Denny King was yet another Lancaster based musician. This album of blues and boogie (which is well worth searching out) includes ex Magic Band members Alex St Claire (guitar, trumpet and production), and Doug Moon (harmonica), plus former Exiles drummer Greg Hampton.
Alex St Claire also gets a co-writing credit on one song – “Desert Sand”. One of the tracks is the “Sure Nuff n Yes I Do”/”New Minglewood Blues” riff all over again. And some of the vocals have an occasional nod towards a Beefheartian growl. The song ‘Bessie Mae’ is an exact copy of the ”Tarotplane’ riff.
Barry ‘Dr Demento’ Hansen wrote the sleevenotes to the album.
Originally from Wisconsin, Denny was in a number of groups before moving west. Former bandmate Gary Myers has written about those early bands – read about Denny and the Darnells.
After many years of touring with the Boogie band Denny King on and set up a booking agency booking bars with the intent of helping musicians get started and actually make a living. He was a pioneer in opening the venues for musicians throughout Asia, and was the key person for providing top notch national entertainment for US forces in Korea.
He died in April 2000 of a stroke/ heart attack – a rather humble and religious man. At the time of his death he had been working with some other musicians in his church in a band called The Watchmen. A number of songs were recorded and there are plans for these to be released if a label can be found and some production work done on the music.
(Thanks to Gary Myers, Pamela Simmerman, Steve Morgan and Eric Johnson for additional information)
Denny King & The B.O. Boogie Band
- 1972 US Vinyl Evil Wind Is Blowing on Speciality SPS 5003
This is a rare album, grab it if you see one!
- 2005 US CD Evil Wind Is Blowing on Synton Archive Productions SPS5003.
At last a CD version!. Synton specialise in first time releases on CD but with limited pressings – 500 only. - 2010 US CD Evil Wind Is Blowing on Axis Records AXCD1012
- 1972 US 7″ Bessie Mae/Go Down Moses on Speciality.
Two tracks taken from the album.
Help us out
If anyone is able to complete or update any of the information above, then please do get in touch.
Denny was an amazing man. I met him in the mid 90’s, as a teenager, at a local Sacramento church. I had just started playing guitar a year or so before that and loved talking shop with him.
Some of my fondest memories as a youth was watching this man play his guitar.
I always remember that I knew some good guitar was about to come out of his hand when he closed his eyes and just went with the music.