo Hall saw the Debs opening for such names as Della Reese, the Woody Herman Orchestra with Jake Hanna, and Bobby Vinton.  In other venues they were frequently paired with Bob Seger and the Last Heard, The Kingsmen ("Louie Louie"), or the Noblemen.  The Debutantes were frequent guests on the American Bandstand-type show, "Swingin' Time" on CKLW-TV, with hosts Robin Seymour and Tom Shannon.  They also appeared on the syndicated show "Upbeat" from Cleveland, along with Spanky & Our Gang and the legendary B.B. King. The girls toured most of the 50 states, Canada, and the Bahamas.  In 1968 they booked 4 months in Germany, entertaining U.S. troops at Air Force and Army clubs.  They played some civilian clubs as well, including the Berlin Playboy Club and the famed Star Club in Hamburg where the Beatles first gained international acclaim.  1969 brought another 4-month tour, to the excitement of troops stationed throughout Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Okinawa, and Japan.  But the realities of that tour were stressful. Upon returning to the U.S., The Debutantes went home to Michigan and Wisconsin and were officially dis-"band"-ed in late 1969.   Personnel: 1964-69: Jan McClellan - lead guitar and vocals 1964: Lynn Hawkins - rhythm, vocals 1964: Diane Abray - drums 1965: Corinne Helco - bass, vocals 1965-66: Mary Linton - rhythm, vocals 1965-66: Carol Linton - bass, vocals 1966-67: Jino Chominski - drums, vocals 1967-68: Darlene Groncki - keyboards, vocals 1967-68: Chris Janssen - bass, vocals 1968-69: Denise Mandell - drums, vocals 1969: Sue Lade - bass, vocals 1969: Lynne Serridge - keyboards, vocals 1969: Leigh Serridge - drums, vocals Influences: Beatles and other British, Motown, Vanilla Fudge, the Trios… Setlist Sample: Twist & Shout, Hard Days' Night, Can't Buy Me Love, Satisfaction, Shake a Tail Feather, On Broadway, Wild Thing, Try a Little Tenderness, Shout, Keep Me Hangin' On, Purple Haze, Sunshine of Your Love, Whiter Shade of Pale, White Rabbit…. Equipment: Guitars - Gibson SG, Les Paul, Mosrite single & double-neck, Fender Jazzmaster Basses - Flying V, Hoffner, Mosrite Keys - Farfisa, B-3 Drums - Slingerland, Rogers Rehearsal Space: McClellan family room, Chominski basement, hotel rooms Band Vehicles: Cadillac convertible with U-Haul; VW bus; Dodge van Fashion Statement: Early days: white pleated skirts and go-go boots; mid-phase: sparkly spandex pants; last days: Marines' t-shirts as mini-dresses Best Gig: Star Club in Hamburg.  Beatles played on the same stage and used the same dressing room!  Played one set, crowd was totally English-literate, and they loved us! Gig from Hell!: Vietnam.  McClellan: "Upon our arrival, Korean 'agent' asked to see our passports, then declined to return them.  'Mr. Kim' explained that once he decided we had performed enough shows to reimburse him for our plane fares which we believed were included ...our passports would be returned and we'd be free to leave.  This revelation, coupled with the war atmosphere, the lack of sanitation, the noxious smell, the intense heat, no air conditioning, and the onset of 'Ho Chi Minh's Revenge', compelled me to try for an early release.  I pled with the U.S. Embassy and Nixon to intervene, but no response.  Although the troops greatly appreciated our appearances, the liabilities took their toll on us.  We were shot at while being transported in trucks and helicopters.  A hotel suffered a hit when we fortunately were not in our rooms.  A singer in another act was stepping to the microphone directly front of a high-ranking officer targeted by a gunman and was killed."  Last Gig: Vietnam - because it was the gig from hell! Comments: After 40 years, have located Jino, Sue, Lynne, and Chris. Coincidentally, all are now advocates for animals   Hitsville USA 1964: Jan, Diane, Stevie, Lynn Jino (drums), Chris (bass), Jan (guitar), and Darlene (keys) on "Swingin' Time" 1967: There's your G string and there's your G-string … if either one breaks during taping, you're in trouble.   S.S. South American 1967: My Royal Oak Kimball H.S. Mackinac Island cruise. No one in my grad class recognized me! Chris, Jino, me, Darlene   June 1966: Life Magazine shoot at rehearsal. Vietnam 1969: Jan, Sue, Leigh, Lynne Get the CD Destroy That Boy! More Girls with Guitars Including a track by The Debutantes      Where are they now? Spring 2009 Janice McClellan - Chandler, Arizona. Community organizer/activist. Founded Citizens Against Covance to oppose the building of a controversial testing facility www.stopcovance.com. Coordinated, as part of the national pro-adoption anti-puppy mill campaign, a local effort in the Phoenix metro area to raise public awareness about puppy mills and pet stores www.meetup.com/Puppy-Mill-Protests Jino Chominski (Janice Evans) - Algonac, Michigan. Massage therapist, Tai-Chi instructor, drummer Christine Janssen - Sunrise, Florida. School district administrator, DJ business owner Susan Lade - Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gannett News, management Lynne Serridge (Wilson) - Amhurstberg, Ontario. Country band "Lynne & the Rebels" with husband Marco Leigh Serridge - Michigan. No info Darlene Groncki (Smotherman) - Sterling Heights, Michigan. Detroit News - contact attempts not acknowledged Denise Mandell - Florida ? contact info welcomed Mary and Carol Linton - ? (brother Robert) Lynnette Hawkins - ? Brighton, Michigan? Diane Abray - Brighton, Michigan? (brothers Lorne, Donald, Thomas) Corinne Helco - ? (brother Ross, Dearborn Heights) For more info on The Debutantes including more photos and sound clips, visit Jan's site: The Debutantes    Information contributed by Jan McClellan janimalm@yahoo.com

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