The Excelsior House on Snyder’s Lake near Troy: the Knickerbockers, Sundowners and other bands

The Excelsior House, a 19th century house on tiny Snyder’s Lake, a short drive southeast of Troy, NY, had a history dating back to the 1930s as a rural nightclub and restaurant. It drew crowds from a wide geographic area with various forms of entertainment and events. In 1964, a new owner, Harry Doakmajian started bringing in rock and pop acts. Over the next four years the Excelsior House hosted a succession of notable house bands. The Knickerbockers: Jimmy, Beau, John, Buddy, at the Excelsior House, The Troy Record, May 1, 1965 The Knickerbockers made the Excelsior House their second home, with frequent months-long bookings from August 1964 until December 1965, and occasional monthly residencies in 1966 and 1967. The Sundowners, from Lake George, held down monthly gigs in 1965 into 1966, and the Good Times were regulars from April through July 1966 (billed early on as “Direct from Harlow’s in N.Y.C.”) and again in September and December 1966, and January 1967. The Kynds and the Good…