Interview with Jim Klieforth of the Traits

The Traits, 1967, from left: Bob Creaturo, Bobby Williams (on drums), Mike Carroll, Phil Daddona, Jim Klieforth (on keyboard, obscured) and Artie Williams. Photo from Mike Carroll, courtesy of his family. I corresponded with Jim Klieforth of the Traits in 2009, about a year after writing about them in some detail in regard to the Ren-Vell Records Battle of the Bands LP. Below is our conversation from that time. My late brother [Charles Klieforth] was a bit of a con man/wheeler-dealer who wasn’t musical but wanted to be in the rock business in some capacity, nurturing a fantasy of being an impresario. I’d been playing guitar and keyboards for a couple of years and our family home had an empty basement that was suitable for a group to rehearse in, so he sweet-talked me and the best musician-singers he knew into forming a group with him as manager. I’d never met any of these guys but was very impressed with the line-up’s talent and professionalism. Back then, a group needed to have a…