California based Crowfoot were only around for a few years but their history began years before while personnel moved on to other projects years later.
Written by: gdmonline
ARTIST: Crowfoot
ALBUM: Crowfoot
LABEL: Paramount Records
SERIAL: PAS-5016
YEAR: 1970
CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: 
LINEUP: Russell Da Shiell – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, production * Rick Jaeger – drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Winter Comes * 02 Love Is Everywhere * 03 You Won’t Cry * 04 Lady Fair * 05 Maybe I Can Learn To Live * 06 California Rock N’ Roll * 07 Dry Your Eyes * 08 A Falling Leaf * 09 No Don’t Leave * 10 Dancing Lady * 11 Groove Along
WEBLINKS: Site Link
Background
California based Crowfoot were only around for a few years but their history began years before while personnel moved on to other projects years later. Their origins go way back to 1964, as the teenage Florida-based band The Beau Gentry. The quartet were Russell DaShiell, second guitarist Lance Massey, bassist Doug Killmer and drummer Rick Jaeger. Eventually they left Florida, moved to the Midwest then by the end of 1968 they ultimately moved to San Francisco during the Haight Ashbury era.
The band were down to a trio as Massey did not move west, and they then changed their handle to Crowfoot. The remaining trio were all involved with session work during 1969 to pay the bills, but by the time Crowfoot had signed to Paramount Records the band were down to a duo as Killmer pursued other ventures and had moved east. The debut album released in 1970 could have been construed as a Russell DaShiell solo album as he did most of the heavy lifting throughout.
The Songs
Wikipedia made mention that Crowfoot compared closely to other 70’s outfits such as Bread and Poco. I can hear similarities but Crowfoot have their own sunny late 60’s California vibe going on. It’s more acoustic west coast pop of the flower power era rather than soft rock in which they were often lumped into.
The opener ‘Winter Comes’ is the hardest hitting track on board, with all the intensity of a feather duster (and I write that as a compliment), while many of the other tracks are dominated by DaShiell’s acoustic guitar. You hear this on tracks such as as ‘Lady Fair’ and ‘Maybe I Can Learn To Live’. However, there are some amped up moments too, including ‘California Rock N Roll’ and the very fuzzy ‘Groove Along’ with its weird trippy vocal intro.
In Summary
DaShiell took Crowfoot on a mid west and Eastern seaboard tour with a lineup consisting of guitarist Sam McCue, bassist Bill Sutton and drummer Rick Jaeger. Crowfoot would return in 1971 for their second and final album ‘Finding The Sun’ retaining McCue and Sutton but bringing in Don Francisco (formerly of Atlee and future member of Highway Robbery) on drums. The album didn’t do well, the band split by years end.
DaShiell would go onto a gig with the Don Harrison Band, they released two albums in 1976 and featured two alumni from the Credence Clearwater Revival in Doug Clifford and Stu Cook. DaShiell would also release a solo album in 1978 for Epic Records called ‘Elevator’. There is a review of that album on GDM for further reading, but beyond that he has disappeared from the recording scene though I understand he’s still involved in the music industry with some new music expected in 2023.
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California Rock N Roll
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