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Spanky sings with Peoria students

Posted September 18, 2007 11:00 pm

Michelle Anstett

With an atmosphere reminiscent of the jam sessions that helped form her famous band, Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane rehearsed with the Trewyn Middle School choir on Wednesday afternoon.

McFarlane, lead singer of popular 1960s folk rock band Spanky & Our Gang and member of the second generation of The Mamas and the Papas, is in Peoria for a performance at the riverfront during Oktoberfest on Friday. Billed as an "oompah-free zone," the CEFCU Center Stage will host concerts for those whose ears are not titillated by the sound of tubas and accordions.

On Wednesday, she met her backup singers.

More than 18 seventh- and eighth-graders have been rehearsing the four-song set - "California Dreamin,'" "Sunday Will Never Be the Same," "This Land Is Your Land" and "This Little Light of Mine" - daily since school began in August.

"I told them that Spanky & Our Gang was like a rock star in the '60s," Trewyn choir teacher Linda Ista laughed. "I told them it was like (hip hop artist) Chris Brown coming to their school and asking them to sing with him."

All the practice showed during the rehearsal in the choir room, as McFarlane trooped in with her retinue of fellow travelers, including group members of Boomsauii, which will open for her at Friday's show.

The children sang, clapped and laughed through the hour-long rehearsal with the group, seeming to hardly notice the generational difference between themselves and the woman with the powerful voice standing before them.

"They really sound good and well-rehearsed," McFarlane said once rehearsal was over. "I was almost crying."

Although born in Peoria in 1942, McFarlane has only performed at area venues twice since leaving to launch her musical career. In 1984, Spanky & Our Gang performed at the Civic Center while touring with The Association, The Turtles and Gary Puckett on the "Happy Together Tour." In 2000, she performed in "Robin Crowe's Momma Palooza," which showcased area female musicians.

It was actually McFarlane's sister, Margaret Haisch, who convinced her to come to Peoria this time.

"She told me the 2008 Oktoberfest would be doing a tribute to people from Peoria who got famous," McFarlane said. But when one of the acts for this year's Oktoberfest canceled, Haisch called McFarlane back and asked her to come perform a year early.

The connection with Trewyn came through one of McFarlane's good friends, Trewyn gym teacher Patricia Schmidt. They met seven or eight years ago when McFarlane was visiting relatives in Peoria.

Schmidt remembers hearing a familiar voice at the candy shop where McFarlane's sister worked and approached the woman.

She asked her if she "really was 'Spanky' McFarlane" because "she was wearing a hospital bracelet. I thought she escaped from the mental ward," Schmidt shrugged.

McFarlane actually had just completed a stay in the hospital with pneumonia, but the odd introduction caused the two to form a long-distance, unique bond.

When McFarlane told Schmidt she was coming to Peoria to perform, she also asked if Trewyn had a choir. She replied that it did, and McFarlane's backup singers were secured.

Michelle Anstett can be reached at (309) 686-3196 or manstett@pjstar.com.

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