S.O.D. "Panama Red" by New Riders of the Purple Sage

10/2/2015     The genre is country rock and like any other genre, it comes about usually unintentional until many are playing and experimenting with it, then it is named.  Country rock development began in 1969 with the Dillard & Clark Band, The Clarence White-era Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Band, and Bob Dylan.  Even before this, Purple Sage founder David Nelson and future Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia were making music together of the same sort.  Garcia was there for the start of the New Riders and stayed with them for the first album before forming the Grateful Dead.  

     Throughout the coming years Nelson and Garcia contributed to each other's projects and Nelson became the caretaker of the rehearsal space for Big Brother and the Holding Company shortly after Janis Joplin and James Gurley left the band.  "Panama Red" was their most successful hit and comes from the 1973 album, "The Adventures of Panama Red".  The tune was written by musician/singer-songwriter Peter Rowan who also wrote "Lonesome L.A. Cowboy", another song on the album.  

     The group dispersed in 1997, reformed in 2005 and are still jamming, also dabbling in bluegrass.  They have released 38 albums in all. If you don't know what Panama Red is, please look it up.