The Elmores performed to a packed room of fans last Friday night by Lorraine Glowczak

This is the second article in a series of musical entertainment offered at local venues in the Greater Windham/Raymond areas. We hope you enjoy the articles and will be able take advantage of the multiple musical performances available in the region

The​ ​Elmores, ​a​ ​popular​ ​local​ ​band, ​performed​ ​to ​ ​a​ ​large​ ​crowd​ ​of​ ​loyal​ ​fans who danced the evening away on​ ​Friday​ ​, December​ ​1​ ​at​ ​Gilbert’s​ ​Chowder​ ​House, ​61​ ​Tandberg​ ​ Trail​ ​in​ ​Windham.​

The​ ​Elmores is technically​ ​comprised of​ ​two​ ​bands ​ ​–​ ​the​ ​Elmores​ ​Trio​ ​and​ ​The​ ​Elmore​ ​Twist​ ​Band.​ ​

It​ ​was ​ ​the​ ​trio of​ ​Bill​ ​Bennett,​ ​drummer;​ ​Jeremy​ ​Longyear,​ ​bass​ ​guitar​ ​and​ ​Stuart​ ​Tisdale,​ ​lead​ ​guitarist​ ​who performed​ ​on​ ​Friday.​ ​All​ ​three​ ​musicians​ ​contributed to the vocal portions​ ​of ​ ​the​ ​well-known​ ​1960s, 70s​ ​and​ ​80s​ ​songs​ ​and​ ​dance​ ​tunes. 

As​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​The​ ​Windham​ ​Eagle’s​ ​music ​ ​ entertainment​ ​series​, we​ stopped by Gilberts ​​to​ ​enjoy​ ​some​ ​favored​ ​songs​​ ​in an​ ​effort​ ​to​ ​highlight​ ​the​ ​arts​ ​in​ ​the Windham and Raymond communities. 

“You​ ​ know​ ​this​ ​band​ ​has​ ​opened​ ​for​ ​Foreigner​ ​in​ ​Rangeley?” ​stated ​one​ ​of​ ​The​ ​Elmores’​ ​fans, Bob​ ​Ritter, when asked about the band. 

It​ ​turns​ ​out​ ​that​ ​it​ ​is​ ​true​ ​-​ ​partially.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​the​ ​band​ ​of​ ​five​ ​members,​ ​The​ ​Elmore​ ​Twist​ ​Band that​ ​opened​ ​for​ ​the​ ​well-known​ ​1980s​ ​group.​ ​“The​ ​big​ ​band,​ ​The​ ​Elmore​ ​Twist​ ​Band​ ​has​ ​opened for​ ​Foreigner​ ​twice​ ​and​ ​The​ ​Doobie​ ​Brothers​ ​once,”​ ​explained​ ​the​ ​drummer,​ ​Bennett.​ ​“All​ ​in Rangeley.​ ​Those​ ​gigs​ ​were​ ​a​ ​blast!” 

When​ ​asked during a break, in-between dances,​ ​the ​ ​fans​ ​at​ ​Gilbert’s​ ​stated​ ​that​ ​interview​ ​questions​ ​should​ ​go ​ ​to​ ​Bennett.​ ​As​ ​a result,​ ​the​ ​assumption​ ​that​ ​he​ ​was​ ​the​ ​ leader​ ​of​ ​the​ ​band​ ​was​ ​incorrect.​ ​

“I'm​ ​not​ ​‘the​ ​leader’​ ​of the​ ​band.​ ​We're​ ​all​ ​equals,​ ​although​ ​I​ ​am​ ​the​ ​tallest,”​ ​Bennett​ ​joked.​“I’m​ ​just​ ​the​ ​only​ ​one​ ​who lives​ ​here​ ​in ​ ​Windham​ ​and​ ​that’s​ ​probably​ ​the​ ​reason​ ​why​ ​they​ ​sent​ ​you ​ ​to​ ​me.” 

Bennett​ ​lives​ ​on​ ​Little​ ​Sebago​ ​Lake. ​​He​ ​is ​ ​now​ ​retired​ ​from​ ​his​ ​position​ ​as​ ​President​ ​of​ ​Oakhurst Dairy ​ ​in​ ​Portland, which​ ​was​ ​owned​ ​by​ ​his​ ​family​ ​for​ ​over​ ​90 ​ ​years​ ​before​ ​they​ ​sold​ ​the business. 

Tisdale​ ​and​ ​Longyear​ ​both​ ​live​ ​in​ ​Portland. ​​When they​ ​are​ ​not​ ​performing​ ​as​ ​musicians ​you​ ​will find​ ​

Tisdale ​ ​working​ ​as​ ​a​ ​​ ​high​ ​school​ ​teacher​ ​in​ ​Portland​ ​and ​ ​Longyear​ ​as​ ​an​ ​owner​ ​and operator​ ​of​ ​an​ ​automotive​ ​repair​ ​ shop,​ ​also​ ​in​ ​Portland.

The​ ​Elmores’​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​rock​ ​n’roll​ ​began ​ ​about​ ​50​ ​years​ ​ago​ ​during​ ​the​ ​“British​ ​Evasion.”​ ​​ ​“I have​ ​known​ ​Jeremy​ ​and​ ​Stuart​ ​since​ ​I​ ​was​ ​a​ ​child,”​ ​began ​ ​Bennett.​ ​“We​ ​were​ ​just​ ​kids​ ​and​ ​fell in​ ​love​ ​with​ ​the​ ​ Rolling​ ​Stones​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Beatles.​ ​We,​ ​along​ ​with​ ​many​ ​others,​  including friend​ ​Ross​ ​Thompson​ ​and​ ​Jeremy’s​ ​brother​ ​Jonathan,​ ​ goofed​ ​around​ ​singing​ ​and​ ​playing.​ ​We were​ ​self-trained,​ ​and​ ​it​ ​just​ ​so​ ​happened​ ​it​ ​turned​ ​into​ ​something.” 

But​ ​then​ ​adult​ ​life​ ​took​ ​over​ ​with​ ​college, ​​raising​ ​ a​ ​family​ ​and​ ​work. ​​“We​ ​took​ ​a​ ​25-year​ ​hiatus and​ ​got​ ​back​ ​ together​ ​again​ ​after​ ​raising​ ​families​ ​and​ ​going​ ​to​ ​school,” ​​Bennett​ ​ explained. 

Twenty-six​ ​years​ ​ago,​ ​the​ ​band​ ​members​ ​got​ ​ back​ ​together​ ​again​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Elmore​ ​Twist​ ​Band.​ ​The Trio who performed on Friday evening,​ ​The​ ​Elmores,​ ​have​ ​been​ ​playing​ ​for​ ​ about​ ​10​ ​years, ​performing​ ​favorite​ ​tunes​ ​such​ ​as​ ​“Stuck​ ​in ​ ​the​ ​Middle​ ​with​ ​You”​ ​and​ ​“Proud Mary”​ ​for​ ​private​ ​and​ ​ public​ ​venues​ ​in​ ​and​ ​around​ ​the​ ​Greater​ ​Windham​ ​Area.​ ​

“We​ ​also perform​ ​at​ ​​ ​Mine​ ​Oyster​ ​in​ ​Boothbay​ ​ Harbor, as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​at​ ​Lenny’s​ ​in​ ​Westbrook,”​ ​Bennett​ ​said. “Additionally, ​ ​we​ ​perform​ ​at​ ​private​ ​parties​ ​and​ ​for​ ​charitable​ ​events​ ​to​ ​raise​ ​funds​ ​for​ ​important causes.” 

In​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​Bennett,​ ​Longyear​ ​and​ ​Tisdale, the​ ​Trio​ ​group​ ​becomes​ ​the​ ​Elmore​ ​Twist​ ​Band when​ ​friends ​ ​Jimmy​ ​Austin​  and Ross Thompson join them. Austin ​lives​ ​in​ ​Rumford and is​ ​a​ ​classically​ ​trained musician​ ​who​ ​has performed​ ​with​ ​the​ ​band​, ​Toto. Thompson is a ​life long friend​ ​and​ ​lead​ ​singer who ​lives Stratton.

If you missed the entertainment provide by The Elmores, this time around, be sure to mark your calendars for Friday, January 12. They will be at Gilbert’s to perform once again.

To​ ​book​ ​The​ ​Elmores​,​ ​contact​ ​Bennett​ ​by ​ ​email​ ​at​ ​​wpbelmore@gmail.com​​ ​or​ ​through​ ​their Facebook page.