MEET THE DOCTORS
Before The Doctors were The Doctors,
they knew they needed a name that would be remembered. During the time, dance groups around Chicago were beginning to form, and they took inspiration from them to create their legendary moniker. In particular, they wanted a name that rivaled who they believed was their biggest competitions - The Bisease Boys and The Cure. The way The Doctors figured, they would be the remedy to The Bisease Boys, hence the group name became The Doctors, and each member would adopt a unique Doctor name. Let’s meet them, why don’t we?
Illustrated by Jamie Shelton, late 1970s
Dr. Gannon
Bahb Peters, also known as Dr. Gannon, was born in Louisiana and raised on the Southside of Chicago. Growing up on 79th near Saint Sabina from 3rd to 7th grade and then Roseland and West Pullman for High School, Bahb recalls “it was great back then...the popular singing group The Brighter Side of Darkness was on my block.” Bahb was educated within the Catholic educational system during his young life, and attended Mendel Catholic High School. There, he would meet Darien Davis who would convince him to form the dance group known as The Doctors. With a background on Soul Train and in the Mendel Marching band, Bahb quickly became a leader and the choreographer for the group.
Photo: Mendel Catholic High School 1978 Yearbook
Dr. Kildare
Darien Davis, Dr. Kildare, was born in Los Angeles, CA until the age of ten. His family then moved to Detroit for two years before moving to Chicago’s Brainerd neighborhood. He felt the neighborhood was “bad” remembering 8th grade when he had to run to and from school. “They wanted Me to pierce My ear to represent gang membership, but I avoided it. Thank God!” When Darien transferred to Mendel after spending his freshman year at St. James he thought, “it was very prestigious…the high school with the college campus.” Darien was an athlete and football was his sport that he lettered in for 3 years, and went on to play in college. When Darien spotted Bahb Peters at Mendel and learned of his dance experience, Darien asked him to start a dance group together. After some convincing, Bahb agreed and the two young men would begin practicing routines together, not knowing what lie ahead.
Photo: Mendel Catholic High School 1978 Yearbook
Dr. DooLittle
Andre "Skeeter" Coleman grew up in the heart of the city's South Side. Nicknamed "Skeeter," short for mosquito, due to his small stature, this nickname would soon become synonymous with something much bigger: a groundbreaking legacy in dance and entertainment. Skeeter saw Darien and Bahb dancing early on and asked if he could join The Doctors. Since they were in the Mendel Marching Band together, they obliged making him the 3rd member of The Doctors. It was during these years that he earned the moniker Dr. Doolittle, a nod to his ability to connect with the music and rhythm of the time. Though Andre graduated before the Doctors reached their peak, his influence remained—Andre has always carried the spirit of "Skeeter" with him—a symbol of both a dancer’s lightheartedness and a creative pioneer who helped shape a cultural legacy that would resonate for generations.
Photo: Mendel Catholic High School 1977 Yearbook
Dr. DooBig/Dr. Kiley
Jamie Shelton, aka Dr. Kiley, grew up on Chicago’s southside South Shore and Avalon neighborhoods. “South Shore was semi-congested with mostly apartment buildings & lakefront high rises and was transitioning from middle class white to working class black families. Avalon Park comprised closely knit neighborhoods of single family homes, mostly families and block clubs.” In school, Jamie was involved in poetry, debate, tennis, bowling, track field, yearbook and most notably, visual art. When Bahb Peters asked Jamie to dance with The Doctors, Jamie thought ‘but I’m an artist.’ This would prove to be in The Doctors favor when Jamie began hand drawing the invitations to their infamous parties.
Photo: Mendel Catholic High School 1978 Yearbook
Dr. Pepper
Born and raised in Chicago’s West Pullman neighborhood, Anthony "Tony" Summerville saw Mendel as a great place to get an education. Living in the same neighborhood as Bahb, the two often rode to and from school together, hung out at fast food spots, and visited girls. As a freshman in 1974, Tony was known for his stylish fashion, sporting big apple hats, high-heeled stax shoes, Nik-Nik shirts, and bell-bottoms. He was not only fashionable but also popular with the ladies. Bahb, already a close friend, recruited Tony into The Doctors, where Tony took on the name Dr. Pepper, the Miracle Stepper, a nod to his love for the Chicago dance style known as stepping. Known for his unique sense of humor and vision, Dr. Pepper worked at his parents' neighborhood store, which gave him both cash and a car, often a different one every few weeks. This access to a vehicle allowed the group to travel across the city, making and distributing pluggers to advertise for them. Beyond dance-offs, Dr. Pepper's passions were cars and parties, and when he wasn’t stepping, he could often be found working security for The Doctors events.
Photo: Mendel Catholic High School 1978 Yearbook
Dr. Casey
Steve Taylor, aka Dr. Ben Casey was born and raised on Chicago’s north side, in the Lathrop Homes Projects. In 1972, his family moved to the far south side West Pullman neighborhood. “When we moved to West Pullman, it was predominantly white. My family was the first black family on our block. I wasn’t even allowed to go 3 blocks to the west of my house just to go the West Pullman Park because the white kids would chase me out. That all changed just one year later in 1973 when 90% of the white families moved out. I was lucky enough to have a job while attending Mendel Catholic, working at Spin-it-Records in the Evergreen Plaza mall. Having access to new music allowed the Doctors to practice frequently and perform at a higher level.”
Dave Harris, from class of ‘78 was Steve's next door neighbor and the main influence on attending Mendel high school. Monarch men were the draw of all the ladies of other all female Catholic HS. Monarch men were thought to be cool, sophisticated, and well mannered.
Photo: Mendel Catholic High School 1979 Yearbook
Dr. Shrinker
Rory Brown was born and raised in Chicago. His parents, who had migrated from the South, first lived on the Westside and later moved South to the Chatham neighborhood, a middle class Black community. Rory’s parents were committed to achieving a middle class lifestyle so they could build better opportunities for their children like many Southern transplants to the North. At this time, Chatham was a segregated community going through a transformation.
Rory was the first Black homecoming king at St. Francis De Sales High School. He played a variety of sports including floor hockey, football, and basketball. He was named All-City for basketball and participated in Athletes For Better Education, a sports organization offering camps, tournaments, clinics, and educational support for advanced athletes from Chicago.
Rory was also the youngest member of The Doctors, joining when he was only in 8th grade. Rory’s older brother sometimes provided support to The Doctors which helped bring them in contact with college students “expanding their perspective.”
Photo: Rory Brown dancing at Mendel, 1978
Dr. Jekyll
Dave Harris, aka Dr. Jekyll was a sweet, shy kid from [the southside of Chicago]. Growing up with a stutter exacerbated by his shyness, Dave was a quiet young man, but still caught the eyes of the girls with his style and good looks. He was cool, funny and clean cut, with a little finesse. He dressed to impress, army jackets and military coats. Dave was also a great artist who loved to draw. Bahb was the one to recruit Dave into The Doctor’s and would work with Dave to pull his shyness out. Bahb knew the group would need Dave to capture the eyes of the girls, and he was right.
Photo: Mendel Catholic High School 1978 Yearbook
Dr. Scholls
Tim Lynch, also known as Dr. Scholls, earned his nickname because of his remarkable footwork when it came to dancing—just like the foot doctor, Dr. Scholls. Being a few years older than the rest of The Doctors, Tim used to frequent events promoted by The Vega Ladies and The Society of Elite aka S.O.E but Tim quickly connected with The Doctors and became an integral part of their journey. Early on, Tim noticed the immense popularity The Doctors had at parties and decided to step up as their manager. He also observed that the group’s pluggers were unlike any others, standing out with a unique style. However, as time went on, he saw their distinctive style being copied by other dance crews in the area. It was at that moment that Dr. Scholls realized just how much influence The Doctors had on the local dance scene and beyond.
Photo: Mendel Catholic High School 1976 Yearbook
Dr. Spumone
Quinn Cooper first crossed paths with Bahb and Wayne Williams of The Chosen Few at St. Catherine De Genoa grammar school in Chicago's West Pullman neighborhood. They would often walk home together, joking around and playing the dozens. After grammar school, Quinn continued his education at Mendel with Bahb and Wayne. Living in the same neighborhood and being friends with many of The Doctors, it was a natural fit for Quinn to join the group, where he was welcomed as Dr. Spimone. Though he joined later than some, Quinn quickly made an impact, mastering the group’s routines and standing out as a performer with his unique style. His improvisational skills, especially his signature move, "The UNCONCERNED," became unforgettable. Quinn was not only a favorite among the ladies but also one of the coolest members of The Doctors. While he dreamt of being a jockey or basketball player, Quinn eventually left Mendel to work full-time at his father’s store on 103rd and Wentworth.
Photo: Mendel Catholic High School 1975 Yearbook
