Black Oak Arkansas Biography
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 A sextet formed in the late 60s, Black Oak Arkansas took its name from the US town and state where singer Jim ‘Dandy’ Mangrum (30 March 1948) was born. The other members of the band came from nearby towns: Ricky Reynolds (b. 28 October 1948, Manilan, Arkansas, USA; guitar), Stanley Knight (b. 12 February 1949, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; guitar), Harvey Jett (b. Marion, Arkansas, USA; guitar), Pat Daugherty (b. 11 November 1947, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA; bass) and drummer Wayne Evans, the latter replaced on the third album by Thomas Aldrich (b. 15 August 1950, Jackson, Mississippi, USA). Before forming the band, the members were part of a gang that shared a house. Initially calling themselves the Knowbody Else, the group recorded an unsuccessful album for Stax Records in 1969. Two years later they changed their name and signed with Atco Records, for whom they recorded a self-titled album that introduced them to the US charts.
Touring steadily, this hard rock/southern boogie band built a core following, yet its records never matched its concert appeal. Of the band’s 10 US-charting albums between 1971 and 1976, High On The Hog proved the most commercially successful, peaking at number 52. It featured the bestselling December 1973 Top 30 single, ‘Jim Dandy’ (sung by female vocalist Ruby Starr, who reappeared on the Live! Mutha album). In 1975, guitarist Jett was replaced by James Henderson (b. 20 May 1954, Jackson, Mississippi, USA), and the following year, after switching to MCA Records, Black Oak Arkansas had one further minor chart single, ‘Strong Enough To Be Gentle’. By 1977 only Mangrum remained from the original line-up and although they signed to Capricorn Records, there was no further record success. Mangrum did, however, maintain various touring versions of the band during the 80s, as well as recording a solo album (Ready As Hell) in 1984. The Black Oak Arkansas catalogue was reissued in 1995 by Sequel Records. Four years later Mangrum resurrected the name and reunited with several original members to record The Wild Bunch.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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A sextet formed in the late 60s, Black Oak Arkansas took its name from the US town and state where singer Jim ‘Dandy’ Mangrum (30 March 1948) was born. The other members of the band came from nearby towns: Ricky Reynolds (b. 28 October 1948, Manilan, Arkansas, USA; guitar), Stanley Knight (b. 12 February 1949, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; guitar), Harvey Jett (b. Marion, Arkansas, USA; guitar), Pat Daugherty (b. 11 November 1947, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA; bass) and drummer Wayne Evans, the latter replaced on the third album by Thomas Aldrich (b. 15 August 1950, Jackson, Mississippi, USA). Before forming the band, the members were part of a gang that shared a house. Initially calling themselves the Knowbody Else, the group recorded an unsuccessful album for Stax Records in 1969. Two years later they changed their name and signed with Atco Records, for whom they recorded a self-titled album that introduced them to the US charts.