Mr. Whitekeys
Encyclopedia
Mr. Whitekeys occasionally known as W. Keys, is a musician, recording artist, entrepreneur, writer, media personality and ornithologist in the U.S. state
of Alaska
. He was the owner and operator of a nightclub called the Fly By Night Club, located in the Spenard neighborhood of Anchorage, from 1980 to 2006. In part due to his flamboyant public persona and penchant for humor (and to a more limited extent, penchant for self-promotion), he figures prominently in the modern history and folklore of Spenard. He has released sporadic recordings over many years, starting in 1972, mostly under the band name The Fabulous Spamtones.
during the mid 1970s. Whitekeys originally came to Fairbanks as part of this expansion and remained for several years, where he played in numerous "Two Street" bars during the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
and the economic boom
which accompanied it.
After many years spent playing throughout Alaska, and later a short-lived stint in the Ballard
neighborhood of Seattle, he started his own nightclub, the Fly By Night Club, which opened for business on July 31, 1980. The Fly By Night Club, along with the Flying Machine, were the last occupants in a historic building on the eastern shore of Lake Spenard, originally the home of the Idle Hour Supper Club and not far from the site of Joe Spenard
's original resort. The building was demolished in 1984 to make way for a large hotel, currently the Millennium Alaskan Hotel
.
Whitekeys moved the club further up Spenard Road, one block north of Spenard's post office. Both locations of the club were described in advertisements featuring an extensive list of past building occupants, with the motto "Going out of business regularly in the same location for over 30 years." The primary attractions of the club, described by Whitekeys in terms of the need to be different, were a food menu heavily based on Spam
dishes and a schedule throughout the year of shows such as Springtime In Spenard, The Whale Fat Follies, The Freeze-Up Follies and Christmas In Spenard.
The Whale Fat Follies was performed from June to September and was largely geared towards tourists, being advertised as "the Alaskan show The Department Of Tourism does NOT want you to see." The off-season shows tended to be more topical, catering to locals. The club operated until September 9, 2006. Whitekeys sold the establishment to Allen Choy, the owner of a popular South Anchorage nightclub, and his partner Jeff Matosky. They reopened the club as Players House of Rock.
Whitekeys maintains a steady public presence, at least in Anchorage. He regularly contributes humor-tinged commentaries to The Alaska Almanac: Facts About Alaska, Alaska magazine and the newscasts of Anchorage television station KTUU. He is also the president of the Anchorage Audubon Society, listed on their website as "W. Keys." He performs with various musical acts in the Anchorage area as a keyboard player.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. He was the owner and operator of a nightclub called the Fly By Night Club, located in the Spenard neighborhood of Anchorage, from 1980 to 2006. In part due to his flamboyant public persona and penchant for humor (and to a more limited extent, penchant for self-promotion), he figures prominently in the modern history and folklore of Spenard. He has released sporadic recordings over many years, starting in 1972, mostly under the band name The Fabulous Spamtones.
Biography
Mr. Whitekeys spent his early years living in South Dakota, Iowa, and Arizona. He came to Alaska in 1970 with a friend, who left Alaska shortly afterward. Not long after his arrival, he began working as a bar band musician, particularly for Mike Gordon at his new Spenard establishment Chilkoot Charlie's. He coined what became Chilkoot Charlie's slogan, "We cheat the other guy and pass the savings on to you." Gordon's success with this bar led to a short-lived attempt on his part to expand into a statewide empire, as he established Chilkoot Charlie's locations in Girdwood and FairbanksFairbanks
Fairbanks may refer to:Places in the United States*Fairbanks, Alaska, city*Fairbanks, California, unincorporated community in El Dorado County*Fairbanks, Mendocino County, California, former settlement*Fairbanks, Indiana, unincorporated community...
during the mid 1970s. Whitekeys originally came to Fairbanks as part of this expansion and remained for several years, where he played in numerous "Two Street" bars during the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
Construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
The construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System was a massive undertaking involving tens of thousands of people often in extreme temperatures and conditions. Specialized construction techniques were pioneered to build the pipeline, most of which rests in or on the permafrost that underlies the...
and the economic boom
Boom and bust
A credit boom-bust cycle is an episode characterized by a sustained increase in several economics indicators followed by a sharp and rapid contraction. Commonly the boom is driven by a rapid expansion of credit to the private sector accompanied with rising prices of commodities and stock market index...
which accompanied it.
After many years spent playing throughout Alaska, and later a short-lived stint in the Ballard
Ballard, Seattle
Ballard is a neighborhood located in the northwestern part of Seattle, Washington. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, ; to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont ; to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s...
neighborhood of Seattle, he started his own nightclub, the Fly By Night Club, which opened for business on July 31, 1980. The Fly By Night Club, along with the Flying Machine, were the last occupants in a historic building on the eastern shore of Lake Spenard, originally the home of the Idle Hour Supper Club and not far from the site of Joe Spenard
Joe Spenard
Joe Spenard was an early settler of Anchorage, Alaska. Lake Spenard, Spenard Road, and the city of Spenard, Alaska bear his name.-Biography:Joseph A. Spenard was born in Ottawa, Canada in 1879...
's original resort. The building was demolished in 1984 to make way for a large hotel, currently the Millennium Alaskan Hotel
Millennium Alaskan Hotel
Millennium Alaskan Hotel is situated on the shores of scenic Lake Spenard, one mile from Anchorage International Airport and four miles from downtown Anchorage. The Millennium Alaskan Hotel is operated as part of the Millennium & Copthorne Hotels chain...
.
Whitekeys moved the club further up Spenard Road, one block north of Spenard's post office. Both locations of the club were described in advertisements featuring an extensive list of past building occupants, with the motto "Going out of business regularly in the same location for over 30 years." The primary attractions of the club, described by Whitekeys in terms of the need to be different, were a food menu heavily based on Spam
Spam (food)
Spam is a canned precooked meat product made by the Hormel Foods Corporation, first introduced in 1937. The labeled ingredients in the classic variety of Spam are chopped pork shoulder meat, with ham meat added, salt, water, modified potato starch as a binder, and sodium nitrite as a preservative...
dishes and a schedule throughout the year of shows such as Springtime In Spenard, The Whale Fat Follies, The Freeze-Up Follies and Christmas In Spenard.
The Whale Fat Follies was performed from June to September and was largely geared towards tourists, being advertised as "the Alaskan show The Department Of Tourism does NOT want you to see." The off-season shows tended to be more topical, catering to locals. The club operated until September 9, 2006. Whitekeys sold the establishment to Allen Choy, the owner of a popular South Anchorage nightclub, and his partner Jeff Matosky. They reopened the club as Players House of Rock.
Whitekeys maintains a steady public presence, at least in Anchorage. He regularly contributes humor-tinged commentaries to The Alaska Almanac: Facts About Alaska, Alaska magazine and the newscasts of Anchorage television station KTUU. He is also the president of the Anchorage Audubon Society, listed on their website as "W. Keys." He performs with various musical acts in the Anchorage area as a keyboard player.
Discography
- (as Mr. Whitekeys & The Fabulous Spamtones)
- Mr. Whitekeys & The Fabulous Spamtones
- The Whale Fat Follies!
- It's Not Easy Bein' Sleazy
- (as Mr. Whitekeys featuring Kenny Blackwell)
- The Bluesaholics
- (as Dick & Dubya)
- "The Liar Sleeps Tonight" single (2004). This song became popular that year on Dr. DementoDr. DementoBarret Eugene Hansen , better known as Dr. Demento, is a radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograph records to the present....
's show.
- "The Liar Sleeps Tonight" single (2004). This song became popular that year on Dr. Demento
- (on various artists compilations)
- Livin' In Rhythm: Alaska Celebrates "Sourdough" Mike McDonald
- Dr. Demento's Basement Tapes 9 (2001) contains "Martha Goes Camping"
External links
- Official website
- Archive of Fly By Night Club website
- YouTube - Whitekeys and "Sarah PalinSarah PalinSarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
" star in "Girls Just Wanna Have Guns"Girls Just Want to Have FunGirls Just Want to Have Fun may refer to:In music:* "Girls Just Want to Have Fun", the first major single released by singer Cyndi Lauper on She's So UnusualIn film:...