When the “Sunn” shined in Tualatin

Author and Memorabilia expert Don Rogers takes us on a journey through Tualatin’s role in rock’s history. In 1963, Oregon band, The Kingsmen had a huge hit with the song “Louie, Louie”. Because the band was used to playing small hops and school dances, they were ill-equipped to play the large venues of a nationwide tour. The lack of suitable amplification was a well-known issue at the time with bands such as the Beatles and The Rolling Stones frequently playing shows where the audience were completely unable to hear the music. Kingsmen bassist Norm Sundholm enlisted the help of his brother Conrad to help solve his problem. By 1964, the Sundholm brothers had designed a high-powered bass amplifier, and the Sunn Musical Equipment Company was founded in a building on SW 89th Street that had once housed a public swimming pool.