Powerglide (album)
Encyclopedia
Powerglide is the second album by the American band the New Riders of the Purple Sage
. The music is a psychedelic
hybrid of country rock
, and includes guest musicians Jerry Garcia
and Bill Kreutzmann
from the Grateful Dead
, along with noted session player Nicky Hopkins
. The album contains six original tunes by the band, plus covers such as "I Don't Need No Doctor", "Hello Mary Lou", and "Willie and the Hand Jive".
Powerglide was the first New Riders album to feature Buddy Cage
, who had replaced Garcia as the New Riders' pedal steel guitar
player. It was the band's highest-charting album, reaching number 33 on the Billboard 200
.
, under the name Kelly and Mouse Studios.
The original LP contained a 12 inch by 12 inch heavy paper insert with the album credits. The artwork for the insert was drawn by Lore Orion, then known as Lore Shoberg. It is a caricature
that portrays the band members as cowboys. Depicted from left to right are David Nelson
, John Dawson
, Spencer Dryden
, Dave Torbert
, and Buddy Cage
.
New Riders of the Purple Sage
New Riders of the Purple Sage is an American country rock band. The group emerged from the psychedelic rock scene in San Francisco, California in 1969, and its original lineup included several members of the Grateful Dead. Their best known song is "Panama Red"...
. The music is a psychedelic
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
hybrid of country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
, and includes guest musicians Jerry Garcia
Jerry Garcia
Jerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
and Bill Kreutzmann
Bill Kreutzmann
Bill Kreutzmann is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career...
from the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, along with noted session player Nicky Hopkins
Nicky Hopkins
Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
. The album contains six original tunes by the band, plus covers such as "I Don't Need No Doctor", "Hello Mary Lou", and "Willie and the Hand Jive".
Powerglide was the first New Riders album to feature Buddy Cage
Buddy Cage
Buddy Cage is an American pedal steel guitarist, best known as a longtime member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage....
, who had replaced Garcia as the New Riders' pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
player. It was the band's highest-charting album, reaching number 33 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
.
Artwork
The album cover artwork for Powerglide was done by Alton Kelley and Stanley MouseStanley Mouse
Stanley George Miller , better known as Mouse and Stanley Mouse, is an American artist, notable for his 1960s psychedelic rock concert poster designs and Grateful Dead album cover art.-Early life:...
, under the name Kelly and Mouse Studios.
The original LP contained a 12 inch by 12 inch heavy paper insert with the album credits. The artwork for the insert was drawn by Lore Orion, then known as Lore Shoberg. It is a caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
that portrays the band members as cowboys. Depicted from left to right are David Nelson
David Nelson (musician)
David Nelson is an American guitarist and musician.Although he started his musical career playing folk and bluegrass music Nelson is probably best known as one of the original members of psychedelic country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage...
, John Dawson
John Dawson (musician)
John Collins Dawson IV, nicknamed "Marmaduke" , was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was best known as the leader and co-founder of the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage.-Musical career:...
, Spencer Dryden
Spencer Dryden
Spencer Dryden was an American musician best known as the longest-serving drummer for Jefferson Airplane. He also played with New Riders of the Purple Sage, The Dinosaurs, and The Peanut Butter Conspiracy.-Early life:...
, Dave Torbert
Dave Torbert
Dave Torbert was a Bay Area musician, best known for his associations with the Grateful Dead and the New Riders of the Purple Sage. He played bass for the latter group, replacing Phil Lesh during the sessions for their first album...
, and Buddy Cage
Buddy Cage
Buddy Cage is an American pedal steel guitarist, best known as a longtime member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage....
.
Track listing
- "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke (And Loud, Loud Music)" (Joe MaphisJoe MaphisJoe Maphis, born Otis W. Maphis , was an American country music guitarist. He married singer Rose Lee Maphis in 1948....
, Max Fidler, Rose Lee Maphis) – 4:15 - "Rainbow" (John DawsonJohn Dawson (musician)John Collins Dawson IV, nicknamed "Marmaduke" , was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was best known as the leader and co-founder of the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage.-Musical career:...
) – 3:05 - "California Day" (Dave TorbertDave TorbertDave Torbert was a Bay Area musician, best known for his associations with the Grateful Dead and the New Riders of the Purple Sage. He played bass for the latter group, replacing Phil Lesh during the sessions for their first album...
) – 2:40 - "Sweet Lovin' One" (Dawson) – 2:30
- "Lochinvar" (Dawson) – 3:33
- "I Don't Need No DoctorI Don't Need No Doctor"I Don't Need No Doctor" was a hit song written by Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson and Jo Armstead, and first recorded by Ray Charles in 1966. Over the years, it has been covered by bands such as garage rock band The Chocolate Watch Band in 1969, Humble Pie in 1971, New Riders of the Purple Sage in...
" (Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Jo ArmsteadJo ArmsteadJosephine "Jo" Armstead , often known as "Joshie" Jo Armstead, is an American soul singer and songwriter. She co-wrote Ray Charles' hits "Let's Go Get Stoned" and "I Don't Need No Doctor", among other songs written with Ashford & Simpson...
) – 4:47 - "Contract" (Torbert) – 3:10
- "Runnin' Back to You" (Dawson) – 4:12
- "Hello Mary LouHello Mary Lou"Hello Mary Lou" is a song written by U.S. singer Gene Pitney and Cayet Mangiaracina and performed by Ricky Nelson in English and German in 1961. It reached #9 on the Billboard music charts on May 28, 1961, although the other side of the single, "Travelin' Man", hit #1...
" (Gene PitneyGene PitneyEugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
, Cayet Mangiaracina) – 2:58 - "Duncan and BradyDuncan and Brady"Duncan and Brady", also known as "Been on the Job Too Long", "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", or simply "Brady", is a traditional murder ballad about the shooting of a policeman, Brady, by a bartender, Duncan. The song's lyrics stemmed from actual events, involving the shooting of James Brady in...
" (tradTraditional musicTraditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
., arranged John Koerner) – 5:23 - "Willie and the Hand Jive" (Johnny OtisJohnny OtisJohnny Otis is an American singer, musician, talent scout, disc jockey, composer, arranger, recording artist, record producer, vibraphonist, drummer, percussionist, bandleader, and impresario.He is commonly referred to as The Godfather Of Rhythm And Blues.-Personal life:Otis, the son of Alexander...
) – 6:50
New Riders of the Purple Sage
- John DawsonJohn Dawson (musician)John Collins Dawson IV, nicknamed "Marmaduke" , was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was best known as the leader and co-founder of the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage.-Musical career:...
– acousticSteel-string acoustic guitarA steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound...
and electricElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
s, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, lead vocals on "Rainbow", "Sweet Lovin' One", "Lochinvar", "Runnin' Back to You", "Duncan and Brady" - David NelsonDavid Nelson (musician)David Nelson is an American guitarist and musician.Although he started his musical career playing folk and bluegrass music Nelson is probably best known as one of the original members of psychedelic country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocals, lead vocal on "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke" - Dave TorbertDave TorbertDave Torbert was a Bay Area musician, best known for his associations with the Grateful Dead and the New Riders of the Purple Sage. He played bass for the latter group, replacing Phil Lesh during the sessions for their first album...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals, electric rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar on "California Day" and "Hello Mary Lou", pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
on "Duncan and Brady", lead vocals on "California Day", "I Don't Need No Doctor", "Contract", "Hello Mary Lou", and "Willie and the Hand Jive" - Buddy CageBuddy CageBuddy Cage is an American pedal steel guitarist, best known as a longtime member of the New Riders of the Purple Sage....
– pedal steel guitarPedal steel guitarThe pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
, dobroDobroDobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar...
on "Lochinvar" and "Duncan and Brady" - Spencer DrydenSpencer DrydenSpencer Dryden was an American musician best known as the longest-serving drummer for Jefferson Airplane. He also played with New Riders of the Purple Sage, The Dinosaurs, and The Peanut Butter Conspiracy.-Early life:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, broom, whistle, and whoopee on "Duncan and Brady"
Additional musicians
- Nicky HopkinsNicky HopkinsNicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins was an English pianist and organist.He recorded and performed on noted British and American popular music recordings of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a session musician....
– piano on "Dim Lights, Thick Smoke", "California Day", "I Don't Need No Doctor", "Contract", "Runnin' Back to You", "Willie and the Hand Jive" - Jerry GarciaJerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his lead guitar work, singing and songwriting with the band the Grateful Dead...
– banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
on "Sweet Lovin' One", "Duncan and Brady"; piano on "Lochinvar" - Billy KreutzmannBill KreutzmannBill Kreutzmann is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career...
– percussion on "Duncan and Brady", "Willie and the Hand Jive" - Peoples chorus on "Duncan and Brady" – Nelson, McDuke, Buddy, Judy, Steve
- Riderettes on "I Don't Need No Doctor" – our boys in drag
Production
- Producer – Steve BarncardStephen BarncardStephen Quinn Barncard is an American record producer and sound engineer. He is best known for his work producing rock albums of the 1970s, including the Grateful Dead's American Beauty and David Crosby's If I Could Only Remember My Name.-References:***...
and the New Riders - Engineer – John Fiore
- Second engineer – George Beauregard
- Mastering – Bob McCloud, Artisan Sound, Hollywood
- Outside album design – Kelly and MouseStanley MouseStanley George Miller , better known as Mouse and Stanley Mouse, is an American artist, notable for his 1960s psychedelic rock concert poster designs and Grateful Dead album cover art.-Early life:...
Studios - Inside artwork – Lore Shoberg