History Music / TheWaitresses

* Mars Williams – saxophone, reed instruments (1980–1984)

While the FaceOfTheBand was the sassy Patty Donahue, the group was masterminded by veteran songwriter Chris Butler. He’d been a sociology major at Kent State University, and was actually one of the students fired on by the Ohio National Guard in the infamous Kent State shootings in May of 1970 (the same incident that helped shape the band Music/{{Devo}} into who they are today). Butler was in various groups through the 70s, such as the Numbers Band (a.k.a. 15-60-75), and by the time he was putting the Waitresses together, he’d just endured the breakup of experimental new wave outfit Tin Huey, who Warner Brothers thought were going to be a big smash, but weren’t.

* {{Everygirl}}: Patty Donahue’s charm was that while she wasn’t any kind of polished vocalist, she had a relatable, personable charisma that made her a charismatic frontwoman.

* {{Everygirl}}: Patty Donahue’s charm was that while she wasn’t any kind of polished vocalist, she had a relatable, personable charm that made her a charismatic frontwoman.

Butler had a song he’d written from a woman’s point of view, "I Know What Boys Like," and he got a woman he met in a bar, Patty Donahue (who had no formal musical training to speak of, but ''had'' been a waitress once) to sing lead vocals, with former Tin Huey member Ralph Carney on saxophone. Shopping the recording he made to various labels, the song finally got the Waitresses signed by ZE Records (home of Music/{{Suicide}} and Lydia Lunch). Normally, this would be a cause for celebration for any band, but therein lied the problem: the "band" didn’t exist yet. Butler spent the last of his money on a bus ticket for Donahue to come to New York, and from there, they hastily arranged a band featuring unemployed New York musicians, featuring (among others) ex-Music/{{Television}} drummer Billy Ficca and free jazz saxophonist Mars Williams.

The band’s bassist, Tracy Wormworth, would go on to be an in-demand touring musician for such luminaries as Music/{{Sting}}, Music/CyndiLauper and more, plus a member of the house band on ''The Rosie O'Donnell Show,'' and a member of Music/TheB52s since 1992. Chris Butler himself would produce some albums here and there for other artists, like the dB’s and Joan Osborne, before he eventually went solo. Among his accomplishments is recording the world’s longest pop song, “The Devil Glitch,” in 1997, as well as a reformation of Tin Huey in the late 90s. Meanwhile, Patty Donahue moved behind the scenes for MCA and became a talent scout. Unfortunately, her heavy smoking habit caught up to her, and she passed away in New York City after a battle with lung cancer, in December 1996.

* NeoclassicalPunkZydecoRockabilly: The Waitresses' brand of new wave is an odd mix of rock, ska and funk.

The Waitresses were a unique [[NewWaveMusic New Wave]] group formed in Akron, Ohio. While they’re commonly thought of as a OneHitWonder in retrospectives, the Waitresses actually have two major contributions to pop music - their smirking, man-eating pop number "I Know What Boys Like," and a standard of ChristmasSongs, "Christmas Wrapping."

* Billy Ficca – drums (1980–1984)

The band’s bassist, Tracy Wormworth, would go on to be an in-demand touring musician for such luminaries as Music/{{Sting}}, Music/CyndiLauper and more, plus a member of the house band on ''The Rosie O'Donnell Show,'' and a member of Music/TheB52s since 1992. Chris Butler himself would produce some albums here and there for other artists, like the dB’s and Joan Osborne, before he eventually went solo. Among his accomplishments is recording the world’s longest pop song, “The Devil Glitch,” in 1997, as well as a reformation of Tin Huey in the late 90s. Meanwhile, Patty Donahue moved behind the scenes for MCA and became a talent scout. Unfortunately, her heavy smoking habit caught up to her, and she passed away in New York City after a battle with lung cancer, in December of 1996.

While the face of the band was the sassy Patty Donahue, the group was masterminded by veteran songwriter Chris Butler. He’d been a sociology major at Kent State University, and was actually one of the students fired on by the Ohio National Guard in the infamous Kent State shootings in May of 1970 (the same incident that helped shape the band Music/{{Devo}} into who they are today). Butler was in various groups through the 70s, such as the Numbers Band (a.k.a. 15-60-75), and by the time he was putting the Waitresses together, he’d just endured the breakup of experimental new wave outfit Tin Huey, who Warner Brothers thought were going to be a big smash, but weren’t.

The band’s bassist, Tracy Wormworth, would go on to be an in-demand touring musician for such luminaries as Music/{{Sting}}, Music/CyndiLauper and more, plus a member of the house band on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, and a member of Music/TheB52s since 1992. Chris Butler himself would produce some albums here and there for other artists, like the dB’s and Joan Osborne, before he eventually went solo. Among his accomplishments is recording the world’s longest pop song, “The Devil Glitch,” in 1997, as well as a reformation of Tin Huey in the late 90s. Meanwhile, Patty Donahue moved behind the scenes for MCA and became a talent scout. Unfortunately, her heavy smoking habit caught up to her, and she passed away in New York City after a battle with lung cancer, in December of 1996.

A live album, King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents the Waitresses, was released in 1997.