Chick Singer Pt. 1, the Folk Era: Megon McDonough vs TOOU

On By Lorraine Devon WilkeIn Latest Thoughts

The air was thick with tension, fierce whispers bounced between the huddled groups hunched in corners, scribbling on notepads, heads in hands; all waiting, waiting, waiting for some word, some sign. It was hard to believe they were there after so much anticipation, sitting now in churned anxiety, the future uncertain and no way of rushing it.  It was too much for one and tears began. Before long, others joined  (there were lots of girls). It was not a happy night for any of them and dread loomed.

Mudaco_sm

Who could have expected this?  After weeks of discussion about what to do, tense and sometimes emotional decisions about who would do it, late night meetings about how it would be done, what order to do it in, what placement in the lineup, it all came down to this:

Would TOOU or Megan McDonough be singing “Leaving On a Jet Plane” at the Mudaco Talent Show at Crystal Lake Community High School in the year 1970?

cd_mannerThis was not a minor question nor a minor event. Mudaco (Music Dance Comedy) was the premiere talent show of the school year and we, TOOU — The Organization of Us — viewed it as a pivotal performance to cap a year of folk singing success and that song, “Leaving On a Jet Plane,” was our signature number. To have it snatched from us moments into dress rehearsal was unfathomable. By a girl who no one in that school could possibly compete with, a girl who was a bona fide celebrity by virtue of having won the WLS “Big Break Contest” at 14, subsequently scoring a record deal, then just continuing on in high school as the gorgeous guitar slinging, singing/songwriting phenomenon with her soulful eyes and long, swinging brunette hair, and well…who could compete with that?

Not me. Not us. We were from a another planet. Like the “Glee” geeks without the choreography. The Organization of Us, or TOOU as we were acronymically known, was just a loose band of earnest teenagers originally gathered to folk-sing along to the new and somewhat controversial “folk Mass” about to debut at St. Thomas Church in Crystal Lake, Illinois.  It was the vaunted Summer of Love, 1968, with its ubiquitous mix of flower power, draft card drama and lentil-soup fueled protests against the Viet Nam war, and TOOU became safe harbor for those of us too young to fully embrace the hippie lifestyle but aware enough to rebel against…something. Launching the Folk Mass with its banging guitars, bouncing energy and unconventional repertoire would have to do. So while my oldest sister marched with political fervor in her John Lennon glasses and Janis hair, I spent that summer reveling in Summer Blonde, Sergio Mendes and my first boyfriend. But more than anything, that summer I fell in love with this eclectic group of singers and guitarists who met in the church basement to pound out folky versions of “Holy Holy Holy” and the “Our Father.” That boy I liked was one of the movers and shakers and I was lucky enough to have him and the vocal chops to move up quickly in the TOOU performing hierarchy. It was an unforgettable summer.

Our success with the folk Mass, which ultimately became the most attended service at the church, led to a burgeoning slate of outside engagements, not least of which was our first non-secular gig at some business or school event (can’t remember).  As if breaking out of church mode wasn’t heady enough, it was also our first paying gig…$50 to split between a group of 15 or so. And we were delighted. I think it was then that we realized we needed a name; we couldn’t just be the “St. Thomas folk singers.”  We needed a moniker, something with heft and buzz. It’s my recollection that I came up with the very era-centric name of The Organization of Us. Or maybe I just came up with the rather clumsy acronym TOOU, but whatever the history, the name stuck. Before long we were performing at parties, beach gatherings, other church events, anywhere we could squeeze into a corner or a picnic table and start singing. TOOU became a formidable performance behemoth that sometimes included up to 25 kids, many of whom played guitars, tambourines, penny whistles and various other percussion instruments and, quite frankly, we took up so much space we simply began to require bigger venues!  There were the performers from my family – sisters Peg, Mary and me and, in later incarnations, brothers Paul and Tom. There were the O’Reillys, 14 siblings, most of whom could sing like birds, all of whom were enthusiastic performers: Chris, Beau, Cecelie, Gloria, Dorothy, Beth Ann, Jamie, well…there were lots of them, some of whom joined later.  Then there was our guitarist extraordinaire, Pete Swenson, who we’d force to play “Classical Gas” as often as we could because he was simply brilliant at it. His sister Patti, Ken Polnow, Andi LeBlanc, Wendy Treptow, Karen Tefft, Tom Mooney, Joe Haase, Kent Tarpley; Cris Vosti. Occasionally Ed Csech would show up with his rocker edge and cigarette smoke and I’d sing songs like Simon and Garfunkle’s “The Boxer” with him. He played 12 string better than anyone I ever knew, then or now. People came and went (check the many names under these photos), it was an ever-fluid line-up, with some of us — the core group — always there to anchor the show. And with our excellent musicians, clear voices, and tight harmonies that stacked up high, sweet and all Phil Spectorish wall-of-sound, we were often very, very good.

Then came Mudaco, a kind of primitive “American Idol,” with the prestige and excitement to attract every star-struck, exceptionally talented, marginally talented, freakishly not talented but always entertaining high school ham to its roster and we were right there at the top of the list.  Also at the top of the list? Yep. Megan McDonough. I didn’t know Megan well; in fact, I barely knew her at all. She was royalty. You have to understand: WLS was the premiere rock station in Chicago with DJ Dick Biondi and his playlist of songs that made every kid within the broadcasting area dance around dining room tables, and that WLS had given Megan McDonough a prize. A big prize. She got a record deal with Wooden Nickel Records. I sang Peter, Paul and Mary songs in a church. She was quite literally of out of my league and I knew it. But it was high school and what she had in fame we had in sheer numbers and so we both carved our niche and peacefully coexisted in the fertile folk-rock zeitgeist of the times.  Until that Mudaco.

Here’s the thing about “Leaving On a Jet Plane.”  We sang it at every gig, we sang it with a variety of harmonic components, we sang it well. To this day, if I’m anywhere near my mother and a guitar, she begs me to sing it for her.  I usually do.  And that year at Mudaco, TOOU was to sing two songs: one I can’t remember; the other: “Leaving On a Jet Plane.” Our headliner. We rehearsed it ad nauseum, we honed it to a spit-shine finish and suddenly, late into dress rehearsal and one night before the big performance, we were informed that Megan McDonough, the big ticket item of the show, had decided to sing — you guessed it — “Leaving On a Jet Plane.” There are no words to describe our horror.  This was our song, our signature number, our literal musical identity as a group.  Why didn’t Megan just sing one of her hits?  One of her original songs? What the hell? THIS WAS HUGE.

Much tense negotiation ensued, lots of copious high-school-girl weeping, more mature discussion of what we could perform instead; the adjustment period was savage but we were trying to be troupers.  Then word came down: Megan was willing and prepared to sing a different song. “Leaving On a Jet Plane” was all ours. The erupting roar was shattering.  We were beyond grateful. We were emotionally exhausted, exhilarated, and we kicked “Leaving On a Jet Plane” ass. I don’t remember what Megan sang; it was probably on the radio before we got to the 10:00 Folk Mass that Sunday.

toou copy

We went on to perform at the McHenry County Fair’s Talent Contest that summer, all funky cool in ourTOOU_Wins_Fair_Talent_Show_article_001 god-awful 60’s patterned jump suits and jumpy-jittery stage moves (you should see the tape from which this picture, above, was pulled!) and on that stage, we were the stars…we snared first prize in front of a crowd of family, pig farmers, 4-H kids hugging their ribbons and our many fans from all over McHenry County. It was a seminal moment of sweet victory, one that is unmatched in its youthful, exuberant joy. For some of the group heading off to college, it was a last, perfect performance. For those of us remaining, it was a feat we would never replicate. Though we continued throughout the next year, it felt like the original incarnation had peaked and the younger kids that came in and took over ultimately formed their own version of TOOU.

When I left for college the next year I continued my folk-singing ways for a while, most notably with the folk/country trio of me, Fred Koller and my dear friend, Fred Rubin. red herring article_smIt was with these fellows that I did my first recordings, cutting two memorable tracks with the titles “Rome Didn’t Fall In a Day” and “Our Love Is Just Like an Old Pinball Machine (the Kind That It Don’t Take Much To Tilt”)…I never did get copies, which is unfortunate; I’m sure they were impressive!

From these folky beginnings I embarked upon my enduring career as a singer over many decades (even now occasionally finding my way to a microphone), one that included musical theater, 50’s rock, 80’s new wave/soul and, more recently, singer/songwriter blues rock.  And it remains that TOOU will always be the irreplaceable starting point. The moment of realizing what it felt like to bond so deeply and musically with a group of like-minded artists. To experience the rush of opening my mouth and letting sound and breath and emotion pour from inside and be heard by a welcoming audience…it was, and is, a feeling like no other and one that compelled me for the next 30 years.

Many from the group went on to artistic careers, though I’ve lost track of most. Cris Vosti, now Cris Carroll, is a brilliant writer whose blog (http://cris-cafeimagine.blogspot.com/) is truly one of my favorite reads. Many of the O’Reilly clan continue in Chicago music, art and theater; Google any one of them and surely there’s a play being put up or a record being put out.  Jamie O’Reilly, singer extraordinaire, keeps me posted on events and her very active role in Chicago art and women’s issues (http://www.jamieoreilly.com/); I hear the talented Mr. Pete Swenson is still playing guitar with her and many others. Some of the members that followed, particularly my brothers Paul and Tom, have also gone on to amazing careers, Tom as a successful actor and director (“Everwood,” “Parenthood,” Brokedown Palace, etc. – www.tomamandes.com) and Paul, who teaches theater (Columbia College in Chicago), and writes and performs on stages all over the midwest. I don’t know what Ed Csech is doing these days but I hope he’s still playing that guitar. As for my college folk era mainstay, Fred Rubin, he had a tremendously successful career as a writer/producer of many hit TV series (“Family Matters,” “Diff’rent Strokes,” “Night Court,” “Step by Step,” etc.), some of which he cast me in and still pay (small) residuals.  He is now a respected speaker and screenwriting instructor at UCLA. With a killer sense of humor and a penchant for comedy, he makes frequent appearances on www.oldjewstellingjokes.com.

And Megan?  She became Megon (with an “o”) at some point and continues to have a stellar career as a songwriter, performer, actress, etc., appearing in venues around the country (though still very much based out of Chicago), both acting and singing.  Her lengthy discography, from that first Wooden Nickel album to her latest CD, lays proof to her enduring talent and I suggest you visit her site:  (www.megonmcdonough.com).

Megon today

 

As for the events of that night, I’m probably making too much of it, maybe I don’t even have the facts straight. I doubt Megon remembers me or TOOU or the details of the drama and odds are, if she does, it holds no special memory, just a simple change to her set list. But it stuck with me. It was gracious. She was the famous girl who generously conceded on a song, the same girl who would later open up for John Denver and probably got to sing “Leaving On a Jet Plane” with the man who actually wrote it.  We’re both grown women now and have enjoyed our separate careers, but I see her as a compatriot of sorts, a fellow traveler on this journey we artists take.  It’s a good one, a hard one, sometimes one that turns out far different than we imagined, or ends too quickly, or leads us in directions we were not expecting to go, but it’s a journey that’s always an expression of some essential part of who we are…which is why we take it in the first place.  And when, on this twisting, turning road, we meet fellow travelers who touch a chord for one reason or another, it just seems worth a nod.

Photo credits:
Megon McDonough photos @ www.megonmegon.com
Collage photos with permission.
All other photos courtesy of Lorraine Devon Wilke

LDW w glasses

Visit www.lorrainedevonwilke.com for details and links to LDW’s books, music, photography, and articles.

270 thoughts on “Chick Singer Pt. 1, the Folk Era: Megon McDonough vs TOOU”

  3. Cris's avatar Cris

    How could you forget Big Blue Phrog with our homemade t-shirts? Another signature number which perhaps is more relevant today than Jet Plane…

    Synchronistic that Four Bitchin’ Babes, one of Megon’s artistic outlets, will be here during the academic year…I don’t think she’s with current lineup, but I’ll still think of her.

    Loved the old photos – guess I’ll have to try to print this one for my posterity chest. Ha!

    See they never could get your name right….Laurie in the press clip from your college days. Reading this makes me comfortable typing Lorrie – I’m still restless with Lorraine (although it’s a beautiful name) – you understand.

    Just some quick-flick reactions.

    Loved seeing Ed Csech’s photo – he was one cool kid and played twelve-string like a pro at that age.

    Will be back after I absorb and separate my Nostalgia-meter from my thoughts on a damn fine write.

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    1. Lorraine Devon Wilke's avatar LDW

      Cris – I DID forget Big Blue Phrog! Way too much to remember…I’m not even sure I got all of this right! But it’s a rich one to recount and I was amazed at how much stuff I had stashed away in old folders. So great to see you so front and center in there with your tambourine! Heady young days. Ed Csech…yeah…a very sweet guy as well as a stellar 12-string player. He and I went to a prom even, did you know that? My nostalgia meter was pinging throughout the writing of this, seminal days truly imprinted on my psyche…nice one we shared.

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  4. Cris's avatar Cris

    This blog is an example of why youth is not always wasted on the young. I like the notion that adolescent imprints do matter in the larger scheme of things. The lessons of our youthful experience were formative, and we were fortunate to have rich tutorials from each other.

    In a very basic way, TOOU was an imprint of the worth of self-made community, the sometimes comical angst of budding creative differences (I Had a Hammer – slow or fast version), and what spirituality came to mean to me. It also set the value of the artistic impulse that I occasionally tap when needed, for I did not have the talent to pursue music as a vocation.

    There were great moments of fun, but long hours of dedication. There were trips to share a song in Rockford coffeehouses and Elgin institutions for the infirm. The thrill of applause, the thrill of a smile.

    But mainly there were the people and music became the vehicle to deeper friendships with very talented folk. These memories remain vivid because I attached importance to that time.

    Norma, my named tambourine which was presented as a gift, hand-painted with flowers and the letters TOOU, remains a treasured possession which I’ve toted wherever I go. It resides at work where I spend a lot of time and use it for on-call celebratory songs like Happy Birthday…sometimes I just look at it and smile.

    I’m all in for a rooftop revival…just name the time and place.

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    1. Lorraine Devon Wilke's avatar LDW

      I love this comment, Cris; insight and memory from someone who was also there. A perfect description of all the youthful love and devotion that went into it. “If I Had a Hammer” fast or slow version…my God, I remember that so well! Our ponderous dirge of Hammer somehow won out at times and who could figure that?! And that you named your tambourine, wow. Proof, I think, of how much all this did mean to us. It was truly such a special time in my life and, no doubt, in the lives of all of us. The first taste of…all of it, friendship, love, music, collaboration, cooperation, the whole shebang. We were lucky, I think, to have shared that chapter.

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  8. AHHH!!! and OMG!!!
    I laughed, I cried, I loved it more than Cats!
    How can I ever thank you for this? I am so grateful to you for writing this, and posting it. I was sure it was all a dream.
    Blessings to you my friend, and let’s have a big ol’ MUDACO at The Woodstock Opera House before LaJolla!!!
    Love love and more love, Megan/Megon/Muggin

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    1. Lorraine Devon Wilke's avatar LDW

      Megon! So thrilled that you found the article…delighted that you enjoyed being featured. I had no idea if this memory, this story, resonated with you…but I’m so with you on the idea of reviving Mudaco one of these days! Imagine the line-up! Best to you and…thanks again! Lorraine

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  11. Ray Frewen's avatar Ray Frewen

    I remember many summer nights sitting outside Pete Swenson’s family room windows, watching and listening to TOOU rehearse. So many glorious musical moments and, of course, Jet Plane. By the time I was involved, not long after, the name and even the acronym had pretty much disappeared. But the spirit was still there! (and a bunch of Amandes and O’Reilly’s!)
    But I have to say it was another musical event at the same time that actually influenced my life – seeing “Oklahoma”, my first CLCHS musical, starring none other than Lorraine (Lorrie) Amandes and Megan McDonough!

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    1. Lorraine Devon Wilke's avatar LDW

      Ray – Loved that you checked in on this one! A truly memorable time for so many of us, wasn’t it? If you look through the comments you’ll see that Megon, who I hadn’t spoken to since high school, saw the blog and loved it. So amazing that a little moment in time could be felt and remembered by so many different people! But I have to correct you on one minor thing – as much as I wanted to, I never actually got to audition for Oklahoma…my Mom was pregnant with my 10th sibling and I had to get home after school to help her out. A big disappointment in my life but I rebounded the next year with the starring role in “Brigadoon”…perhaps that’s the one you’re remembering? Either way, I’m delighted that you remember ANY of it, it was so long ago. That you were a part of it makes it all the more lovely that you dropped by with some thoughts of your own. Hope all is well, Ray! L.

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  15. Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon.

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  16. Love photography. Love everything about it. I love to talk about it. I love to dream about it. I see the wonderful inspirational shots online and wish I can be the one taking it. yeah, that’s my fantasy. PhotoGal

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  17. Ray Frewen's avatar Ray Frewen

    Isn’t it funny how we sometimes rewrite history to fit our memories? In my mind it has always been you and Jeff playing the leads opposite each other two years in a row. Brigadoon I will never forget as I was a Freshman doing my first musical. In any event, both of them, and being involved with you, your family and all of those great people and great times, had a huge influence on my life. And has provided so many wonderful (if not quite accurate!) memories. Thanks so much for letting me relive a bit of that.

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    1. Lorraine Devon Wilke's avatar LDW

      Ray, I’m with you on the confounding properties of “memory”!! Sometimes my brother Tom will tell me some story – in which I was a participant – and I either remember it completely differently or don’t remember it at all! I always say Tom remembers more about my life than I do! But however we remember it, I love that you hold some of those memories of that time in our lives. It was a happy, golden, music-filled time and it literally set the course for the rest of my life. I actually think it’s great that places like Facebook and various blogs can find a way to connect us all again. So thank you for remembering and checking in to say so!

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  22. Hey Lor — Beautifully written. I do remember the McHenry Co. talent contest. I’d just finished 6th grade, but it was pivotal for me. So many of those people are still in my life. Of course, I married Beth Ann O’Reilly and now all our kids are forming bands (my older turns 30 this year). I can also remember Megan McDonough singing at Harry Hopes in Cary, IL. “I Feel a Song Coming On” – I always loved. When I hear Dolly Parton sing Jolene, I think, “I liked Megan’s better.” But, Lor, you were the brave one who couldn’t sit on her Midwestern laurels till they grew too heavy to move. You learned all kinds of music & performing and put your money & your time where your mouth was. You inspired us all, kiddo. So much pride; so much love. Paul, the brother.

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    1. Lorraine Devon Wilke's avatar LDW

      Paul – what a lovely comment. Lots of memories for a lot of us with this story! I actually heard from Megon herself, after 40 years…amazing! And thank you for the sweet words for me personally…sometimes hearing that you inspired somebody is enough to get you through the day…the week, even! 🙂 Thanks, sweet bro. xxoo L. (P.S. you’re pretty inspirational yourself, y’know!)

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