Commander Cody

(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – The famed Woody’s Roadhouse of Washington, Mass., will be celebrated with a “Woody’s Roadhouse Reunion Concert” featuring acts that performed at the greatly beloved Berkshire venue of yore, including the Commander Cody Band, Fat, the Spampinato Brothers Band (featuring Joey and Johnny formerly of NRBQ) and Burnt Bacon and The Home Fries, at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield on Saturday, September 29, 2012, at 7:30 p.m.

Woody’s Roadhouse was a legendary Berkshire County nightclub located on Route 8 in the town of Washington. In an era when an out of the way roadhouse could host touring national acts as well as local bands, Woody’s did so for nearly thirty years. Some of the bands that played at Woody’s include Bonnie Raitt, Orleans, the Cars, David Bromberg, Arlo Guthrie, John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band (from Eddie and The Cruisers), Fat, NRBQ, The Outlaws, Commander Cody, Quiet Riot, and The Stompers.

Known as The Maple View Ballroom as far back as the 1920s, the building was purchased by Woodrow “Woody” Witter in 1971. Woody was 33 years old and had previously been employed by General Electric in Pittsfield when he decided to try his hand in the nightclub business. The business opened as Woody’s House of Washington, the name was later changed to Woody’s Roadhouse. The venue remained a Berkshire County hotspot for over thirty years, drawing people from throughout the county and beyond.

The Commander Cody Band, featuring the legendary Commander on keyboards, stormed onto the national music scene in the 1970s. Blending western swing, rockabilly, blues and jazz, they were one of the first American bands to record and perform music that combined all of these diverse styles. As a result, the Commander Cody Band has toured the world nonstop for forty years. Their recordings of “Hot Rod Lincoln” and “Smoke That Cigarette” have become rock and roll classics. Their album Live From Deep In The Heart of Texas was named one of the Top 100 Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Fat, a legendary band based out of the Pioneer Valley, was a mainstay at Woody’s Roadhouse for many years. In the early days, when the Roadhouse was struggling to stay afloat, a Fat concert would always keep the venue going awhile longer. The band would eventually sign with RCA Records and go on tour as the opening act for The Allman Brothers. After leaving RCA, Fat would record several more cult classic albums, including the critically acclaimed Footloose. The group will reunite for a rare performance at the Woody’s Roadhouse Reunion.

The Spampinato Brothers Band features Joey and Johnny Spampinato, formerly of NRBQ. They continue to perform the incredible array of eclectic tunes that established NRBQ as one of the planet’s greatest bands. When Keith Richards was asked to put together his ultimate dream band to perform behind Chuck Berry in the rock and roll classic movie Hail Hail Rock & Roll, he chose Joey Spampinato as the bass player. As members of NRBQ, Joey and Johnny performed worldwide for decades, a part of the band’s legendary live shows, dozens of which took place at Woody’s throughout the years.

Burnt Bacon and The Home Fries were a popular Berkshire County band in the 1970s and 80s. A mainstay at Woody’s, the band performed a mix of western swing and R & B and had a large following among local music fans.

Showtime for The Woody’s Roadhouse Reunion is 7:30. Tickets are on sale at The Colonial Theatre Box Office at 111 South Street in Pittsfield, by phone at 413.997.4444 or online.