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Paul Revere & the Raiders (also known as Raiders) were an American
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band formed in
Boise, Idaho Boise ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Idaho, most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, there were 235,685 people residing in the city. Loca ...
, in 1958. They saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. The band was known for including Revolutionary War-style clothes in their attire. Originally an
instrumental rock Instrumental rock is rock music that emphasizes instrumental performance and features very little or no singing. Examples of instrumental music in rock can be found in practically every subgenre of the style. Instrumental rock was most popular f ...
combo called the Downbeats, the Raiders were formed in 1958 by organist
Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, ...
, and included singer
Mark Lindsay Mark Lindsay (born March 9, 1942) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. Early life Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon, and was the second of eight children of George and Esther Ell ...
. After charting in 1961 with the minor hit "
Like, Long Hair "Like, Long Hair" is a 1961 top-40 hit song by American rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. An instrumental composed by the group and arranged by Gary Paxton, it spent six weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at No. 38. In Canada it rea ...
" and then in late 1963 just missing ''Billboard''s Hot 100 with a cover of "
Louie Louie "Louie Louie" is a rhythm and blues song written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a Standard (music), stand ...
", the band was signed to
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
, under the tutelage of producer
Terry Melcher Terrence Paul Melcher (; February 8, 1942 – November 19, 2004) was an American record producer, singer, and songwriter who was instrumental in shaping the mid-to-late 1960s California Sound and folk rock movements. His best-known contribution ...
. In January 1966 the single " Just Like Me"—propelled by exposure on
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
's shows such as ''Where The Action Is''—reached no. 11 on the Hot 100, followed by the consecutive Top Tens "
Kicks A kick is a physical strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee strike). This type of a ...
" and "
Hungry Hunger is a sensation that motivates the consumption of food. The sensation of hunger typically manifests after only a few hours without eating and is generally considered to be unpleasant. Satiety occurs between 5 and 20 minutes after eating. T ...
", thus establishing the band as national stars. Clark's TV shows showcased Lindsay as a
teen idol A teen idol is a celebrity with a large teenage fan base. Teen idols are generally young but are not necessarily teenagers themselves. An idol's popularity may be limited to teens, or may extend to all age groups. By region Asia Ea ...
and Revere as the "madman" of the group, and between 1966 and '69 they reached the top 30 with 12 hits. Bolstered by the success of the singles, the three 1966 albums '' Just Like Us'', '' Midnight Ride'' and '' The Spirit of '67'' all were gold-certified by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. Mark Lindsay replaced Terry Melcher as the Raiders' producer, and the band scored with the US No. 20 hit " Let Me!" in 1969. In early 1970 the band's name was shortened to "Raiders" and one year later the hugely successful cover of the song "
Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" is a song written by John D. Loudermilk.Jancik, Wayne ''The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders'' 1998. page 247 It was first recorded by Marvin Rainwater in 1959 and released ...
" reached number one in both the US and Canada and was eventually
certified platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
in 1996. But the failure to continue the record's success led to the breakup of the band after being dropped by Columbia in 1975. In 1978, Revere went back to live performances with a show that mixed comedy and rock and roll. He died of cancer in 2014. The group had many lineup changes, with their most well-known "classic" lineup being: Mark Lindsay (vocals and saxophone), Paul Revere (keyboards), Drake "Kid" Levin (guitar), Phil "Fang" Volk (bass), and
Mike "Smitty" Smith Michael Leroy "Smitty" Smith (March 27, 1942 – March 6, 2001) was an American drummer, guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for his work as a drummer with Paul Revere & the Raiders. Early life Mike Smith was born in Portland, O ...
(drums). This lineup recorded most of the material on the group's first five Columbia albums from 1965 to 1967.


History


Early years

Initially based in
Boise, Idaho Boise ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Idaho, most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, there were 235,685 people residing in the city. Loca ...
, the Raiders began as an instrumental rock band led by organist and founder
Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, ...
(1938–2014).Hart, Roger
Paul Revere: "The End of the Ride" 1938–2014
, memorial in the Paul Revere and the Raiders official website (accessed October 5, 2014).
The band relocated to
Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, when Revere returned from serving in the armed forces in 1962.Stax, Mike. "Optical Sound: The Technicolor Tales Behind the Numerous Nuggets" (track-by-track booklet liner notes). ''Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968'' (4-CD Box Set). Rhino 1998, p. 58. In his early 20s, Revere owned several restaurants in
Caldwell Caldwell may refer to: People * Caldwell (surname) * Caldwell (given name) * Caldwell First Nation, a federally recognized First Nation in southern Ontario, Canada Places Great Britain * Caldwell, Derbyshire, a hamlet * Caldwell, Ea ...
, Idaho, and first met singer
Mark Lindsay Mark Lindsay (born March 9, 1942) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. Early life Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon, and was the second of eight children of George and Esther Ell ...
(b. 1942) while picking up buns from the bakery where Lindsay worked. The circumstance of their meeting was later referred to in the tongue-in-cheek song "Legend of Paul Revere", recorded by the group. Lindsay joined Revere's band in 1958. Originally called the Downbeats, they changed their name to Paul Revere & the Raiders in 1960 on the eve of their first record release for Gardena Records. The band garnered their first hit in the
Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...
in 1961, with the instrumental "
Like, Long Hair "Like, Long Hair" is a 1961 top-40 hit song by American rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. An instrumental composed by the group and arranged by Gary Paxton, it spent six weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at No. 38. In Canada it rea ...
". The record had enough national appeal that it peaked at no. 38 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on April 17, 1961. When Revere was drafted for military service, he became a
conscientious objector A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of conscience or religion. The term has also been extended to objecting to working for the military–indu ...
and worked as a cook at a mental institution for a year and a half of deferred service. During the same time period, Lindsay pumped gas in
Wilsonville, Oregon Wilsonville is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, Clackamas and Washington County, Oregon, Washington counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded with the name Boones Landing for the Boones Ferry that crossed the Willamette River, the communit ...
. On the strength of their Top 40 single, Lindsay toured the U.S. in the summer of 1961 with a band that featured
Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock a ...
taking Revere's place on piano. By summer 1962, Revere and Lindsay were working together again in Oregon with a version of the Raiders that featured
Mike "Smitty" Smith Michael Leroy "Smitty" Smith (March 27, 1942 – March 6, 2001) was an American drummer, guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for his work as a drummer with Paul Revere & the Raiders. Early life Mike Smith was born in Portland, O ...
(1942–2001), a drummer who would spend two extended periods with the band. Around this time, KISN DJ Roger Hart, who was producing teen dances, was looking for a band to hire. Hart had a casual conversation with a bank teller who told him about a band called "Paul Revere-something". Hart obtained Revere's phone number and they met for lunch. Hart hired the band for one of his teen dances. Soon afterward, Hart became the group's personal manager. It was Hart who suggested they record "
Louie Louie "Louie Louie" is a rhythm and blues song written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a Standard (music), stand ...
", for which Hart paid them about $50, producing the song and placing it on his Sandē label, ultimately attracting the attention of
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
. According to Lindsay, the Raiders were a "bunch of white-bread kids doing their best to sound black. We got signed to Columbia on the strength of sounding like this." Both the Kingsmen and the Raiders recorded "Louie Louie" in the same studio Northwestern Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings, Inc. (NWI) in
Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, in April 1963. Sources concur that the Kingsmen session was first but vary on the date of the Raiders recording. Soon after, the Raiders added guitarist
Drake Levin Drake Maxwell Levin (August 17, 1946 – July 4, 2009) was an American musician best known as the guitarist for the pop-rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. Early life Levin was born in Chicago, and his family's name, Levinshefski, was shorten ...
(replacing Charlie Coe, who had replaced “Louie Louie” soloist Steve West) and bassist Mike "Doc" Holiday (replacing Dick Walker and replaced in early 1965 by
Phil Volk Phillip Edward Volk (born October 25, 1945) is an American musician. As the bassist of Paul Revere & the Raiders from 1965 to 1967, Volk appeared in over 750 television shows, 520 of which were episodes of the Dick Clark produc ...
).


Hits and promotion in the "Action" era

In 1965, the Raiders began recording a string of
garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...
classics. Under the guidance of producer
Terry Melcher Terrence Paul Melcher (; February 8, 1942 – November 19, 2004) was an American record producer, singer, and songwriter who was instrumental in shaping the mid-to-late 1960s California Sound and folk rock movements. His best-known contribution ...
, the group relocated to Los Angeles and increasingly emulated the sounds of
British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when Rock music, rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of Culture of the United Kingdom, British culture became popular in the United States with sign ...
bands such as
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
,
the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
,
the Dave Clark Five The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, were an English rock and roll band formed in 1958 in Tottenham, London. Drummer Dave Clark was the group's leader, producer and co-songwriter. In January 1964, they had their first UK top-ten single, ...
, and
the Animals The Animals, currently billed as Eric Burdon & the Animals (featuring original frontman Eric Burdon) and also as Animals & Friends (featuring original drummer John Steel (drummer), John Steel), are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Ne ...
, while adding an American, R&B feel. Their first major national hit, " Just Like Me", was one of the first rock records to feature a distinctive, double-tracked guitar solo, performed by guitarist Drake Levin. A late 1965 release, the single peaked at No. 11 on ''Billboards Hot 100 in January 1966 during a then-lengthy 15-week run. Their Hot 100 hits from this period include "
Kicks A kick is a physical strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee strike). This type of a ...
" (No. 4), "
Hungry Hunger is a sensation that motivates the consumption of food. The sensation of hunger typically manifests after only a few hours without eating and is generally considered to be unpleasant. Satiety occurs between 5 and 20 minutes after eating. T ...
" (No. 6), "The Great Airplane Strike" (No. 20), "Good Thing" (No. 4) and "
Him or Me – What's It Gonna Be? "Him or Me – What's It Gonna Be?" is a song written by Mark Lindsay and Terry Melcher, recorded by American rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders for their seventh studio album ''Revolution!'' It can be distinguished from other previous Raiders g ...
" (No. 5). Of these, "Kicks" emerged as their best-known hit – a hip-sounding record with an anti-drug message, written by
Barry Mann Barry Mann (born Barry Imberman; February 9, 1939) is an American songwriter and musician, and was part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil. He has written or co-written 53 hits in the UK and 98 in the US. Early ...
and
Cynthia Weil Cynthia Weil (October 18, 1940 – June 1, 2023) was an American songwriter who wrote many songs together with her husband Barry Mann. Weil and Mann were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987, and in 2011, they jointly received the ...
and originally earmarked for
the Animals The Animals, currently billed as Eric Burdon & the Animals (featuring original frontman Eric Burdon) and also as Animals & Friends (featuring original drummer John Steel (drummer), John Steel), are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Ne ...
. (Mann later revealed in interviews that the song was written about their friend, fellow 1960s songwriter
Gerry Goffin Gerald Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) was an American lyricist. Collaborating initially with his first wife, Carole King, he co-wrote many international pop hits of the early and mid-1960s, including the US No.1 hits " Will You L ...
, whose ongoing drug problems were interfering with his career and his relationship with then wife
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter and musician renowned for her extensive contributions to popular music. She wrote or co-wrote 118 songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billbo ...
.) The band appeared regularly in the U.S. on national television, most notably on
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
's '' Where the Action Is'', ''
Happening '68 ''Happening '68'' was a rock-and-roll variety show produced by Dick Clark Productions, which aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) network. The show followed ''American Bandstand'' on Saturday afternoons. ''Happening '68'' premiered on ...
'', and ''
It's Happening ''Happening '68'' was a rock-and-roll variety show produced by Dick Clark Productions, which aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) network. The show followed ''American Bandstand'' on Saturday afternoons. ''Happening '68'' premiered on ...
'', the latter two co-hosted by Revere and Lindsay. In November 1966, the band appeared as themselves performing a song on the popular ''
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
'' television series in the episode "Hizzonner the Penguin". The Raiders had an endorsement deal with the Vox Amplifier Company through its U.S. distributor, the
Thomas Organ Company The Thomas Organ Company is an American manufacturer of electronic keyboards and a one-time holder of the manufacturing rights to the Moog synthesizer. The company was a force behind early electronic organs for the home. It went out of business ...
, with Revere using the
Vox Continental The Vox Continental is a transistorised combo organ that was manufactured between 1962 and 1971 by the British musical equipment manufacturer Vox. It was designed for touring musicians and as an alternative to the heavy Hammond organ. It supp ...
combo organ and Volk occasionally playing the Vox Phantom IV bass. When performing, the entire band was plugged into Vox Super Beatle amplifiers. The band was reported to be the first major band in history to tour with all members amplified, including sidemen such as horn players. When Levin left the group in 1966 to join the National Guard he was replaced by Jim Valley, another Northwest musician the Raiders had met during their days playing the Portland and Seattle music circuits. Valley was dubbed "Harpo" by the other Raiders due to a vague resemblance to the famous Marx brother. By mid-1967, having released five albums in just over two years, the Raiders were Columbia's top-selling rock group. Their ''Greatest Hits'' album released that spring was one of two releases selected by
Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 1 ...
to test a higher list price for albums expected to be particularly popular (along with ''
Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits ''Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits'' is a 1967 compilation album of songs by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Released on March 27, 1967, by Columbia Records, it was a stopgap between Dylan's studio albums '' Blonde on Blonde'' and '' John Wesley ...
'').


Major lineup change

At the height of the group's popularity, Valley, Volk, and Smith left the band. The split happened for a number of reasons, among them being the feeling that the group was prevented from evolving into a more egalitarian creative team, upset at being replaced by studio musicians on recordings (Volk denied this and said that the Wrecking Crew were hired by Melcher and Lindsay only to augment the band) and unhappy with a continued teen-oriented direction while a more serious rock 'n' roll style was emerging. Valley was the first to leave. Levin completed his National Guard service and rejoined the band during its spring 1967 tour. In April, Levin, Volk, and Smith flew to New York together when the Raiders were booked to perform on ''
The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...
''. Revere was upset about Valley, Volk, and Smith leaving the group, blaming Levin for their departures. Levin showed up at the
Ed Sullivan Theater The Ed Sullivan Theater (originally Hammerstein's Theatre; later the Manhattan Theatre, Billy Rose's Music Hall, CBS Radio Playhouse No. 3, and CBS Studio 50) is a theater at 1697–1699 Broadway, between 53rd and 54th streets, in the Theat ...
to perform with Volk and Smith for the very last time, but Revere refused to let him play. Unbeknownst to the group, Revere had hired a new guitar player,
Freddy Weller Wilton Frederick "Freddy" Weller (born September 9, 1943) is an American rock and roll and country music and artist. He recorded for Columbia Records between 1969 and 1980. He had his highest charted single in 1969 with his debut release, "Gam ...
, to perform that night. Levin held no grudges about this; he showed Weller the chords to the songs and watched from the wings as the Raiders made their one and only appearance on Sullivan's show on April 30, 1967. It was the only time that the lineup of Revere, Lindsay, Smith, Volk, and Weller performed together. The following month, Volk and Smith left, subsequently rejoining Levin to form the band Brotherhood which would release two albums on
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...
. Charlie Coe, who had played guitar for the group in 1963, rejoined the band on bass, and Joe Correro Jr. was recruited as the new drummer.


The "Happening" era

By 1968, changing musical tastes rendered the group and its matching revolutionary war costumes unfashionable, but they still continued to have modest hits through the rest of the decade, including "Peace of Mind", "I Had a Dream", "Too Much Talk", "Don't Take It So Hard", "Cinderella Sunshine", " Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon", and " Let Me!", which became their first
gold record Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
. On January 6, 1968, just four months after the cancellation of ''Where The Action Is'', Revere and Lindsay returned to the air as hosts of a new Dick Clark-produced show in which the Raiders made several appearances, ''
Happening '68 ''Happening '68'' was a rock-and-roll variety show produced by Dick Clark Productions, which aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) network. The show followed ''American Bandstand'' on Saturday afternoons. ''Happening '68'' premiered on ...
'' (later shortened to ''Happening''). This weekly series was joined from July to September that year by a Clark-produced daily series ''It's Happening'', also hosted by Revere and Lindsay. In August 1968, bassist Coe left the group again to get married and was replaced by former ''Action'' heartthrob
Keith Allison Sydney Keith Allison (August 26, 1942 - November 17, 2021) was an American musician and composer, best known as a member of Paul Revere & the Raiders from 1968 to 1975. Music Allison began working as a professional solo artist and session music ...
. According to author
Derek Taylor Derek Wyn Taylor (7 May 1932 – 8 September 1997) was a British journalist, writer, publicist and record producer. He is best known for his role as press officer to the Beatles, with whom he worked in 1964 and then from 1968 to 1970, and was ...
, the Raiders were seen as "irrelevances. . . . Nervous citizens felt reassured that some good safe things never changed". Terry Melcher ended his association with the group to focus on other artists and Mark Lindsay produced and arranged all records beginning with the psychedelic album ''Something Happening''. The band moved further away from its garage rock roots and adopted a more layered, complex sound on ''Something Happening'' and the follow-up albums ''
Hard 'N' Heavy (with Marshmallow) ''Hard 'N' Heavy (with Marshmallow)'' is the tenth studio album by Paul Revere and the Raiders, released in 1969. It entered the ''Billboard'' 200 on 5 April 1969 at number 122, spending 19 weeks on the chart peaking at number 51 on 10 May 1969 ...
'' and ''
Alias Pink Puzz ''Alias Pink Puzz'' is the eleventh studio album by Paul Revere and the Raiders. Background The title was a humorous reference to the band's tactic of sending the new record to a Los Angeles FM radio station under a pseudonym. It was broadcast a ...
''. (According to
allmusic.com AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the data ...
, Pink Puzz was the identity under which the Raiders first tried to get the album played on FM radio, a gambit that failed though the band kept the joke name for the album title.). The success of "Let Me!" allowed Paul Revere and the Raiders to tour Europe with the
Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by thei ...
in the summer of 1969 (they also recorded two songs for the long running German music program ''
Beat-Club ''Beat-Club'' was a West German music programme that ran from September 1965 to December 1972. It was broadcast from Bremen, West Germany on ''Erstes Deutsches Fernsehen'', the national public TV channel of the ARD, and produced by one of its m ...
''). The band also performed a specially written song and appeared in a television commercial for Pontiac's new GTO-branded muscle car, "The Judge". The group was also invited to appear at the
Woodstock The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York, Woodstock. Billed as "a ...
festival but reportedly turned down the invitation. Later in 1969, ''Happening'' ended its run on television and Lindsay released a hit single as a solo artist, "
Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...
", written by
Kenny Young Kenny Young (born Shalom Giskan, April 14, 1941 – April 14, 2020) was an American songwriter, musician, producer and environmental campaigner who wrote and in some cases produced hit songs for The Drifters, Ronnie Dove, Herman's Hermits, Mar ...
, which peaked at No. 10 on the ''Billboard'' chart.


The Raiders: early 1970s

In an effort to change the band's sound and image, its name was officially shortened to "Raiders" starting with the 1970 album ''
Collage Collage (, from the , "to glue" or "to stick together") is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assembly of different forms, thus creating a new whole. (Compare with pasti ...
''. It drew a glowing review from ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' magazine, with critic
Lenny Kaye Lenny Kaye (''né'' Kusikoff; born December 27, 1946) is an American guitarist, composer, and writer, notable for his work with the Patti Smith Group, his contributions to music magazines, and his garage rock retrospective anthology '' Nuggets' ...
singling out Lindsay for praise: " enever fails to give the impression that he knows what he's doing. Almost single-handedly, he's brought the Raiders to a stronger position than they've occupied in years". ''Collage'' proved to be a commercial failure (#154 on the ''Billboard'' 200) and Lindsay began to turn toward solo projects. Joe Correro departed after their spring tour ended and replaced by his predecessor Mike Smith. The Raiders achieved their greatest success with their cover of
John D. Loudermilk John Dee Loudermilk Jr. (March 31, 1934 – September 21, 2016) was an American singer and songwriter. Although he had his own recording career during the 1950s and 1960s, he was primarily known as a songwriter. His best-known songs include "In ...
's "
Indian Reservation An American Indian reservation is an area of land land tenure, held and governed by a List of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States#Description, U.S. federal government-recognized Native American tribal nation, whose gov ...
", which was brought to the band by Columbia A&R man Jack Gold. Revere worked to promote the single and "Indian Reservation" peaked at No. 1 for one week in July 1971. It became Columbia's biggest-selling single for almost a decade, clearing over six million units. The success of the single was followed by the album of the same name that reached No. 19 and consisted mainly of covers. The group expanded to include drummer Omar Martinez and keyboardist Bob Wooley. The last Raiders album, ''Country Wine'' (1972), failed to crack the ''Billboard'' 200. Later that year, they began preparation on follow up album, ''Love Music.'' The intended title track was released as a promotion for the project, but it reached only #97, marking the Raiders' final chart appearance and the album being shelved by Columbia. Without a chart presence, the band was relegated to playing lounges and state fairs as an "oldies" act, a situation Revere found pleasing, but not Lindsay. Weller and Smith departed in December 1972, Weller being replaced by guitarist Doug Heath.


The later 1970s

Lineup changes ensued in early 1975, with Mark Lindsay departing after a gig at
Knott's Berry Farm Knott's Berry Farm is a amusement park in Buena Park, California, United States, owned and operated by Six Flags. In March 2015, it was ranked as the List of amusement park rankings#North America, twelfth-most-visited theme park in North Ameri ...
. He recorded two final singles for Warner Bros. records in 1977, then turned his attentions to film scoring and commercials. He was also head of A&R (artists & repertoire) for
United Artists Records United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B. History Genres In 1958 ...
in the 1970s.
Keith Allison Sydney Keith Allison (August 26, 1942 - November 17, 2021) was an American musician and composer, best known as a member of Paul Revere & the Raiders from 1968 to 1975. Music Allison began working as a professional solo artist and session music ...
departed in April 1975, to be replaced by Ron Foos." Country music was the choice of former guitarist
Freddy Weller Wilton Frederick "Freddy" Weller (born September 9, 1943) is an American rock and roll and country music and artist. He recorded for Columbia Records between 1969 and 1980. He had his highest charted single in 1969 with his debut release, "Gam ...
, who had much success on the country charts before, starting with his country version of
Joe South Joe South (born Joseph Alfred Souter; February 28, 1940 – September 5, 2012) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Best known for his songwriting, South won the Grammy Award for Grammy Award for Song of the Year, ...
's " Games People Play" in 1969 reaching no. 2 on the country charts as well as recording albums (his first two solo albums were produced by Mark Lindsay), and Top 10 singles on the country singles charts such as his covers of
Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...
's "Promised Land",
the Cowsills The Cowsills are an American singing group from Newport, Rhode Island, six siblings noted for performing professionally and singing harmonies at an early age, later with their mother. The band was formed in early 1965 by brothers Bill Cowsill, B ...
' "Indian Lake", as well as "These Are Not My People" and "Another Night of Love" for Columbia during this time while with the Raiders, as well as after leaving the Raiders. (Freddy's stint was 1967–1973.) In a memorable event, Revere married for the second time on July 4, Bicentennial Year 1976 onstage at a Raiders show. Revere announced his retirement from the music business at the end of 1976, but was back on the road by 1978 with a new cast of Raiders. Along with guitarist Doug Heath, Revere linked in this period with a group called "Louie Fontaine & the Rockets", and went on the road with them as "Paul Revere & the Raiders", featuring Blair Hill ("Louie Fontaine") as lead vocalist. This configuration even appeared as "Paul Revere's Raiders" without Paul, for a while in 1978. The "classic" lineup of Revere, Lindsay, Levin, Volk, and Smith reunited for a final time with Dick Clark on national television in 1979 and performed a medley of their biggest hits. The same year "Indian Reservation" was covered by the German group Orlando Riva Sound.


The 1980s to 2014

The
punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
and new wave eras saw a wave of interest in the Raiders' music; " I'm Not Your Stepping Stone" was covered by
the Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...
,
Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C., by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guita ...
, Berkeley's
Fang A fang is a long, pointed tooth. In mammals, a fang is a modified maxillary tooth, used for biting and tearing flesh. In snakes, it is a specialized tooth that is associated with a venom gland (see snake venom). Spiders also have external fangs, ...
, and
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
band the Farm – although
the Monkees The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones (musician), Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees (TV series), Th ...
' version was better known than the Raiders'. "Just Like Me" was covered by
the Circle Jerks Circle Jerks (stylized as Ciʀcle JƎʀᴋs) are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California. The group was founded by former Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetson. To date, Circle ...
,
Joan Jett Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin; September 22, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actress. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music#J, Godmother of Punk", she is regarded as a Pop icon, rock icon and ...
and
Pat Benatar Patricia Mae Giraldo (née Andrzejewski; formerly and still professionally Benatar ; born January 10, 1953) is an American singer and songwriter. In the United States, she has two multi-platinum albums, five platinum albums, and 15 US ''Billboa ...
.
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
covered "
Louie, Go Home "Louie, Go Home" is a song written by Paul Revere and Mark Lindsay as a sequel after Richard Berry declined their request for a follow-up to "Louie Louie". It was recorded by Paul Revere and the Raiders in 1963 and released in March 1964. The gr ...
".
The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
recorded the song in 1965, changing the title and lyrics to "Lubie (Come Back Home)", and released it in 1985 on a rarities album and in 2002 on the deluxe edition reissue of their first album ''
My Generation "My Generation" is a song by the English rock band The Who, written by guitarist and primary songwriter Pete Townshend. One of the band's most recognizable songs, it was placed number 11 by ''Rolling Stone'' on its list of the " 500 Greatest S ...
''. "Hungry" was covered by
Sammy Hagar Sam Roy Hagar (born October 13, 1947), also known as the Red Rocker, is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He rose to prominence in the early 1970s with the hard rock band Montrose before launching a ...
. The
Flamin' Groovies Flamin' Groovies is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1965, originally co-led by Roy Loney and Cyril Jordan. After the Groovies released three albums, on Epic ('' Supersnazz'') and Kama Sutra (''Flamingo'' and '' Teenage He ...
tackled three Raiders songs ("Him or Me – What's It Gonna Be?", "Sometimes" and "Ups and Downs") and The Morrells did a country-tinged arrangement of "Ups and Downs" as well. The
Paisley Underground Paisley Underground is a musical genre that originated in California. It was particularly popular in Los Angeles, reaching a peak in the mid-1980s. Paisley Underground bands incorporated psychedelia, rich vocal harmonies and guitar interplay, owi ...
,
garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...
revival, and
grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock Music genre, genre and subculture that emerged during the in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington, particularly in Seattle and Music of Olympia, Washington, O ...
movements all acknowledged the Raiders' influence. "Kicks" was covered by
Micky Dolenz George Michael Dolenz Jr. ( ; born March 8, 1945) is an American musician and actor. He was the drummer and one of two primary vocalists for the pop rock band the Monkees (1966–1970, and reunions until 2021), and a co-star of the TV series ''T ...
and
Peter Tork Peter Halsten Thorkelson (February 13, 1942 – February 21, 2019), better known by his stage name Peter Tork, was an American musician and actor. He was best known as the bass guitarist and keyboardist of the Monkees and co-star of the NBC ...
of
the Monkees The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones (musician), Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees (TV series), Th ...
as one of three new recordings included on their 1986 compilation, '' Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees''. Mark Lindsay cut a version of "Ups And Downs" in 1994 with
Carla Olson Carla Olson (born July 3, 1952) is an American, Los Angeles-based songwriter, performer and record producer. Biography Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Olson moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1978 where she formed the Textones, whose deb ...
, which appeared on her ''Reap The Whirlwind'' album. Revere continued with a relatively stable lineup through the 80's and 90's, featuring longtime members Omar Martinez (drums and vocals since 1972), Doug Heath (guitarist for the Raiders since 1973), Ron Foos (bass, Allison's replacement in 1975), Danny Krause (keyboards, vocals since 1980) and lead vocalist Carlo Driggs (who replaced Michael Bradley). New record releases included the self-produced ''Special Edition'' in 1983, with Michael Bradley on vocals, and ''Paul Revere Rides Again'', released in 1983 through
Radio Shack RadioShack (formerly written as Radio Shack) is an American electronics retailer that was established in 1921 as an amateur radio mail-order business. Its parent company was purchased by Tandy Corporation in 1962, which shifted its focus from ma ...
stores. They also recorded a home video for MCA Universal in 1987 titled "The Last Madman of Rock 'N' Roll". Revere's son Jamie joined the band on guitar for several years in the 1990s, featured on ''Generic Rock & Roll'' (1992) and ''Generic Rock 2'' (1996). On September 19, 1997, four of the group's classic lineup (Lindsay, Levin, Volk and Smith) reunited in full costume (without Revere) for a 30th anniversary performance in Portland. In 2000
Sundazed Sundazed Music is an American independent record label founded and based in Coxsackie, New York. It was initially known as a '60s-centric surf, garage, and psych label. Over time with the additions of imprints such as Modern Harmonic, Americana ...
Records released a two-CD package entitled ''Mojo Workout'' that focused on the R&B and soul sounds from early in the Raiders' Columbia career. In 2001, the Raiders released ''Ride to the Wall'', featuring several new songs, along with their versions of 1960s hits, with proceeds going to help veterans of the Vietnam War. They performed at Rolling Thunder's
Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It i ...
event in Washington D.C. in 2001 for POW-MIA's of the Vietnam era. A steady touring schedule kept Paul and his "new Raiders" in the public eye. Keith Allison, who played in the Raiders from 1968 to 1975, has since gone into acting, and appeared in the films ''
Phantom of the Paradise ''Phantom of the Paradise'' is a 1974 American rock musical comedy horror film written and directed by Brian De Palma and scored by and starring Paul Williams. A naïve young singer-songwriter, Winslow Leach ( William Finley), is tricked by ...
'' and '' Gods and Generals''; accessed September 13, 2015 among others. On October 13, 2007, Paul Revere & the Raiders, along with their manager Roger Hart, were inducted into the
Oregon Music Hall of Fame The Oregon Music Hall of Fame is an award honoring musicians from the U.S. state of Oregon. The first induction ceremony took place on October 13, 2007. History The Oregon Music Hall of Fame was conceived of in the 1990s by a group called the Oreg ...
. Lindsay, Volk, and Roger Hart were present to accept their awards. In 2010, the band was inducted into the
Hit Parade Hall of Fame John Harlan Rook (October 9, 1937 – March 1, 2016) was an American radio programmer and executive, most known for his tenure in Chicago. Under his guidance in the 1960s, 50,000-watt ABC-owned WLS became the highest rated station in the Chica ...
. Revere announced his retirement from the band in August 2014; the group planned to tour without him as "Paul Revere's Raiders". In October 2014, the band's web site announced that Revere had died "peacefully" on October 4, 2014, at his
Garden Valley, Idaho Garden Valley is an unincorporated census-designated place in Boise County, Idaho, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 377, a decrease of the 394 count on the 2010 census. The mountain setting and recreation opportunities ...
home, a "small estate overlooking a tranquil river canyon", from cancer. He was 76 years old. On October 10, 2014, at the Los Angeles Forum,
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the leader and frontman of the Rock music, rock bands Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch and a member of the late 1980s sup ...
performed "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone", dedicating it to Revere, acknowledging his death that week.


Former Raiders and legacy

Phil Volk tours with his own band, Fang & The Gang. He was married to ''Where The Action Is'' regular Tina Mason from 1967 until her death in 2021. After leaving the Raiders in 1967, Jim Valley continued to perform and hone his songwriting skills in a variety of acts. He was signed as a solo artist by Dunhill Records and released two singles. He subsequently moved back to his native Northwest, playing with several rock acts including Sweet Talking Jones and the Shoestring Orchestra & Choir. He became an acclaimed and award-winning children's music artist and educator, traveling the world as an emissary of the "Rainbow Planet". Valley continues to work with children, write and record his own albums, as well as perform live. Joe Correro Jr., the Raiders' drummer from 1967 to 1971, performs as part of the Los Angeles-based Richard Sherman Trio jazz combo. Bassist Mike "Doc" Holiday and guitarist/bassist Charlie Coe made a special guest appearance with Mark Lindsay at a show in Boise, Idaho in 1996. They both reside in Idaho. Righteous Brothers
Bill Medley William Thomas Medley (born September 19, 1940) is an American singer best known as one-half of the Righteous Brothers. He is noted for his bass-baritone voice, exemplified in songs such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". Medley produced a n ...
's son, Darrin, sang and performed with Paul Revere & the Raiders. Another Darren, Darren Dowler, followed Darrin Medley as lead vocalist of the Raiders. Coincidentally, Darren Dowler also sang with Darrin Medley's father's group,
the Righteous Brothers The Righteous Brothers are an American musical duo originally formed by Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield but now comprising Medley and Bucky Heard. Medley formed the group with Hatfield in 1963. They had first performed together in 1962 in the L ...
Band singing the parts formerly sung by tenor, recording great
Bobby Hatfield Robert Lee Hatfield (August 10, 1940 – November 5, 2003) was an American singer. He and Bill Medley were the Righteous Brothers. He sang the tenor part for the duo and sang solo on the group's 1965 recording of "Unchained Melody". Early li ...
. Dowler, the current vocalist, has also performed with
the Lettermen The Lettermen are an American male pop vocal trio whose trademark is close-harmony pop songs with light arrangements. The group started in 1959. They have had two Top 10 singles (both No. 7), 16 Top 10 singles on the Adult Contemporary chart (i ...
,
the Jordanaires The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vo ...
,
the Fifth Dimension The 5th Dimension is an American vocal group. Their music encompasses sunshine pop, pop soul, and psychedelic soul. They were an important crossover music act of the 1960s and 1970s, although both praised and derided for their particular music ...
,
Gary Puckett Gary Dale Puckett (born October 17, 1942) is an American singer widely known as the lead vocalist for Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, who had six consecutive gold records in 1968, including " Woman Woman", " Young Girl", " Lady Willpower", " Over ...
,
Mitch Ryder William Sherille Levise Jr. (born February 26, 1945), known professionally as Mitch Ryder, is an American rock singer who has recorded more than 25 albums over more than four decades. Career Ryder was born on February 26, 1945, in Hamtramck, ...
and was the first guitarist for
the Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson (musician), Kevin Richardson. The band formed in 1993 in Orlando, Flori ...
in 1991 before they hit mega stardom. Dowler, also an actor and filmmaker, appeared in such films as ''
Eagle Eye ''Eagle Eye'' is a 2008 American action thriller film directed by D. J. Caruso from a screenplay by John Glenn, Travis Adam Wright, Hillary Seitz and Dan McDermott. The film stars Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Michael Ch ...
'' with
Billy Bob Thornton Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, filmmaker, singer and songwriter. He received international attention after writing, directing and starring in the independent film, independent Drama (film and television), drama f ...
and ''
Hancock Hancock may refer to: Places Places in the United States * Hancock, Iowa * Hancock, Maine * Hancock, Maryland * Hancock, Massachusetts * Hancock, Michigan * Hancock, Minnesota * Hancock, Missouri * Hancock, New Hampshire ** Hancock (CDP), New H ...
'' with
Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both Will Smith filmography, the screen and Will Smith discography, music industries, List of awards and nominations re ...
. In 2014 he starred in, wrote, and directed the films ''Rock and Roll the Movie'' and ''Christmas In Hollywood''. In 2014, Revere commissioned Dowler to compose an album of original songs for a new Raider album, the first all original album in 35 years. After ending his second stint with the Raiders in 1972, drummer
Mike "Smitty" Smith Michael Leroy "Smitty" Smith (March 27, 1942 – March 6, 2001) was an American drummer, guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for his work as a drummer with Paul Revere & the Raiders. Early life Mike Smith was born in Portland, O ...
moved to
Kona, Hawaii Kailua-Kona is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. It is most commonly referred to simply as Kona (a name it shares with the district to which it belongs), but also as Kona To ...
and continued performing for several groups in that region. He died of natural causes on March 6, 2001, at age 58. Drake Levin became an accomplished blues guitarist, playing in and forming numerous groups in the
San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...
. He died at his home in San Francisco on July 4, 2009, at the age of 62 after a long battle with cancer. The group's founder, vocalist and keyboard player Paul Revere died of cancer at his home in
Garden Valley, Idaho Garden Valley is an unincorporated census-designated place in Boise County, Idaho, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 377, a decrease of the 394 count on the 2010 census. The mountain setting and recreation opportunities ...
on October 4, 2014, aged 76. His funeral, held at the
Cathedral of the Rockies Cathedral of the Rockies, also known as the Cathedral of the Rockies First United Methodist Church, is a United Methodist church located in the historic North End district of Boise, Idaho, United States. The church is the largest United Methodist C ...
in
Boise, Idaho Boise ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Idaho, most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, there were 235,685 people residing in the city. Loca ...
, was attended by, amongst others, former Idaho Governor
Dirk Kempthorne Dirk Arthur Kempthorne (born October 29, 1951) is an American politician who served as the 49th United States Secretary of the Interior from 2006 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a ...
. The group then became "Paul Revere’s Raiders", continuing to perform until April 3, 2022, after which the name was retired. Carl "Carlo" Driggs, Paul Revere & the Raiders' longest-serving lead singer (a 20-year-plus span), was formerly lead vocalist for
Kracker Kracker were an American rock band active in the 1970s. Biography The band was originally formed in South Florida in 1970, but moved to Chicago in April 1971, where they were introduced to producer Jimmy Miller. With Miller, they recorded the ...
, a band that toured Europe as an opening act for (and had their albums distributed outside America by)
the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
. He followed this with his tenure in the Latin/disco group Foxy, who scored a no. 1 hit on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart (no. 9 on ''Billboards Hot 100) with " Get Off", which was co-written by Driggs. On May 31, 2017, Driggs died of a heart attack at his home in Miami, Florida, at the age of 67. Keith Allison, who was a member of the Raiders from 1968 to 1975, died at his home in
Sherman Oaks, California Sherman Oaks (founded in 1927) is a neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles, California within the San Fernando Valley region. The neighborhood includes a portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, which gives Sherman Oaks a lower population density ...
on November 17, 2021, at the age of 79.


Musical style and influences

Paul Revere & the Raiders were classified as a
garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...
,
proto-punk Proto-punk (or protopunk) is rock music from the 1960s to mid-1970s that foreshadowed the punk rock genre and movement. A retrospective label, the musicians involved were generally not originally associated with each other and came from a variet ...
,
rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
and
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
band. The band's early sound combined fast-paced, guitar-and-vocal-dominated rock with an intimidating R&B flavor. before shifting to a
psychedelic pop Psychedelic pop (or acid pop) is a genre of pop music that contains musical characteristics associated with psychedelic music. Developing in the mid-to-late 1960s, elements included " trippy" features such as fuzz guitars, tape manipulation, ...
sound.
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
, who used music from the band in his film ''
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ''Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood'' is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica, and distributed by Sony Pict ...
'' (2019), categorized Paul Revere & the Raiders as a
bubblegum Bubble gum (or bubblegum) is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble. Composition In modern chewing gum, if natural rubber such as chicle is used, it must pass several purity and cleanliness tests. However, ...
band. 1970's ''Collage'' saw the band make an effort to distance themselves from their former image as an
AM radio AM broadcasting is radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation (AM) transmissions. It was the first method developed for making audio radio transmissions, and is still used worldwide, primarily for medium wave (also known as "AM band") transmi ...
singles band, utilizing "fuzzy guitar noodling, time signature changes, groovy horn charts à la
Blood, Sweat & Tears Blood, Sweat & Tears (also known as "BS&T") is an American jazz rock music group founded in New York City in 1967, noted for a combination of brass with rock instrumentation. BS&T has gone through numerous iterations with varying personnel and ...
, trippy headphone cross-fading, and other hip production techniques of the time," according to
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's Cub Koda.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance ...
said that the album saw Mark Lindsay "pushing the Raiders toward a harder rock, part way between the fuzz guitars of
Grand Funk Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in Flint, Michigan, in 1969 by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Don Brewer (drums, vocals) and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved peak p ...
and horns of
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, accentuated by lingering affection for
country-rock Country rock is a music genre that fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal sty ...
and
soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
."


Legacy

Paul Revere & the Raiders and their manager Roger Hart were inducted into the
Oregon Music Hall of Fame The Oregon Music Hall of Fame is an award honoring musicians from the U.S. state of Oregon. The first induction ceremony took place on October 13, 2007. History The Oregon Music Hall of Fame was conceived of in the 1990s by a group called the Oreg ...
on 13 October 2007. In 2010 the band was inducted into the
Hit Parade Hall of Fame John Harlan Rook (October 9, 1937 – March 1, 2016) was an American radio programmer and executive, most known for his tenure in Chicago. Under his guidance in the 1960s, 50,000-watt ABC-owned WLS became the highest rated station in the Chica ...
. The
garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock music that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The style is ...
revival and
grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock Music genre, genre and subculture that emerged during the in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington, particularly in Seattle and Music of Olympia, Washington, O ...
movements—and individual acts such as the
Paisley Underground Paisley Underground is a musical genre that originated in California. It was particularly popular in Los Angeles, reaching a peak in the mid-1980s. Paisley Underground bands incorporated psychedelia, rich vocal harmonies and guitar interplay, owi ...
—have cited the Raiders as an influence. In 2004, "
Kicks A kick is a physical strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee strike). This type of a ...
" ranked no. 400 on ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
''s list of
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring song ranking compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2 ...
. Additionally, " Just Like Me" is included among
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
.
Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
's 2019 film ''
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ''Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood'' is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica, and distributed by Sony Pict ...
'', set in 1969, featured three of the band's top 20 hits on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 —"
Hungry Hunger is a sensation that motivates the consumption of food. The sensation of hunger typically manifests after only a few hours without eating and is generally considered to be unpleasant. Satiety occurs between 5 and 20 minutes after eating. T ...
" (1966), " Good Thing" (1966) and " Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon" (1969)—and the 1968 B-side "Theme From It's Happening".


Members


Former members

*
Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, ...
– keyboards (1958–1977; 1978–2014; his death) *
Mark Lindsay Mark Lindsay (born March 9, 1942) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. Early life Lindsay was born in Eugene, Oregon, and was the second of eight children of George and Esther Ell ...
– vocals, saxophone (1958–1975) *Robert White – guitar (1958–1961) *Richard White – guitar (1958–1961) *William Hibbard – bass guitar (1958–1961) *Dick Mcgarvin – drums (1958) *Red Hughes – vocals (1958) *David Bell – drums (1958–1959) *Jerry Labrum – drums (1959–1961) *Andrea Loper – vocals (1960) *
Mike "Smitty" Smith Michael Leroy "Smitty" Smith (March 27, 1942 – March 6, 2001) was an American drummer, guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for his work as a drummer with Paul Revere & the Raiders. Early life Mike Smith was born in Portland, O ...
– drums (1962–1967, 1971–1972; died 2001) *Ross Allemang – bass guitar (1962–1963) *Steve West – lead guitar (1962) *Pierre Ouellette (1963) *Dick Walker – lead guitar (1962–1963) *Charlie Coe – lead guitar (1963), bass guitar (1967–1968) * Drake "Kid" Levin – lead guitar (1963–1966, 1967; died 2009) *Mike "Doc" Holliday – bass guitar (1963–1965) * Phil "Fang" Volk – bass guitar (1965–1967) *Jim "Harpo" Valley – lead guitar (1966–1967) *
Freddy Weller Wilton Frederick "Freddy" Weller (born September 9, 1943) is an American rock and roll and country music and artist. He recorded for Columbia Records between 1969 and 1980. He had his highest charted single in 1969 with his debut release, "Gam ...
– lead guitar (1967–1973) *Joe Correro Jr. – drums (1967–1971) *
Keith Allison Sydney Keith Allison (August 26, 1942 - November 17, 2021) was an American musician and composer, best known as a member of Paul Revere & the Raiders from 1968 to 1975. Music Allison began working as a professional solo artist and session music ...
– bass guitar (1968–1975, died 2021) *Omar Martinez – drums, vocals (1971–1977, 1980–2006) *Robert Wooley – keyboards (1972–1977) *Doug Heath – lead guitar (1973–1976, 1978, 1980–2021) *Ron Foos – bass guitar (1975–1976, 1980–2022) *Blair Hill – vocals (1978–1980) *Michael Bradley – vocals (1980–1983) *Carlo Driggs – vocals (1983–2004; died 2017) *Jamie Revere – guitar (1991–1997, 2013–2020) *Darrin Medley – vocals, drums (2004–2008) *Matt Fasekas – drums (2004–2009) *Danny Krause – Keyboards, vocals (1980–2022) *Darren Dowler – Vocals, Guitar (2008–2019) *Tommy Scheckel – Drums (2009–2022) *David Huizenga – Vocals (2018–2022) *Arny Bailey – Lead Guitar (2021–2022)


Timeline

ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:22 PlotArea = left:140 bottom:100 top:10 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1958 till:01/01/2022 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Colors = id:band value:black legend:Band_Name id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:wind value:gray(0.5) legend:Saxophone id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:lines1 value:black legend:Studio_Albums id:bars value:gray(0.95) Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:1 BackgroundColors = bars:bars ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:5 start:1960 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1958 BarData = bar:Name1 text:The_Downbeats bar:Name2 text:Paul_Revere_&_the_Raiders bar:Name3 text:Paul_Revere’s_Raiders bar:Mark text:Mark Lindsay bar:Red text:Red Hughes bar:Andrea text:Andrea Loper bar:Blair text:Blair Hill bar:Michael text:Michael Bradley bar:Carlo text:Carlo Driggs bar:David2 text: David Huizenga bar:Robert1 text:Robert White bar:Richard text:Richard White bar:Steve text:Steve West bar:Dick2 text:Dick Walker bar:Pierre text:Pierre Ouellette bar:Charlie text:Charlie Coe bar:Drake text:Drake Levin bar:Jim text:Jim Valley bar:Freddy text:Freddy Weller bar:Doug text:Doug Heath bar:Jamie text:Jamie Revere bar:Darren text:Darren Dowler bar:Arny text: Arny Bailey bar:Paul text:Paul Revere bar:Robert2 text:Robert Stewart bar:Danny text:Danny Krause bar:William text:William Hubbard bar:Ross text:Ross Allemang bar:Doc text:Mike "Doc" Holliday bar:Phil text:Phil Volk bar:Keith text:Keith Allison bar:Ron text:Ron Foos bar:Dick1 text:Dick McGarvin bar:David text:David Bell bar:Jerry text:Jerry Labrum bar:Smitty text:Mike "Smitty" Smith bar:Joe text:Joe Correro Jr. bar:Omar text:Omar Martinez bar:Tommy text:Tommy Scheckel PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Name1 from:start till:01/01/1960 color:Band bar:Name2 from:01/01/1960 till:01/01/1977 color:Band bar:Name2 from:01/01/1978 till:04/10/2014 color:Band bar:Name3 from:04/10/2014 till:end color:Band bar:Paul from:start till:01/01/1977 color:Keys bar:Paul from:01/01/1978 till:04/10/2014 color:Keys bar:Robert2 from:01/01/1972 till:01/01/1977 color:Keys bar:Danny from:01/01/1980 till:end color:Keys bar:Danny from:01/01/1980 till:end color:Vocals width:3 bar:Mark from:start till:01/01/1975 color:Wind width:3 bar:Mark from:start till:01/01/1975 color:Vocals bar:Red from:start till:01/01/1959 color:Vocals bar:Andrea from:01/01/1960 till:01/01/1961 color:Vocals bar:Blair from:01/01/1978 till:01/01/1980 color:Vocals bar:Michael from:01/01/1980 till:01/01/1983 color:Vocals bar:Carlo from:01/01/1983 till:01/01/2004 color:Vocals bar:Darren from:01/01/2008 till:01/01/2018:Vocals bar:William from:start till:01/01/1961 color:Bass bar:Ross from:01/01/1962 till:01/01/1963 color:Bass bar:Doc from:01/01/1963 till:01/01/1965 color:Bass bar:Phil from:01/01/1965 till:01/01/1967 color:Bass bar:Keith from:01/01/1968 till:01/01/1975 color:Bass bar:Ron from:01/01/1975 till:01/01/1977 color:Bass bar:Ron from:01/01/1975 till:01/01/1977 color:Guitar width:3 bar:Ron from:01/01/1980 till:end color:Bass bar:Ron from:01/01/1980 till:end color:Guitar width:3 bar:Dick1 from:start till:01/06/1958 color:Drums bar:David from:01/06/1958 till:01/01/1959 color:Drums bar:Jerry from:01/01/1959 till:01/01/1961 color:Drums bar:Smitty from:01/01/1961 till:01/01/1967 color:Drums bar:Joe from:01/01/1967 till:01/01/1971 color:Drums bar:Smitty from:01/01/1971 till:01/01/1972 color:Drums bar:Omar from:01/01/1972 till:01/01/1977 color:Drums bar:Omar from:01/01/1972 till:01/01/1977 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Omar from:01/01/1980 till:01/01/2006 color:Drums bar:Omar from:01/01/1980 till:01/01/2006 color:Vocals width:3 bar:Tommy from:01/01/2010 till:end color:Drums bar:Tommy from:01/01/2010 till:end color:Vocals width:3 bar:Robert1 from:start till:01/01/1961 color:Guitar bar:Richard from:start till:01/01/1961 color:Guitar bar:Steve from:01/01/1961 till:01/01/1962 color:Guitar bar:Dick2 from:01/01/1961 till:01/01/1963 color:Guitar bar:Pierre from:01/01/1962 till:01/01/1963 color:Guitar bar:Charlie from:01/01/1962 till:01/01/1963 color:Guitar bar:Charlie from:01/01/1967 till:01/01/1968 color:Bass bar:Drake from:01/01/1962 till:01/01/1967 color:Guitar bar:Jim from:01/01/1966 till:01/01/1967 color:Guitar bar:Freddy from:01/01/1967 till:01/01/1973 color:Guitar bar:Doug from:01/01/1973 till:01/01/1977 color:Guitar bar:Doug from:01/01/1978 till:01/01/2021:Guitar bar:Jamie from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/1997 color:Guitar bar:Jamie from:01/01/2014 till:01/01/2020 color:Guitar bar:David2 from:01/01/2018 till:end color:Vocals bar:Arny from: 01/01/2021 till:end color:Guitar bar:Arny from: 01/01/2021 till:end color:Vocals width:3 LineData = at:01/01/1961 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/01/1963 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/01/1965 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/01/1966 color:lines1 layer:back at:09/05/1966 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/11/1966 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/08/1967 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/01/1968 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/10/1968 color:lines1 layer:back at:05/03/1969 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/09/1969 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/01/1970 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/01/1971 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/01/1972 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/01/1983 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/06/1983 color:lines1 layer:back at:01/09/1983 color:lines1 layer:back


Discography

* 1961: ''Like, Long Hair'' * 1963: ''Paul Revere & the Raiders'' * 1965: '' Here They Come!'' * 1966: ''
Just Like Us! ''Just Like Us!'' is the fourth studio album by American rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. Produced by Terry Melcher and released on January 3, 1966, by Columbia Records, it featured the U.S. hit single " Just Like Me". Unlike their later alb ...
'' * 1966: '' Midnight Ride'' * 1966: '' The Spirit of '67'' * 1967: ''Greatest Hits'' * 1967: ''
Revolution! ''Revolution!'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders, on Columbia Records (CS 9521). Produced by Terry Melcher and released in 1967, it reached number 25 on the U.S. albums chart and yielded two top 40 sing ...
'' * 1967: ''A Christmas Present...And Past'' * 1968: ''
Goin' to Memphis ''Goin' to Memphis'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders. Produced by Chips Moman, with the exception of one song ("Peace of Mind") that was produced by Terry Melcher, the album was released in 1968 and reac ...
'' * 1968: ''Something Happening'' * 1969: ''
Hard 'N' Heavy (with Marshmallow) ''Hard 'N' Heavy (with Marshmallow)'' is the tenth studio album by Paul Revere and the Raiders, released in 1969. It entered the ''Billboard'' 200 on 5 April 1969 at number 122, spending 19 weeks on the chart peaking at number 51 on 10 May 1969 ...
'' * 1969: ''
Alias Pink Puzz ''Alias Pink Puzz'' is the eleventh studio album by Paul Revere and the Raiders. Background The title was a humorous reference to the band's tactic of sending the new record to a Los Angeles FM radio station under a pseudonym. It was broadcast a ...
'' * 1970: ''
Collage Collage (, from the , "to glue" or "to stick together") is a technique of art creation, primarily used in the visual arts, but in music too, by which art results from an assembly of different forms, thus creating a new whole. (Compare with pasti ...
'' * 1971: ''
Indian Reservation An American Indian reservation is an area of land land tenure, held and governed by a List of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States#Description, U.S. federal government-recognized Native American tribal nation, whose gov ...
'' * 1972: ''Country Wine'' * 1972: ''All-Time Greatest Hits'' * 1982: ''Special Edition'' * 1983: ''The Great Raider Reunion'' * 1983: ''Paul Revere Rides Again'' * 1985: ''Generic Rock & Roll'' * 1990: ''The Legend of Paul Revere'' (2-CD) * 1992: ''Generic Rock & Roll (a.k.a. Live NOT)'' * 1995: ''The Essential Ride (1963-67)'' * 1996: ''Generic Rock 2 (a.k.a. Live NOT)'' * 2000: ''Time Flies When You're Having Fun'' * 2000: ''Mojo Workout'' (2-CD) * 2001: ''Ride to the Wall'' * 2005: ''Ride to the Wall 2'' * 2009: ''Hungry for Kicks'' * 2010: ''The Complete Columbia Singles'' (3-CD) * 2011: ''The Essential Paul Revere and The Raiders'' (2-CD) * 2011: ''Flower Power'', produced by vocalist Darren Dowler


Bibliography

* * *


References


External links


Official website of Paul Revere & the Raiders
{{DEFAULTSORT:Revere, Paul And the Raiders Musical groups established in 1958 Musical groups disestablished in 2014 American garage rock groups American pop music groups Psychedelic pop music groups American protopunk groups Bubblegum pop groups Rock music groups from Idaho American rock and roll music groups Musical groups from Portland, Oregon Jay Boy artists Columbia Records artists 1958 establishments in Idaho 2014 disestablishments in Idaho Paul Revere