After graduation, both Zirilli and Dromensk went to San Jose State. In 1965 Dromensk and his next door neighbor Jim Rush, who was still a Junior at CHS, decided to form a band. Zirilli was asked to join as well as drummer Jim Shipley who was also a Junior at Cupertino High. "Goodie 2 Shoes" as they called themselves, was a combination of original tunes and Top 40 hits of the day. They were, at that time paying their right of passage dues into the music business with a steady diet of high school and college dances but they didn’t have their identify as yet.
In 1971 the band on a lark threw in a set of Beach Boys songs they had been fooling around with in their practice sessions. The reaction was so positive that they added more and more until the built their entire performances around this happy, good vibrations music.
Based in Southern California at the time, Papa soon was in great demand performing at High School Beach Party Dances. Over the next two years the thousands of high school students that Papa had played for, began requesting Beach Boy records. The Beach Boys, however, had stopped making records. Capital Records decided to release a double 33 & 1/3 album of all their former hits and it went PLATINUM ! The Beach Boys were now reborn and once again became a huge force in popular music. Their hugely successful concerts across the U.S. and worldwide, now insured their musical immortality.
L to R…Mark
Ward ’72, Jim Armstrong ’72, Jim Rush ‘67 Jim Shipley ’67, Don Zirilli ’64…Ward and
Armstrong joined 1975
In 1975, Steve Dromensk left the band and was replace by two Class of '72 TINO students, Jim Armstrong, and Mark Ward. PAPA’S big break came in 1974 when they came to the notice of Dean Torrence, who had been half of a very successful recording duo known as Jan & Dean. In the early 1960s they had such hits as "Little Old Lady from Pasadena" and "Surf City".
In 1966 Jan Berry nearly ended his life in an eerie replica of another one of their hit songs "Deadman’s Curve". Jan crashed his new Corvette going 90 mph into a parked truck while going around a curve. Jan survived the crash miraculously but was left with brain damage that devastated his communication skills.
Dean felt the best therapy for Jan would be to get him performing again. It was at a dance at Cupertino High School where Papa and Jan & Dean first played together and here Jan proved he could perform. PAPA had all of Jan & Dean songs down pat as well as all the Beach Boys hits . Most of us who were there felt we had witnessed rock & roll history.
The first official public performance for Papa and Jan & Dean on the duo's legendary comeback, was in 1976 at the world famous Palomino Club in North Hollywood. This show, and the front page write up it got in Variety Magazine, literally put Papa Doo Run Run on the map. That is really where it all began for PAPA . They knew, Jan and Dean knew and all in attendance knew, that this musical combination was DYNAMITE!!
The opportunity to travel all over the USA with Jan & Dean gave PAPA a perfect showcase for their musicianship, singing voices and enthusiasm. In 1978 the band recorded the soundtrack album and appeared as actors in the CBS-TV movie "Deadman's Curve", the story of Jan & Dean's rise, fall, and rise again.
PAPA left Jan and Dean at the end of 1980. Armstrong and Ward decided to stay on with J&D, and PAPA reunited with Dromensk. Steve would remain in the group for the next 15 years. He would also be inducted into the CHS Hall of Fame in 1986.
PAPA with Dick Clark after an
appearance on "American Bandstand"
PAPA left Jan and Dean at the end of 1980. Armstrong and Ward decided to stay on with J&D, and PAPA reunited with Dromensk. Steve would remain in the group for the next 15 years. He would also be inducted into the CHS Hall of Fame in 1986.
Papa became Disneyland's Celebrity House Band, performing there for 15 consecutive years, toured with members of the Beach Boys, and in 1985 earned another GOLD RECORD and a GRAMMY NOMINATION for their "California Project" album. During their amazing career Papa has performed at Super Bowls, Presidential Inaugurations and other huge venues. Their largest was a 4th of July crowd of over 80,000. When they perform at annual performances like the Santa Cruz Boardwalk Summer Days audiences of 10,000 or more are the norm. Fans drive for hundreds of miles to see them perform.
Their special talent to musically weave the happy euphoria, that California surf music will always have, is amazing. They have justly been declared CALIFORNIA’S BAND. We are all justly proud of PAPA’S many accomplishments and so grateful for the close ties they have always kept with Cupertino High School. Do not miss them as they home again, to Cupertino High School, October 2nd, 2010.