Black Oak
Arkansas (population 286 as of the 2000 census) was the hometown of Jim “Dandy”
Mangrum, one of the most flamboyant lead singers in the history of rock ‘n’
roll.
The roots of the band, which would eventually be
named after their hometown, was formed in 1965 and originally named ‘The
Knowbody Else.’ The group was arrested for grand larceny for stealing musical
equipment from several local high schools. They were sentenced to 26 years by a
judge who may have been a bit biased about long-haired rock musicians in a
small Southern Baptist town. The sentence was eventually suspended and the band
left Arkansas.
After stops in Mississippi, New Orleans, and
Memphis, ‘The Knowbody Else’ signed their first record contract with Stax
Records. Unfortunately, their debut album had very little commercial success.
Upon arriving in Los Angeles in 1970, the band signed a record deal with Atco
Records under the name ‘Black Oak Arkansas.’ Their self-titled debut album was
released in 1971.
Black Oak Arkansas began touring extensively while
establishing itself early on in their career as a hard-driving onstage presence
and a rock ‘n’ roll force to be reckoned with. The fearless performances by a long
blond haired- washboard strumming- flamboyant- sexually motivated- deep raspy
voiced- backwoods frontman …backed by multi-guitarists and an inventive group
of legitimate virtuosos who happened to smash their guitars onstage … paved the
way for southern rock and became one of the most important bands in rock
history.
In 1973, Black Oak Arkansas released their most
commercially successful album to date entitled, High on the Hog. The album
spawned the Lavern Baker remake “Jim Dandy” which became a huge hit for the
band reaching #25 on Billboard’s Hot 100. The song was suggested by Elvis Presley and
became the bands signature tune. Singer Ruby Starr contributed to the album and
on the road. Starr had a significant and everlasting impact on the bands
success. She would contribute to future albums and later began touring on her
own. Sadly, Ruby Starr died in 1995.
In 1974, Black Oak Arkansas played the California
Jam in Ontario, California for over 250,000 rock fans. The concert featured
Rare Earth, Earth, Wind & Fire, Eagles, Seals & Crofts, Black Oak
Arkansas, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and Emerson Lake & Palmer.
The band also performed on the Midnight Special, Don
Kirshner’s Rock Concert, and ABC’s In Concert.
Black Oak Arkansas in the 70s …( Black Oak Arkansas, Keep The Faith, If An
Angel Came To See You Would You Make Her Feel At Home, Raunch ‘N’ Roll Live,
High On The Hog, Street Party, Ain’t Life Grand, X-Rated, Live! Mutha, Balls Of
Fire, Live On The King Biscuit Flower
Hour, 10 Yr Overnight Success, Race with the Devil, I’d Rather Be
Sailing).
Veteran rock drummer Tommy Aldridge (Pat Travers
Band, Ozzy Osbourne, White Snake, Ted Nugent and Thin Lizzy) played with Black
Oak Arkansas from 1972-76).
Some other notable tunes by Black Oak Arkansas
include … “Hot and Nasty,” “Strong Enough to Be Gentle,” “Hot Rod,” “Happy
Hooker,” “Lord Have Mercy On My Soul,” and “Mean Woman (If You Ever Blues)” to
name just a few.
Throughout the 80s and 90s, the band had numerous
lineup changes, but Jim “Dandy” Magrum largely remained in the spotlight.
Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth and Axl Rose of
Guns N’ Roses were said to be influenced by Jim “Dandy” Mangrum for his onstage
antics.
Black Oak Arkansas 80s and beyond … (Rebound, King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents:
Black Oak Arkansas, The Wild Bunch, Live, Keep The Faith, Live At Royal Albert
Hall, The Complete Raunch ‘N’ Roll Live, The Knowbody Else).
Black Oak Arkansas has maintained a steady stream of
faithful followers throughout the years. Most recently, Jim “Dandy” Mangrum and
Black Oak Arkansas will once again be recording on the Atlantic Records label including
a new album in the works for 2013.
Original guitarist Rickie Lee Reynolds is also in
the bands current lineup.
Black Oak Arkansas will also be part of Rock Legends
Cruise II. The event billed as sort of a Woodstock on the high seas, launches
January 10th and returns January 14th 2013. The Liberty of the Seas
from Royal Caribbean departs from Ft. Lauderdale, Fl with a single stopover in
Labadee, Haiti. Rock legends set to
perform onboard the luxury passenger vessel include … Foreigner, Paul Rodgers
(Bad Company), Credence Clearwater Revisited, Kansas, Bachman & Turner, .38
Special, The Marshall Tucker Band, Blue Oyster Cult, Foghat, Molly Hatchet,
Kentucky Headhunters, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Pat Travers Band, The Artimus
Pyle Band (Lynyrd Skynyrd) and Black Oak Arkansas.
For booking information visit http://rocklegendscruise.com/ or call 888-666-1499. Pricing begins at
$699.00. The event is presented by
Native American Heritage Association.
I had the great pleasure of speaking with Jim
“Dandy” Mangrum last week from his home in Memphis.
Here’s my interview with singer/ musician/ southern
rock pioneer/ legendary frontman for Black Oak Arkansas …. JIM “DANDY” MANGRUM.
Ray
Shasho: Hi Jim how’s
it going?
Jim
Dandy: “Hey Ray …just another great day here in Memphis.”
Ray
Shasho: Elvis land!
Jim
Dandy: “Me and Rickie and Hal McCormack, my lead guitar
player, and guitar player, we all three live here in Memphis, and of course
it’s the closest city to the real Black Oak. My dad lives out in Jonesboro, I
go back and forth to see him; he’ll be ninety in April …so what you up to?”
Ray
Shasho: Did you ever in your wildest dreams ever think you’d be performing a
rock concert on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean?
Jim
Dandy: “I always thought maybe someday …“It’s funny; I’ve
been on some six world tours and I’ve never been on a cruise ship, so I’m
really looking forward to it and enjoy it a lot.”
Ray
Shasho: This event is like Woodstock on the high seas, I’ve never seen anything
like it.
Jim
Dandy: “Twenty Five bands… play three times each … in three
different locations … in three days. Chaos … sounds like home to me.”
Ray
Shasho: I’m sure it’ll be great for you to see some old friends again too.
Jim
Dandy: “We have a lot of friends who are going to be on it
… Pat Travers, The Headhunters, Molly Hatchet, and just all kinds of people who
we’ve known for a long time.”
Ray
Shasho: I understand you guys played in Fort Myers recently?
Jim
Dandy: “Just a couple of weeks ago. We had the greatest time… playing with Molly Hatchet and
Blackfoot. We played out on the parking lot of the Ballyorney Irish Pub. An authentic
club … everything shipped from Ireland, great food and drinks, we had a great
crowd and it was good day.”
Ray
Shasho: Besides the cruise …what’s new these day with “Jim Dandy” and Black Oak
Arkansas?
Jim
Dandy: “We’re signing back to Atlantic Records. They promoted
us better than any other label and we’ll be recording here in Memphis … so 2013
is when it’ll be happening. We’ve also had some things in the vault; Tom Dowd
had produced it and never got released, and we’re going to put that out also…
it’s going to be from the past to present. And we’ve got a lot of new stuff
too, so we’re excited about it.”
Ray
Shasho: When the band was called ‘The Knowbody Else’ in Arkansas, you guys
almost got into some major trouble for stealing music equipment?
Jim
Dandy: “Yea … they got the meanest judge in Arkansas
because they wanted to crucify us because we had long hair, we got suspended
sentences and we served them. But we went on and had a great career, three gold
albums, and one platinum. It was just a great adventure.”
Ray
Shasho: I saw Black Oak Arkansas perform twice in the 70s around the Washington
D.C. area and I was an instant fan when I first heard you guys.
Jim
Dandy: “We loved what we were doing and still love what we
do…me and Rickie are the two originals still together. I never expected the old
guys to want to do it forever like I do. We’re still a strong fraternity …
still frat brothers. As a matter of fact on the new album… it was the old guys
who wanted to do one or two songs on there. I know they don’t want to be on the
road or anything but I’m proud of the fact that we still love one another and
still get along and everything. Not all the bands have that.”
Ray
Shasho: “I’ve talked with so many guys who just flat out hate each other. After
chatting with Mark Farner … they’ll never resolve their differences. And it’s a
shame because bands like Grand Funk Railroad still have all the original
members alive … just imagine the impact of a reunion.
Jim
Dandy: “I know Mel, and relate to Mark a lot, he’s a good
friend of mine, and Don Brewer… they sided with Terry Knight, and people like
that …I hate that in the business, we all hear the same stories about managers.
If they could play they wouldn’t need us, because they’re control freaks. They
don’t leave room for the artistry and don’t give it any credit or respect. They
try to cut them down to control them and they shouldn’t do that. I know a lot
of great musicians that don’t know they’re even great, because mangers try and
make them feel belittled like they’re not worth a crap.”
Ray
Shasho: What are
your thoughts about record companies?
Jim
Dandy: “I’m going back to the one I had back in the 70s.
(Laughing) They’ve gone through a lot of changes. Computers are just there …nobody
has to be certified /qualified to have a computer, everybody owns everything,
nobody owns nothing … I don’t have any
say about what people do with my stuff …they really screwed up record companies.
All I can say is that I’m happy to be back at Atlantic.”
“All these new labels… its very fertile ground for
them, none of them have the seniority or savvy to know how to campaign product.
It’s very important for the fans and the bands to have that bond for the songs.
Everything has gotten smaller and smaller … down to CD’S, DVD’s and you can’t
get much of a picture, no room for a poster in there, and can’t really put the
words on there … but we’ll find a way. I love my fans … we were doing ‘Meet and
Greets’ before they called it ‘Meet and Greets’. It’s just good to know your
people.”
“People use to talk to me about stuff I didn’t know
anything about, but that’s because I’m a conversationalist. I use to do
fourteen interviews a day before a concert. That’s because I liked to have a
conversation. I came from a place called Black Oak Arkansas which was nobody to
talk to. I still like talking with people and having conversations.”
Ray
Shasho: Jim do you have kids …grandkids?
Jim
Dandy: “I have four boys, one girl, and three
grandchildren. The grandchildren are eighteen, nine and six.”
Ray
Shasho: Have you babysat the grandchildren?
Jim
Dandy: “Hell no …I’m not a worthy grandparent, but I wasn’t
a worthy parent either. I just liked to get hot and nasty, didn’t like wearing
rubbers back then, so I had a lot of kids. But I kept up with them at least. I’m
not trying to say I’m a saint and not trying to say that I’m evil …I am what I
am.”
Ray
Shasho: By the way “Hot and Nasty” was my favorite song.
Jim
Dandy: “It was supposed to be like a joke you know, and
everybody took it serious. But we still play it, and I still get hot and nasty
…and I still love sex. I’m in good shape for 64. The amazing part to me is my
dad use to say, “You’ve got to get into country music son because you can go
over on your audience.” And that was true…but now you can do that with rock ‘n’
roll too. I’ve got them use to a stage show that’ll keep you in shape.
(Laughing)”
Ray
Shasho: Black Oak Arkansas use to smash up their instruments back in the day
right?
Jim
Dandy: “Yea, but they weren’t the real guitars. After the
drum solo… those were Japanese hundred dollar specials. (All laughing) Then
we’d give the guitars to radio stations or whoever and they’d give away the
pieces or the parts.”
Ray
Shasho: Every great band has a signature tune … of course yours is…“Jim
Dandy.” I heard there was a connection
with that song and Elvis Presley?
Jim
Dandy: “It was George Klein a mutual friend that told me that
Elvis was going to be calling me in exactly two hours, and he was always very
punctual, and I had never met him yet. He told me I needed to do a song called
Jim Dandy (to the Rescue). He had already told Ann Margaret to do it too. But
he was into the Jim Dandy thing, and we put it in Hot and Nasty before that. I
told him …You don’t say no to the ‘king of rock and roll’ and then I thought …
that was corny, why did I say that for. Elvis said, “Rock ‘n’ roll was created by
a disc jockey for his own pocketbook, I play rhythm and blues and gospel, and there
ain’t but one king and I ain’t him.” But the coolest thing he said at the end
of the conversation was… “Jim Dandy, it comes through us, not from us, we just
got the best seat in the house.” …I thought, how noble.”
“But we did meet later on at Macon, Georgia at the
Hilton. He was playing across the street and we were recording at Capricorn at
the time. He was just a great person.”
“Him and Muhammad Ali …they are special and
different than anybody else that filled that same position. They just ooze with
personality. You could have your back to the door at the hotel and one of them
walks in the lobby and you could feel it. Both of them are very exceptional.”
Ray
Shasho: I got married in Henderson, Kentucky right over the bridge from
Evansville, Indiana… and you first met Ruby Starr in Evansville?
Jim
Dandy: “Yea, you’re right. We were playing an outdoor show
… I think it was at a baseball stadium somewhere downtown and we walked by and
heard her rehearsing with a band downstairs, I don’t know exactly where we
were, and we got in touch with her and talked with her … and I love and miss
her now so much. I miss her every day. We do a song for her every night when we
play.”
Ray
Shasho: I’ve talked with a lot of artists that played California Jam I and II,
what was your impression of that huge event?
Jim
Dandy: “It was wonderful, perfect for me, a crowd you can’t
see the last row on, a gigantic PA, and I’m the master of ceremonies, a sacred
gathering and ceremony, and it’s a sacred honor to be master of that ceremony,
and it was perfect for me. Ozzie and Black Sabbath and Jim Dandy and Black Oak
probably had more people than anybody because we played in the middle. I
couldn’t understand why Deep Purple and Emerson, Lake and Palmer were fighting
over who closed because people were worn out and there weren’t many people out
there. Everybody there was headliners just about.”
Ray
Shasho: Jim, are you a spiritual person?
Jim
Dandy: “I’m a born Christian and my mama only had me born
once. I definitely believe in Jesus and believe in God, but that’s all very
personal stuff, I also believe in freedom of religion and freedom of choice and
everybody do what they want to do. I don’t wish to bring my beliefs onto other
people. If they seriously want to ask me about them I’ll answer them, I’m not
going to hide anything I do. To me, it’s doing what I do, and God gave me the
ability to do what I do. And I try to give him praise for what I do. But it
ain’t going to be religious rock. We did, “Lord Have Mercy On My Soul” before
there was religious rock… thank God.”
“Those self righteous sanctimonious sons of bitches
always tried to put me down and they are so far from God, I can’t even tell
you. And they do it in the name of God making lots of money. They just feel so
good about themselves you know. Nobody should feel that good about themselves
the way the world is today. The only thing we never seem to be able to do is
the golden rule ….Love thy neighbor and do unto others as you would have them
do unto you.”
My daddy gave me the nickname, Elvis told me to do
the song, and some things are thrust upon you, but if it weren’t for the people,
we wouldn’t have the great job we got. It’s all about the people.”
Ray
Shasho: You had a somewhat intimate
conversation with John Lennon?
Jim
Dandy: “I had the great pleasure of meeting John Lennon; he
came across a room the size of three gymnasiums, put his hand on my shoulder
and said can we go talk. He said I was ahead of my time but he wasn’t talking
about our music. He was talking about the Bob Marley side of me. I had to go
study up on Bob Marley …but it was the people stuff. I thought everybody talked
to people through playing songs …and really everybody didn’t. (Laughing)”
“John Lennon himself told me … The Rolling Stones
were the real band and The Beatles were the dream …and the dream was over. They
wouldn’t even play after Shea Stadium, but the Stones went through all the
imperfections of playing chaos… when you had bad PA’s, no monitors, and
couldn’t hear themselves, and everything was terrible, but they kept on touring,
and I love them for it.”
“Chuck Berry opened up for us once at the Palladium,
and they were the surprise band for Chuck Berry. I was there when all that
started. Keith ended up doing a movie with him. Chuck was the alpha male
always, he came to our dressing room and was nice to us, but that’s not the
kind of surprise you put on Chuck Berry.”
Ray
Shasho: Jim, thank you so much for being on the call today and for all the
great music you’ve given to all of us over the years.
Jim
Dandy: “I really enjoyed talking to you … it was a great conversation.
Just tell everyone to get ready … hope they’re ready for me, because I’m ready
for them. We’re ready to give it all we can to please the people.”
Ray
Shasho: I’m glad you
guys are back with vengeance.
Jim
Dandy: “Oh yea man, we got a reckoning coming! Thanks
Ray.”
Special
thanks to Tammy Hensley and Jeff Albright of The Albright
Entertainment Group for arranging this interview
Black Oak Arkansas on MySpace http://us.myspace.com/blackoakarkansas
Watch for a brand new album from Black Oak Arkansas
in 2013!
Black Oak Arkansas will be part of Rock Legends
Cruise II. The event billed as sort of a Woodstock on the high seas, launches
January 10th and returns January 14th 2013. The Liberty of the Seas
from Royal Caribbean departs from Ft. Lauderdale, Fl with a single stopover in
Labadee, Haiti.
For booking information
visit http://rocklegendscruise.com/
or call 888-666-1499. Pricing begins
at $699.00. The event is presented by Native
American Heritage Association.
GREAT
HOLIDAY GIFT! Purchase Ray’s very special memoir
called ‘Check the Gs’ -The True Story of an Eclectic American
Family and Their Wacky Family Business … You’ll LIVE IT! Also available
for download on NOOK or KINDLE edition for JUST .99 CENTS at amazon.com or
barnesandnoble.com -Support Ray so he can continue to bring you quality classic rock music
reporting.
~~Pacific
Book Review says Ray Shasho is a product of the
second half of the 20th century, made in the USA from parts around the
world, and within him is every trend in music, television, politics and culture
contributing to his philosophical and comically analytical reflections
collected in his fine book of memories. I found Check the
Gs to be pure entertainment, fantastic fun and a catalyst to igniting
so many memories of my own life, as I too am within a few years of
Ray. So to all, I say if you have a bit of grey hair (or no hair),
buy this book! It’s a great gift for your “over-the-hill” friends,
or for their kids, if they are the history buffs of younger generations trying
to figure out why we are the way we are.
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