The Heart Beats
Encyclopedia
The Heart Beats were an all-female garage rock
band, based in Lubbock, Texas
, and founded around 1966. They were led by drummer and lead vocalist Linda Sanders, along with younger sister Debbie Sanders (guitar), Debbie McMillan (bass guitar), and Jeannie Foster (guitar and keyboards). The Sanders sisters met McMillan and Foster in a music class when Debbie Sanders was about ten years old and the other women were about 12 or 13. The Sanders' mother Jeanne Sanders became the band's manager, supervising them closely to "maintain in appearance and reality a group of decent, wholesome girls."
Linda Sanders later wrote: "Our mom always knew what potential we had, but I don't think we ever really realized it. She saw our talent and our uniqueness as an all girl band. She thought we could really go places and become well known. Her faith and dreams in us proved to be a reality."
The Heart Beats were at the time one of just a few all-female rock and roll bands anywhere in the world. They attracted nationwide attention in the summer of 1968, when they won the battle of the bands on the popular ABC-TV variety show Happening 68, hosted by Mark Lindsay
and Paul Revere of Paul Revere & the Raiders
. Their winning performance was a cover version
of the Outsiders
' "Time Won't Let Me
". Mrs. Sanders turned down a recording deal with ABC Records
because she wanted her daughters to stay in school, but the band put another prize, a Volkswagen mini-bus
to good use. The VW became the band's tour bus.
Although they never signed a national recording contract, the Heart Beats became a popular regional attraction, and they stayed together until the 1980s. They released a few independent singles over the years, including a minor hit, "Cryin' Inside" (cowritten by the legendary Texas singer-songwriter Ronnie (Mouse) Weiss
.)
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band, based in Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
, and founded around 1966. They were led by drummer and lead vocalist Linda Sanders, along with younger sister Debbie Sanders (guitar), Debbie McMillan (bass guitar), and Jeannie Foster (guitar and keyboards). The Sanders sisters met McMillan and Foster in a music class when Debbie Sanders was about ten years old and the other women were about 12 or 13. The Sanders' mother Jeanne Sanders became the band's manager, supervising them closely to "maintain in appearance and reality a group of decent, wholesome girls."
Linda Sanders later wrote: "Our mom always knew what potential we had, but I don't think we ever really realized it. She saw our talent and our uniqueness as an all girl band. She thought we could really go places and become well known. Her faith and dreams in us proved to be a reality."
The Heart Beats were at the time one of just a few all-female rock and roll bands anywhere in the world. They attracted nationwide attention in the summer of 1968, when they won the battle of the bands on the popular ABC-TV variety show Happening 68, hosted by Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay is an American musician, best known as the singer for the group Paul Revere & the Raiders.-Biography:Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon and was the second of eight children...
and Paul Revere of Paul Revere & the Raiders
Paul Revere & the Raiders
Paul Revere & the Raiders is an American rock band that saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s with hits such as "Kicks" , "Hungry" , "Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be?" and the 1971 No...
. Their winning performance was a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the Outsiders
The Outsiders (American band)
The Outsiders was an American rock and roll band from Cleveland, Ohio, that was founded and led by guitarist Tom King. The band is best known for its Top 5 hit "Time Won't Let Me" in early 1966, which peaked at #5 in the US, but the band had three other hit singles in 1966 and released a total of...
' "Time Won't Let Me
Time Won't Let Me (album)
Time Won't Let Me is the first studio album by the Outsiders. It was named after the band's early 1966 break-out single, "Time Won't Let Me".-Release data:...
". Mrs. Sanders turned down a recording deal with ABC Records
ABC Records
ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H....
because she wanted her daughters to stay in school, but the band put another prize, a Volkswagen mini-bus
Volkswagen Type 2
The Volkswagen Type 2, officially known as the Transporter or Kombi informally as Bus or Camper , was a panel van introduced in 1950 by German automaker Volkswagen as its second car model – following and initially deriving from Volkswagen's first model, the Type 1 , it was given the factory...
to good use. The VW became the band's tour bus.
Although they never signed a national recording contract, the Heart Beats became a popular regional attraction, and they stayed together until the 1980s. They released a few independent singles over the years, including a minor hit, "Cryin' Inside" (cowritten by the legendary Texas singer-songwriter Ronnie (Mouse) Weiss
Mouse and the Traps
Mouse and the Traps is the name of a garage rock band from Tyler, Texas that released numerous singles between 1965 and 1969, two of which, "A Public Execution" and "Sometimes You Just Can't Win", became large regional hits. The leader of the band, nicknamed "Mouse", was Ronnie Weiss...
.)