Скачать или смотреть Ozark Mountain Daredevils ~ Jackie Blue 1974 Pop Purrfection Version

Back in the early 70's there was a new mournful sounding guitar sound that was entirely engaging as evidenced by the popularity of songs like Bread "Guitar Man", The Hollies "The Air That I Breathe", Gordon Lightfoot "The Wreck Of The Edmnund Fitzgerald" and "Jackie Blue" by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. They were perfect end of the day songs I listened to on my light blue Panasonic AM/FM Clock Radio while I was getting into bed. I can't tell you how often I fell asleep and how handy it was to have a timer that turned off the radio after 30 minutes.

The OMD were a Southern and country rock band who had two Top40 hits with the #24 "If You Want To Get To Heaven" and the song they are best known for the #3 (stuck there for two weeks) "Jackie Blue". I can't say that this sounds remotely country or Southern rock like Lynyrd Skynryd, but that mournful guitar solo certainly gained the band a pop following that fizzled out after their penultimate hit.

The band first came together with Randle Chowling, Steve Cash, John Dillon, Elizabeth Anderson, Larry Lee, Rick Campanelli, Bill Jones and Michael Granda in 1971 Springfield, Missouri. After a few management missteps, they sent their demo tape to Brewer & Shipley, who had a major hit with "One Toke Over The Line" a #10 pop hit in 1970.

They agreed to manage the band who through a naming party now called themselves “Cosmic Corn Cob & His Amazing Ozark Mountain Daredevils” which got shortened to Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Throughout 1972 and 1973 they were constantly touring but found time to keep making demo tapes.

One of those tapes was received by David Anderle of A&M Records who was looking for an Eagles country rock band for the label. Glyn Johns (producer of the Eagles) and Anderle went to see the band, but because they were nervous about their being in the audience did not perform as well as they should have. Invited by the band for an unplugged performance, the pair were blown away by them.

Their first album in 1973 gave them their first hit in the summer of 1974. Fans maintain that this album is the best showcase of their talents.

For their second album Johns and Anderle went to Missouri to record the band when they heard Larry Lee playing a song about a mysterious friend of his who dealt drugs on the side. Johns loved the song, but recommended that they change the protagonist to a woman and to downplay the drug references. Johns was bang on, the song came to define the OMD and peaked at #3 in early 1975.

Since they had no "Jackie Blue" type songs on the third album, A&M lost interest. After several members left to pursue their own interests and the group moved on to Columbia Records.

The Daredevils continued to record and in 2010 released a live album on CD. Their last waxing was 2019's "Heaven 20/20" a seven track EP.