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Sir Douglas Quintet




In addition to "She's About a Mover" the band is known for its songs "Mendocino" and "Dynamite Woman" and "Can You Dig My Vibrations?"

The Sir Douglas Quintet is considered a pioneering influence in the history of Rock And Roll for incorporating Tex-Mex and Cajun styles into rock music. Live performances also evinced their fondness for Doo-wop -type songs (more the feel, the beat, and the chord progressions, rather than the nonsense syllables). The band also incorporated an unusual mixture of Western Swing , Czech and German Polka from the Texas Hill Country , and, eventually, a flare of Psychedelic Rock into its albums. The group revived several classics such as Jimmie Rodgers ' ''In the Jailhouse Now'' and Freddy Fender 's ''Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.''

Early influences on the band's emerging Texas style included ethnic and pop music from the 1950s and 1960s, such as Doo-wop , Electric Blues , Soul Music , and British Invasion . In the middle sixties, the band relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area and absorbed features of the San Francisco Sound , including the loud and lush electric-bass tone and freer percussion and guitar stylings. Musical elements specific to modern Jazz were explored by band members at that time. For studio recordings, they sometimes added an extra musician or two, often to flesh out the brass dimension of a track's sound.

In 2005 they were among the new class of musicians chosen for the nominating ballot to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame .


MEMBERS

The Sir Douglas Quintet included several different members after its founding in 1966. The group was always anchored by Sahm and Meyers who were also members of the Texas Tornados in the early 1990's. Other original members included Jack Barber on bass, Frank Morin on saxophone, and Johnny Perez on drums. In 1969 Harvey Kagan joined the Quintet on bass forming their most familiar lineup - Kagan, Morin, Perez, Sahm, and Meyers. Bassist Jim Stallings also contributed to several albums during this period

In 1972 the group split up when Sahm contracted to produce a solo album. Meyers, Perez, Morin, and Stallings briefly regrouped as "The Quintet" with Sonny Farlow taking Sahm's place. In 1973 several Sir Douglas Quintet outtakes were released in their final album from the group's classic era, ''Rough Edges.''

Sahm and Meyers continued to work together throughout the late 1970's and rejoined with Perez in 1980 for a reunion tour and album.


ALBUMS

  • ''The Best of Sir Douglas Quintet'' (1966)

  • ''Sir Douglas Quintet + 2'' (1968)

  • ''Mendocino'' (1969)

  • ''Together After Five'' (1969)

  • ''1+1+1=4'' (1970)

  • ''The Return of Doug Saldana'' (1971)

  • ''Future Tense'' (as simply "The Quintet") (1972)

  • ''Rough Edges'' (1973)

  • ''Motive'' (1980)