Back in 1958, Tom King, at the tender age of 15, started things off with a rhythm and blues band that he formed called the Starfires.  Their repertoire was mostly instrumentals, with occasional vocals by King; they were local favorites, playing up to six shows per week.  The band had a minor local hit based on the popular TV commercial, “Stronger than Dirt” for Ajax laundry detergent.  (Ajax had basically invented advertising jingles years earlier).  

 

(February 2010)