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Doug Sahm was a Texan singer-songwriter and musician, best known as founder and leader of the Sir Douglas Quintet.
1976 saw Doug Sahm signed to ABC's Dot subsidiary for one album, produced by Huey P. Meaux (who had produced the Sir Douglas Quintet back in the day). The album was credited to 'Sir Doug & The Texas Tornados' (not the same Texas Tornados he formed in 1989), and his new band consisted of Harry Hess (steel guitar), Artwood Allen (rhythm guitar & harmony vocals), Jack Barber (bass) and George Rains (drums). Both Barber and Rains had previously played with him in the Quintet. The Quintet's organist Augie Meyers also made an appearance, and enginer Uncle Mickey Moody contributed some guitar. The album had a consistent country-rock sound, made up mostly of Sahm originals alongside a cover of Claude King's "Wolverton Mountain" and a medley of Gene Thomas songs. It was a very good album, but perhaps suffered from a bad mix.
Groover's Paradise (1974) <|> Hell Of A Spell (1980)
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Doug Sahm was a Texan singer-songwriter and musician, best known as founder and leader of the Sir Douglas Quintet.
In 1974 Doug Sahm got himself a new record deal with Warner Bros. He then recruited drummer Doug Clifford and bassist Stu Cook, previously known as the rhythm section of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Clifford produced the new album, which also featured cajun musician Link Davis Jr., who played keyboards, fiddle and sax. Groover's Paradise was another excellent roots-rock album, with the usual Doug Sahm mix of rock, blues, R&B, country, cajun and norteño. All the songs were originals, with the exception of the traditional Mexican instrumental "La Cacahuata". Another great artistic success, and perhaps his best album yet... It did not chart.
Texas Tornado (1973) <|> Texas Rock For Country Rollers (1976)
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Doug Sahm was a Texan singer-songwriter and musician, best known as founder and leader of the Sir Douglas Quintet.
Doug Sahm's second solo album quickly followed his first in 1973. Confusingly it was actually credited to the Sir Douglas Band, but as the Sir Douglas Quintet had by then definitely broken up it can safely be considered a solo release (though members of the Quintet, including organist Augie Meyes, do appear). Releasing his albums under various confusing names would become something of a habit.
Like his first album, and indeed like all the Sir Douglas Quintet albums, Texas Tornado presented a raw Tex-Mex mix of rock & roll, blues, jazz, country and tejano. Parts of it were actually leftovers from the sessions that produced his debut. It featured some great original songs, and a lovely cover of Bobby Charles' "Tennessee Blues". Among the various backing musicians featured can be found Dr John (piano), Flaco Jimenez (accordion), David Bromberg (dobro) and Fathead Newman (sax).
Doug Sahm & Band (1973) <|> Groover's Paradise (1974)
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Doug Sahm was a Texan singer-songwriter and musician, best known as founder and leader of the Sir Douglas Quintet.
Born in Texas in 1941, Doug Sahm got involved in the music business at a young age. He first appeared on the radio aged just five, and as 'Little Doug Sahm' released several singles in the 50s, his first at age eleven. That same year he also got to play on stage with Hank Williams (incidentally it turned out to be Williams' last performance before his death). Throughout the rest of the decade he fronted various bands, and performed in San Antonio's R&B clubs. As well as being a singer, he was also a talented multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, fiddle, pedal steel and mandolin.
In 1965 he formed the Sir Douglas Quintet with Augie Meyes, Frank Morin, Jack Barber and Johnny Perez. They had a massive hit with "She's About A Mover" that same year, and went on to become very successsful.
However by 1971 the band was drifitng apart, and Sahm moved back home to Texas. The band officially broke up in '72. The next year, he released his first solo album. Doug Sahm & Band was a fantastic mix of country, rock, Tex-Mex and blues, and featured both Dr John on piano and Tejano accordion virtuoso Flaco Jimenez, as part of an excellent band. Bob Dylan also appeared singing backing vocals on several songs, and gave Sahm his own then-unreleased song "Wallflower". It also featured lots of covers, including Bob Wills' "Faded Love" and Willie Nelson's "Me And Paul". Sahm pulled it all together fantastically (with a bit of help from the fantastic production), making it an excellent start to his post-band solo career.
|> Texas Tornado (1973)
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