Sentar Records was a label essentially owned by the New Colony Six' parents. In fact, there were never any other artists on the label besides the New Colony Six.

The original six members were Pat McBride (lead baritone, harmonica), Ray Graffia (lead tenor, tambourine), Gerry Van Kollenburg (lead guitar), Wally Kemp (bass), Craig Kemp (Wally's cousin, organ), and Chic James (drums). In 1964, they were all seniors at St. Patrick's High School in Chicago, and after performing in a show for a local girl's school, were so well received that they decided "to be a band." Calling themselves the Patsmen, they played several gigs during the summer after their graduation. By fall, they decided to change their name to the New Colony Six. Since the British Invasion was happening, and the US were the "New Colonies," and there were six of them, why not? They bought some colonial outfits, and built a strong local following.

By early 1965, figuring that Hollywood was the place where everything was happening, they decided to head west and make their fortune. The trip to California was a disaster. They rented a duplex to live in and found that there was another band living upstairs, one with the same kind of colonial outfits! To add insult to injury, this other band was getting a lot more jobs than they were. The NC6 had no original material, unlike the band upstairs, who turned out to be Paul Revere and the Raiders (!). After playing four concerts in six months, the NC6 returned to Chicago, owing thousands of dollars.

Upon returning home, their parents decided they needed a break. The fathers of Ray, Pat, and Gerry, along with a neighbor, formed the Centaur Record Corporation as a vehicle for their sons to record. The group was soon in Sound Recorders in Chicago, recording their first single, "I Confess" [Centaur 1201, see Sentar singles discography]. The original song was pieced together from three different songs they were working on, and proved to be just the thing to jump-start their career. The strange-sounding single with the odd structure and guitar played through a Leslie hit the Chicago airwaves like a bomb. Young listeners were calling the radio stations asking, "what was that?" Deejays told the story of the band that went to California but was back home. Their followers from pre-California were overjoyed. The record, released in November, 1965, soared to #2 on the WLS charts.

After a couple of additional singles, and a poor-selling but very collectable album [Breakthrough, Sentar LP 101], Ronnie Rice (vocals, organ, guitar) replaced Craig Kemp. About this time, the Sentar distribution was changed from local USA Records to the Philadelphia-based Cameo-Parkway. More local hits followed, such as "Love You So Much" [Sentar 1205, #2 WLS] and "I'm Just Waitin' (Anticipatin' for Her to Show Up)" [Sentar 1207, WLS #14], the latter a Tony Orlando tune for which the band used studio musicians, complete with brass. In the summer of 1967, bassist Wally Kemp left the group to go to college, and he was replaced by Les Kummel.

In September, 1967, the band signed with Chicago giant Mercury Record Corporation, and for all intents and purposes, Sentar Records was dead. The Mercury albums do have the legend, "A Sentar Records Production," however. The Mercury days brought several national hits, but it also brought a smoothness of style that was very far indeed from the garage band style that got them their start. For those who had not heard their early records, they were just another easy listening band.

The New Colony Six lineup that started 1969 and the one that ended 1969 bore little resemblance to each other. During the year, original members Ray Graffia and Chic James left (and joined Craig Kemp in the RJM Band). This left only Patrick McBride and Gerry Van Kollenberg as original members, along with Ronnie Rice, Chuck Jobes (keyboards), Bruce Gordon (guitar), and Bill Herman (drums). By 1970, both McBride and Kummel left, and after three singles for the Sunlight label, Ronnie Rice went solo. The only original member left, Van Kollenberg, fronted a revamped band and recorded for MCA briefly in 1974, but the group disbanded after no success with MCA.

Various members of the band have regrouped for reunions over the years, and they are still popular in Chicago.

The first Sentar label, used for the Breakthrough album, is unavailable, but the label used for Colonization was white with red print. The design was plain without graphics, with "SENTAR" in block letters at the top, and "Dist. By Cameo-Parkway Records, Inc." around the bottom of the label.

We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Sentar Records. Should you want to contact Abkco, or should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 1997, 1999, 2003, 2008 by Mike Callahan; all rights reserved.

SENTAR ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

Cover	Number - Title - Artist - [Release Date] (Chart) Contents
	LP-100 Series (Distributed by USA Records):
	LP-101 - Breakthrough - New Colony Six [1966] Issued in mono only. I Confess/A Heart Is Made Of Many Things/Don't You Think It's Time You Stopped Your Cryin'/Last Nite/I And You/At The River's Edge/I Lie Awake//Dawn Is Breaking/The Time Of The Year Is Sunset/Mister You're A Better Man Than I (3:00 version)/Some People Think I'm A Playboy/Sloopy
	ST-1000 Series (Distributed by Cameo-Parkway):
	ST-3001 mono/SST-3001 stereo - Colonization - New Colony Six [1967] Love You So Much (S)/Let Me Love You (S)/Hello Lonely (S)/Warm Baby (S)/My Dreams Depend On You (S)/Elf Song (Ballad Of The Wingbat Marmaduke) (S)/I'm Here Now (S)//I'm Just Waitin' (Anticipatin' For Her To Show Up) (S)/You're Gonna Be Mine (S)/Woman (S)/Power Of Love (S)/Accept My Ring (S)/Mister You're A Better Man Than I (6:58 version, mis-timed on the LP jacket as 7:55) (S)
	Sentar Records, Inc. Productions (Issued on the Mercury Label):
	Mercury SR61165 - Revelations - New Colony Six [1968] Recorded in April, 1968, at Ter Mar Studios, Chicago. A Sentar Records, Inc. Production. I Will Always Think About You (S)/Dandy Handy Man (S)/Girl Unsigned (S)/Treat Her Groovy (S)/Summertime's Another Name For Love (S)/Just Feel Worse (S)//Can't You See Me Cry (S)/We Will Love Again (S)/Things I'd Like To Say (S)/Hold Me With Your Eyes (S)/You Know Better (S)
	Mercury SR61228 - Attacking a Straw Man - New Colony Six [1969] Recorded in 1969 at Ter Mar Studios, Chicago. A Sentar Records, Inc. Production. Barbara, I Love You (S)/Free (S)/Love, That's The Best I Can Do (S)/Come And Give Your Love To Me (S)/I Could Never Lie To You (S)/Ride The Wicked Wind (S)//I Want You To Know (S)/Sun Within You (S)/Blue Eyes (S)/Come Away With You (S)/Prairie Grey (S)
	RELATED ALBUMS:
	Eva 12008 (France) - Breakthrough - New Colony Six [1982] Reissue of Sentar 101. I Confess/A Heart Is Made Of Many Things/Don't You Think It's Time You Stopped Your Cryin'/Last Nite/I And You/At The River's Edge/I Lie Awake//Dawn Is Breaking/The Time Of The Year Is Sunset/Mister, You're A Better Man Than I (3:00 version)/Some People Think I'm A Playboy/Sloopy
	RELATED COMPACT DISCS:
	Rhino R2 71188 - Colonized: The Best of the New Colony Six - New Colony Six [1993] I Confess (M)/Dawn Is Breaking (M)/I Lie Awake (M)/At The River's Edge (M)/Cadillac (S)/(The Ballad Of The) Wingbat Marmaduke (S)/Love You So Much (S)/Let Me Love You (S)/I 'm Just Waiting (Anticipating For Her To Show Up) (S)/You're Gonna Be Mine (S)/Treat Her Groovy (S)/I Will Always Think About You (S)/Can't You See Me Cry (S)/Things I'd Like To Say (S)/I Want You To Know (S)/I Could Never Lie To You (S)/Barbara I Love You (S)/Roll On (S)/Long Time To Be Alone (S, slight hiss)/Someone Sometime (S)
	Sundazed SC 11016 - At the River's Edge - New Colony Six [1993] Outstanding sound quality, taken directly from the mono and two-track Sentar master tapes. I Confess (M)/A Heart Is Made Of Many Things (M)/Don't You Think It's Time You Stopped Your Cryin' (M)/Last Nite (M)/I And You (M)/At The River's Edge (M)/I Lie Awake (M)/Dawn Is Breaking (M)/The Time Of The Year Is Sunset (M)/Some People Think I'm A Playboy (M)/Cadillac (S)/Sunshine (S)/Love You So Much (S)/Let Me Love You (S)/You're Gonna Be Mine (S)/Warm Baby (S)/Accept My Ring (S)/My Dreams Depend On You (S)/I'm Here Now (S)/Woman (S)/The Power Of Love (S)/Mister, You're A Better Man Than I (S)

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