July, 1976
Patty Hassler took this photo while on her way to the 1976 SPEBSQSA International Convention in San Francisco. Rick Allan started subbing in 1974 for John Sherburn (worked about 6 days that summer) and went full-time with the Dapper Dans in 1977. Rick's brother Dave Allan was working at the park in entertainment and knew the Dappers were looking for a tenor, so he told them, "My brother can sing." Rick remembers auditioning for them, singing "Coney Island Baby" with the quartet in their underwear while they were changing out at the end of the day. They gave him a learning tape and told him to learn 12 songs. Rick subbed first as a lead and was immediately good-naturedly "thrown into the fire," in classic Dapper Dan tradition.