THE PHUCHEDELICS 1969

THE PSYCHEDELICS — 1969 | When the Groove Was Young A Mother. A Son. A Band. A Groove. A Legacy. What happens when more than half a century passes... but the music never leaves you? Welcome to the story of THE PSYCHEDELICS, a band from my early musical journey in 1969. My name is Charles McLendon, and I was the bass player. Back then, we weren't thinking about history. We weren't talking about legacy. We were young musicians with instruments in our hands, music in our hearts, and a groove we wanted people to feel. We were simply making music. Only now do I understand... we were also making memories. 🎸 THE PSYCHEDELICS Danny — Guitar & Vocals Willie Jr. — Drums Maye Coleman — Lead Vocals Charles McLendon — Bass The Brass Section — The Fire And behind the band was someone especially important to me: Bernice “Bern” McLendon — our manager... and my mother. I affectionately called her Bern. Today, I also call her... THE QUEEN OF FUNK. While we were concentrating on rehearsals, instruments, songs and performances, Bern was helping keep the band moving. She wasn't standing under the spotlight. She wasn't playing an instrument. But she was part of the reason the music could happen. And for me, this story goes even deeper. I was a young man playing bass with a band managed by the woman who raised me. I couldn't have understood then how important those years would become—or that music and creativity would remain part of my life decades later. Today, when I think about The Psychedelics, I don't just remember a band. I remember Danny's guitar. I remember Willie Jr. behind the drums. I remember Maye Coleman at the microphone. I remember the power of that brass section. I remember being down on the bottom with my bass. And I remember Bern keeping everything moving. Unfortunately, I don't have photographs of every member of the band. But I've learned something important: A photograph can show you what someone looked like. Music can remind you how being there felt. That's one reason I'm creating this musical time capsule now. Not to pretend it's 1969 again. We already had the privilege of living those days. This is about honoring them. Remembering the people. Remembering the music. And preserving a chapter of my life before those memories disappear with time. Because when you're young, you believe there will always be another rehearsal... another performance... another Saturday night... another opportunity to take the picture or tell the story. Then one day you realize: Some moments only happen once. If you have an old photograph sitting in a drawer... If you once played in a band... If you remember friends you haven't spoken to in years... If there's a mother, father, brother, sister, musician, teacher or friend who helped shape your life... don't wait. Find the pictures. Write down the names. Tell the stories. Make the phone call. Preserve the memories. Because the ordinary moments we barely noticed yesterday can become the priceless stories we treasure tomorrow. And Mama... if you can hear your bass player... I want you to know something. I never lost the ONE. And I'm still creating. More than half a century later... the groove is still here. THE PSYCHEDELICS — 1969 “We Didn't Know We Were Making History. We Were Just Making Music.” Bernice “Bern” McLendon Manager • The Queen of Funk Charles McLendon Bass • The Foundation Maye Coleman Lead Vocals Danny Guitar • Vocals Willie Jr. Drums • The Pocket The Brass Section The Fire 🎶 Narrated, Written & Produced by Charles McLendon If this story takes you back to your own musical days, family memories, or people you haven't thought about in years, tell me about them in the comments. What year would you go back to for just one night? Who would be standing beside you? And what song would be playing? LIKE • COMMENT • SHARE • SUBSCRIBE Share this with somebody who remembers when the band had to get in the same room, tune up, count it off... and find the groove together. THE PSYCHEDELICS — 1969 The photographs may fade. The groove doesn't have to. #ThePsychedelics #1969 #CharlesMcLendon #BernMcLendon #QueenOfFunk #FunkMusic #SoulMusic #ClassicSoul #VintageFunk #BassPlayer #MusicMemories #MusicalLegacy #FamilyLegacy #BlackMusicHistory #TheGrooveNeverLeft #ForeverInSong