Brain Farts: December 2009

Face the Autumn by The Family is a pop single that made it to number 12 on the WLS music survey in 1968. It was a local hit released only as a 45rpm single record. Originally written and produced by Bob Whiteside on the USA label.

The band members of The Family were as follows:

Singer - Rochelle Lara
Drummer - Louis Stephens
Guitar - Bobby Sizemore
Bass Guitar - Pat Flannery

While Rochelle Lara was singing in the band "Ginny and The Wolves" and performing in local Chicago nightclub venues her manager (Ed Bauman) landed a contract for her to record four songs written & produced by Bobby Whiteside. One of the songs recorded through this deal was titled "Face the Autumn". The song on the B-side to the "Face the Autumn" Forty-five is called "So Much to Remember". At the time of the recording, Ed Bauman went from being Rochelle's manager to being the manager of the band. Louie Stephens (drummer) joined the band for the recordings and remained with the band ever since. It was then decided to name the group "The Family". The Family stayed together for about four years during which they played one nighters and college gigs. Then, The Family changed their name to Raintree and recorded another 4 songs (Keep the Candle Burning, I Want to Give You My everything, Come Out Come Out & Blue Eyed Soul) under the Amaret label. Raintree continued to play for a couple of more years.

The recording of Face The Autumn sparked a friendship that would later on result in marriage. Louis Stephens & Rochelle Lara were later married and Rochelle took a new last name. Three exquisitely beautiful children were produced and they took the world by storm.

In 2005 Rochelle Stephens heard Face the Autumn playing on WDRV in Chicago during Bob Stroud's radio show. Later, in 2009 Louis & Rochelle discovered that Face the Autumn was featured as track #12 on the The Drive's (WDRV) Rock 'N Roll Roots Vol. 11 CD available at all Chicago area Borders locations.