Bliss / the Blues Reception

Lancaster, 1969-70

The Blues Reception were started by ninth graders at  Lancaster's Thomas Ewing Junior High. The band included Paul Cyborski on lead guitar, Mark Clapham on bass, Lynn Slimmer on rhythm guitar, Wallace "Spike" Black on drums, and the band's outstanding girl singer, Donna Rawlins.

The started out playing school dances and parties but quickly became a top local band. When they entered Lancaster HS for the 1969-70 school year, they were winning local and regional battle of the bands. A high point came in March, 1970 when they selected as one of six finalists to compete for "Band of the Year" on the Columbus TV show "Dance Party". 

Later in the summer of 1970 they changed their name to Bliss. They entered the annual battle of the bands sponsored by WNCI radio and the Ohio State Fair. The band won and the prize was a recording session at Musicol and 500 records. They recorded two original songs "Slave" and "Run From Me" and the record was released on Ironbeat, the last 45 to use that label name. Among their competition was the Scepters from Barnesville who had won the year before.

The band's success didn't last long. At the end of 1970 Donna Rawlins left and Paul, Mark, and Spike were listed playing a party with a different singer as Wildwood. 

Donna Rawlins went on to have a nice career as a voice over actor. In the late 1970s she and Paul were playing together in a Chicago based band, where they both lived at the time.

Discography:
Slave / Run From Me - Ironbeat 1761/2, Dec 1970