Wayne Cochran and the C.C. Riders on the Jackie Gleason Show.

I saw Wayne and CC in small ramshackle bar on the outskirts of Rockford, Ill in the spring of 1970. There was about a 100 people in attendance all jammed together on small wooden chairs. All 8-10 members of the band and Wayne were on a flimsy wooden stage about 10x20 feet. And in my whole life since then(and I've heard James Brown live 3 times) I've never again experienced the thrill of that night from any musical group. Wayne didn't have as good a voice as James but he had a better "duck walk"

Really cool to find! Thanks for the post...

I just met tony Castellanos (the guitar player) last night . He was playing at a Mexican restaurant in Murfreesboro tn. We talked for a while. Good stories. Turns out he is also a neighbor. One heck of a good guitar player. I'll be going back to his gis as long as he plays there. One of the drummers is the ex of a girl I know. I am just all connected to the riders lol.

That is such a coinkydink...My buddy just called me the other night from a Mexican Restaurant in Mboro. I couldnt make the music out over the phone though.

@dandamagetoo
THE BEST R&B horn band of all time is the CC Riders, and I've seen them all. I live right down the road apiece in Chattavegas. Does he keep up with any of the horn players? I come up to Smyrna/Murfreesboro fairly regularly and I'd LOVE to talk to him. Is he still there? You can answer me in mail if you wish. If I could get a horn band together a fourth as good as the CC Riders I could die happy.

his good but.....his just a white James Brown.

LOL I was just about to comment on that. Now living in and being from Augusta, and performing in every damn venue this town has. I knew James. Was a personal friend. He joked about Wayne " The Man is gonna be the white James brown" Well history shows it didn' t happen. But Waye was one hell of an entertainer. So don' t go showing disrespect. Mr. Brown didn't.

wayne cochran rules. he donated some stage clothes, and other items to ga music hall of fame in macon, ga. i saw exhibit and talked to the curator about wayne. about 3 days later, wayne called him and thanked me for the kind words.he sent me some 45s from the old days and some of his teaching tapes and a picture.a class act and a real gentleman. i respect the man, his music and the life he is now leading.elvis used to go see him in vegas jaco got his start in the cc riders, and wayne is awesome

is he still living?

I can't IMAGINE seeing them live. If there were still bands like this, I'd be out every night!