Viewmont High School
Class of 1966
Right Track with KNAK
Right Track with KNAK
Our 60's Music was the best . . . you have to love the Beach Boys, Beatles, Kingston Trio, Animals, Temptations, Rolling Stones and all the varied groups of our era! Pop, Rock, Folk, Jazz . . . we enjoyed a variety of fresh sounds that remain popular to this day, even among the younger generations. We took our songs over the radio, phonograph, and TV . . . forget the impersonal Sony Walkman or I'Tune devices. Our local radio station, KNAK, suckled us 24/7. Everyone heard our songs as we cruised, played, worked or danced the evening away. Surf'in USA!
Most Popular Songs
From Billboard's Charts the most popular songs nationally during each of our high school years were:
| 1963 | 1964 |
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| 1965 | 1966 |
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Our Top Tunes of the 60's
Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys' Good Vibrations is considered one of the Top 5 pop tunes ever written. Brian Wilson may be the most briliant pop tune writer of our era. Good Vibrations is featured on our Senior Yearbook page.
Top Songs When We Were Born
| 1947 | 1948 | 1949 |
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Folk Music Influence
During our junior and high school years we experienced a general transistion of popular music from Folk artists to Surf Rock, and eventually both their drowning by the British Invasion. Our musical stage was vibrant and filled with titillating surprise. New Pop and Rock groups constantly introduced new sounds, Motown churned one R&B and Soul hit after another, country legends defined our real life struggles, all while popular singer-songwriters and eventually Psychedelic Rockers lifted us beyond ourselves. Wikipedia: 1960's in Music
The influence of Folk Music going into high school heavily influenced several classmates, resulting in the formation of the River Bottom Boys. As they performed during our high school years they became our local rendition of the famous Kingston Trio and Peter, Paul and Mary. Over our subsequent reunions they have, on occasion, resurrected their talents and favored us with special performances. Rumor Has It the River Bottom Boys will highlight The Main Event this August 13. (Original River Bottom Boys include: Steve Nielsen, Kenn Rasmussen, Rob Hawks, Stephen Rapp, Ken Tucker).
Patio Gardens
Some classmates knew the best kept secret in Utah . . . Lagoon's Patio Gardens! Can you imagine now the level of performers who traveled to Farmington, Utah (of all places on planet Earth)? Nor did they just travel there for a single show, they performed year after year - just ten miles from our home! One didn't even need to purchase a ticket, you could see and hear the musicians at top of the central walkway. We have to credit those classmates who nailed Patio Gardens. And for the rest of us who missed out? Well, we had our work cut out dealing with BO, zits, and a phone that failed to ring.
So WHO are the artists most of us missed? Those most frequently performing at Lagoon during our teenage years were: The Beach Boys, The Kingston Trio, The Everly Brothers, Johnny Cash, Louis Armstrong, and Johnny Mathis. Often, they performed twice during the same year!
Other regular performers that may tweet your fancy: The New Christy Minstrels, Peter, Paul, & Mary, The Lettermen, The Brothers Four, Dave Brubeck Quartet, and Nat King Cole. On July 23 during the summer of our graduation none other than The Rolling Stones performed in Farmington! Even The Doors performed on multiple occasions.
The dates of these and other perfromers at Patio Gardens
Nostalgia Lane
Dial up your tunes by first selecting the year . Then take a listen down Nostalgia Lane
Some Favorite Songs
Folk Music Legacy
As mentioned earlier Folk music reigned as we entered high school. We listened to artists like Peter, Paul & Mary, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, and The Seekers. At the top was the The Kingston Trio. Enjoy their highest-picked song from our Class of 66 ratings:
Controversial Era
Controversy defined our Era and we were thrust into its center. As we departed the security of BHS many of our lives opened to a tumultuous world of war, drugs, and divergent lifestyles. Buffalo Springfield captured the feeling of the times . . .
HEY! VHS CLASS OF 66 - THANKS FOR INVITING US TO PLAY AT YOUR 50TH REUNION
WE WILL FAVOR YOU WITH OUR BEST SOUNDS!