Papa Doo Run Run

December 23, 2025 / Rock Music

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Papa Doo Run Run

As the British Invasion reached a fever pitch in 1965, every American garage band seemed intent on emulating the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds or the Kinks. And four kids from Cupertino who would one day become Papa Doo Run Run were no different from their peers. But deep down they harbored a secret desire to play something else. And it didn’t come from England.

December 22, 2025 – 60th Anniversary Announcement

After six decades of keeping the California dream alive, Papa Doo Run Run has announced their retirement.
“All good things… must come to an end.” – Don Zirilli

The Dream That Came True

As the British Invasion reached a fever pitch in 1965, every American garage band seemed intent on emulating the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds or the Kinks. And the four kids from Cupertino who would one day become Papa Doo Run Run were no different from their peers. But deep down they harbored a secret desire to play something else. And it didn’t come from England.

To Don Zirilli, Jim Rush, Stevie Dromensk and Jim Shippey the holy grail was the goosebump-inducing sound of the Beach Boys. This quartet worked endlessly to perfect those four-part harmony vocals so they could recreate the Beach Boys’ songbook: vest-pocket symphonies about cars, girls, surf, going steady, the beach and cruising the drive-in on Saturday night—in short, to live the California dream.

And for Papa Doo Run Run the dream would eventually come true. They did it all! They played with their musical idols, made hit records, toured the world, appeared in a Jan & Dean bio-pic, enjoyed a long-standing residency at Disneyland as the house band—and they were nominated for a Grammy (Editing In A Digital Domain) for their sparkling 1985 Telarc LP California Project.

The Beginning: December 22, 1965

It was a cold, blustery night in San Jose, and three of Don Zirilli’s buddies and he were headed to their very first gig: a Christmas frat party at San Jose State College, at the corner of Fourth and William. Their pay? All the beer they could drink. Not bad for four teenagers from Cupertino.

And just like that, the saga began.

In the beginning, there were just four of them: Stevie “Surf” Dromensk, Jimi-Jo Rush, Krazy Jim Shippey, and Donnie TI (the “TI” stood for Teen Idol). They called themselves The Zu, and since they were one of the few South Bay garage bands with keyboards, they leaned heavily into organ-based songs by the Animals and the Doors.

The Name Evolution

By 1968, as they became better musicians, they changed their name to Goodie Two Shoes and expanded their repertoire to include Top 40 rock by Creedence, Chicago, the Beatles, and others—along with a few original songs. Before long, they became very popular in Northern California, playing dances and concerts at high schools, colleges, and any local watering hole that featured live music.

In 1971, they poached the doowop-style vocal backing riff from Jan & Dean’s 1964 hit “The New Girl In School” and became Papa Du Run Da Run. With a (perhaps unintentional) nod to the Crystals’ 1963 Phil Spector-produced hit “Da Doo Ron Ron,” the name was soon shortened to Papa Doo Run Run.

The Night That Changed Everything: 1971

Then came 1971—and everything changed.

Goodie Two Shoes was the opening act at a concert headlined by Tower of Power. The problem? Tower was late. They were asked to go back onstage and fill time. As a joke, they launched into a 30-minute medley of Beach Boys songs, fully expecting a train wreck. After all, Beach Boys music was considered passé, and not relevant back then—or so they thought.

To their complete shock, every kid in the place jumped to their feet, singing along at the top of their lungs. The applause at the end was deafening. That night changed their lives forever.

In 1972, they became Papa Doo Run Run—a name worthy of their new Beach Party identity. Papa’s wholesale conversion to the solid gold Beach Boys sound had come about quite by accident, but the crowd went bananas, and the Cupertino boys took the plunge. As great as the late ’60s were, the ’70s were even better.

Six Decades of California Dreaming

Highlights of the 1970s:

They added guitarists Markie Ward and Jimmy D. Armstrong when founding member Stevie Surf left the band. Their youth and additional vocals brought new energy and thicker harmonies.
In 1973, they met Dean Torrence of Jan & Dean, who introduced them to Beach Boy Bruce Johnston.
They scored their first hit record, “Be True to Your School,” on RCA, produced by Bruce Johnston. The flipside, Johnston’s “Disney Girls,” got them in the door at Disneyland.
They landed a 15-year run as the Celebrity House Band at Disneyland, an association that began in the mid-’70s.
They toured nationwide with surf legends Jan & Dean as their opening act and backing band from 1976-80.
They appeared in Deadman’s Curve, the critically acclaimed 1978 TV docu-drama detailing the return to performance of Jan Berry after a near-fatal 1966 car crash, and recorded its soundtrack.
They were inducted into the Cupertino High School Hall of Fame—their alma mater.
One magical night at Disneyland found both Brian and Carl Wilson, as well as Dean Torrence, jamming onstage with Papa Doo Run Run.

The 1980s: A New Era

In 1981, they left Jan & Dean to pursue their own path, ushering in a new era.

Jimmy D. and Markie rejoined Jan & Dean; lead guitarist Steve Barone joined Papa, bringing a fresh ’80s rock edge.
Founding member Krazy Jim Shippey left to start a career in real estate.
“Boy Wonder” drummer Andy Parker joined the band, and Stevie Surf returned.
They released two new albums: Papa Doo’s Electronic EP(featuring John Stamos) and the award-winning California Project—their first CD, which earned them a Grammy nomination for Editing In A Digital Domain.
Papa was featured on the Disney Easter Special, filmed in the Bahamas.
They performed for 18,000 enthusiastic fans at EXPO ’88 at the World’s Fair in Australia.

The 1990s: Hitting the Road

In 1990, after 15 solid years, they left Disneyland and hit the road hard—touring North America, Hawaii, and the Caribbean.

Jeffrey Foskett, Don Zirilli’s brother-in-law and a longtime Beach Boys member, joined the band after Stevie Surf took a multi-year hiatus. Jeff’s golden voice and stage presence took them to the next level.
In 1995, drummer Andy Parker and guitarist Steve Barone departed. Dan “The Man” McNamara filled in on drums until Bo Fox joined permanently. Studio ace Bobby “G” Gothar took over lead guitar.
They recorded their first live album, It’s Alive.
They reached a new peak—up to 170 shows a year. The ’90s were a thrilling, transitional decade. Never a dull moment.

The 2000s: The New Millennium

The new millennium brought even more change.

They became a six-man band. When Brian Wilson asked Jeff Foskett to be his musical director, they brought in Randell Kirsch. Jeff’s schedule remained flexible, and the Jeff-Randell harmonies were so good they kept them both.
The Beach Boys proposed a trade: they wanted Randell, and Papa would get Adrian Baker, a 20-year Beach Boys and Frankie Valli veteran. Deal!
They released seven albums: Archeology XXXV, Santa Cruz, Blue Plate Special, P6, On the Beach, Soundtrack 40, and Greenifornia, plus a 60-minute live concert DVD.

San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame – 2007

In 2007, San Jose Rocks inducted Papa Doo Run Run into the San Jose Rocks Hall of Fame at a special induction dinner and ceremony, recognizing their extraordinary contributions to the region’s musical heritage and their decades of keeping the California sound alive.

Watch the induction ceremony video below.

The 2010s and Beyond: Still Standing

In the 2010s, they continued performing across the Northern Hemisphere for crowds as large as 70,000.

They began performing with 58-piece orchestras—an absolutely mind-blowing experience. To date, they performed over 70 symphonic shows.
Guitarist/vocalist Denny Hardwick, a longtime friend, joined permanently after filling in for Bobby G during his recovery from an auto accident.
Founding member Jimi-Jo Rush retired for health reasons, and the incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist Donny Goldberg stepped in on bass and vocals.

A Heartfelt Farewell

For over half a century, Papa Doo Run Run lived the adventures most people only dream about—and somehow, they kept standing. From wishing they could play surf music in 1965 to actually doing it for 60 wildly successful years, it’s been a great ride for these Cupertino natives. They played thousands of gigs, made thousands of friends, and created thousands of stories.

At times it felt like they were living inside This Is Spinal Tap, but turning the volume up to 11 is what keeps life interesting. All Papa Doo Run Run’s summer dreams finally came true.

From Don Zirilli, December 22, 2025:

“All good things… must come to an end. Now, it’s time to dim the lights, pack up the guitars, close the curtain, and step into whatever new chapters await. To our wives, girlfriends, families, friends, fans, and roadies—without whom we could not have played a single show—thank you for standing with us for 60 incredible years. God bless you all. Merry Christmas to all, and to all… A heartfelt Adios.”