LAWRENCE ELK BEGINNINGS
Wade and Steven playing their first show (3/31/23) at Portland's GOL sports bar w/ Bill Hoelzer on cajon. photo by Helen Friedman
WADE WORTHINGTON AND STEVEN BUTLER MET AT PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL'S STUDENT TRANSPORTATION AT A TIME WHEN BOTH WERE DRIVING SCHOOL BUSES. THE TWO GOT TOGETHER PLAYING JAZZ STANDARDS BUT SOON STARTED SHARING THEIR POP SONG IDEAS OF WHICH RESULTED IN THE MUSIC OF LAWRENCE ELK.
Wade - taken from a 1983 performance of Faith. No Man. Click on photo to watch a 1983 performance.
HISTORICAL TIDBIT:
FAITH. NO… WHO?
WADE WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE BAND THAT BECAME KNOWN AS FAITH NO MORE. THE ORIGIN OF THIS BAND BEGAN IN 1981 IN WADE'S FAMILY'S GARAGE USING THE NAME, SHARP YOUNG MEN. IN 1982 THEIR NAME CHANGED TO FAITH. NO MAN. WADE PLAYED SYNTHESIZER ON FAITH. NO MAN'S QUIET IN HEAVEN/SONG OF LIBERTY SINGLE WHICH WAS RELEASED IN 1983. AROUND THIS TIME WADE DECIDED TO LEAVE THE BAND AS HE FELT THE MUSIC WAS NOT THE BEST FIT FOR WHERE HE WAS HEADING WITH HIS SONGWRITING. IT WASN'T UNTIL 1984 THAT THE BAND STARTED USING THE CURRENT NAME OF FAITH NO MORE.