James Beaty: OPINION: When The Beach Boys "Did It Again" for McAlester High School students

Jun. 25—While in Eufaula recently I stopped by The Legacy on Main Street to talk with Karen Weldin, the owner and operator of the venue.

A conversation during that meeting took a turn to when The Beach Boys — one of the biggest bands in the U.S. and Britain at the time — rocked S. Arch Thompson Auditorium with a surprise free assembly for McAlester High School students, along with a few visitors from Hartshorne.

Weldin is the organizer of Vision Eufaula, a nonprofit group that formed several years ago with the object of revitalizing downtown Eufaula. It looks like it's working, with previously empty buildings now filled with thriving businesses.

When some downtown merchants I talked with during a visit to Eufaula talked about the work Weldin and others have done through Vision Eufaula, I decided to give her a call.

Weldin couldn't break away at the time because of some disco lighting installation underway at The Legacy on Main Street, a former church building in downtown Eufaula that she refashioned as a venue for concerts, dinner theaters and other events.

Although she had to remain onsite, Weldin told me I was welcome to drop by and talk top her at The Legacy. Since I was just down the street, I told her I'd be there in a few minutes.

Dodging traffic as a summer rain splashed on the sidewalks, I made my way a block or so to walk into The Legacy On Main Street — a venue of which I was well aware, but had not visited.

As I entered the building, several signs posted of upcoming events caught my attention, including one scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 21.

Called Beach Boys "California Dreamin'" and billed as a tribute to the Beach Boys and other 1960s artists, a promo for the show stated "A talented cast uses beautiful harmonies combined with historical narratives and skillfully choreographed dance moves to share the hits of The Beach Boys."

In addition to The Beach Boys, the "California Dreamin'" the cast also performs songs of other artists who first came to prominence in the 1960s, including The Mamas and Papas, Joni Mitchell; Peter, Paul and Mary; Simon & Garfunkel, The Carpenters, the 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, and The Association.

I made my way to the back of The Legacy on Main Street venue, where Weldin had a a computer and a desk set up and we talked about things such as Vision Eufaula and the revitalization of Eufaula's downtown.

When talk turned to The Legacy on Main Street, Weldin spoke of some upcoming events, including the Beach Boys "California Dreamin'" show.

Yes, I know the song "California Dreamin'" was written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and The Papas, which scored a huge hit with it. "California Dreamin'" reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966, along with being named the Top Single for 1966 on the Billboard End of the Year Survey.

Twenty years later, The Beach Boys recorded their cover version of "California Dreamin,'" included on their "Made in the U.S.A." compilation album. While The Beach Boys' 1986 version of the song peaked at #57 on the Billboard Hot 100, it made it all the way to #8 Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.

As we talked about The Beach Boys tribute planned for The Legacy On Main Street, I asked Weldin if she knew The Beach Boys had once performed in McAlester at a time when they were one of the biggest bands, not only in the U.S., but also internationally, especially in Britain.

She said that's the first she'd heard of it. I told Weldin I'd relate the story of how that came to be on another day when we both had more time — when she suggested why not write about it instead.

OK Karen Weldin. From time-to-time I run across a local music fan who tells me they'd heard The Beach Boys had once performed in McAlester, but they figured it must be some type of urban legend.

Well, I'm sure it is still a legendary event to those who were there — but in this case, the legend is true.

Here's how it happened.

Picture this. McAlester High School students had their classes interrupted on an April morning in 1969 and were told they would be going to S. Arch Thompson Auditorium for a special assembly. When they asked their teachers about the reason for the assembly, they were told they would all have to wait and see.

I talked with my longtime friend David Roth about it in 2017, to get the perspective of an MHS student at the time.

He remembered the day started as a typical school day, then something unexpected occurred.

"They announced on our school intercom there was going to be a surprise assembly," Roth recalled. As he and other MHS students entered S. Arch Thompson Auditorium, they still had no idea what to expect, with drawn curtains shielding the auditorium's stage.

"Then the opened the curtains and there stood The Beach Boys," Roth recalled. "Everyone was surprised."

Roth said he and his friends could hardly believe what they were seeing. One of the world's biggest bands at the time — and today, still one of the greatest bands in rock music history — unexpectedly stood before them on the school's S. Arch Thompson Auditorium stage.

"It was a mixture of shock and disbelief,"Roth said. "I thought 'Can that really be The Beach Boys?" Roth, a talented musician himself, knew what each of The Beach Boys looked like — and he concluded it really was them.

After overcoming their initial surprise, the MHS students broke into a rousing, enthusiastic ovation.

The Beach Boys hadn't brought along loads of big equipment like bands do now. They had lugged a few smaller amplifiers onstage along with a drum set. They utilized the S. Arch sound system and even used the school's regular onstage piano.

That's OK. A sort of Beach Boys unplugged" concert would be fine.

They took their usual spots onstage. Carl Wilson, lead guitar; his brother Dennis Wilson, on drums; their friend Al Jardine on rhythm guitar and cousin Mike Love, on vocals All of The Beach Boys also sang lead or harmony parts, whatever was needed.

Bruce Johnston, who had replaced Brian Wilson on the road, played bass or piano parts.

With their already-vast repertoire, The Beach Boys slid into their opening song with a familiar snare and bass drumbeat to one of their then most recent hits, "Do It Again." Mike Love took the lead vocals, with Carl Wilson chiming in on falsetto and ripping out a funky guitar solo.

As S. Arch Thompson Auditorium rocked, Love sang of "Suntanned bodies and waves of sunshine, California girls and a beautiful coastline, warmed-up weather, let's get together and do it again."

The Beach Boys tore into their anthem "I Get Around" — the first single by an American band to hit #1 on the charts following the British Invasion by the Beatles and other British bands.

They also performed "California Girls" and a resplendent version of "I Can Hear Music" — their current single at the time of the concert.

As the brief concert neared its end, The Beach Boys stepped away from their instruments to perform a stunning, a cappella version of "A Young Man Is Gone" — proving they didn't have to rely on studio overdubs to hit those five-part harmony notes.

Then, it was over — a brief set but an unforgettable one to those who heard it.

The Beach Boys were in McAlester to perform a concert for inmates at Oklahoma State Penitentiary which McAlester native and then-Lt. Gov. George Nigh helped arrange.

He asked The Beach Boys if they would play a surprise assembly for McAlester High School students since they were in town anyway — and they agreed!

Today, there are all sorts of tribute bands and solo artists performing around the nation.

Still, that group of MHS students can remember they day they were surprised with a free performance by one of music's most legendary bands.