It was a rockin’ and a rollin’ good time at Moraine Fire Station #1 on Viking Lane when local talent Sonny Flaharty and his band performed in front of cheering Moraine youth. Many of our Moraine Senior Citizens reminisce about seeing him perform locally in the late 1950’s and the 1960’s. Thanks to the photo provided by Terry Neuberg who was in the audience, it shows the band (left to right Mike Flaharty, Keith Shadowen, Sonny Flaharty, Richard Shaman) performing at the Fire Station. Back in the early 1960’s, at least once a month the Moraine Fireman’s Association would pull all the fire equipment out of the bays and show movies, have holiday parties or have music concerts for the community.
Young Sonny Flaharty at age eight was singing in taverns for money. By the time the south Dayton native and Fairmont High School student was fourteen he put together his first group, Sonny Flaharty and his Young Americans Band. Sonny’s group traveled throughout the Midwest, opening for top musical acts such as the Rolling Stones, The Four Seasons, The Crystals and Bobby Vinton. He recorded “My Baby’s Casual” in 1958 which is in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. From 1963 to 1967, Sonny joined the Mark V. The group played numerous club dates and were a regular fixture at Dayton’s “Diamond Club” where they opened for Little Richard, Neil Diamond, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, and the Ohio Players. They were signed and did records for Phillips Records, Warner Brothers Records and other recording companies. “Hey Conductor” (one of the biggest hits from Dayton ever) and “You Bring These Tears To Me” released in 1967 are their most well-known songs. Over the years, Flaharty played in other bands or on his own and recording rockabilly, rock and roll or middle of the road songs. Sonny’s last album titled “Old Stray Dogs Like Us” was released in 2014. But music is eternal and many Moraine residents remember the good old days when he performed here.
