Hog Heaven Band

03/05/2026

As you view the picture, Mike Vale is on the far right. Before Mike Vale was a Shondell in Tommy James and The Shondells, and before he was in Hog Heaven, Mike was in THE SONICS! They were the house band at "Harry's Danceland" in beautiful downtown Latrobe Pennsylvania!

26/04/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gji4RXw0YNA "HE IS THE KING" was written by Mike Vale. "David's Harp" consisted of Mike Vale and Bill Monach. Mike Vale is the former bass player of Tommy James & The Shondells who had many hits from 1966 to 1970. LYRICS: Every drop of rain that falls from Heaven Every blade of grass that wildly grows
Every life on earth twas ever given
Is controlled by One who all things knows
Every word twas ever penned or spoken
Every deed performed by you and me
Every heart that Satan's ever broken
Is observed by One who all things sees
chorus
He is the King of every nation
He is the Lord of all creation
And He's the hope of all salvation
Jesus was, is and shall ever be
Every hope too small for men to notice
Every dream too big for men to share
Every place too far for men to follow
Will my Savior's love be waiting there
(Repeat chorus)
And when this age of grace completely passes
And all sin returned again to Hell
And all the wealth of earth reduced to ashes
Still the power of Jesus shall prevail
(Repeat chorus) DAVID'S HARP- "HE IS THE KING"

15 likes, 9 comments. "DAVID'S HARP- "HE IS THE KING" (LYRICS)"

23/03/2026

Hog Heaven - Hog Heaven album cover

Label:
Collectors' Choice Music – CCM 962
Format:
CD, Reissue
Country:
US
Released:
2008
Genre:
Rock, Pop
Style:
1 Wilma Mae
2 Glass Room
3 Bumpin' Slapcar Mama
4 Prayer
5 Happy
6 Pennsylvania
7 Come Away
8 We All Go Down
9 Theme From A Thought
Bonus Tracks
10 Stoned Feelin'
11 Light Of The Lord
12 You And Me
13 If It Feels Good Do It
14 Free Spirit
Manufactured By – Rhino Entertainment Company
Published By – Big Seven Music Corp.
Arranged By – Hog Heaven
Design [Cover] – Suzy Langlots
Engineer – Bruce Staple, Harry Yarmark, Michael Consi*
Executive-Producer [Reissue] – Gordon Anderson
Liner Notes – Ed Osborne
Mastered By – Edward Grossman
Mastered By [Reissue] – Bob Fisher
Producer – Michael Vale*, Peter Lucia
Reissue of 1971 album with bonus tracks
The long-lost album from Tommy James' backing band The Shondells.

Comes with lyric sheet insert.

23/03/2026

(A side note to this song: Bruce Staple was the engineer on the album. Bruce's son Rob wrote this.... "I had the promotional album that my dad Bruce Staple brought home after he finished engineering that album. I rediscovered it when I was 14 and that whole summer I transferred that album to a cassette and that’s all I listened to on the boom box for an entire summer it was a great album." Rest in Peace Bruce and Rob Staple who are together again in Heaven). "In 1966, the Raconteurs were a bar band in Greensburg, PA who happened to be in the right place at the right time when Tommy James needed a new backing band after "Hanky Panky," a single he'd cut in 1963, suddenly became a major hit. Following several successful years with James as the Shondells, Eddie Gray (guitar), Peter Lucia (drums), Ron Rosman (keyboards), and Mike Vale (bass) decided to go back out on their own, adopting the name Hog Heaven and cutting their self-titled debut album in 1971. Given the brand of upbeat, radio-ready pop that had been Tommy James & the Shondells' stock in trade, it's a bit of a surprise that Hog Heaven is for the most part a solid country-rock set with some potent boogie rock thrown in, and that Gray shows off his skills on the pedal steel as often as he does on the six-string. "Wilma Mae" and "Pennsylvania" both cut a potent and funky groove and there's some lively chicken pickin' on "Bumpin' Slapcar Mama," while the band offers a subtle but clear Christian message on "Prayer" and "Theme from a Thought" and drifts amiably on the mildly psychedelic and mostly acoustic "Come Away." Their years as the Shondells had certainly molded Hog Heaven into a tight combo who knew how to play as a unit, and since they had helped James write several of his biggest hits, coming up with solid material wasn't a problem (though the melodies are often better than the lyrics here). Hog Heaven is flawed by the fact the band didn't have an especially compelling frontman or a lead singer as good as James, but this is more than just a curio for Tommy James fans, and it's a shame that this band never had the chance to release another LP."
(AllMusic Review by Mark Deming ) HOG HEAVEN- "IF IT FEELS GOOD DO IT"

"In 1966, the Raconteurs were a bar band in Greensburg, PA who happened to be in the right place at the right time when Tommy James needed a new backing band...

28/02/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmudA6BBaBA Happy Birthday to Ron Rosman who was born on February 28, 1945! This video is years after Ron's days in music as a member of Tommy James and The Shondells and his days in Hog Heaven. In this video, Ron gives his testimony of his love of Jesus by word and music.

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28/02/2026

Happy Birthday to Ron Rosman! Today, February 28, is Ron's birthday. He was born on February 28, 1945, in Greensburg, PA. Ron played keyboards with Tommy James and The Shondells during the group's hit-making years of 1966-1970. In April 1966, Tommy James went by himself to make promotional appearances in Pittsburgh in nightclubs and on local television. He recruited a quintet that was playing at the Thunderbird Lounge in Greensburg called the Raconteurs -- Joe Kessler (guitar), Ron Rosman (keyboards), George Magura (saxophone), Mike Vale (bass), and Johnnie Hogg (drums) – as the new Shondells. "I had no group, and I had to put one together really fast," recalled James. "I was in a Greensburg, PA club one night, and I walked up to a group that was playing that I thought was pretty good and asked them if they wanted to be the Shondells. They said yes, and off we went." Following several successful years with Tommy James and the Shondells, Eddie Gray (lead guitar), Peter Lucia (drums), Ron Rosman (keyboards), and Mike Vale (bass) decided to go back out on their own, adopting the name Hog Heaven and cutting their self-titled debut album in 1971. In 2015, Ron Rosman went on to have the the duties of lead vocals & keyboards with The Crystal Blue Band- both of those bands consisted of former members of the original hit-making version of The Shondells. The Crystal Blue Band: Mike Vale-lead vocals & bassist, Eddie Gray-lead guitarist, Ron Rosman-lead vocals & keyboards, and Mike Wilps-drums. Eddie Gray, Mike Vale, and Ron Rosman are all former original Shondells!

27/02/2026

Happy Birthday to Eddie Gray who was born on February 27, 1948! Eddie Gray was the lead guitarist for Tommy James and The Shondells. Tommy James & The Shondells performed "Mony, Mony" and "Crimson & Clover" on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969. Later, Eddie Gray was in "Hog Heaven" and "The Crystal Blue Band"- both of those bands consisted of former members of the original hit-making version of The Shondells.

21/02/2026

Rest in Peace Bill Mazeroski (September 5, 1936 – February 20, 2026). This song performance is taken from a 1987 "demo tape" made by Mike Vale, Ed Gray and Jay McKnight. The song was written as a tribute to Mike Vale's good friend, Hall Of Fame Pittsburgh Pirate second baseman, Bill Mazeroski and others of that period who played professional baseball more for the love of the great game than for the money. LYRICS: Some say he's lost a step or more
And he no longer pulls 'em down the line
He'll admit he don't hit 'em quite as far
As he did in his prime
But age determines the wine
And a good man learns from the past
You can bet that when it's all on the line
He'll find a way to kick your ass
CHORUS: His glory days may be gone
But he can still get it on
These hot dog kids ain't nothin' but talk
Give me a dirty ole' jock
His face is wrinkled just a touch
And his cheeks puff out without a chew
And his old lady tells him that he drinks a bit too much
And he could lose a pound or two
But he's not tryin' to impress
That crowd that wears them Calvin Kleins
He wears mail pouch on his shoes, whiskey on his breath
And a grin that says- "your butt will soon be mine"
CHORUS: His glory days may be gone
But he can still get it on
These hot dog kids ain't nothin' but talk
Give me a dirty ole' jock
His memories are great ones but still
Sometimes over a beer
He wonders aloud 'bout how it might feel
To knock down a million a year
But he knows you don't measure a man
By the money he's paid for his part
Don't show him your condo or mercedes benz
Show him the size of your heart
CHORUS: His glory days may be gone
But he can still get it on
These hot dog kids ain't nothin' but talk
Give me a dirty ole' jock
Give me a dirty
One over thirty
Don't have to be a pretty ole' jock

This song performance is taken from a 1987 "demo tape" made by Mike Vale, Ed Gray and Jay McKnight. The song was written as a tribute to Mike Vale's good fr...

14/02/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-xN8NPrNlA Bread - "If"- peaked at #4 in 1971. Mike Vale of Tommy James and The Shondells and Hog Heaven said that one of his favorite lyrics ever are these lyrics from this song: "If a man could be two places at one time I'd be with you Tomorrow and today, beside you all the way"....

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08/02/2026

Thanks to my friend Vicki Burke who recorded this video at Panama City, FL. on 2/24/2018. "HAPPY" peaked at #98 on May 1,1971 as sung by the group "Hog Heaven."Happy" is a progressive rock song by American group Hog Heaven from their self-titled debut studio album. It was written and produced by Mike Vale and Peter Lucia and released by Roulette Records in 1971. The Crystal Blue Band: Mike Vale-lead vocals & bassist, Eddie Gray-lead guitarist, Ron Rosman-lead vocals & keyboards, and Mike Wilps-drums. "In 1971 Tommy James launched his solo career and The Shondells left to form a new group, "Hog Heaven", releasing 2 albums over the next three years. Subsequent to Hog Heaven however each member went off in separate directions pursuing individual aspirations both in and out of music. In 2015, Gray, Rosman, and Vale decided it was time to reembrace Rock history and reunited to form their new group, The Crystal Blue Band. They recruited longtime friend, and great drummer, Mike Wilps to replace Peter Lucia who sadly passed at the young age of 37. "The thing that drove our decision to get back out there, aside from our love of music and performing, was that our decision to pursue solo careers over such a long period diminished the ties we had to the great success experienced by Tommy James and The Shondells.", said Vale. "Combine that with the Shondells receiving little or no recognition for contributions which led to the group's success became frustrating to us and misleading to a whole new generation of Rock enthusiasts and people within the industry It's time to get back out there."

Thanks to my friend Vicki Burke who recorded this video at Panama City, FL. on 2/24/2018. "HAPPY" peaked at #98 on May 1,1971 as sung by the group "Hog Heave...

04/02/2026

HOG HEAVEN- "LIGHT OF THE LORD". Mike Vale writes such beautiful songs and sings them so well! Here are some words about "Hog Heaven" by Mike Vale. Mike Vale is the former original bass player of Tommy James & The Shondells- "I'm sure most of you are aware that when Tommy & the Shondells went off in different directions in 1970, the Shondells formed "Hog Heaven". The group recorded two albums for Roulette Records, one was released, one shelved. I remain extremely proud of the great musicians who over several years comprised Hog Heaven, and proud also of the body of work itself. I have often thought how sad it was that a number of very good creations by some equally talented musicians had never been heard. A selected group of 10 songs from each of Hog Heaven's albums have been digitally enhanced, and in some cases instrumentally embellished." Released in 2008, the album is entitled "Rebirth"." "In 1966, the Raconteurs were a bar band in Greensburg, PA who happened to be in the right place at the right time when Tommy James needed a new backing band after "Hanky Panky," a single he'd cut in 1963, suddenly became a major hit. Following several successful years with James as the Shondells, Eddie Gray (guitar), Peter Lucia (drums), Ron Rosman (keyboards), and Mike Vale (bass) decided to go back out on their own, adopting the name Hog Heaven and cutting their self-titled debut album in 1971. Given the brand of upbeat, radio-ready pop that had been Tommy James & the Shondells' stock in trade, it's a bit of a surprise that Hog Heaven is for the most part a solid country-rock set with some potent boogie rock thrown in, and that Gray shows off his skills on the pedal steel as often as he does on the six-string. "Wilma Mae" and "Pennsylvania" both cut a potent and funky groove and there's some lively chicken pickin' on "Bumpin' Slapcar Mama," while the band offers a subtle but clear Christian message on "Prayer" and "Theme from a Thought" and drifts amiably on the mildly psychedelic and mostly acoustic "Come Away." Their years as the Shondells had certainly molded Hog Heaven into a tight combo who knew how to play as a unit, and since they had helped James write several of his biggest hits, coming up with solid material wasn't a problem (though the melodies are often better than the lyrics here). Hog Heaven is flawed by the fact the band didn't have an especially compelling frontman or a lead singer as good as James, but this is more than just a curio for Tommy James fans, and it's a shame that this band never had the chance to release another LP." (AllMusic Review by Mark Deming)

Here are some words about "Hog Heaven" by Mike Vale. Mike Vale is the former original bass player of Tommy James & The Shondells- "I'm sure most of you are a...