I had one of these modern wonders of rhythm back in the early sixties.
The day I got it I was playing around with it at home trying to see how
it would go with the organ.

That evening, on the job at the restaurant/lounge where I was playing
with my dance combo, I was informed that my cocktail drummer couldn't
get there that evening.  On the first break we had I hopped in my car
and drove furiously home, about seven miles, and grabbed the Wurlitzer
Side Man and hauled it back to the club.

After plugging it in, I was trying out some of the rhythms before
getting ready to resume playing our next set.  The others of the group
were busy watching while I tried to set it up.  Suddenly, I looked up
and saw three couples on the dance floor dancing to the rhythm of the
Side Man all by itself.

Have you ever had the feeling that you might be expendable?

Anyway, the Side Man did a good job until it was later replaced by a
Chamberlain rhythm which had more realistic sounds on it.  The reason
being that the Chamberlain used actual tape loops of recorded sounds
rather than synthesized sounds that the Wurlitzer used.

How much more convenient it was when later several of the electric
organ makers came out with much smaller and more versatile rhythm
accompaniment units.  I still have the Conn unit 'sit-alone' unit with
the suction cups that I used to hold it in place on top of the console.

Just reminiscing.

Hal Davis