The Shadows of Knight

The Shadows of Knight
The band in 1966. Top, from left: Jerry McGeorge, Warren Rogers, Joe Kelley. Bottom from left: Jim Sohns and Tom Schiffour.
Background information
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres	Garage rock, blues rock
Years active	1964–1975; 1990–present
Labels	Dunwich, Radar, Team, Sundazed, Rhino, Atlantic, Atco, Collectables
Associated acts	H.P. Lovecraft, Bangor Flying Circus, Madura
Website	Shadows Of Knight Official Facebook
Members	Jim Sohns Michael Gotshall Cindy Gotshall Greg Brucker Rick Barr
Past members	Mark Farney Warren Rogers Wayne Pursell Norm Gotsch Tom Schiffour Joe Kelley Jerry McGeorge David "Hawk" Wolinski Bruce Bruscatto Ray Nesbit Tom Morris Steve "Woody" Woodruff Roger Spielmann Dan Baughman John Fisher Kenny Turkin Jack "Hawkeye" Daniels Paul Scarpelli Jorge Gonzales John Hardy John Christy Don Ferrone Charlie Hess Bob Harper Eric Blomquist Gary Levin Paul Roy John Roberts Tom Stahl "Rabbit" Bruce Gordon Lee Brovitz Michael Junkroski David Stackman

The Shadows of Knight are an American rock band from the Chicago suburbs, formed in the 1960s, who play a form of British blues mixed with influences from their native city. At the time they first started recording, the band's self-description was as follows: "The Stones, Animals and the Yardbirds took the Chicago blues and gave it an English interpretation. We've taken the English version of the Blues and re-added a Chicago touch," to which noted rock critic Richie Unterberger commented: "The Shadows of Knight's self-description was fairly accurate."

Initially formed in 1964 as simply the Shadows, the band learned in spring 1965 of an existing British group, the Shadows. Whiz Winters, a friend who worked for their manager, Paul Sampson, in his record shop, came up with the name "The Shadows of Knight" to tie into the British Invasion in music of that time, and because all four of the band members attended Prospect High School in Mt. Prospect, Illinois, whose sports team had the name the "Knights".

They would release three albums in their first five years of existence. Founding members included Warren Rogers (lead guitar), Roger Spielmann (rhythm and lead guitar/vocals) Norm Gotsch (rhythm guitar), Wayne Pursell (bass guitar), Tom Schiffour (drums) and Jim Sohns (vocals). Sohns was 16 at the time. During 1965, Joe Kelley was recruited to play bass, replacing Pursell. Kelley swapped bass and lead duties with Rogers in late 1965 - at the time of the "Gloria" recordings. Guitarist and vocalist Jerry McGeorge replaced Norm Gotsch in late 1965 after Gotsch was drafted into the U.S. military. David "Hawk" Wolinski, who later worked with Rufus and Chaka Khan, replaced Rogers on bass in late 1966.