Crowfoot (band)
Encyclopedia
Crowfoot was an American rock
trio. The original line-up featured Russell DaShiell, Doug Killmer
and Rick Jaeger.
on bass and vocals and Rick Jaeger on drums. The group originally formed in 1964 under the name "The Beau Gentry" as a Melbourne, Florida
based high-school cover band. Eventually DaShiell began to write music and the band began to perform their own material. At that time the band also featured Lance Massey on guitar and vocals. They were discovered by manager Ken Adamany who arranged a successful 1966 tour through the U.S. mid-west. On the strength of this tour, the band decided to relocate to the area and build upon the fan base they had established. In December 1968, DaShiell, Killmer and Jaegar decided to relocate again, this time to the San Francisco Bay area in the hopes that exposure in the burgeoning Bay area music scene would lead them to a recording contract. Lance Massey chose to leave the band at this time and settle in Wisconsin. The remaining band members renamed themselves, "Crowfoot".
In California, DaShiell, Killmer and Jaeger found session work to help make ends meet. Of particular note, was DaShiell's and Killmer's guitar work on Norman Greenbaum
's, gold-selling hit, Spirit in the Sky
and DaShiell's and Jaeger's work on former Canned Heat
guitarist, Harvey Mandel
's, album, "Games Guitars Play". In 1970 Crowfoot signed with ABC-Paramount but by this time Killmer was pursuing other projects and although Jaeger did play drums on the self-titled album, Crowfoot had essentially become a DaSheill solo act. In 1971, a second album was released, "Find the Sun". It featured Russell DaShiell backed by Don Francisco on drums and vocals, Sam McCue on guitar and vocals and Bill Sutton on bass. In 1994 DaShiell, Killmer and Jaeger reunited and released an EP, titled "Messenger".
After leaving Crowfoot, Jaeger became the regular drummer for Dave Mason
and he recorded with Tim Weisberg
and the BoDeans
amongst others. He also spent time in the early 80's as the drummer for Mike Finnigan and The Right Band. Rick Jaeger died in 2000. Doug Killmer played on the Otis Rush
Grammy-nominated song from 1976 Right Place, Wrong Time
, and Rita Abrams
' Grammy-Award-winning song, "Mill Valley". He was active in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for over 3 decades until his death in 2005. Lance Massey continues to live and occasionally perform in the Beloit
, Wisconsin
area. Sam McCue lives and performs in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. Don Francisco went on to play with Linda Ronstadt
, Kim Carnes
and the California rock band Wha-Koo
. Russell DaShiell relocated to the Los Angeles area and worked with musicians Phil Everly, Bo Diddley
, John Sebastian
and former Creedence Clearwater Revival
member Tom Fogerty
. He was a member of the Don Harrison Band
from 1976 to 1977 which featured Stu Cook
and Doug Clifford
, also former members of Creedence Clearwater Revival
. He continues to work and record in the Los Angeles area.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
trio. The original line-up featured Russell DaShiell, Doug Killmer
Douglas Killmer
Douglas "Doug" Killmer was an American blues and rock bass guitarist active from the 1960s to the late 1990s. He is sometimes credited as Douglas Kilmer or Doug Kilmer. He is best remembered for playing the bass line on Norman Greenbaum's 1970 hit "Spirit in the Sky"...
and Rick Jaeger.
History
The rock trio Crowfoot was an American band featuring Russell DaShiell on guitar and vocals, Doug KillmerDouglas Killmer
Douglas "Doug" Killmer was an American blues and rock bass guitarist active from the 1960s to the late 1990s. He is sometimes credited as Douglas Kilmer or Doug Kilmer. He is best remembered for playing the bass line on Norman Greenbaum's 1970 hit "Spirit in the Sky"...
on bass and vocals and Rick Jaeger on drums. The group originally formed in 1964 under the name "The Beau Gentry" as a Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne, Florida
Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of 2009, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 78,323. The municipal area is the second largest by size and by population in the county. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida...
based high-school cover band. Eventually DaShiell began to write music and the band began to perform their own material. At that time the band also featured Lance Massey on guitar and vocals. They were discovered by manager Ken Adamany who arranged a successful 1966 tour through the U.S. mid-west. On the strength of this tour, the band decided to relocate to the area and build upon the fan base they had established. In December 1968, DaShiell, Killmer and Jaegar decided to relocate again, this time to the San Francisco Bay area in the hopes that exposure in the burgeoning Bay area music scene would lead them to a recording contract. Lance Massey chose to leave the band at this time and settle in Wisconsin. The remaining band members renamed themselves, "Crowfoot".
In California, DaShiell, Killmer and Jaeger found session work to help make ends meet. Of particular note, was DaShiell's and Killmer's guitar work on Norman Greenbaum
Norman Greenbaum
Norman Greenbaum is an American singer-songwriter. He was raised in a traditional Jewish household and went to Hebrew school. His initial interest in music was sparked by Southern blues music and the folk music that was hugely popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
's, gold-selling hit, Spirit in the Sky
Spirit in the Sky
"Spirit in the Sky" is a song written and originally recorded by Norman Greenbaum and released in 1969. The single sold two million copies in 1969 and 1970 and reached number three in the U.S. Billboard chart, as well as number one on the UK, Australian and Canadian charts in 1970. Rolling Stone...
and DaShiell's and Jaeger's work on former Canned Heat
Canned Heat
Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...
guitarist, Harvey Mandel
Harvey Mandel
Harvey Mandel is an American guitarist known for his innovative approach to electric guitar playing. A professional at twenty, he played with Charlie Musselwhite, Canned Heat, The Rolling Stones, and John Mayall before starting a solo career...
's, album, "Games Guitars Play". In 1970 Crowfoot signed with ABC-Paramount but by this time Killmer was pursuing other projects and although Jaeger did play drums on the self-titled album, Crowfoot had essentially become a DaSheill solo act. In 1971, a second album was released, "Find the Sun". It featured Russell DaShiell backed by Don Francisco on drums and vocals, Sam McCue on guitar and vocals and Bill Sutton on bass. In 1994 DaShiell, Killmer and Jaeger reunited and released an EP, titled "Messenger".
After leaving Crowfoot, Jaeger became the regular drummer for Dave Mason
Dave Mason
David Thomas "Dave" Mason is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Worcester, who first found fame with the rock band Traffic...
and he recorded with Tim Weisberg
Tim Weisberg
Tim Weisberg is an American jazz/rock fusion flutist, composer, producer, and vocalist. In high school, at his first music class, because his last name was at the end of the alphabet, he was last to pick an instrument. All that was left was the flute and the bassoon...
and the BoDeans
BoDeans
The BoDeans are a rock band formed in Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1983 by Kurt Neumann and Sam Llanas . In 1985, after adding a drummer and a bassist, the band signed a contract with Slash Records and recorded their first album...
amongst others. He also spent time in the early 80's as the drummer for Mike Finnigan and The Right Band. Rick Jaeger died in 2000. Doug Killmer played on the Otis Rush
Otis Rush
Otis Rush is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes...
Grammy-nominated song from 1976 Right Place, Wrong Time
Right Place, Wrong Time (album)
Right Place, Wrong Time Is a 1976 album by blues singer and guitarist Otis Rush. Although regarded as one of his finest recordings, the album was not issued until five years after it was recorded.-Background:...
, and Rita Abrams
Rita Abrams
Rita Abrams is an American songwriter, performer and writer. Her song "Mill Valley", recorded with children at the school where she was teaching, was released under the name Miss Abrams and the Strawberry Point Third Grade Class in 1970, becoming a Billboard Hot 100 hit and being nominated for a...
' Grammy-Award-winning song, "Mill Valley". He was active in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for over 3 decades until his death in 2005. Lance Massey continues to live and occasionally perform in the Beloit
Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966. The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.-Claim to fame:...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
area. Sam McCue lives and performs in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. Don Francisco went on to play with Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
, Kim Carnes
Kim Carnes
Kim Carnes is an American singer-songwriter. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner noted for her distinctive raspy vocal style. Some people have called her "The Female Rod Stewart" due to her raspy voice....
and the California rock band Wha-Koo
Wha-Koo
Wha-Koo was an American rock band best known for their 1978 single, "You're Such a Fabulous Dancer", an international hit from their critically acclaimed album, "Berkshire".-History:...
. Russell DaShiell relocated to the Los Angeles area and worked with musicians Phil Everly, Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
, John Sebastian
John Sebastian
John Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
and former Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
member Tom Fogerty
Tom Fogerty
Thomas Richard "Tom" Fogerty was an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist in Creedence Clearwater Revival and the elder brother of John Fogerty, lead singer and lead guitarist in that band....
. He was a member of the Don Harrison Band
Don Harrison Band
The Don Harrison Band were a 1970s American roots band that featured Don Harrison on vocals, guitar and keyboards, Stu Cook on bass and piano and Doug Clifford on drums and percussion. Stu Cook and Doug "Cosmo" Clifford were both former members of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Rounding out the...
from 1976 to 1977 which featured Stu Cook
Stu Cook
Stuart Alden Cook is an American bass guitarist, best known for his work in the rock band, Creedence Clearwater Revival....
and Doug Clifford
Doug Clifford
Doug "Cosmo" Clifford played drums in the American rock band, Creedence Clearwater Revival...
, also former members of Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
. He continues to work and record in the Los Angeles area.
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | Catalogue Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Crowfoot | ABC-Paramount Records | Paramount 265 |
| 1971 | Find the Sun | ABC-Paramount Records | ABCS 745 |
| 1994 | Messenger (EP) | Aerial View |
External links
- http://pophouse.accardiweb.com/?p=12
- http://www.mp3.com/artist/crowfoot/summary
- http://www.billboard.com/artist/russell-dashiell/bio/14175#/search/crowfoot
- http://www.billboard.com/artist/russell-dashiell/bio/14175#/artist/russell-dashiell/14175
- http://www.spiritguitar.com