Origin: Minneapolis, MN, USA
The Jokers Wild hailed from the Minneapolis, MN area and started life in 1965 when Dave Waggoner aka Dave Wagner (lead vocals) and Gene Balabon (lead guitar) left the Aardvarks to form their own band. Other original members were Denny Johnson (bass), Pete Huber (drums) and Dave Middlemist (keyboards). In 1967, the group's booking agent and manager David Anthony decided to shake things up by moving Waggoner and Middlemist to another outfit he was creating called the South 40. In turn, former Castaways and Rave-Ons member Lonnie Knight (lead vocals, guitar) was brought in, along with Greg Spring…