BROOKINGS – Brookings music lovers of a certain age might recognize some of the names of the newest inductees into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association Hall of Fame.

Cocoon, a rock and roll cover band, was formed by five Brookings High School boys back in 1969: Eric Wilson Adams, the lead singer; Lyle Behrend, the drummer; Wayne Myers on keyboard; and brothers Mike and Tom Barnes on guitar and bass guitar, respectively.

They started out as a garage band and went on the road touring in the 1970s in a bus painted “monster green.” They played at school proms, auditoriums and bars in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Adams said it still has not quite sunk in yet what they’ve accomplished, but he and the others are grateful to be recognized.

All but one of the original crew participated. Like the other bands that were to be inducted, they flew in from their homes across the country to practice together a few days ahead of the actual ceremony. With the heavy snowfall that came during that weekend, they were fortunate to have arrived when they did.

Weather aside, it was a great time.

“The energy, I think, for everybody was very high. Certainly was for the band members during our rehearsal two days before and during the show. If you were to see clips, the energy was high,” Adams said. “People I didn’t know of all ages came up and told us that we knocked it out of the park and what a great job we did. That really makes you feel good, that not just friends and family are telling you these things, but that people would come and say those kinds of things.”

Cocoon was the third band in line to play that night. They had four hours of practice together, but there was plenty of work from each member beforehand.

“We had just played together last July, and then everybody had been practicing on their own. We had 10 songs we had to perform, and I had been practicing in my head those 10 songs at least twice or three times a day for six months,” Adams said.

Getting into the SDRRMA Hall of Fame has been a goal for the band for a couple years now. According to Adams, he mentioned to Behrend that it might be fun to try to get into the hall of fame.

“I said, ‘Gee, this would be fun and for a good cause because proceeds go to high school music departments.’ I asked if he’d want to try. He said yeah,” Adams said. “There was a process where we did let a committee member or two know that we’re still alive and interested if we were worthy and let it go at that.”

When they played at the Brookings Summer Arts Festival July 2017, the president of the SDRRMA showed up.

“He introduced himself to the crowd, and apparently he taped us, and then it went to committee, and we were voted in,” Adams said.

His family’s been proud of this accomplishment, and one of Adams’ family was able to participate in the concert.

“One of my daughters, Melissa, has sang with Cocoon on a couple of occasions, including last July. She and another young lady were able to sing with us at the Rock Hall of Fame,” Adams said. Together, the two woman have been dubbed the Cocoon Girls. “That was another thrill for me, being able to sing a duet and other songs with my youngest child.”

Honored to now be a part of South Dakota’s musical heritage, Adams recommended everyone check out future induction ceremonies, especially since the money goes to a good cause.

“We’re grateful for all those years and all the Brookings people that supported us those many years,” he said.

Courtesy illustration

Local cover band Cocoon made it into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Music Association’s Hall of Fame a couple weeks ago. They were inducted April 14. Pictured is the image they used on their posters and advertisements when they were touring across Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.