Stone Country - Stone Country (1968/2007 Remastered & Expanded Edition)
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Album: Stone Country - Stone Country (Remastered & Expanded Edition)
Released: 1968 (2007)
Genre: West Coast Psych
Gnosis Rating: 9.21
Rev-Ola - CRREV230
Stone Country the Hollywood, CA-based psychedelic country-rock outfit led by gifted singer/songwriter/guitarist Steve Young.
Young had moved to Los Angeles in 1964 and began working with Van Dyke Parks and Stephen Stills while keeping his day job as a mailman. He formed Stone Country in 1967 and soon thereafter the band was signed to RCA Records. After releasing several singles, RCA issued the group's only album, Stone Country, in March 1968, produced by Rick Jarrard, who also produced Jefferson Airplane and Harry Nilsson's Pandemonium Shadow Show. The group disbanded when, in 1969, Young signed as a solo artist with A&M Records. This is there only and debut album, a fantastic record that is a must have for any one with even the slightest interest in things of psychedelic or country nature. - Freak Emporium
From the mid sixties comes this lost gem of West Coast country and rock. They had only a handful of singles and this lone album to mark their place in music history. This has never been on disc until now. As you would expect the sound is country at its core, but makes room for some soulful rock and roll. This is truly a find and we are glad to offer it for all of you Steve Young collectors who’ve asked about it over the years. - Village Records
Operating for less than two years, Stone Country were a Los Angeles-based sextet that successfully explored the terrains of soft-psych, folk-rock, country-rock, blues, and pop. Their sole RCA LP, Stone Country, was released in March 1968 and featured contributions by brilliant arranger George Tipton (Nilsson, The Family Tree, The Monkees, Jackie DeShannon) and producer Rick Jarrard (Surrealistic Pillow and Aerial Ballet). Also, Stone Country marks the first time Steve Young appeared on an album as a lead vocalist. Rev-Ola is proud to present Stone Country on CD for the first time ever. Includes extensive liner notes by Steve Stanley, with input from original band members Steve Young, Richard Lockmiller, Dan Barry Lottermoser, and Doug Brookins, along with friend Van Dyke Parks. - Rev-Ola
The album was recorded in Hollywood and produced and engineered by the early Jefferson Airplane’s production team of Rick Jarrard and Pat “Maurice” Ieraci, which makes sense because this is an excellent example of late sixties “West Coast” psych, there’s comparisons to the Byrds of course, but “Everywhere I Turn” sounds very similar to the early Doors, and “‘Lizbeth Peach” recalls U.K. progressive folk, and how about the eastern tinged “Mantra” and “Love Psalm” with their sitar/banjo interplay?, the “Country” tag is really a misnomer... - 60'S AND 70S PSYCH 'N' PSUCH
Stone Country's only album on the RCA label -- a self-titled effort issued in March 1968 -- had a vibe similar to the Byrds' The Notorious Byrd Brothers but also included examples of what Steve Young called "Southern music" -- a brew of country, folk, rock, blues, gospel, and Celtic styles. Most of the band's material was written by either Young, Barry Dann, or Doug Brooks, while some songs were co-written by Diane Hilderbrand, who penned songs for the Monkees and the Partridge Family, among others. Young takes the lead vocal role on most of the album's tracks, including the group's cover of Joe Tex's "The Love You Save (May Be Your Own)." Dann sings lead on the Association-influenced "'Lizabeth Peach" and "Mantra" ("the Sankrit word for transcendental meditation," according to the band's press kit bio). Brooks takes his turn at the mike on "Everywhere I Turn" and the album's closing track, "Angelica," a bossa nova-style ballad, complete with strings arranged by George Tipton. Stone Country has not been released on CD as of yet, and LP copies are valuable and highly collectible. - Bryan Thomas, All Music Guide
...RCA had high hopes for the group and proclaimed in a press release: "The present population of Stone Country is six; however, it will not be long before musical refugees (those who listen and those who play) from other parts of the music world will apply for passports into this new nation of music." Alas, the joyous clang of harpsichords, banjos, 12-string guitars, Southern grit, heavenly harmonies, blues, and exceptional song craft was far too eclectic for the day's consumers, and the album failed to penetrate the charts. Hopefully, this reissue will redress the balance, as it marks the worldwide digital debut of this unjustly overlooked album.
The six charter inhabitants of Stone Country were Steve Young on lead guitar and vocals, vocal arranger Dan Barry Lottermoser on bass and vocals, Richard Lockmiller on rhythm guitar and vocals, Doug Brookins on vocals and guitar, former Greenwood County Singer Don Beck on 12-string guitar and banjo, and ex-Spyder Dennis Conway on drums. Let's follow the roadmap of Stone Country through the recollections of original settlers Steve Young, Richard Lockmiller, Dan Barry Lottermoser, and Doug Brookins, along with friend Van Dyke Parks.
Steve Young arrived in Los Angeles from Alabama in 1963, having been lured to Tinseltown by Capitol recording artists Richard [Lockmiller] and Jim [Connor]. After opening for Richard and Jim numerous times, Steve sensed that he had something the duo needed, and, in turn, he desired a way out of the segregated South...
While recording with Richard and Jim in L.A., Young gained the interest of producer Kermit Walter. "[Kermit] liked me, but I was a wild man. I was drunk all of the time. Uncontrollable. Nevertheless, Kermit got me involved in playing on sessions-Muzak stuff, and doing Kingston Trio instrumentals and things like that. Kermit really wanted me to stay in L.A. He wanted to produce me, but he finally just gave up because I was just too crazy then."
Around this time. Young became acquainted with Greenwood County Singers/Steeltown Two member Van Dyke Parks. The two liberal-minded, Southern-bred outsiders, became fast friends...
One such attempt was the shortlived Gas Company - a band that included Van Dyke, Steve, and a pre-Buffalo-Springfield Stephen Stills...
In 1967, the management company of Denny Bond and Ken Mansfield was in the beginning stages of piecing together a new group that would combine rock and country elements. Prior to this, they achieved mild success managing the folk-rock outfit The Deep Six, who charted regionally with the #3 L.A. hit "Rising Son." Richard Lockmiller explains: "Outside the Troubadour [Bond and Mansfield's associate] Ed Douglas-who used to manage the Land of Oden in San Diego-walked up to me and said, 'We're thinking about putting together a group. Do you know a good lead guitar player?' And I said, 'Sure! Steve Young.' I knew Don Beck, the banjo player. I didn't know [ex-Deep Six bassist] Danny. All in all, Stone Country was a strange gathering."
...With the addition of drummer Dennis Conway - formerly of the Hullaballoo house band, The Spyders - the band was now a six-piece. After seven weeks of strict rehearsal, the new band landed a gig at Pasadena's Ice House, where they were signed on as the headline act. Dan Lottermoser - who spent many a night at the venerable folk and pop venue with The Deep Six-explains: "We showcased at the Ice House, and by the time the night was over we had five offersiwm major labels. We went with RCA."
In 1967 RCA Records was attempting to shed its square reputation. The label was years behind the other majors in embracing the new rock sounds of the sixties. (Their biggest hit of 1966 was the patriotic Number One blockbuster "Ballad Of The Green Berets" by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler.] With the help of young producer Rick Jarrard and others, the company began signing hipper acts such as The Jefferson Airplane, The Youngbloods, The Family Tree and Stone Country.
The sessions for Stone Country began at Hollywood's RCA Studios on July 17, 1967. Four basic tracks were cut that day: "Time Isn't There Anymore," "Life Stands Daring Me," "Woman Don't You Weep," and the unreleased "Georgia." All six members of Stone Country played on the sessions, which was unusual for an unproven L.A. band at the time. The elaborate string and horn arrangements were written by George Tipton, who had also scribed charts for Jackie DeShannon, Nilsson, The Monkees, and scores of others...
Recording continued on into October with "Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde," a song co-written by Dan with fellow ex-Deep Sixers' Don Dunn and Tony McCashen. "I really enjoyed working with Rick and George," reflects Lottermoser. "I was a struggling bass player at the time, and I remember going to George's office and asking for old lead sheets of other bass parts that he had written just so I could learn to play bass a little better. Rick was always fun to be around as a producer. I remember seeing some really great sessions at RCA, like Jos? Feliciano and Harry Nilsson. I remember being in the studio and hearing a lot of Harry's tunes. Rick was producing him and us at the same time, so Harry would come in the studio and, for example, play 'One' well before it was released. He was unbelievable. To watch him play the piano and do his vocal gymnastics was really a treat."
It wasn't uncommon for Harry to drop in on a Stone Country recording session as well. (Richard recalls Stone Country adding vocals to a Nilsson session, but he's unclear as to which track and if it was ever released.) Recalls Steve Young: "I remember Harry Nilsson congratulating me on 'Magnolias.' He thought it was a very well written song, and I was surprised, somehow, at that. But he went out of his way to say how much he thought that was a good song. He and Van Dyke were good friends, but I really didn't know Harry, per se."
Sessions continued on through the fall. Remembers Young: "Rick thought I had the most 'commercial' voice of the group. Not so much that he likedW the most, but because that's what he thought was the best shot for success. That pissed some of the other guys off, I guess... I walked into the studio one day, and I heard Rick say that I sounded like the guy in The Seeds. That was kind of a putdown and that pissed me off." (Notably, Stone Country was the first time Young appeared as a lead vocalist on an album.)
The final string and brass sweetening sessions for Stone Country were held on January 10, 1968, with '"Lizbeth Peach," "Angelica," "Woman Don't You Weep," and "Love Psalm," all getting Tipton's tour-de-force treatment. The result was an incredibly eclectic album-some may argue unfocused-that crossed more genres than most records of the era.
In the spring of '68, RCA launched a campaign called "Groupquake" to promote the new rock acts on their roster. Several of the bands, such as The Family Tree, Autosalvage, The Status Cymbal, Stone Country, and others, shared bills to promote their various releases. A compilation LP, Groupquake (RCA SPS 33-525], was also issued to aid in the campaign. Unfortunately, all the bands had unique sounds and visions that weren't necessarily compatible and the campaign failed to generate any lasting impact...
Despite the exposure they received, and the quality of their work, Stone Country failed to achieve the acclaim they rightfully deserved. Their album sold poorly and two accompanying singles, "Love Psalm" b/w "Magnolias," and "Time Isn't There Anymore" b/w "Life Stands Daring Me," also failed to chart. Two Dylan-penned tunes, "This Wheels On Fire" b/w "Million Dollar Bash," were cut in April and were released as the final Stone Country 45. "We had an exclusive on doing This Wheels On Fire,' says Dan Lottermoser. "Those sessions were really fun. We did some pretty ridiculous stuff in the studio and got some laughter down on tape. Stuff like that. We were all really excited, thinking, 'Here's our opportunity!' But by the time we had finished recording the record, Dylan had given it to someone else!"
These and other setbacks began to take their toll on the group, and Stone Country began to splinter. Today, the band members all agree that their diversity was a hindrance to their success...
According to Steve, attempts were made to make him stay on with the group, and a guitar player of his liking was added on at the eleventh hour, when Richard briefly moved over into managing the band. Regardless, by 1969, Stone Country were history. During this time, Steve was receiving offers from Tommy Li Puma at A&M and Andy Wickham at Reprise to strike out on his own. What resulted was Steve's first solo LP, 1969's Rock, Salt And Nails for A&M...
Rock, Salt And Nails also features the first released recording of Steve's best-known composition, "Seven Bridges Road." The Eagles recorded a live version of the song and released it on 1980's Eagles Live-LP. Although they never recorded a studio version, their live recording of "Seven Bridges" was released as a single and reached Number 21 on the Billboard charts that same year. The BMI award-winning song continues to live a life of its own and has been recorded by Dolly Parton, Joan Baez, Alan Jackson, Ian Matthews, and others. (Stone Country performed an early version of the song, but sadly, no recordings exist. Richard Lockmiller adds: "We were the first ones to do that song. I know we did it three or four times on stage. Lottermoser arranged five-part harmonies on that thing.")
Lockmiller left the music business in 1969... Richard appeared on numerous television shows in the seventies and eighties, including Barnaby Jones, Little House On The Prairie, Dallas, and Fa icon Crest.
Looking back, Richards says proudly, "Stone Country was a damn good group, but it was a meld of hardheaded young men coming through some rough times and trying to work it out. If we had recorded a couple more albums-and if the original group had stayed together-l think we could've done something..."
Dan Lottermoser continued music business pursuits...
Unfortunately, Don Beck and Dennis Conway couldn't be located for these notes. After his time in Stone Country, Conway went on to drum on albums by Alice Cooper, Kenny Loggins, The Paul Collins Beat, Steve Perry, and many others. Beck appeared on albums by Dillard & Clark, Russ Giguere, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, among others. To date, Steve Young has released a dozen albums, many of which have garnered critical acclaim. He continues to perform, captivating audiences far and wide with his immeasurable talent and Nomadic spirit. He leaves us with these thoughts: "I was just a wandering guitar player; I didn't give a damn 'bout anything. In my own selfish way, I just went along, intent on doing my own thing. I hope to record a lot more. Do it my way and I will own it and control it and I don't give a damn if it doesn't sell or not. I normally play small [shows] which are more or less like concerts-more pure listening gigs... There's no real money in it. But it's a great experience to communicate with an audience, even if it's a small one. - Steve Stanley
1 Love Psalm (02:31)
2 'Lizbeth Peach (02:25)
3 Magnolias (04:19)
4 Mantra (02:21)
5 Everywhere I Turn (02:15)
6 Woman Don't You Weep (03:35)
7 Time Isn't There Anymore (02:55)
8 Life Stands Daring Me (02:25)
9 Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde (03:04)
10 The Love You Save (May Be your Own) (03:19)
11 Why Baby Why (01:54)
12 Angelica (03:08)
13 This Wheels On Fire (Bonus Track) (02:56)
14 Million Dollar Bash (Bonus Track) (02:18)
Dann Barry (bass, vocals)
Don Beck (12 string guitar, banjo)
Doug Brooks (guitar)
Dennis Conway (percussion)
Richard Lockmiller (guitar)
Steve Young (lead guitar)
Dann Lottermoser (bass)
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