Sir Douglas Quintet

Formed in 1964, the quintet was fashioned by a Houston-based producer, Huey P. Meaux and former teenage prodigy, Doug Sahm (b. 6 November 1941, San Antonio, Texas, USA). The name, Sir Douglas Quintet, first used on Sugar Bee (1964), was fashioned to suggest Anglo credentials in the midst of the British Invasion, but Sahm's southern accent soon put paid to such attempted deception. Augie Meyers (b. 31 May 1940; organ), Francisco (Frank) Morin (b. 13 August 1946; horns), Harvey Kagan (b. 18 April 1946; bass) and John Perez (b. 8 November 1942; drums) completed the line-up which scored an international hit with She's About A Mover, an infectious blend of Texas pop and the Beatles’ She's A Woman, underscored by Meyers’ simple, insistent keyboards. This charming style continued on several further singles and the band's debut album, prematurely entitled THE BEST OF THE SIR DOUGLAS QUINTET. In keeping with several Texans, including Janis Joplin and the Thirteenth Floor Elevators, the Quintet sought the relaxed clime of San Francisco following an arrest on drugs charges in 1966. However, it was two years before the band resumed recording with HONKY BLUES, although only Sahm and Morin were retained from the earlier unit which was bolstered by other Lone Star state exiles Wayne Talbert (piano), Martin Fierro (horns) and George Rains (drums).
The original Quintet was reconstituted for MENDOCINO. This superb selection remains their finest offering and includes the atmospheric At The Crossroads, a fiery remake of ‘She's About a Mover’ and the compulsive title track, which became the group's sole million-seller when released as a single. This commercial peak was not sustained and despite delivering several other excellent albums, the unit broke up in 1972 when Sahm embarked on a solo career. It was, however, a temporary respite and since reforming in 1976 the group has been resurrected on several occasions, in part to tour and capitalise on a continued European popularity.