Wall Of Fame: Skip Chernov

Last week we posted the Chicago blog where the percussionist was wearing the Narragansett "Loose Lips Sink Ships" shirt. We found that Skip Chernov was...

Last week we posted the Chicago blog where the percussionist was wearing the Narragansett "Loose Lips Sink Ships" shirt. We found that Skip Chernov was the promoter behind the Narragansett Tribal Rock concerts in which Chicago was one of the performers. When looking into more on Skip we found we dabbled in more than just music. In Providence he took to an interest in politics and of course Narragansett beer. Just check our this exerpt from Mike Stanton's novel The Prince Of Providence about the former Providence Mayor, Budd Cianci.

"In 1969 Chernov was busted for having a cover charge on a Sunday, and later for serving beer to underage drinkers and asking them to lie about it to the police. Chernov beat the charges, but the city took away his liquor license. The Warehouse wound up in the hands of the father of Ronald Glantz, Doorley's assistant city solicitor.

Chernov bounced back. He cut a deal with Narragansett Brewery to promote the Narragansett Tribal Rock series throughout New England, booking acts like the Band and Led Zeppelin. He opened a bar, the Incredible Organ Pub, and a Mexican restaurant, Tortilla Flats, and bought and motorized a san Francisco cable car to ferry customers between the two. In 1971 he won New England closed-circuit television rights to the world heavyweight boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier and took in a million dollars. He bought a big house on the East Side with French gardens and a billiards room.

Chernov suffered a setback when the riot broke out after the Sly and the Family Stone concert, and Doorley banned rock concerts in Providence. Furious, Chernov wanted to take the city to court. But Brewery officials counseled patience, urging Chernov to focus on concerts in other cities. A few months later the concert ban was lifted - but not by a judge. According to Chernov, it went down like this: Doorley ran a bar near City Hall. Narragansett Brewery agreed to supply him with free beer. And rock and roll returned to Providence."

Click here to purchase Stanton's novel on Amazon.com.

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