Black Oak Arkansas
A sextet formed in the late '60s, Black Oak Arkansas took its name from the USA town and state where singer Jim ‘Dandy’ Mangrum (b. 30 March 1948) was born. The other members of the group hailed from nearby towns: Ricky Reynolds (b. 28 October 1948, Manilan, Arkansas, USA; guitar), Stanley Knight (b. 12 February 1949, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; guitar), Harvey Jett (b. Marion, Arkansas, USA; guitar), Pat Daugherty (b. 11 November 1947, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA; bass) and drummer Wayne Evans, replaced on the third album by Thomas Aldrich (b. 15 August, 1950, Jackson, Mississippi, USA). Before forming the band, the future members were part of a gang that shared a house. At first calling themselves the Knowbody Else, the group recorded an unsuccessful album for Stax Records in 1969. Two years later they changed their name and signed with Atco Records, for whom they recorded a self-titled album that introduced them to the US charts. Touring steadily, this hard rock/southern boogie band built a core following, yet its records never matched its concert appeal. Of their 10 US-charting albums between 1971 and 1976, HIGH ON THE HOG proved the most commercially successful, peaking at number 52. It featured the best-selling 1974 Top 30 single, Jim Dandy (sung by female vocalist Ruby Starr, who reappeared on the 1976 LIVE! MUTHA album). In 1975, guitarist Jett was replaced by James Henderson (b. 20 May 1954, Jackson, Mississippi, USA) and the following year, after switching to MCA Records, Black Oak Arkansas had only one further minor chart single, Strong Enough To Be Gentle. By 1977 only Mangrum remained from the original band and although they signed to Capricorn Records, there was no further record success. Mangrum did, however, keep variations of the group on the road during the '80s as well as recording a solo album in 1984.