FEW? BIO

The Common Few?, was a local garage band that started in Chanute, KS, in 1964 and played through 1971. The Common Few? was actually the evolution of several earlier incarnations that were short lived, i.e. “The Argonauts,” “The Executers” and “The Slippers.” Notice the similarity to the name of “The Flippers,” the group that so many Midwestern bands tried to emulate. In 1968, The Common Few?” recorded their only single, “Love Makes A Man” which received regional recognition.

By September of 1971 and with the Vietnam war in progress, some members entered the service of their country while others graduated from college and moved on. Finally after seven years, the original “Common Few?” came to an end.... or so they thought.

The reunion for the first rehearsal in 2005 brought everyone together again and amazingly enough, in good health after over 40 years years since their inception. An unexpected blessing was the addition of Lex Fox on lead guitar and vocals to this group of old friends and players. It's as if he had been part of the band all along. The amazing thing about the Common Few? today is, that for the most part, the remaining core group of Ben Ennis, Darrel Brown, Bob Crumrine and Robert Orr goes all the way back to junior high school, adding Eddie Ladd and Jeff Leverenz in high school when they decided they wanted to become a “horn band.” The original drummer Mike King was replaced by Cliff Wise when Mike went into the service. In short, The Common Few? Reunion group of 2005 is essentially the same band that played together from 1964 through 1971. These years spanned thru junior high school, high school and college years with the entire group relocating to Emporia, Kansas to attend college at KSTC in order to keep the group together while pursuing college educations. It was at this time that Gary Leitnaker joined the band. This time of growing up together created not only deep friendships, but a bond between the members that remained although many years separated them to follow different career paths.

When The Common Few? got back together in 2005, something magical happened. After four months of practice and being guided, promoted, and encouraged by their biggest asset “David Orr”, they played their reunion concert in Chanute, Kansas in November 2005 to almost a thousand old and new fans.

Two months later in January, 2006, they were fortunate to play again for the Kansas Music Hall of Fame “Up In Flames” benefit concert in Lawrence, Kansas and again in September, 2006 at the Artist Alley Weekend in Chanute, Kansas. And now The Common Few? will be inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame in Lawrence, Kansas on January 13, 2007. What a ride!

BAND OF BROTHERS
By: Ben Ennis