Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

NEW RIDERS of the PURPLE SAGE

The country- rock band formed as offshoot of the Grateful Dead '69 remained active into the '90s. Following a jam session featuring Garcia on steel guitar, guitarist and songwriter John Dawson suggested they form splinter country group, the name from a Zane Grey novel; signed to Columbia '71 with Dawson, lead vocals, Spencer Dryden (ex-Jefferson Airplane) on drums, Garcia on steel, Dave Torbert on bass, David Nelson on guitar and vocals; Garcia dropped out to be replaced by Buddy Cage (formerly with Ian and Sylvia and Anne Murray); Nicky Hopkins guested on keyboards on second album Powerglide '72; Adventures Of Panama Red '73 featured Memphis Horns and Buffy St Marie; they moved to MCA '76 with Skip Battin (ex-Byrds) on bass; as the '70s rolled into '80s the band underwent lineup changes with only Dawson staying constant; joined A&M '81 and continued as a popular road band with Gary Vogenson (guitar, vocals), Rusty Gauthier (fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo and vocals), Michael White (bass) and Greg Legardo (drums) joining Dawson. Other albums incl. Gypsy Cowboy '73, Home Home On The Road '74, Brujo '74, Oh What A Mighty Time '75 all on Columbia; New Riders '76, Who Are These Guys? '77, Marin County Line '78 all on MCA; Feelin' All Right '81 on A&M; Keep On Keepin' On '90 and Wasted Tasters '93 on Raven. Before Time Began '87 on Relix by the New Riders had one side of '68--9 stuff with Garcia, the other of 'backwards tapes' in the category of Dead exotica.