Danny and The Velaires

The Velaires were an American rock and roll band from Sioux City, Iowa.

The group began as The Screamers in 1958. Founding member Don Bourret explained the origin in a 2013 newspaper article:

We were the Screamers in 1958 at Central High School. Truth be known — we actually got our start as a group of mostly swimmers who liked to sing in the shower. So we decided to enter the Central High School talent show. The singers were Denny Wurster, Jerry DeMers and Jeff Lockhart and musicians Bob Dawdy, Roger Hughes and myself. Our sextet performed "Bebopalula".

They soon after changed their name to The Flairs (not to be confused with the doo-wop group The Flairs based in Los Angeles). However, after playing in the legendary Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines, and with numerous groups on the scene with that same name, they became The Velaires.

The band consisted of Daniel Matousek on rhythm guitar, Bob Dawdy on lead guitar, Jerry DeMers on bass and Don Bourret on drums. The fifth Velaire was their full-time manager and booking agent, Dan's older brother, Richard "Dick" LaMiere Matousek.

In 1961, as The Flairs, they released their cover of Chuck Berry's classic, “Roll Over Beethoven” on Palm Records. Later in 1961, as The Velaires, they signed with Jamie Records and again released "Roll Over Beethoven".

The record leapt onto the Billboard charts rising to No. 51 nationally and reaching No. 1 in Los Angeles. It is reckoned to be the highest selling cover of “Roll Over Beethoven” ever.

Bourett said that the name change from The Flairs to The Velairs resulted from a problem with a recording company contract. When they needed to make a change, he explained: "We had just played the Vel Air Ballroom in Des Moines, so we said, 'Hey, let's become the Velaires!', a slight difference in spelling of the ballroom, and, that has stuck ever since."

While "Roll Over Beethoven" was on the charts, The Velaires had the opportunity to appear on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand in Philadelphia being the only-Iowa based group to have ever done so. They also joined the Caravan of Stars for a time.

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