- by Jason Prufer
This piece was originally published in June of 2014 but has been completely overhauled and updated in 2026 to reflect the awesome amount of ephemera and information that has emerged since that time.
This piece was originally published in June of 2014 but has been completely overhauled and updated in 2026 to reflect the awesome amount of ephemera and information that has emerged since that time.
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One of the great rockers to break out of Kent, Ohio is the legendary Joe Walsh. While Joe's career is pretty well documented as a solo artist, with the James Gang and with the Eagles, the story of his early days rockin' in Kent, Ohio spent decades reduced to legend and tales with semi-credible narratives. In other words, unless you were of the privileged crowd that got to live it, this rich history of his origin years as an artist/creative/musician in Kent had been mostly lost.
What I am providing here is a timeline with links included of all known (mostly prime sourced) documentation detailing Joe Walsh's relationship to Kent, Ohio. This is likely not complete but it is every single piece of ephemera that I am aware of at this time (updated February 2026) and is the most comprehensive list of this kind of material ever put together. This is (for the most part) in chronological order starting from when Joe first set foot in town:
What I am providing here is a timeline with links included of all known (mostly prime sourced) documentation detailing Joe Walsh's relationship to Kent, Ohio. This is likely not complete but it is every single piece of ephemera that I am aware of at this time (updated February 2026) and is the most comprehensive list of this kind of material ever put together. This is (for the most part) in chronological order starting from when Joe first set foot in town:
The earliest piece of Joe Walsh info in Kent shows up as part of my book in the foreword where Joe talks about arriving in town at age 17 on a train at the old depot on Franklin Ave. This was in the late summer of 1965 and he arrived with guitar in hand -- ready to start college and play music as a brand new freshman at Kent State. It's well known that his fall semester freshman year was spent living in the Manchester Hall dormitory on campus. Some of the local lore that has been passed down has him living in room 234 of that building.
Chas Madonio writes glowingly in this blog and in his book about the fall of 1965 at KSU and meeting Joe Walsh and rehearsing with him in a storage space in Eastway Center (right next to Manchester Hall) at Kent State.
1966
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| Larry Lewis, Buddy Bennett and Joe Walsh in the Highland Elementary School Gymnasium Ravenna, OH 1966 - Photo by David D. Busch |
Also I believe it was around this time that Joe moved out of Manchester Hall and into this Farmhouse out Summit Street on the edge of campus. There seems to be some debate among the locals as to whether he truly "lived" there but I talked to Joe about it and he said he lived there and he said that Don Goldthwaite lived there at the time too. There's also an acetate of The Measles that exists that is sourced as coming from this house in this period. The acetate was stored with this image (back of it here) showing the band at The Fifth Quarter. Supposedly the image has some kind of ties to the Record-Courier though in my research I could never directly connect it to that newspaper.
Not long after I published my book a photographer named David D. Busch came forward with a couple of photographs that he shot of the Measles at the Highland Elementary School gymnasium located on Washington Ave. in Ravenna in what looks like early 1966. These might be the earliest photos of Joe with The Measles. He looks so young. Click here and here to see the pics.
On April 1, 1966 The Daily Kent Stater ran a small ad for a Measles performance at a "Bunny Hop" in the Olson Hall cafeteria for the following night. The ad states the party is 8:00pm - Midnight. One would imagine the band played a lot of music that night. I bet it was a ton of fun.
In what must be September/October of 1966 is where the next set of artifacts show up and that's from the cache of photos taken by Richard Underwood showing Walsh and The Measles playing outside during the daytime on the old Kent State Commons. It's where that now iconic photo of the Measles was taken. I took a super deep dive into those photos and Joe Walsh's days in the Measles in this piece that I wrote back in 2014. There may be an 8mm film showing blips of this performance though to this day that has never surfaced.
On October 28, 1966 The Daily Kent Stater ran this ad for a Halloween Dance the next night in the Eastway Ballroom featuring live music by The Measles and another band. Must have been super fun just like that Bunny Hop. There's also a rehearsal tape that exists from this time that was likely recorded at the Fifth Quarter (210 S. Depeyster St). The band plays "Route 66", "That Boy", "Barbara Ann" and Joe on vocals doing "Tired of Running".
January 1966 - March 1967
The Joe Walsh lineup of the Measles broke up in March of 1967 and there is Measles ephemera from this era that dates from the beginning 1966 into March of 1967 with the exact dates unknown. This includes: Measles photos and 8mm footage out at the Kent State Airport. There's more 8mm footage of Joe apartment hunting and hanging out at The Measles house and at an apartment on Cherry Street that exists in private collections.
Additional Measles photos (from the Richard Underwood archive) from the Fifth Quarter and Luigian's exist from this period and can be seen in my book and Chas's book. Also there's the occasional random photo and I believe pics and 8mm footage exist of the Measles playing Brimfield High School in this era as well.
In what must be the final piece of Joe Walsh era Measles ephemera in Kent is in this ad from a February 2, 1967 issue of the Daily Kent Stater you can see the band is billed as openers for the Dovells as part of a 3 night stand at the Fifth Quarter.
March 1967 - December 1967
The earliest indication that Joe is gone from the Measles (that I could find) is from this Record-Courier article published March 17, 1967 indicating that Joe had joined a band called The Chancellors and he'd been writing all of their music for them.
Also in the spring of 1967 is when Joe shows up in the Richard Meyer's film Akran. In the film he's playing in a band with Don Goldthwaite, Richard Underwood and Gary Slama. Several still photos from this shoot have emerged over the years taken on and off the film set. Most of the photos out there (I believe) were taken by Gerry Simon. The scene in the film with Joe was shot on one of the upper corner floors of the old Kent Block which burned down in 1972 and was across the street from where the Zephyr is now.
As part of the collection of photos from Akran is another series of photos (also taken by Gerry Simon) which seem to be from around this same time showing Joe playing in a band with Don Goldthwaite and Bob Goldthwaite at The Barn which was out near Brimfield. You can see that set of photos and read more about The Barn in Chas's book.
Not long after I published my book a photographer named David D. Busch came forward with a couple of photographs that he shot of the Measles at the Highland Elementary School gymnasium located on Washington Ave. in Ravenna in what looks like early 1966. These might be the earliest photos of Joe with The Measles. He looks so young. Click here and here to see the pics.
On April 1, 1966 The Daily Kent Stater ran a small ad for a Measles performance at a "Bunny Hop" in the Olson Hall cafeteria for the following night. The ad states the party is 8:00pm - Midnight. One would imagine the band played a lot of music that night. I bet it was a ton of fun.
In what must be September/October of 1966 is where the next set of artifacts show up and that's from the cache of photos taken by Richard Underwood showing Walsh and The Measles playing outside during the daytime on the old Kent State Commons. It's where that now iconic photo of the Measles was taken. I took a super deep dive into those photos and Joe Walsh's days in the Measles in this piece that I wrote back in 2014. There may be an 8mm film showing blips of this performance though to this day that has never surfaced.
On October 28, 1966 The Daily Kent Stater ran this ad for a Halloween Dance the next night in the Eastway Ballroom featuring live music by The Measles and another band. Must have been super fun just like that Bunny Hop. There's also a rehearsal tape that exists from this time that was likely recorded at the Fifth Quarter (210 S. Depeyster St). The band plays "Route 66", "That Boy", "Barbara Ann" and Joe on vocals doing "Tired of Running".
January 1966 - March 1967
The Joe Walsh lineup of the Measles broke up in March of 1967 and there is Measles ephemera from this era that dates from the beginning 1966 into March of 1967 with the exact dates unknown. This includes: Measles photos and 8mm footage out at the Kent State Airport. There's more 8mm footage of Joe apartment hunting and hanging out at The Measles house and at an apartment on Cherry Street that exists in private collections.
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| Measles at Brimfield High School 1966/1967 Larry Lewis, Bobby Sepulveda, Buddy Bennett Joe Walsh and Richard Underwood |
In what must be the final piece of Joe Walsh era Measles ephemera in Kent is in this ad from a February 2, 1967 issue of the Daily Kent Stater you can see the band is billed as openers for the Dovells as part of a 3 night stand at the Fifth Quarter.
March 1967 - December 1967
The earliest indication that Joe is gone from the Measles (that I could find) is from this Record-Courier article published March 17, 1967 indicating that Joe had joined a band called The Chancellors and he'd been writing all of their music for them.
Also in the spring of 1967 is when Joe shows up in the Richard Meyer's film Akran. In the film he's playing in a band with Don Goldthwaite, Richard Underwood and Gary Slama. Several still photos from this shoot have emerged over the years taken on and off the film set. Most of the photos out there (I believe) were taken by Gerry Simon. The scene in the film with Joe was shot on one of the upper corner floors of the old Kent Block which burned down in 1972 and was across the street from where the Zephyr is now.
As part of the collection of photos from Akran is another series of photos (also taken by Gerry Simon) which seem to be from around this same time showing Joe playing in a band with Don Goldthwaite and Bob Goldthwaite at The Barn which was out near Brimfield. You can see that set of photos and read more about The Barn in Chas's book.
On August 25, 1967 the Record-Courier is still referring to Joe as being a member of the Measles but two weeks later on September 8, 1967 he's being interviewed in the same Record-Courier column about having joined some new supergroup with members of the Turnkeys and the Choir. The article even states that Joe had left the Measles because he was tired of playing 'the top 10 numbers'. In the October 6, 1967 issue of the Record-Courier a photo of this new Walsh/Turnkeys supergroup is shown along with information that their recent public appearance at the Electric Barn had been a "one night stand."
1968
Jimmy Fox is certain that Joe Walsh joined The James Gang in January of 1968 and where the record picks up next supports that. This photo shows Joe Walsh as part of the James Gang playing a Valentine's dance in the Ravenna High School girls gym in early February of 1968. What's wild is the band is still a five piece here. Looking at the photo: from left to right is Phil Giallombardo, Joe Walsh, Bill Jeric, Jim Fox and Tom Kriss. Click here to see what the old Ravenna High School looks like today.
On April 5, 1968 the Record-Courier reviewed a James Gang show that had taken place the previous Saturday at a venue called The Attik in Ravenna. The Attik was on the third floor of this building. On June 21, 1968 the Record-Courier interviews local musicians including Joe about the then current state of music. On July 26, 1968 the Record-Courier interviews Joe who gives an update on the James Gang and his then status as a current student at Kent State.
The photoshoot for the cover of the James Gang's Yer Album showing the band in downtown Kent took place sometime in the (maybe late) summer of 1968 with the photos taken by Bill Szymczyk.
Jimmy Fox is certain that Joe Walsh joined The James Gang in January of 1968 and where the record picks up next supports that. This photo shows Joe Walsh as part of the James Gang playing a Valentine's dance in the Ravenna High School girls gym in early February of 1968. What's wild is the band is still a five piece here. Looking at the photo: from left to right is Phil Giallombardo, Joe Walsh, Bill Jeric, Jim Fox and Tom Kriss. Click here to see what the old Ravenna High School looks like today.
On April 5, 1968 the Record-Courier reviewed a James Gang show that had taken place the previous Saturday at a venue called The Attik in Ravenna. The Attik was on the third floor of this building. On June 21, 1968 the Record-Courier interviews local musicians including Joe about the then current state of music. On July 26, 1968 the Record-Courier interviews Joe who gives an update on the James Gang and his then status as a current student at Kent State.
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| James Gang at the Kent depot summer 1968. Jimmy Fox, Tom Kriss and Joe Walsh. Photo by Bill Szymczvk |
Interestingly two photo outtakes from this shoot wound up as Getty photos which you can see here and here. The photos are credited to the Michael Ochs Archives.
On September 24, 1968 the Daily Kent Stater ran an article that mentions a James Gang performance in the student union (Oscar Ritchie Hall) the previous Thursday night. On October 4, 1968 the Daily Kent Stater ran this article written by Fred Tribuzzo about the up-and-coming James Gang. Fred Tribuzzo who wrote the article says he distinctly remembers interviewing drummer Jim Fox at the Unitarian Church on Gougler Avenue. He also says he's pretty positive that's where the photo that accompanies the piece was taken.
In December 1968/January 1969 Richard Underwood took another set of legendary photos of Joe Walsh showing him playing downstairs at JB's in Kent playing the Gibson Les Paul guitar that he would soon famously sell to Jimmy Page. I did a mega-deep dive on the photos and the James Gang in this period in an article I put out some time back. It's loaded with insanely awesome details and minutia.
1969
In January of 1969 the Daily Kent Stater heavily promoted and covered a gig headlined by the James Gang in the Eastway Cafeteria on Friday, January 17, 1969. The event attracted an overflow crowd as per a post show photo essay by Paul Tople and others. Another artifact from this gig has long circulated in the form of a really interesting recording made in the room that night and you can hear it right here.
Classified ads run in the Daily Kent Stater for The James Gang at JB's on February 6, February 13 and February 20 of 1969. A rough looking photo surfaced at one point showing Joe Walsh in a kitchen somewhere locally. An earlier upload of the photo showed a date stamp in the margins of that actual photo stating April 1969. I think I had initially heard the photo was taken in Stow in a house around where Graham and Fishcreek cross though I can't seem to find where I got that info anymore. Another source says this is taken in a house on Pearl St. in Kent. April 1969 though is for sure when photo was printed (and probably taken) which is also when Joe sold the Les Paul to Jimmy Page!
Classified ads continue to run in the Daily Kent Stater for gigs at both JB's and The Barn on April 29, May 1, May 2, May 6 and May 14 1969.
Somewhere in this period Joe Walsh lived at the Kent-Ellis Hotel which is now the mixed use building that houses BW3's on the corner of East Main and South Depeyster Streets. A photo exists showing Joe inside his room at the hotel with a sliver of the old Kent Cinema sign revealed outside the window behind him. I also believe this photo was taken inside of the Kent-Ellis Hotel showing Joe and James Gang Roadie Mark Patterson. These photos were taken by legendary rock photographer Tom Wright.
In Tom Wright's book Raising Hell on The Rock 'n' Roll Highway he includes a photo of Joe Walsh on the phone with a caption that says Joe Walsh Kent, Ohio 1969. It absolutely resembles this entryway here and here that I got to photograph in Joe's former residence on Ranfield Road in Brimfield. Oh and here's another photo he took of Joe in the Kent-Ellis Hotel. Probably the same day as that photo where he is sitting in the window. More photos of Joe Walsh in Kent and the James Gang taken by Tom Wright exist in the Tom Wright Photography Collection at the University of Texas in Austin. It seems that if you really want to see those photos you gotta go down there and look through the archival boxes yourself. No lie -- I am totally up for that trip.
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| James Gang at Kent States' Eastway Cafeteria January 17, 1969 Joe Walsh, Tom Kriss and Jimmy Fox |
This sign that originally hung in JB's shows the fall quarter 1969 weekly band lineup. Thursday and Sunday nights once again reside with the James Gang.
On October 10, and October 15, 1969 the Daily Kent Stater ran pieces detailing a concert by the James Gang that will occur as part of an anti-Vietnam War march on campus. On October 30, 1969 the Daily Kent Stater ran a blurb about Joe doing a solo acoustic show at the Yellow Unicorn the following night. The Yellow Unicorn was located in the basement of Unitarian Church on Gougler Avenue.
There's some story I've heard of a cache of recordings that exists of the James Gang at JB's in this era and they may currently be in Joe's possession. If true, what a treasure those must be and one can hope that they will be heard publicly someday.
In early 2019 I gave a talk at the Kent Free Library and former James Gang roadie Rob Ginther showed up to my event with an ORIGINAL James Gang t-shirt dating to 1968/1969. Check out a pic of Rob with the vintage shirt right here.
1970
On January 28, 1970 the Daily Kent Stater ran several ads for the James Gang at JB's for that night. On April 4, 1970 the James Gang headlined the "Spring Electric Rock Concert" in Kent State's Memorial Gym. The Daily Kent Stater ran ads for this on March 11 and March 31, 1970. Some bits of cool ephemera exist from this show including psychedelic ads, a review and a couple pics from the actual performance. Check all those out right here. Also by this time James Gang Rides Again had already been recorded and was being readied for release. You'd have to imagine that the bands setlist by this time was heavy on Rides Again material.
It should be noted that Joe has a story to tell about the May 4, 1970 shootings at Kent State University -- it's fascinating that not only does his career as a musician/artist intersect with these events but it's actually part of its fabric and context.
The very last piece of James Gang at JB's ephemera that I could find was this tiny ad published in the Akron Beacon Journal on August 12, 1970 for a show at JB's on "THURSDAY NIGHT".
There is a story that there may be a recording of a James Gang show at JB's from this Rides Again era in a private collection. Fingers crossed that this will surface someday.
1971
From here things get murky with Joe in Kent. Somewhere in 1971 I know that Joe has moved into a house at 3444 Verner Rd on the very edge of Kent near Stow. At least one photo of Joe living out at this place exists in a private collection and several in Kent have memories of Joe living there. A very detailed James Gang tour chronology shows up in three parts here, here and here and while I don't know how accurate it is, it's incredibly detailed and it will give you a lot more context into this era.
Beyond this is when James Gang and Joe Walsh as a solo artist pull him out of Ohio. Not exactly sure what the timeline here is but somewhere after this he lands in Boulder, CO and that's where his career as a solo artist starts to take off.
It should be noted that Joe has a story to tell about the May 4, 1970 shootings at Kent State University -- it's fascinating that not only does his career as a musician/artist intersect with these events but it's actually part of its fabric and context.
The very last piece of James Gang at JB's ephemera that I could find was this tiny ad published in the Akron Beacon Journal on August 12, 1970 for a show at JB's on "THURSDAY NIGHT".
There is a story that there may be a recording of a James Gang show at JB's from this Rides Again era in a private collection. Fingers crossed that this will surface someday.
1971
From here things get murky with Joe in Kent. Somewhere in 1971 I know that Joe has moved into a house at 3444 Verner Rd on the very edge of Kent near Stow. At least one photo of Joe living out at this place exists in a private collection and several in Kent have memories of Joe living there. A very detailed James Gang tour chronology shows up in three parts here, here and here and while I don't know how accurate it is, it's incredibly detailed and it will give you a lot more context into this era.
Beyond this is when James Gang and Joe Walsh as a solo artist pull him out of Ohio. Not exactly sure what the timeline here is but somewhere after this he lands in Boulder, CO and that's where his career as a solo artist starts to take off.
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From here Joe's presence in town is just as a visitor -- a sporadic one -- though he has returned for the rest of his life to this place. Sometimes to great fanfare and sometimes quietly under the radar. What follows is everything (that I'm aware of) from what are his known return appearances to Kent, Ohio.
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1973
From here Joe's presence in town is just as a visitor -- a sporadic one -- though he has returned for the rest of his life to this place. Sometimes to great fanfare and sometimes quietly under the radar. What follows is everything (that I'm aware of) from what are his known return appearances to Kent, Ohio.
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1973
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| Advert for Barnstorm at Kent State for July 18, 1973 |
On July 18, 1973 Joe Walsh and Barnstorm played the Kent State Student Center Ballroom. Here's the original ad for the show and I am pretty sure this photo is correctly attributed to this performance. A whole set of similar black and white photos from this same performance popped up for sale on Ebay some years back and they were bought and remain in the private collection of a Joe Walsh superfan.
Color photos from this night also exist from another source and at one time they surfaced online but are now no longer anywhere to be found. Joe would have been on tour for his album The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get.
On the back cover of Chas's book is a color photo showing Joe Walsh with Chas, Richard Underwood, Gary Slama and Joe Vitale at The Deck in downtown Kent. The photo is attributed to being from 1973 and I don't doubt that -- but because everyone is in winter attire there's no way it's from the July visit of that year when Walsh played the KSU Student Center Ballroom. On October 31, 1973 Joe Walsh & Barnstorm played at the Allen Theatre in Cleveland with days off before and after that gig. It's possible for some of that time that Joe came down to Kent to hang out with old friends -- and that's what I believe to be the timeframe of that photo.
On the back cover of Chas's book is a color photo showing Joe Walsh with Chas, Richard Underwood, Gary Slama and Joe Vitale at The Deck in downtown Kent. The photo is attributed to being from 1973 and I don't doubt that -- but because everyone is in winter attire there's no way it's from the July visit of that year when Walsh played the KSU Student Center Ballroom. On October 31, 1973 Joe Walsh & Barnstorm played at the Allen Theatre in Cleveland with days off before and after that gig. It's possible for some of that time that Joe came down to Kent to hang out with old friends -- and that's what I believe to be the timeframe of that photo.
1975
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| Joe Walsh in the Kent State Memorial Gym March 13, 1975 Photo by Richard Underwood |
On Thursday, March 13, 1975 Joe Walsh returned to Kent as a bona fide rock star for a heavily promoted, documented and now storied return to Kent State's Memorial Gym. There's kind of a lot to unpack for this return to Kent so we'll start from the first promo to the last pieces of ephemera.
Ads show up in Scene Magazine and the Daily Kent Stater starting in mid February for the concert and I would have to imagine that local radio like WMMS and more were pumping the show as well. The night before the concert, Joe had a show at Notre Dame so I would imagine he showed up in town sometime on the day of the show at Kent State and probably went straight to the Memorial Gym.
Images from backstage show up here, here and here taken by photographer Ernie Mastrianni. Another backstage photo from this night shows up in the Daily Kent Stater with an exclusive interview by Walsh which I suspect was conducted at the same time the picture was taken.
Also another photo from somewhere on this night pops up here showing Joe with Richard Underwood. Richard also took some photos during the show as did Pulitzer Prize winning photographer J. Ross Baughman. A photo from the performance shows up in the KSU yearbook as well.
A partial known setlist from this night is as follows:
Tend My Garden, Turn To Stone, It's All The Same, Ashes Rain and I, Welcome to the Club, Rocky Mountain Way
Much more was played but that is what can be 100 percent confirmed.
A couple more notes about this performance:
Remember that photo of Joe at the Kent-Ellis Hotel from about 6 years earlier? During the concert, Joe tells this story about his days living at the hotel and about how one night at that place he composed the James Gang song "Ashes Rain and I".
A partial known setlist from this night is as follows:
Tend My Garden, Turn To Stone, It's All The Same, Ashes Rain and I, Welcome to the Club, Rocky Mountain Way
Much more was played but that is what can be 100 percent confirmed.
A couple more notes about this performance:
Remember that photo of Joe at the Kent-Ellis Hotel from about 6 years earlier? During the concert, Joe tells this story about his days living at the hotel and about how one night at that place he composed the James Gang song "Ashes Rain and I".
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| Akron Beacon Journal blurb from March 1975 |
Listen to him tell that story from that night right here.
Also here's another bit of minutia about that night -- you ever hear some story about Led Zeppelin, Joe Bujac and JB's etc? There's this story that's floated around these parts for a long time. On this night (March 13, 1975) Joe tells a version of this story -- and it's the earliest telling of the story that I have ever come across. Listen to it right here.
Also there was some DEVO drama that occurred during this concert and you can read about that in Jade Dellinger & David Giffels' AWESOME book Are We Not Men? We Are Devo!
The Record-Courier also reviewed this show and you can read that right here.
Another piece of lore from this concert comes from when Joe and company tried to leave town following the show via the KSU Airport and the plane crashed before it even got off the ground. Many versions of this story have floated around town for years -- one involving a whiskey bottle later found on the plane and another involving Joe and his roadies being driven back to Kent after the aborted flight for more townie mayhem.
The Akron Beacon Journal reported about this incident in two different articles at that time. Once right after it happened. And then again about six weeks later when they did their own profile of Joe Walsh and his days in Kent. Part 1 and then Part 2 of that piece are right here and here.
Joe was on tour for his album So What.
Oh and not long after this...CLICK
1981 - 1983
For two summers between 1981 and 1983 Joe came back to visit Kent twice after shows at Blossom Music Center. Both times were for parties at old friend Joe Shannon's house in Twin Lakes. Over the years photos have turned up from various sources in various collections from one of those parties. You can see pics here, here, here, here, here and here. I think those are all from 1981.
Also here's another bit of minutia about that night -- you ever hear some story about Led Zeppelin, Joe Bujac and JB's etc? There's this story that's floated around these parts for a long time. On this night (March 13, 1975) Joe tells a version of this story -- and it's the earliest telling of the story that I have ever come across. Listen to it right here.
Also there was some DEVO drama that occurred during this concert and you can read about that in Jade Dellinger & David Giffels' AWESOME book Are We Not Men? We Are Devo!
The Record-Courier also reviewed this show and you can read that right here.
Another piece of lore from this concert comes from when Joe and company tried to leave town following the show via the KSU Airport and the plane crashed before it even got off the ground. Many versions of this story have floated around town for years -- one involving a whiskey bottle later found on the plane and another involving Joe and his roadies being driven back to Kent after the aborted flight for more townie mayhem.
The Akron Beacon Journal reported about this incident in two different articles at that time. Once right after it happened. And then again about six weeks later when they did their own profile of Joe Walsh and his days in Kent. Part 1 and then Part 2 of that piece are right here and here.
Joe was on tour for his album So What.
Oh and not long after this...CLICK
1981 - 1983
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| Chas Madonio, Joe Walsh and Richard Underwood at Joe Shannon's house in Twin Lakes - June 1981 |
I think it's two years later another similar party took place at Joe Shannon's house after another time Joe played Blossom and photos and video from this event exist in some different private collections. Photos were also taken that same day showing Joe Walsh in downtown Kent for that year's Kentfest. He's seen walking around and then eventually making his way into Walter's Café for an impromptu jam. Must be 1983. Private collection stuff but I've seen the pics. I believe this one pic of Joe and Bobby Sepulveda is from that 1983 visit.
Oh and here's what Joe was sounding like in this period.
1986
Oh and here's what Joe was sounding like in this period.
1986
In early October of 1986, Joe Walsh came back to Kent for a much publicized concert in the Memorial Gym that was tied into Kent State's Homecoming celebrations. Joe was on hand for the football game, he was grand marshal for the homecoming parade, he attended a press conference and much more. Click here, here, here, here, here and here to see the original Daily Kent Stater newspaper articles and some period photos that document these events. The Record-Courier ran a few pieces on this homecoming for Walsh as well. Click here, here and here to see their coverage.
Also don't miss this hilarious radio broadcast on WMMS-FM with Joe Walsh in the KSU Student Center on that Friday, October 3, 1986 as part of the promotion for his homecoming concert.
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| Gary Jackett, Joe Walsh and Terry Morris outside Brady's Cafe October 4, 1986 |
There were news cameras at the press conference and one known archive has a little bit of footage from in their holdings. There is probably more of it out there somewhere.
On Tuesday, October 7, 1986 Joe must have still been local because he appeared on WEWS - Live On 5 Cleveland local talk show. He talked about Homecoming at Kent, May 4 and more. You can see that footage right here.
Here's kinda what Joe Walsh had going on during this period. Joe's then current album was The Confessor.
2001
On December 15, 2001 Kent State University gave Joe an honorary doctorate degree in music. Click here and here to see the Record-Courier's coverage of this event. Here's kinda what he was doing in this era.
2017
On February 14, 2017 Joe showed back up in Kent with very little notice along with his road manager Smokey Wendell. He came to KSU doing some research and I actually personally encountered him in the Kent State University Library that day. It was a huge thrill and at that time I had a draft of my book that I got to show to Joe which he showed genuine interested in. It was during this encounter that Joe offered to write the foreword to my book and that blew my mind. And I am forever grateful to him. It was an unforgettable and lifechanging encounter for me personally.
After leaving the Kent State Library, Joe and Smokey were seen around town and popped in at the Kent Stage in addition to checking out the mural of him that had recently gone up on South Water Street outside of the Water Street Tavern. From there I am not sure where Joe and Smokey went but from what I can tell that was the last time Joe Walsh was ever in Kent.
Here's Joe Walsh at that time talking about the mural. Here's some choice live Walsh footage from this time period.
Epilogue
After leaving the Kent State Library, Joe and Smokey were seen around town and popped in at the Kent Stage in addition to checking out the mural of him that had recently gone up on South Water Street outside of the Water Street Tavern. From there I am not sure where Joe and Smokey went but from what I can tell that was the last time Joe Walsh was ever in Kent.
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| December 16, 2001 - Record-Courier |
Epilogue
February 14, 2017 wasn't supposed to be the last time Joe was in Kent. And maybe he's been here since and I just have not been made aware but I don't think so. It was on that day in 2017 that the seeds were planted for Joe Walsh to headline another major concert again at that storied old gym on campus...
Saturday, May 2, 2020 -- we'll just call this The Concert That Never Was:
Joe Walsh was set to headline with his classic band Barnstorm who had only played together one other time since 1973 and there were credible reports that Joe was exploring the idea of a James Gang reunion taking place on stage that night as well.
Saturday, May 2, 2020 -- we'll just call this The Concert That Never Was:
The concert that never was -- and it was going to be glorious. Michael Stanley, The Numbers Band, David Crosby and Joe Walsh with Barnstorm back in the Kent State University MAC Center. The show sold out in 3 hours -- that's over 6,000 tickets. This was to be a benefit concert to raise money for 4 scholarships for incoming Kent State students who would be entering the School of Peace and Conflict Studies. Each scholarship was to be in honor of one of the four killed at Kent State on May 4, 1970.
Kent State University had anticipated over 20,000 people coming back to campus for the 50th Commemoration of the Kent State Shootings which was to take place over the weekend of May 1-4, 2020. An incredible array of events had been planned for this anniversary including a controversial and sold out lecture provided by Jane Fonda in the MAC Center on May 3 and this crown jewel event/concert the previous night in the same room.
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| Todd Diacon, Joe Walsh and Jason Prufer looking at the STBM manuscript in the KSU Archives. February 14, 2017 - Photo by Ken Burhanna |
Covid-19 wiped out the entire commemoration including this event and every other event in the world and there's no way this could ever be rescheduled. It was outright cancelled. What could have been --- *sigh
Maybe we'll see Joe again back in town and on campus someday again but who knows.
Maybe we'll see Joe again back in town and on campus someday again but who knows.
If anyone has any more information than this I would love to hear from you. I'd love to see more photos and video, hear more recordings or anything that relates to Joe Walsh in Kent.
Oh and Joe if you are reading this and it's true that you are in possession of some James Gang recordings from JB's, I can tell you that the world would be a richer place if those were made available to be heard. There's gotta be some awesome music and playing on there and those recordings would be an important unheard piece of history. Also imagine what it would mean for that original James Gang crowd who got to attend all those shows to be able to hear those sounds again...
In closing I will leave you with some good time concert footage from Joe.
