Jim Stunkard

Jim Stunkard, bassist, graduated in 1968 from the University of Tulsa. The bands “E. A. Poe & The Ravens” and “Easy Street” paid his tuition. Jim owns the Purple Glaze Studio in Tulsa and can’t sing a note!

BIO

Born:   March 31, 1944 in San Antonio, Texas Graduated: Will Rogers High School 1962High Graduated: University of Tulsa 1968 School Band:   "King James & His Court" with Lester Van Dyke from Rogers High and some other guys whose names completely evade me 40 years later.  No one could sing very well and our harmonies were non-existent. We didn't play many jobs but Lester could sure play that Rhythm & Blues...I believe we called it 'colored music'.

College Bands: When Bronze Dorsey didn't come to OSU for his freshman year, "Ronnie Morrison & the Playboys" needed a bass player. This high school group out of Tulsa Edison and Central all began their college work in Stillwater. Ronnie was the lead singer and he worked our audiences just about like Carl does, now. He liked to do ballads like “OVER THE MOUNTAIN” and the great old Richie Valens tune “DONNA”. I'll never forget the night the “Playboys” were playing a sorority gig and Ronnie announced the next song “OVER THE DONNA”.James Robert Dougherty- JRD, we called him. JRD played a Fender Stratocaster as well as a Fender Telecaster and a Fender 12-string.  He sounded just like James Burton, Ricky Nelson's guitarist. Our record, a 45 single, was called "I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVERMORE" backed by "THE SWIM". JRD was awesome. He drove a Chevy SS and his car keys had a pair of toy dice attached.

Ol' Dicey played drums and sang better than Ronnie. Ronnie gave him the nickname that he would live with for the rest of his life. Duane Bryce passed away in 2000. Last I heard, Ronnie had moved to Ft. Smith, AR and became a minister. Wonder if he still sings? Groc the Monster totally dominated the keyboard. We had to mike the piano and run it thru an amp. It would always feed back and I'm pretty sure he is responsible for me going deaf. Jimmy Blazer pounded those 88's and what he could do with a Ray Charles tune- remember "WHAT'D I SAY?”. Blaze, Duane and I would work together for about ten years. Dougherty moved to Kansas City and hasn't been heard from since. Ronnie moved after his freshman year and the band continued with Duane doing most of the singing. Now named E.A. POE & the RAVENS, we carried a casket on top of the band trailer. We kept it closed and introduced the occupant as E.A. POE...we were the RAVENS. One of Blazer's fraternity brothers slept in it during the week. He and I had heard some good things about this butcher over in Bixby who was just a few years older than we were. We went to see him and, man, this guy sounded more like James Brown than James Brown. We invited Bill Davis to join the RAVENS and it wasn't too long before we renamed ourselves EASY STREET. Bobby Villareal came in to replace Dougherty and Don Calliope added some brass. We could do some James Brown, now! I think we played Lee Gideon's 'Pickles' club on 51st for over a year.

Jim is single with two kids, Jeff and Clay. He also has three of the most beautiful granddaughters one could ask for.  Jeff is his partner in the Purple Glaze Studio and the father of Sophia and Isabella. Clay is a commercial painter and father to Carissa.