Showpushers Inducted Into Music Hall of Fame

By DThaMan

On Aug. 2 and 3, the Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame in Nebraska inducted the popular 1960s group, the Showpushers, celebrating their stellar musical careers alongside other nationally-acclaimed gospel, R & B, jazz, rock and roll, and classical musicians.

The Showpushers began life in Omaha as the DuVells in the early 1960s, with founding members Hopie Bronson, Fred “Plookie” Love, Melvin Cullum, Clifton Davis, and George Taylor.

Davis recalls, "We used to play ball at the recreation center all the time. One day Plookie caught me on the court and told me he was putting together a singing group. We got some other guys from the neighborhood together and it wasn't long before we were doing shows around town."

Six months later the group was becoming a household name in their region. Their first big show was at Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyo.

Soon after, Taylor left the group, was replaced by Jeffery Walker, and the group changed their name.

 “We stole the name from Antwone Dupree and the Showpushers, after we saw the name on a marquee," says Davis. "We liked it better."

As the Showpushers, Bronson became music director; and the guys began practicing more intently. Their next big show was at Elk's Hall in Nebraska where, as Davis puts it, "People would throw money on the stage and that's how we got paid."

Later that year, they played the World Renowned Showcase and "had a line around the building" of people waiting to see them. This led to a regular gig at the Carter Lake Club. They would also play the Fairmont Hotel, Tech High, UNO, and the Stone Cold Picnic, which helped them become a recognizable name in and around the Omaha area. Around this time, they added Paul Justice on bass and Bobby Griffo, aka Shabaka, on horns.

In the late 60s, four of the singers relocated to Des Moines, Iowa. Davis recalls how hard it was being on the road, with no money and no place to stay. The singers also found it difficult to get a band to back them up.

Not finding success away, they returned home to Omaha to reroup. Shortly afterwards, they moved again – this time to Minneapolis, Minn. where they had much more success.

Eventually, they put together another band with guitar player Ernie Clark, drummer Jimmy "Big Time" Ranson, Congo player Frankie McMillian, pianist Hoppie Branson, female vocalist Doris Johnson, saxophonist Michael Johnson, and Melvin and Mark Carter on trumpets. They also gained manager Tony Hill, road manager James Whitner, and lights and sound guy Clarence Whitner.

With this new group in tow, they were able to play all the major clubs and hotels in Omaha. They garnered enough clout to eventually open for the better-known Chi-Lites.

It was around this time that Jeffrey Walker left the group for other pursuits. Fortunately, an able and ready Craig Taylor stepped in, setting the stage for a new and different style for the group.

After performing 21 one-nighters in Minnesota, Des Moines, and Omaha, the group put together their own one-week extravaganza, The Return of the Showpushers, which played to a standing-room-only crowd at the Paxtin Hotel in Omaha. The show was so successful, "We had to turn people away," says Davis.

After this amazing streak, the group decided to try going out on the road again. They relocated down South to the hotbed of growing urbanism known as Atlanta, Georgia. The plan was to take some time and start recording their music. They arrived homeless and slept in their cars for a week while searching for a place to live. A break came when Kenny Secret, then president of Morehouse College, came to their side.

“He got us our first show down there at Morris Brown College," recalls Davis.

The group entered a competition, where 10 acts competed for a chance to open for the legendary Curtis Mayfield, and won.

"It was an honor to meet and to perform with him," Davis admits.

With the much-needed exposure from that experience, the Showpushers went on to play all the Black institutions in Atlanta, from Clark to Spellman and Atlanta University. They finally acquired a house where all 17 members lived and practiced. Soon afterwards, they toured the Butter Milk Bottom, which included the chitlin’ circuit of Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and other parts of Georgia.

In the early 1970s, the group decided to pull up stakes again, and ended up in Oklahoma City, Okla. They quickly got a show at Langston College opening for perennial faves The Staples Singers. The move was short-lived, however, as the group returned to Atlanta. There, they recorded a 45 single with the songs "No More Tomorrow" and "Regret.” They passed out a few copies themselves and were rewarded with consistent radio play.

Armed with this demo, the Showpushers attempted to garner a recording contract with Stax Records, but the deal never materialized. They decided to go back to what they did best: hit the road and perform. They ended up in San Rafael, Calif. where they performed shows with the likes of Jackie Wilson and later The Whispers & the Show Children. This took them all around California, as they played clubs and spots from L. A. to Sacramento. They hung around the Bay Area for another year or so, where they had a regular gig at the Showcase Lounge, until a few of the players became homesick.

The group returned to their hometown of Omaha, where they disbanded and went their separate ways. Some of the members continued to pursue music and made varying degrees of contributions to the industry, while others simply got involved in other aspects of living. However, they will always be remembered for the way they set the Midwest ablaze with their showmanship and professionalism, as well as their astounding vocal talent.

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