SQUIRES
Montgomery, Alabama
This was the Squires' business card circa 1965. Errol Dauenhauer (Errol Dee) was an Air Force officer stationed at Maxwell who had been a prominent member of the New Orleans music scene for many years. The Squires evolved from the Checkmates and initially played the usual places (fraternity, graduation, and private parties, proms, stage shows, military bases, etc). Moving Bozeman's Hammond organ and the size of the band (7-8 members) encouraged the group to work in clubs such as Montgomery's Fiesta A-Go-Go and the notorious Copa Club on the Mobile Highway. The Copa Club was the largest night club in the Montgomery area-perhaps the state (the Squires' final performance there was estimated to be before almost a thousand customers). It was rumored to be linked with all manner of wise guys and organized crime notables from as far away as New Orleans and Dallas. As mentioned earlier, the demands of keeping this many musicians together took its toll on the Squires and they gradually disbanded about 1967. Bozeman and Pal Given joined Sonny Grier and Ray Goss in late 1967 to form the Esquires who played at the Coliseum Lounge until fall 1968.
(see also Checkmates)