S.O.D. "Free Ride" by Edgar Winter Group
9/24/2015 This is a big circle of multi instrumentalist's. We're talking Edgar and Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, Dan Harper and Ronnie Montrose just to mention some associated acts and bandmembers. The song was written and sang by then bandmember Dan Hartman who also had a successful solo career with a string of hit singles including "I Can Dream About You". "Free Ride" climbed to #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in its release year of 1973.
The group recorded two versions, an LP and a 45 which are very different, as the 45 enlists a harmonica, a fuzz bass throughout the bridge, a brighter guitar track and other changes that make the LP version sound very cut and dry. To this day the 45 track is much less available online and most radio stations play the LP version. Hartman did a version for his 1979 album "Relight My Fire".
Edgar Winter was born in 1946 in Beaumont, Texas and was a proficient musician when he left his hometown in the 60s. He is an amazing keyboardist and invented the keyboard body strap at the start of his career. His astounding musicianship is displayed in the video for their most successful hit, the instrumental "Frankenstein". In 1972 he formed the Edgar Winter Group, bringing together Dan Hartman, guitarist Ronnie Montrose and Chuck Ruff on drums. Winter has been a part of creating 19 albums and 14 singles, is the last surviving member of the group and is still going strong.