Biography of Ozark Mountain Daredevils
One of the pre-eminent country-rock bands of the 1970s, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils were formed in 1971 by vocalist and harmonica player Steve Cash, multi-instrumentalists John Dillon and Larry Lee, and vocalist/bassist Mike "Supe" Granda. The individual members first met while playing in and around their hometown of Springfield, Missouri; initially, they performed under the name of the Emergency Band, and consisted of Cash, Lee and Dillon, as well as the latter's wife. After a series of name-changes (including the Buffalo Chips, the Burlap Socks and the Family Tree), they settled on the Ozark Mountain Daredevils after the addition of Granda cemented their line-up.After the group's manager Steve Plesser sent their demo to the famed rock producer Glyn Johns, they were offered a contract by A&M Records' David Anderle, who joined with Johns to produce the Daredevils' self-titled 1973 LP, recorded with recent band additions Randle Chowning (vocals, guitar and harmonica) and Buddy Brayfield (keyboards, oboe and vocals). The single "If You Wanna Get to Heaven" was a pop hit in 1974, and later in the year the band issued their sophomore release, It'll Shine When It Shines, featuring the pop smash "Jackie Blue." A year later, the Daredevils' third LP The Car Over the Lake Album, featured the minor pop hit "If I Only Knew." Shortly after its release, the group welcomed drummer and guitarist Steve Canady, who earlier had also played on their original demo. In 1976, Brayfield left the band, and was replaced by former deejay Jerry Mills. Later in the year, the album Men From Earth was released; its single "You Made It Right" was the Daredevils' lone country chart hit. After the 1977 record Don't Look Now, they released 1978's double concert album It's Alive, which proved to be Larry Lee's final work with the group before exiting for a solo career. (Under the name Larry Michael Lee, he became a successful Nashville producer.)After moving to Columbia in 1980, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils released another self-titled effort, after which the group seemingly vanished. It was not until 1989 that the Daredevils reappeared, sporting the five-piece roster of Cash, Dillon, Granda, Canady and guitarist D. Clinton Thompson; after issuing the album Modern History, they again dropped out of sight. ~ Jason Ankeny
Biography of Ozark Mountain Daredevils
One of the pre-eminent country-rock bands of the 1970s, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils were formed in 1971 by vocalist and harmonica player Steve Cash, multi-instrumentalists John Dillon and Larry Lee, and vocalist/bassist Mike "Supe" Granda. The individual members first met while playing in and around their hometown of Springfield, Missouri; initially, they performed under the name of the Emergency Band, and consisted of Cash, Lee and Dillon, as well as the latter's wife. After a series of name-changes (including the Buffalo Chips, the Burlap Socks and the Family Tree), they settled on the Ozark Mountain Daredevils after the addition of Granda cemented their line-up.After the group's manager Steve Plesser sent their demo to the famed rock producer Glyn Johns, they were offered a contract by A&M Records' David Anderle, who joined with Johns to produce the Daredevils' self-titled 1973 LP, recorded with recent band additions Randle Chowning (vocals, guitar and harmonica) and Buddy Brayfield (keyboards, oboe and vocals). The single "If You Wanna Get to Heaven" was a pop hit in 1974, and later in the year the band issued their sophomore release, It'll Shine When It Shines, featuring the pop smash "Jackie Blue." A year later, the Daredevils' third LP The Car Over the Lake Album, featured the minor pop hit "If I Only Knew." Shortly after its release, the group welcomed drummer and guitarist Steve Canady, who earlier had also played on their original demo. In 1976, Brayfield left the band, and was replaced by former deejay Jerry Mills. Later in the year, the album Men From Earth was released; its single "You Made It Right" was the Daredevils' lone country chart hit. After the 1977 record Don't Look Now, they released 1978's double concert album It's Alive, which proved to be Larry Lee's final work with the group before exiting for a solo career. (Under the name Larry Michael Lee, he became a successful Nashville producer.)After moving to Columbia in 1980, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils released another self-titled effort, after which the group seemingly vanished. It was not until 1989 that the Daredevils reappeared, sporting the five-piece roster of Cash, Dillon, Granda, Canady and guitarist D. Clinton Thompson; after issuing the album Modern History, they again dropped out of sight. ~ Jason Ankeny
