The Life and Times of Roger Calkins of "The Fabulous Silver Tones"
by his sister, Melinda Calkins Bartling
At the age of 14, Roger Calkins of Prairie Village, KS decided to start the first known garage band in Kansas City. Roger approached his dad who agreed to "rent" equipment for the boys since he was sure it was just another phase Roger was going through. After all, at the age of 10, he started his own neighborhood newspaper, "The RBC News." That was a huge success for several years. He was even interviewed by a reporter from The Kansas City Star and in a featured article on the front page on September 7, 1954. "I've been putting out a neighborhood paper for almost three months now and you sure can run into problems," Roger confided. "For one thing, there's women. I don't think women belong in the newspaper business. They don't know what they're doing and they just slow you down." The editor expressed this opinion to a reporter for The Star, a woman, without blinking an eye.
Roger's bedroom was turned into his office where he kept files on subscribers and advertisers, large maps of neighborhoods and where all of his newspaper editions were typed. He even used his bedroom windows to post advertising rates. "I meant to put some signs up on the living room windows but my mother likes to see through them. She put her foot down on the idea." Publishing the paper came to Roger one day when he was pecking at a typewriter. He decided that since he and a friend used to be detectives, he would publish a paper about crime. Roger wore his infamous The R.B.C. News Roving Reporter hat at all times except during meals - at the insistence of his mother. And then when he became 14, life changed.
Roger was very much a businessman even at that age. So, when he decided to start a band at 14, he was destined to be successful. The group was comprised of Roger, Frank Plas, Rich Stoy and Mike Weakley on drums. They were called "The Fabulous Silver Tones." And that was only the beginning.
I remember in the early days, Roger was getting gigs to play but mom had to drive him there and pick him up since he wasn't old enough to drive. This required many late nights not only for my mom but also for me. I would go to sleep and she would wake me up to go pick Roger up after his performance. I remember many times of putting the top down on her convertible in order to accommodate all of the band's equipment. Mike Weakley was the youngest...plus the cutest. Good thing I was still in elementary school and didn't yet like boys because I sure could have liked that little drummer.
Roger's bedroom was turned into his office where he kept files on subscribers and advertisers, large maps of neighborhoods and where all of his newspaper editions were typed. He even used his bedroom windows to post advertising rates. "I meant to put some signs up on the living room windows but my mother likes to see through them. She put her foot down on the idea." Publishing the paper came to Roger one day when he was pecking at a typewriter. He decided that since he and a friend used to be detectives, he would publish a paper about crime. Roger wore his infamous The R.B.C. News Roving Reporter hat at all times except during meals - at the insistence of his mother. And then when he became 14, life changed.
Roger was very much a businessman even at that age. So, when he decided to start a band at 14, he was destined to be successful. The group was comprised of Roger, Frank Plas, Rich Stoy and Mike Weakley on drums. They were called "The Fabulous Silver Tones." And that was only the beginning.
I remember in the early days, Roger was getting gigs to play but mom had to drive him there and pick him up since he wasn't old enough to drive. This required many late nights not only for my mom but also for me. I would go to sleep and she would wake me up to go pick Roger up after his performance. I remember many times of putting the top down on her convertible in order to accommodate all of the band's equipment. Mike Weakley was the youngest...plus the cutest. Good thing I was still in elementary school and didn't yet like boys because I sure could have liked that little drummer.
Roger Calkins with the infamous Copy of Midnight Thunder
signed guitar! Recorded by The Fabulous Silver Tones
signed guitar! Recorded by The Fabulous Silver Tones
Original Copy of "Louise, Louise" Mike Weakley signing the infamous guitar
Written by Roger Calkins
Written by Roger Calkins
