The Continental Co-ets were an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

all-female

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...

band Band or BAND may refer to: Places *Bánd, a village in Hungary *Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania *Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, I ...

founded in 1963 in

Fulda, Minnesota Fulda is a city in Murray County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,318 at the 2010 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land, though that has changed through ...

. The band was composed of teenage girls enrolled at Fulda High School. Nancy Hofmann played the

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

, Carol Goins on

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

, Vicki Steinman on

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

, and Carolyn Behr on

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

. Later, the group included Hofmann's sister, MaryJo Hofmann, on

keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...

. They gained recognition for being one of the first female bands formed, and to play their own instruments. The band was encouraged by their chorus teacher, David Edwards, to start performing. The group's first public performance was at a movie theater in

Marshall, Minnesota Marshall is a city in Lyon County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,680 at the 2010 census. Marshall is a regional center in southwest Minnesota, and the county seat of Lyon County. It is the headquarters of the Schwan Food Com ...

. In the beginning, the band only played instrumentals as they did not have a lead vocalist. Another local band, The Vultures, invited the group to a "battle of the sexes". The Continental Co-ets practiced extensively, and included vocals to their performance which led to a successful concert. This, along with other similar performances, opened the band to a broader audience. Their touring extended throughout the Midwest and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. In late 1965, the band traveled to

Milford, Iowa Milford is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,321 at the time of the 2020 census. The town includes many businesses related to its location in the Iowa Great Lakes region and is often referred to as the south ...

to record two original compositions, "I Don't Love You No More" and "Medley of Junk", for the IGL (Iowa Great Lakes) label. About 1,000 copies were produced for release and charted in some parts of Canada. They recorded two more songs in March 1966, but were not released until the 1990s. In 1967, the band disbanded when the members either left for college or got married. In 2002, the band was inducted into the ''Iowa Hall of Fame''. The band reformed to perform at the induction ceremony.

References

External links

Remembering the Continental Co-etsIowa Rock'n Roll Music Association 2002 Hall of Fame Inductee... Continental Co-etsMeet the Continental Co-ets
Rock music groups from Minnesota All-female bands Musical groups established in 1963 Musical groups disestablished in 1967 Rock and roll music groups People from Fulda, Minnesota {{US-rock-band-stub