Local News
Satellites Enjoy Reunion Performance
By Dave Thompson
Jan 4, 2007 - 4:18 PM

Sunday, December 31, 2006 the Satellites, a local band, played in a reunion performance at the Stromsburg Legion Club. According to Jan Olsen, who currently lives in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, the first performance the band ever had was January 8, 1965. The first original members of the group were high school classmates in Stromsburg when the band formed. They saw the Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan show and decided to get into the entertainment business themselves. Along with Jan the other originals were: Marshall Anderson, Allan Peterson, and Dan Vincent. Mike Riley joined after Jan and Allan met him at Hastings College their first year. Lance Boye, Jim Lauerman, and Jerry Urban also were members during several of the performing years.
The first gig outside of Stromsburg was a March of Dimes dance in Osceola. Jan talked about how the only other competition they had at the dance was a Sears Silvertone Record Player. So when the Satellites showed up they were very well received. "We just kept playing the same song we knew, all night long. Everyone had a great time."
In 1968 the band broke up. Jan and Marshall went on to perform nationally with a band called Night Train. Over the years the members have kept in contact with one another and from time to time they would have the opportunity to see each other and jam for a while. For the last few years the thought was that it would be fun to try and set up a reunion performance. So after some coordinating of schedules and one incredibly late night practice the night before, they came together again for the first time in 38 years for Sunday nights performance.
It was also made special by the fact that they held the event at the sight of the old Stromsburg theater which is exactly where Orville Doddds would let them practice when they were just getting started. The band did enjoy the services of a new local member Sunday night. Jerry Urban was not able to complete the trip from South Dakota for the performance, so Marshall enlisted the help of Dan Cramer to play the drums for the evening. Dan, a 2000 graduate of Stromsburg High School, has also played in several bands throughout our area and Lincoln and filled in quite nicely to round things out for the group.
Mike, Allan, Jan, Marshall and Jerry all played professionally with other bands throughout the midwest and other parts of the country and it was very obvious that the original Satellite group is still very near and dear to their heart. It was also very obvious that they were excited and nervous before Sunday's performance, wanting to do a good job. Actually, they did a fantastic job. Those who came to enjoy the evening listened and danced to a wonderful variety of classic rock tunes along with some country and a few big band songs. It was a great night.
At the very end of the night after the performing was over, the guys got a little tour to look at what was left of the old theater in the projection room and under the floor where the seats used to be. They enjoyed the time to reminsce about fond memories and relive some of the best part of their growing up high school years.


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