Bob Kuban
Encyclopedia
Bob Kuban is an American
musician
and bandleader
. Best known for his 1966 #12 pop
hit
, "The Cheater," Kuban is honored in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
's permanent exhibit on one-hit wonder
s.
Kuban was born in St. Louis
, Missouri
, and graduated from the St. Louis Institute of Music. In 1964, he formed the group Bob Kuban and The In-Men. Kuban was both drummer
and bandleader. The group was an eight-piece band
with horns, somewhat of a throwback for the time, considering that the British Invasion
was taking place during that period.
After "The Cheater," Kuban never scored high on the pop charts
again - he had two other top 100 hits: "The Teaser" peaked at #70 and a remake of the Lennon/McCartney
song "Drive My Car
" went to #93 - but he remained a fixture on the St. Louis music scene for decades. Bob Kuban and The In-Men performed for opening ceremonies of Busch Memorial Stadium
in St. Louis on May 10, 1966, and The Bob Kuban Brass performed before the last regular-season baseball
game there on October 2, 2005.
Bob Kuban raised his family in St. Louis, Missouri and his living relatives still live in St. Louis.
In an ironic and tragic twist, Walter Scott
, frontman for The In-Men and singer of "The Cheater" (whose lyrics
speak of the downfall of an unfaithful lover), was murdered in 1983 by his wife's lover, with his wife's collusion.
A spin-off of the group was a band called The Guise, led by In-Men organist and songwriter Greg Hoeltzel. The Guise performed in the 1969 St. Louis premiere of a composition by classical composer Arthur Custer and jazz composer Julius Hemphill
entitled "Songs of Freedom, Love, and War."
Gerald Vandiver filled in several times with BK and the In-Men on guitar in the St. Louis area when the band played at the Godfrey Civic Center and the Collinsville park ballroom
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
. Best known for his 1966 #12 pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
hit
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
, "The Cheater," Kuban is honored in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
's permanent exhibit on one-hit wonder
One-hit wonder
A one-hit wonder is a person or act known mainly for only a single success. The term is most often used to describe music performers with only one hit single.-Characteristics:...
s.
Kuban was born in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, and graduated from the St. Louis Institute of Music. In 1964, he formed the group Bob Kuban and The In-Men. Kuban was both drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and bandleader. The group was an eight-piece band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
with horns, somewhat of a throwback for the time, considering that the British Invasion
British Invasion
The British Invasion is a term used to describe the large number of rock and roll, beat, rock, and pop performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States during the time period from 1964 through 1966.- Background :...
was taking place during that period.
After "The Cheater," Kuban never scored high on the pop charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
again - he had two other top 100 hits: "The Teaser" peaked at #70 and a remake of the Lennon/McCartney
Lennon/McCartney
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history...
song "Drive My Car
Drive My Car
"Drive My Car" is a song primarily written by Paul McCartney, with lyrical contributions from John Lennon, and first released by The Beatles on the British version of the 1965 album Rubber Soul; it also appeared in North America on the Yesterday and Today collection...
" went to #93 - but he remained a fixture on the St. Louis music scene for decades. Bob Kuban and The In-Men performed for opening ceremonies of Busch Memorial Stadium
Busch Memorial Stadium
Busch Memorial Stadium, also known as Busch Stadium, was a multi-purpose sports facility in St. Louis, Missouri that operated from 1966 to 2005....
in St. Louis on May 10, 1966, and The Bob Kuban Brass performed before the last regular-season baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
game there on October 2, 2005.
Bob Kuban raised his family in St. Louis, Missouri and his living relatives still live in St. Louis.
In an ironic and tragic twist, Walter Scott
Walter Scott (vocalist)
Walter Scott was an American singer who fronted Bob Kuban and The In-Men, a St. Louis, Missouri-based rock 'n' roll band that enjoyed brief national popularity during the 1960s.-Career:...
, frontman for The In-Men and singer of "The Cheater" (whose lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
speak of the downfall of an unfaithful lover), was murdered in 1983 by his wife's lover, with his wife's collusion.
A spin-off of the group was a band called The Guise, led by In-Men organist and songwriter Greg Hoeltzel. The Guise performed in the 1969 St. Louis premiere of a composition by classical composer Arthur Custer and jazz composer Julius Hemphill
Julius Hemphill
Julius Arthur Hemphill was a jazz composer and saxophone player. He performed mainly on alto saxophone; less often soprano and tenor saxophones and flute.-Biography:...
entitled "Songs of Freedom, Love, and War."
Gerald Vandiver filled in several times with BK and the In-Men on guitar in the St. Louis area when the band played at the Godfrey Civic Center and the Collinsville park ballroom