The Do's & The Don'ts

Our Story

The Escorts/The Do's & The Don'ts were inducted into the Iowa Rock N Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame in 1997. When the original group, which included Dick & Zelda Sherman (bass guitar and keyboard respectively), Roger Booth (drums and lead vocals), and Dick Burns (lead guitar), started in 1959 nobody knew that they would make Iowa rock music history.

They were one of the first professional bands in Iowa to play Rock N Roll music. They were also the first one in the state to feature a female keyboard player in what was mostly an all-male music business. Zelda joined in 1962.

The Escorts'  first official date was playing in the store window for the grand opening of the Montgomery Wards' store in Washington, Iowa. They didn't stay long in the Wards' window, as The Escorts quickly became Eastern Iowa's #1 touring and recording rock music attraction.

Hit Single Recording

In 1966 they were signed to New York's Red Bird Records label and quickly came out with I Wonder If She Loves Me, written by Roger Booth. (Listen to I Wonder If She Loves Me.

It was listed in the Spotlight Singles of the July 2, 1966, issue of Billboard Magazine. The Red Bird Records label was sold in 1966 and they stopped pressing copies of "I Wonder If She Loves Me". Since there were no records available to sell it didn't chart as high as it might have if there had been more records pressed. It was with the release of this record that The Escorts changed their name to The Do's & The Don'ts  at the urging of the record label.

Awards

For ten years straight they won an award from the National Ballroom Operators Association for having a band of neat appearance, providing a wholesome form of entertainment and top quality of danceable music. In 1965 and 1966 they won awards for being Iowa's Best Dressed Band. They appeared with such groups as Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs, The Four Seasons, Tommy James & The Shondells, The Everly Brothers, Dickey Lee, and Gary Lewis & The Playboys.

Original Rock N Roll Records

In all, The Escorts later known as The Do's & The Don'ts  released twelve records during their career, the most by any Iowa rock and roll band during the 50's, 60's, and 70's. These original recordings are now available on CD or MP3 download at The Escorts/Do's & Don'ts CD

Current Members of the Band

The Do's & The Don'ts continue to perform in Eastern Iowa, playing great 50's & 60's Rock N Roll. See their current schedule. The current band includes two of the original members; Dick Sherman on bass guitar and Zelda Sherman on keyboards. Rick Sherman plays the drums and has been with the band for over 40 years. John Shaw, plays lead guitar. Listen to a live recording made in 2004 at Do's & Don'ts 45 Years Live CD.

Sad note: Roger Booth, the original drummer, lead singer, and writer, passed away in 2010. Dick Burns, the original lead guitar player, passed away in 1984. Larry Smith, who played trumpet and keyboard with the band for many years, passed away in 2001. Frank Glaser who played lead guitar for over 30 years retired in January of 2015. Thank you, we will always remember you for the music you shared with us.

Recent Festivals, Celebrations and Ballroom Dances

• Clutier's Bohemian Plum Festival, Clutier, Iowa
• Reliving Those Good Ol' Days at the Hi-Way Gardens, Standwood, Iowa
• HyVee Music Night, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Solon American Legion for Solon Beef Days Inside, Solon, Iowa
• Keystone Turner Hall's 125 Celebration, Keystone, Iowa
• Walker's Prairie Moon Bar and Grill, Prairieburg, Iowa
• Coliseum Ballroom, Oelwein, Iowa
• Freedom Festival Freedom Bop at NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Ellis Rockin' Reunion, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Hiawatha's Music in the Park, Hiawatha, Iowa
• Swisher Fun Days, Swisher,Iowa
• Mystique Casino, Dubuque, Iowa
• Ponderosa Ballroom, Walford, Iowa
• Col Ballroom, Davenport, Iowa
• Cruise Night Car Show, Washington, Iowa
• El Kahir Shrine Embassy Club, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Eagles Club, Iowa City, Iowa
• Moose Lodge, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Best Western Holiday Lodge, Clear Lake, Iowa
• Lakeside Ballroom, Guttenberg, Iowa
• Centerville Fire Department Car Show, Centerville, Iowa
• Van Horne Music Festival, Van Horne, Iowa
• Kalona Days, 130th Anniversary, Kalona, Iowa
• Wheatland Sesquicentennial Celebration, Wheatland, Iowa
• Friday'loo, Lincoln Park, Waterloo, Iowa
• Vining Quasquicentennial Celebration, Vining, Iowa
• Opened for The Turtles, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Livermore Daze Quasquicentennial festival, Livermore, Iowa
• Hog Wild Days, Hiawatha, Iowa
• New Year's Eve Extravaganza 2004, Zazza's Clarion Hotel, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Lincoln Highways Days, Clarence, Iowa
• Old Settler's Days, Salem, Iowa
• Sauerkraut Days, Blairstown, Iowa
• Festival of Trails Celebration, La Porte City, Iowa
• St. Jude's Sweet Corn Festival, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• St. Joe's Fun Days, Marion, Iowa
• 1998 Iowa Rock N Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame Concert & Tour
• Dance Mor Ballroom, Swisher, Iowa
• Val Air Ballroom, Des Moines, Iowa
• Laramar Ballroom, Fort Dodge, Iowa
• Summer Dance Party, Electric Park Ballroom, Waterloo, Iowa
  (helped raise $5000 for the Iowa Rock N Roll Music Association)
• 1997 Iowa Rock N Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, The Roof Garden, Arnolds Park, Iowa

(Source: Iowa Rock N Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame 1997 Yearbook) An earlier article about The Escorts/Do's & Don'ts was first published on the Internet in 1996 at www.channel21.com/music/escorts.

For information on how to nominate a band, person, or entity into the Iowa Rock N Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame, or how to become a member of the Iowa Rock N Roll Music Association, or for information on the Museum of Iowa Rock and Roll History visit www.iowarocknroll.com.