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Biography
About|the band|the town|Black Oak, ArkansasUnreferenced|date=May 2008 Black Oak Arkansas is an United States|American Southern rock band named after the band's hometown of Black Oak, Arkansas . The band reached the height of its fame in the 1970s with ten charting albums released in that decade. Their style is punctuated by multiple guitar players and the raspy voice and on-stage antics of vocalist Jim "Dandy" Mangrum .
History
The group, originally called "The Knowbody Else", was formed in 1965 in Black Oak, Arkansas, by Ronnie "Chicky Hawk" Smith (vocals), Rickie Reynolds (guitar), Stanley Knight (guitar), Harvey Jett (guitar), Pat Daugherty (bass), and Wayne Evans (drums). Their first PA system was stolen from a local high school. Members of the group were subsequently charged in absentia with grand larceny and sentenced to 26 years at the Tucker Prison Farm (this sentence was later suspended). This led to their retreat to the hills of rural northeast Arkansas where they lived off the land and refined their musical style.Citation needed|date=May 2008 They also lived in Long Beach, Mississippi and played at the local Lobe theater/dance hall. Some of their influences during this time were the Beatles and the Byrds . At some point the band and Ronnie "Chicky Hawk" Smith agreed that a mutual friend named James "Jim Dandy" Mangrum would make a better front man, Ronnie Smith agreed that he would make a better stage production manager.
The Knowbody Else moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1969 and signed a record deal with Stax Records . Their self-titled debut album was largely ignored by the public. During this time the band became interested in psychedelia and Eastern philosophy|Eastern spirituality|spiritualism which, combined with their Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptist upbringing, contributed to their sound.
After several trips to Los Angeles, California , in 1970, the band was signed by Atco Records (whose parent label Atlantic Records once had a partnership with Stax) and rechristened "Black Oak Arkansas". Their self-titled debut album Black Oak Arkansas (album)|Black Oak Arkansas was released in 1971 while the band toured extensively, gaining a reputation as a live act. The twin album releases that followed in 1972, Keep the Faith (Black Oak Arkansas album)|Keep the Faith and If an Angel Came to See You, Would You Make Her Feel at Home , expanded on the group’s eclectic musical style.
In 1973, Black Oak Arkansas released their fourth album '' Raunch 'N' Roll Live . It was their fifth album, High on the Hog (Black Oak Arkansas album)|High on the Hog '', released later that year, that established solid commercial success by peaking at number 52 on the Billboard (magazine)|Billboard albums chart. Vocalist Ruby Starr also toured with the band during this period. Her raspy voice can be heard on the group's remake of LaVern Baker 's 1957 hit " Jim Dandy (song)|Jim Dandy ," which reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 .
The band played at the famous California Jam festival in Ontario, California on April 6, 1974. Attracting over 200,000 fans, appearing alongside 1970s rock giants Black Sabbath , Eagles (band)|Eagles , Emerson, Lake & Palmer , Deep Purple , Earth, Wind & Fire , Seals and Crofts and Rare Earth (band)|Rare Earth . Portions of the show were telecast on American Broadcasting Company|ABC Television in the US, exposing the band to a wider audience.
Also the 1974 release, "Street Party", may have failed to maintain the momentum; however, another 1974 release entitled "Early Times", a shelved Stax recording by The Knowbody Else (now released on the back of their success and under the BOA banner) , made up for lost time. In 1975 they released two studio albums with 'Ain't Life Grand' (their last for Atco) and they signed a contract with MCA and promptly released 'X-Rated'. In 1976 the original line-up of Black Oak Arkansas (minus Harvey Jett, who was replaced by Jimmy Henderson) released two more albums, Balls of Fire (Black Oak Arkansas album)|Balls of Fire and '10 Yr Overnite Success'. Atco released also another great live album with 'Live Mutha' which was probably a contract filler. A new version of the band called "Black Oak" was formed in 1977 around Jim "Dandy" Mangrum and Jimmy Henderson. Greg Reding (guitar and keyboards), Jack Holder (guitar), Andy Tanas (bass), and Joel Williams (drums) participated on the two Capricorn albums which were recorded in 1977 ( Race with the Devil ) and 1978 (''I'd Rather Be Sailing .) In 1978, guitarist Shawn Lane joined the band at age 14 and toured with the band for four years.
Released in 1984, Ready, as Hell debuted a heavy metal music|heavier sound with pinch harmonics and keyboards featured throughout. The album also marked the return of Rickie Lee Reynolds on rhythm guitar. In 1986, The Black Attack Is Back continued the heavy style of the previous album and featured the particularly adventurous track "I Want A Woman With Big Titties". Despite that lack of subtlety, the album is regarded by many as the finest of the band's long career, with arguably the most talented lineup to date. Still, it made no commercial headway.
James Mangrum has continued recording and touring with a series of different Black Oak lineups, up to present day. Black Oak Arkansas currently enjoys a loyal fan following. However, the later lineups have yet to duplicate the level of album sales that the original lineup generated in the early-mid 1970s. Jim Dandy is credited with inspiring Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth's image and onstage persona as well. In addition, in the 1980s former Maine State Representative Chris Greeley once 'opened' for them as a member of the rock band Toyz .
A hamburger is named after the band served at Kuma's Corner in Chicago, Illinois.
Band members
James L. Jim "Dandy" Mangrum - lead vocals, washboard (1965–present)
Black Oak Arkansas (album)|Black Oak Arkansas (Atco, March 1971)
Keep The Faith (Atco, January 1972)
If An Angel Came To See You Would You Make Her Feel At Home? (Atco, June 1972)
''Raunch 'N' Roll Live (Atlantic, March 1973)
High on the Hog (Black Oak Arkansas album)|High on the Hog (Atco, November 1973)
Street Party (album)|Street Party (Atco, July 1974)
Early Times (Stax STS5504 1974)(shelved Knowbody Else album posthumously released as BOA album)
''Ain't Life Grand (Atco, May 1975)
X-Rated ( Music Corporation of America|MCA 1975)
Live& #33; Mutha (Atco, January 1976)
Balls Of Fire (MCA 1976)
10 Yr Overnight Success (MCA 1976)Rick Mangrum
Race With The Devil ( Capricorn Records|Capricorn 1977)Rick Mangrum
''I'd Rather Be Sailing (Capricorn 1978)Rick Mangrum
Ready As Hell (Hacienda 1984) (as Jim Dandy)
The Black Attack Is Back (Capricorn 1986)(as Jim Dandy Black Oak Arkansas)
Live On The King Biscuit Flower Hour 1976 (Capricorn 1998)
The Wild Bunch ( Cleopatra Records|Cleopatra 1999) (as Jim Dandy's Black Oak Arkansas)
Compilations
The Best Of Black Oak Arkansas (Atco 1977)
Hot & Nasty: The Best of Black Oak Arkansas ( Rhino Entertainment|Rhino 1992)
External links
http://www.myspace.com/jimdandysblackoakarkansas Black Oak Arkansas @ MySpace.com
http://www.sci.fi/~jukkam/boa/discogra.htm Black Oak Arkansas Discography Images
http://www.sarget.com/BOAplayers.html Full list of musicians who played with Black Oak Arkansas
http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/dt/black-oak-arkansas-concert/20052600-742.html Black Oak Arkansas Live at the University of Reading on August 9, 1976
DEFAULTSORT:Arkansas, Black Oak Category:Rock music groups from Arkansas Category:Southern rock musical groups
cs:Black Oak Arkansas de:Black Oak Arkansas es:Black Oak Arkansas fr:Black Oak Arkansas pt:Black Oak Arkansas sv:Black Oak Arkansas
