From December 1974 through 1978, I played with the rock band TOUCH. The first and probably best incarnation of the group is pictured above in a 1975 photograph taken at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. From left to right in the photograph are Bob Giranda (Percussion), Keith Smith (Bass Guitar & Keyboards), Craig Carico (Lead & Rhythm Guitar), Dave Stuver (Lead Singer & Harmonica) and my brother, Frank Smith (Lead and Rhythm Guitar).
I will always remember 1975 and 1976 as two of the most fun years of my life. Touch played most of the good clubs in Johnstown including the Professor's Inn, Mynderbinders, the Golden Key, the Alcove, Forest Park Club, and the Encore. Much of those two years was spent with 5 musicians and a light/sound man, jammed into small hotel rooms and living out of suitcases. It was an experience that I actually cherished, even though it did wear everyone out, both physically and emotionally.
January 1977 saw the departure of Dave and Craig to form Follies Bizarre and for awhile Touch floundered as it tried to find a lead singer. After three unsuccessful lineups, which included two different female singers (GiGi and Denise Trautman) and a keyboard player (I will never, EVER, forget Danny), the group eventually found Mary Jo Seganos. Although she was very raw and inexperienced when she started, as she gained experience, she become a very powerful singer. Along with the addition of Dick Kos at lead guitar, Touch got back some of the musical magic and began doing well once again.
The year 1977, however was a time of crisis and self examination for me. On July 19, 1977, My life was turned upside down when the third Johnstown flood destroyed my newly purchased home and most of my possessions. My first wife, (Barbara Ashcom) and I spent a terrifying night in those raging flood waters with the expectation that we would not survive. We got through the night only to nearly succumb to natural gas that filled up that house when the flood waters subsided. For years to come, the emotional trauma of that night was something that I denied to everyone but could not get out of mind. In addition, Dick quit the group, (to be replaced by Ed Bush) which became a defining moment for my career in music. The departure of yet another fine musician was more than I could take. Although I had dreams of continuing in the business, the reality was that I had a mortgage, car payments and other obligations that were continually being threatened by our inability to keep a group together. Also, I wasn't getting any younger, and it had always been my intention to go back to college and finish my degree. So, with a lot of regrets, I moved on, leaving my music behind, and completing my degree in Biology at the University of Pittsburgh.
Above
Two Photos
from Golden Key June 1975
Send off for our first road trip to Erie, PA
Halloween
at the Professor's Inn 1976
Frank and Keith on the left, Craig on the right
Left:
Frank and Keith at Professors Inn April 30, 1977
Keith on right the next night.
Keith, Mary Jo, and Dick at P.I.
Keith and Frank on stage at Erie, PA Holiday Inn
Frank
and Dave in Erie
(Note the collection of beer bottles on top of the amp)
Taking a break in the lobby, Erie PA Holiday Inn
I've begun work on some old tapes that were made of Touch at the Golden Key sometime around April of 1975. The are all pretty rough and I've been making some attempt to clean up all of the static digitally so the music can be heard. The first installment is Ticket to Ride by the Beatles. More will follow.
Email me at smithkf51@comcast.net
