Valmore Warren (Deceased)

During the mid-Sixties I piloted a vocal-instrumental quartet patterned after Buddy Holly's group The Crickets. To nocturnal denizens of such Newburgh bars as The Hoffbrau on B'way and The Mayflower on Washington St. we were known as The Crashing Crescendoes. Dan Casucci on drums, Jack Santillo on vocals & rhythm guitar, Lee Valleau on electric bass and yours truly on vocals and lead guitar. My forte on my Fender Stratocaster was the foot-stompin' instrumentals of the day that I'd play in a heartbeat whenever somebody requested such hits by Link Wray, Duane Eddy, the Ventures or the Fireballs to name a few. I was particularly proud of my original, all-guitar arrangement of "Harlem Nocturne" that had charted back then by The Viscounts with its predominant saxophone lead.
In later years, I tapped into my Country and Folk roots and, inspired by such great tunesmiths as Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson, became a singer/songwriter/guitarist in the Folk-Rock vain. - Val

Here's the only "teenage werewolf" that ever graduated from NFA! This was a national prize-winning horror makeup that landed me the role in AIP's "BIKINI BEACH" IN 1964. To the left is AIP (American International Pictures) co-founder James H. Nicholson, center is 'Wolf-Me' and to the right Forrest J Ackerman, sci-fi guru and editor/publisher of "FAMOUS MONSTERS", the magazine that sponsored the contest. I had competed against now famous Academy Award-winning makeup artist, Rick Baker and won. Rick designed the makeup for the 2010 remake of "The Wolf Man". - Val

Here I'm posed with my musical heroes The CRICKETS, the great rockabilly backup group that recorded and toured with the late BUDDY HOLLY. Top: At the Brooklyn Academy of Music on June 24th, 1972 for a tribute concert to Buddy Holly sponsored by ROCK Magazine.
Bottom: Almost 3 decades later, we enjoy a reunion on April 22nd, 2001 at a concert in Cypress Gardens, Florida. Left to right in both photos: Joe B. Mauldin (upright bass), Val Warren (Cricket wannabe), Jerry I. Allison (drummer) and seated, Sonny Curtis (vocals/guitar) longtime friend of Holly's who replaced him in the group following the fatal plane crash on Feb. 3rd, 1959. Sonny wrote such hits as "Walk Right Back"(Everly Bros.), "I Fought The Law"(Bobby Fuller Four), "More Than I Can Say"(Leo Sayer) and "Love Is All Around", the theme song for the popular Mary Tyler Moore tv show. - Val

Here I am re-visiting NFA a few years before discovering I had a malignant tumor wrapped around my aorta that nearly claimed my life in 2005. The cloud of cigar smoke seemingly veils the haze of passing years that encompass untold treasures of nostalgic glory that vividly flash before me as I travel back in time to the halcyon days of 1956 to 1960. - Val

Intimate friends tell me when this shot was taken in Sept. 2004 that I had made a transition in terms of songwriting into what they've claimed to be my "Outlaw" period, wherein my lyrics were taking on a more cynical tone and projecting imagery that spoke of the raw and rougher side of life. I was even told my features now resembled a cross between country star Waylon Jennings and western movie villain, Lee Van Cleef. My standard response to such unmerited analysis was a quote from an old Bob Dylan tune, "Now I can't think for ya........you must decide, whether Judas Iscariot had God on his side"! Needless to say, this was received with much speculation as to whether I'd intended it as a rebuke, a confession or simply poetic indignation. Sometimes, for sheer fun, you have to re-invent the misperceptions others have of you just to get them to take a long peek into their own mirrors. As Tommy Edwards used to sing during our high school days, "It's All In the Game". - Rockaday Val-Lee

This photo was taken in October of 2004 at Schlesinger's Cigar Shop in New Windor, NY. Jay Wexler and I became instant friends the very first day we met in kintergarden in West Street Elementary School back in 1947 and remained close pals throughout North Junior High and NFA. We're holding a local newspaper clipping from September, 2004 that shows us on the first day of our senior year (Sept. 1959) standing outside the main entrance to NFA wearing matching coats from Robert Hall's on Rt.17K. Said photo was originally taken by Larry Bockar.
I'm not only proud of Jay for his sterling faithfulness as a lifelong friend but also for his humanitarian endeavors.

This iconic image of yours truly as a young rebel during the mid-Sixties served a two-fold purpose: 1) It visually conveyed my protest against the era's rising tide of conformity to non-conformity and 2) a projected gatefold photo for a double-disc record LP(a la Bob Dylan's "Blonde On Blonde" album of the period)that Michael Gross was designing for a collection of my original folk-rock compositions that never reached the production phase.
Lest one suspect the inverted crucifix in the photo indicated any association on my part with the martyrdom of the Apostle Peter, please be assured that it merely symbolized my disdain for the hypocritical way so many mainstream denominational churches at the time were perverting the precepts taught by Christ for the sake of filling their coffers.
Footnote: My addition of the aerodynamic dorsal fin to my Rocket Man helmet proves that I was a quarter-century ahead of the late illustrator Dave Stevens regarding his ROCKETEER concept.

This is my beloved son, JEM WARREN in whom I am well-pleased (born Feb. 27,1971; this photo was taken on Father's Day - June 20, 2010). His masculine pulchritude is eclipsed by his noble soul, keen intellect and prodigious talent as a singer/songwriter/guitarist. Whenever I'm in his presence my heart always experiences a fresh inkling of the fatherly pride the LORD must have felt when He stood back to admire His finest creation, Adam. Check out JEM's website & video: http://www.myspace.com/jemwarren

The Lord obviously has a special purpose for investing such a charismatic abundance of brains, brawn & beauty in this 6-foot, six-inch bronze Adonis not to mention exceptional gifts of creativity and passion in his capacity as a singer/songwriter/guitarist.
Just as Satan has futilely attempted to suppress my own God-given talents over the years in ways ranging from drowning to cancer, he also highly regards my son as a Temple worthy of destruction. But JEM, is prayerfully protected every day by the efficacious Blood of the Lamb!
He is blessed with the heart of a Galahad whose internal quest for the Holy Grail is lyrically reflected in many of his original songs. In time, his rare Gift will become an instrument of God's revelation that will draw countless souls into the Kingdom. So please keep this knight errant in prayer as he finds his way through the carnal canyons of New York City to carve out a niche in the world of contempoary music and to fulfill his spiritual destiny.