The Casinos
Written by John D.Loudermilk,
Then You Can Tell me Goodbye,
was the number 6 song for 10 weeks in 1967, sung
by The Casinos with Gene Hughes as the lead singer
Gene Hughes with Ken and Marie
Brady in agreement with plans to
be performing together
as the two lead singers of
The Casinos 07/28/2002.
Then You Can Tell Me
Goodbye , written by  John D.
Loudermilk ..click to hear him
LIVE! John D. Loudermilk,  
wrote scores of songs you
know and like: Then You Can
Tell Me Goodbye(which
reached the top 10 for the
Casinos in 1967 )A Rose and
A Baby Ruth, King of The Road
and many ,many more!
The  Casinos were exciting young men  
entertaining all over Ohio and Kentucky
when they were able to record the song
written by John D. Loudermilk  "Then You
Can Tell Me Goodbye" in 1967.   From a
group of 5 guys originally called 'The
Legends' to the 9 piece group everyone
knows as 'The Casinos' these young men
have proven once again a classic never
dies and the music goes on ..and on..and
on..and on!  Gene Hughes inducted into the
CODA Hall of Fame on Dec. 8, 2007!
CODA-Cincinnati Oldies and DooWop
Association
The Legends in 1958
Joe Patterson (in front) left to right-
J. T. Sears, Mac Brown, Rodger West,
and Ray White
Each person that had performed as a 'Casino' received a CODA
Award for their individual contribution as one of "The Casinos"
vocal group that brought notoriety  to Cincinnati on the national
musical scene.  Gene Hughes was also inducted into the
CODA Hall Of Fame on December 8, 2007.  
Click on the image below to see the CODA website.
The Casinos perform today as The Casinos Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye(R)
The Casinos, 1967 hit song sung by Gene Hughes!
                                                                            Bob Armstrong
                                                                                    Biography

Bob was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1944.  He started playing ukulele at 5, guitar at 7 when his hands would finally fit the neck. Bob had a Gibson guitar with a “twangy bar” just
like Duane Eddy.  Bob had every guitar solo down that Mr. Eddy and Chuck Berry played on their records.  At 14, a band, the Ramrods, Bob was playing lead guitar in, had a
regional instrumental hit record called “Ghost riders in the Sky”. This led to playing in various bands throughout his early high school years.

Bob had studied Classical Piano, and with that background, he was able to switch to the Wurlitzer electric piano.  “There just weren’t many piano players in bands back then”
recalls Bob, so band jobs were plentiful.

This led to Bob playing piano and organ with the Vikings.  This was a group that usually backed up the Casinos when they were just a vocal group.
As personnel came and went, it was in 1965, that the Casinos blended the band and vocal group and became a self contained unit.

Bob could sing high tenor, but it needed Ray White’s teaching and training to get Bob to be able to sing harmony.  Finally, he had it and along with Ray, Mickey and Gene the
blend of harmony was complete.  Bob toured with the Casinos’ playing all over the country with the National Hit  “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye”.  The rest is History.
The Hammond B3 provided that “special sound” for which the Casino records were known.

After the breakup of the Casinos’ Bob continued playing with band members Ray and Mickey, under the name of Canon for years.  Bob also went on to become an Electrical
Engineer.  Bob and Ray have played together since 1964 in several different groups.  “We are all very much like brothers, we’ve spent so much time together,”
Says Bob, The other great thing has been seeing my son develop, and having him involved with the group.  Rock On.
                                                                                                            Ray White
                                                                                 Biography

Ray was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He started playing guitar early on. But Ray’s exceptional talent was singing.  Ray had the ability to hear all of the harmony parts and teach them
to the other members of various groups.

There were the street corner groups and the challenges between groups to see who was the “best of the best”.  Ray was the vocal arranger, and what a job he did.   The groups
he was with, always won.  This eventually led to Ray being a founding member of the Casinos’ vocal group.  Man, those guys could sing.

Like many of the Groups of the day, the Casinos’ performed at local disc jockey record hops and dances.  When they would record, the disc jockeys
would return the favor and play their records.  It was in this manner many of the Casinos’ local and regional hits were broken.

In 1965, after Ken Brady left the Casinos, Ray, Mickey, Bob, Gene and Bob Smith became the Casino band and Vocal Group.  Now the Casinos were a
self contained group with Ray playing bass and still being the vocal arranger for the group.  It was these five guys that went on to record “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye”.  This
was the Casinos’ big National Hit in 1967.

Ray toured the country as the Casinos’ were the opening act for the Beach Boys, other tours, and night club dates all over the country.

After the breakup of the Casinos’ Ray continued playing with band members Mickey Denton and Bob Armstrong under the name of Canon for years.  Later Ray continued playing
and recording professionally with other local groups.  He also arranged vocals and sang in Church services for a number of years.

Ray still plays at special events and has never lost his love of vocal arranging.  His recordings with Ray singing all parts are classics.  
                                                                                              Mickey Denton
                                                                              Biography

Mickey was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He started playing guitar at the age of thirteen.  This led to playing in various bands throughout his
high school years. It was this background of playing rhythm and blues, and pop music in local clubs that led Mickey to the audition with the Casinos
in 1966.  He was only 19 years old when he joined the Casinos as their lead guitarist and vocalist.  

Mickey played and toured with the Casinos’ playing all over the country with the National Hit “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye”.  Mickey wrote the
flip side song entitled “I Still Love You”.  In many parts of the country his song actually received more air play than “Then You Can Tell Me
Goodbye”. After the breakup of the Casinos’ Mick continued playing with band members under the name of Canon for years.  

In 1974 through 1979 Mick went on to play with a local group “Carefree Day” as lead guitarist and vocalist. It was in the period of 1980 to 1984 that Mickey went on to develop his
own style and unique vocal renderings with his own band, “The Michael Denton Group”.  This was a very successful group on the local scene.  His group received recognition by
performing on local radio album projects.

From 1984 until present, Mickey has played as an acoustic guitar soloist and was also in several rock groups, culminating in a pop country group, “Brothers First” which received
a local city award as “Best Country Band” in 2003.

Mick is still playing and writing music “...Because He Loves It”.  
                                                Ken Brady
                                                                                 Biography


Ken Brady, born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1944, is currently the Lead singer of The Original Casinos.  Ken began singing at 9 years of age when his parents placed him in local talent
shows.  Ken loved singing and had the opportunity to share the stage with such artists as The Students, The Shirelles, Chubby Checker, and Jerry Lee Lewis. He performed with
The Casinos, taking over for Gene Hughes, from 1962 through 1965 as the lead singer.  Ken credits Ray White with teaching him how to harmonize.

In 1965, Ken’s good friend, Gene Hughes, rejoined the group. Ken pursued his career as a single in Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA, and Los Angeles, CA.  In returning to Cincinnati, he
performed with such groups as ‘The What For’ and ‘The Avenue’.  The year 1967 was the year The Casinos recorded John Loudermilks' song ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye’  It
was a hit for 10 weeks, passing The Beatles and other groups from across the pond!

Ken and Gene, true friends always, celebrated the hit through the years.  Today Ken sings ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye’ as a tribute to his friend, Gene Hughes. The hits of
the 50’s and 60’s such as ‘Daddy’s Home’, ‘Life Is But A Dream’, ‘Stand By Me’  and  ‘I Believe’ are beautifully rendered by the wonderful tenor voice of Ken Brady.  Ken now
resides in Florida, performing as both a single and with The Original Casinos.
.
                                      Bobby Armstrong Jr.
                                                                              Biography

Bobby was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1984.  He is the son of Casino organist/vocalist Bob Armstrong.  Obviously, music was in the blood.  He started playing drums well at six
years of age.  Bobby played most of the rehearsals for the Casinos’ and other band projects which his father was involved with over the years.  Bobby attended the University of
Cincinnati, and graduated from the OSB.

Bobby, though only 23, has been playing professionally for eight years.  His background in music shows a broad appreciation of all styles of music from Big Band, Oldies, Frank
Sinatra arrangements, which he loves, to pop and country groups of the day.

Bobby has performed in concert venues with the Casinos, Oval Opus, The Blue Birds and other groups.  He has enjoyed meeting so many of Rock and Roll’s Hall of Famers
like Bo Diddley, Laverne Baker, the Diamonds,   Little Richard, and many of the stars of the oldies concerts, the Casinos’ played in over the years.

Always exciting and fun to watch, he presently works on the local scene with a group called “NoyseWater” which performs unique arrangements of cover tunes while inserting
their own original material. One of the best young percussionist to come out of Cincinnati, Bobby’s style of play is a “melting pot” of  some of the best drummers ever.  Names
like Gene Krupa, Bam Powell, Michael Scott, Steve Jordan, and a host of other performers.

Bobby loves to play all types of percussion instruments and is looking forward to a long and fun filled career in music.
Click to view
Gene Hughes
and The
Casinos on
PBS!