Black Oak Arkansas - Black Oak Arkansas (1971 us, great southern rock, debut album, Wounded Bird edition)

Born and raised in the neighbouring hamlets of small town of Black Oak, Arkansas, school friends Jim 'Dandy' Mangrum and Ricky Reynolds formed their first band whilst in High School. September 1965 witnessed the group's first live show at Reynolds Park Community Centre in Pasragould, Arkansas. During 1969, after having been finally chased out of town thanks to a reputation for hell raising and ripping off the neighbourhood in order to pawn their ill-gotten gains for new band equipment the boys wound up in New Orleans.

Relocated, the group (originally known as THE KNOWBODY ELSE) was signed to Hip Records and issued a self-titled album (re-issued by the Stax label in 1974 as 'The Early Times') before attracting the interest of the Atlantic label after a show in Los Angeles. By the time they released their major label debut in 1971, produced by the IRON BUTTERFLY duo of MIKE PINERA and Larry Dorman at Paramount Recording Studios and Gold Star Recording Studios in Hollywood, California, the group had changed their name to BLACK OAK ARKANSAS in honour of their roots.

The initial BLACK OAK ARKANSAS roster included vocalist Jim 'Dandy' Mangrum, guitarist Rickie 'Ricochet' Reynolds, guitarists Stan 'Goober' Knight and Harvey 'Burley' Jett, bassist Pat 'Dirty' Daugherty and drummer Wayne 'Squeezebox' Evans. The debut album struck an immediate chord with the American Rock public; especially the renewed attitude the band gave the GUY MITCHELL hit 'Singin' The Blues'. Touring to promote the record included support dates to GRAND FUNK RAILROAD before the band journeyed to Florida to cut follow up 'Keep The Faith'.

Tracks

1. Uncle Elijah - 3:17
2. Memories At The Window - 3:05
3. The Hills Of Arkansas - 3:45
4. I Could Love You - 6:10
5. Hot And Nasty (Black Oak Arkansas, Endsley) - 2:55
6. Singing The Blues (Melvin Endsley) - 2:17
7. Lord Have Mercy On My Soul - 6:15
8. When Electricity Came To Arkansas - 4:26
All songs written by Black Oak Arkansas, except where stated.

Black Oak Arkansas
* Jim "Dandy" Mangrum - Lead Vocals, Washboard
* Rickie "Ricochet" Reynolds - 12 String Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
* Pat "Dirty" Daugherty - Bass Guitar, Vocals
* Harvey "Burley" Jett - Lead Guitar, Banjo, Piano, Vocals
* Stanley "Goober" Knight - Lead,  Steel Guitar, Organ, Vocals
* Wayne "Squeezebox" Evans - Drums

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