Earth Opera was an American

psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...

group, active between 1967 and 1969 and featuring

Peter Rowan Peter Rowan (born July 4, 1942) is an American bluegrass musician and composer. Rowan plays guitar and mandolin, yodels and sings. Biography Rowan was born in Wayland, Massachusetts to a musical family. From an early age, he had an interest ...

and

David Grisman David Grisman (born March 23, 1945) is an American mandolinist. His music combines bluegrass, folk, and jazz in a genre he calls "Dawg music". He founded the record label Acoustic Disc, which issues his recordings and those of other acoustic mu ...

History

Both Rowan and Grisman were

virtuoso A virtuoso (from Italian ''virtuoso'' or , "virtuous", Late Latin ''virtuosus'', Latin ''virtus'', "virtue", "excellence" or "skill") is an individual who possesses outstanding talent and technical ability in a particular art or field such as ...

folk and bluegrass performers in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, United States, clubs, who became caught up in the changes in the music scene in the mid-1960s. They formed Earth Opera in 1967 in Boston, and were joined by John Nagy on bass, Paul Dillon on drums, and Bill Stevenson on keyboards and vibraphone. The group was signed by

Jac Holzman Jac Holzman (born September 15, 1931) is an American music businessman, best known as the founder, chief executive officer and head of record label Elektra Records and Nonesuch Records. Holzman commercially helped launch the CD and home video for ...

Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between th ...

. Their self-titled debut album, produced by Grisman's ex-bandmate Peter Siegel, and including veteran drummer (and

Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B band ...

alumnus)

Billy Mundi Billy Mundi (born Antonio Salas, September 25, 1942 in San Francisco – March 29, 2014) was an American drummer best known as a member of The Mothers of Invention and Rhinoceros. He also worked as a session musician. He sometimes used the name To ...

, was a mixture of folk and psychedelic influences. The group frequently opened for

The Doors The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential rock acts ...

, who were also on Elektra Records. Although the first album never charted, Elektra was willing to record a second LP, '' The Great American Eagle Tragedy''. By this time, Stevenson had left. The second album featured an array of eminent guests including

John Cale John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, singer, songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his six-decade career, Cale has worked in various sty ...

(viola) and Bill Keith (pedal steel). ''The Great American Eagle Tragedy'' managed to reach the lower end of the national charts, the cover featuring a parody of the U.S. presidential seal with a superimposed death skull and what looks like blood stains. However, the band's relative lack of success caused Earth Opera to break up in 1969.

Rowan The rowans ( or ) or mountain-ashes are shrubs or trees in the genus ''Sorbus'' of the rose family, Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the Himalaya ...

Grisman Grisman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *David Grisman (born 1945), American mandolinist and composer of acoustic music ** David Grisman Quintet *Jack Grisman (1914–1944), Royal Air Force officer See also *Grissmann Grissm ...

, Nagy, and

Stevenson Stevenson is an English language patronymic surname meaning "son of Steven". Its first historical record is from pre-10th-century England. Another origin of the name is as a toponymic surname related to the place Stevenstone in Devon, England. Th ...

all continued their careers in the music business. Nagy became a producer and engineer, including producing the late

Mimi Farina Mimi or MIMI may refer to: People * Mimi (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Constantin Mimi (1868–1935), Bessarabian politician and winemaker * Mimi (footballer, born 1996), Bissau Guinean footballer * Mohanad Ali (born ...

(''Solo'', 1986). In 2001, both of Earth Opera's LPs were reissued on CD on Wounded Bird Records. Dillon died unexpectedly at his home on September 25, 2018, at age 75.

Members

– vocals, guitar, saxophone *

– mandolin, mandocello, piano, saxophone, vocals *Bill Stevenson (1967–68) – piano, harpsichord, organ, vibraphone *Paul Dillon – drums, percussion, guitar, vocals * Bill Mundi – percussion, drums *John Nagy – bass, cello *Richard Grando – saxophones

Discography

Albums

* ''

Earth Opera Earth Opera was an American psychedelic rock group, active between 1967 and 1969 and featuring Peter Rowan and David Grisman. History Both Rowan and Grisman were virtuoso folk and bluegrass performers in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, cl ...

'' (1968) * '' The Great American Eagle Tragedy'' (1969)

Singles

* "American Eagle Tragedy" (1968) * "Close Your Eyes and Shut the Door" (1968) * "Home to You" (1969)

References

{{Authority control American folk musical groups Elektra Records artists Musical groups from Boston Psychedelic rock music groups from Massachusetts