Goose Creek Symphony
Encyclopedia
The Goose Creek Symphony is an American rock band with roots in Arizona and Kentucky. They were formed in 1968 in Phoenix, Arizona as an outlet for the songs of Charlie Gearheart, aka Ritchie Hart, and were best known for their 1972 cover of Janis Joplin
's song, Mercedes Benz. The band recorded their first album at Audio Recorders in 1968-69 and were subsequently signed to Capitol Records
in 1970. They continued recording until 1976, then reformed in 1990. The band is considered one of the tightest, musically, of its genre and has continued touring to popular acclaim.
The band appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
with Bobbie Gentry
and shared the stage with Jimi Hendrix
and The Allman Brothers Band
among others at the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival. Charlie Gearheart performed on American Bandstand
as Ritchie Hart in 1959. The Goose Creek Symphony has been inducted into "The Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame" class of 2011.
and recorded Do Your Thing But Don’t Touch Mine, which was perhaps the weakest to date, but its still a solid, if misguided set (as the label decided they needed a producer, which they clearly did not). Shortly thereafter the band took a hiatus which lasted almost 17 years. Then, out of nowhere, they came back (and musically it sounds like they never went away), and lo and behold they sound almost contemporary.
In the years since they resurfaced, they’ve played many festivals and released a slew of albums, including the superb live set The Goose Is Loose in 1995, which highlights their extended jamming, witness the meandering 20 minutes or so of “Talk About Goose Creek and Other Important Places.” They’ve done the Acoustic Goose, as well as excellent studio albums, such as Going Home (1998) and I Don’t Know (2003). They’ve also released a couple of lost albums, such as Head For the Hills (recorded in 1975-76 and released in 1997) and recently The Same Thing Again (one music CD and a bonus DVD). The latter was recorded in the mid-70s and essentially forgotten about for three decades. Ironically the title cut has Gearheart singing, “If I could live my life over I’d do the same thing again, for 20 long years I’ve picked and I’ve sung.” Well, the band has gotten a new lease on life and while one could say they are doing the same thing again, it's only in that they are playing great music that’s outside the norm and remarkably refreshing, and more than that, they simply exude good vibes.
Janis Joplin
Janis Lyn Joplin was an American singer, songwriter, painter, dancer and music arranger. She rose to prominence in the late 1960s as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and later as a solo artist with her backing groups, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie Band...
's song, Mercedes Benz. The band recorded their first album at Audio Recorders in 1968-69 and were subsequently signed to Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
in 1970. They continued recording until 1976, then reformed in 1990. The band is considered one of the tightest, musically, of its genre and has continued touring to popular acclaim.
The band appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
with Bobbie Gentry
Bobbie Gentry
Roberta Lee Streeter , professionally known as Bobbie Gentry, is a former American singer-songwriter notable as one of the first female country artists to compose and produce her own material...
and shared the stage with Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band
The Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
among others at the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival. Charlie Gearheart performed on American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
as Ritchie Hart in 1959. The Goose Creek Symphony has been inducted into "The Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame" class of 2011.
Music
In the 70s they fit into a country rock mode, but they were more esoteric and versatile than many of their contemporaries and had more grit and a rugged, less commercial sound. They were/are a good time band that love to jam and stretch out regardless of the genre. They recorded three eclectic albums for Capitol, Est 1970, (1970) Welcome to Goose Creek (1971) and Words of Earnest (1972). All were moderately successful with the last boasting a hit single cover of Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz.” Re-mastered versions of these discs are available on the group’s website (http://www.GooseCreekSymphony.com). In 1974 the band moved over to Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and recorded Do Your Thing But Don’t Touch Mine, which was perhaps the weakest to date, but its still a solid, if misguided set (as the label decided they needed a producer, which they clearly did not). Shortly thereafter the band took a hiatus which lasted almost 17 years. Then, out of nowhere, they came back (and musically it sounds like they never went away), and lo and behold they sound almost contemporary.
In the years since they resurfaced, they’ve played many festivals and released a slew of albums, including the superb live set The Goose Is Loose in 1995, which highlights their extended jamming, witness the meandering 20 minutes or so of “Talk About Goose Creek and Other Important Places.” They’ve done the Acoustic Goose, as well as excellent studio albums, such as Going Home (1998) and I Don’t Know (2003). They’ve also released a couple of lost albums, such as Head For the Hills (recorded in 1975-76 and released in 1997) and recently The Same Thing Again (one music CD and a bonus DVD). The latter was recorded in the mid-70s and essentially forgotten about for three decades. Ironically the title cut has Gearheart singing, “If I could live my life over I’d do the same thing again, for 20 long years I’ve picked and I’ve sung.” Well, the band has gotten a new lease on life and while one could say they are doing the same thing again, it's only in that they are playing great music that’s outside the norm and remarkably refreshing, and more than that, they simply exude good vibes.
Discography
- Established 1970 (1970, Capitol)
- Welcome to Goose Creek (1971, Capitol)
- Words of Earnest (1972, Capitol)Platnium
- Do Your Thing But Don't Touch Mine (1974, Columbia)
- Head For The Hills (never released album from 1975–76, Bootlegged 1977, 1997 CD-release, 2009 CD-re-release w/bonus track )
- Oso Special (Recorded 1985, Released 1990, June Appal)
- Live at Appal Shop (1991, June Appal, lim. Rel.,1997 re-released as "Acoustic Goose")
- The Goose Is Loose (1995, 2CD private rel.,1996 single CD, Winter Harvest, 2007 2 CD re-release )
- Goin' Home (2002)
- I Don't Know (2003)
- Goose on the Lake 2004 (2004)
- Live at the Mountain Arts Center (2004)
- Goose on the Lake 2007 (2007)
- The Same Thing Again (recorded 1977, released 2008)