After 54 years of music, memories and miles, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils take a closing bow
by Sara Schafer | sschafer@ruralmissouri.coop | photos by Jim McCarty
They’ve played for four generations of fans, written songs that defy genres and turned down global fame to stay true to their Missouri roots. Now, the much-loved Ozark Mountain Daredevils are compiling their final setlists and leaving behind not just a songbook, but a musical legacy.
“We were just a bunch of hippies, musicians, Bohemians, poets and artists who just found each other at the right time,” says Michael “Supe” Granda, one of two founding members still active with the band. “We have always been just a gaggle of goofballs having the time of our lives.”
In the early 1970s, this gaggle of musicians met each other in Springfield. Most were attending colleges or at least pretending to do so. “I had no desire to get up for 8 a.m. psychology class, but I had every desire to stay up all night, drink beer and play music,” Supe recalls.
Through the blossoming Springfield music scene, Supe met fellow musicians Larry Lee, Steve Cash, John Dillon, Buddy Brayfield and Randle Chowning. They combined their many instruments and musical influences. While they all came from different backgrounds, they were united by a focus on lyrics, melodies, metaphors and songwriting.
“We somehow just found each other,” recalls John, the other active founding member. “There was a need to share creative work with others who were doing the same thing, and it was almost like gravity. We all had different influences, and when you start bringing that kind of intelligence into a musical format, it becomes different. We realized early on we didn’t really fit anywhere. We still don’t.”
The group started honing their musical sound and playing stages around the Springfield area. Their band name went through several evolutions. In the end, they paid homage to musical hero Commander Cody, calling themselves Cosmic Corncob & His Amazing Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Or, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, for short.
As their setlist and popularity grew, so did their performing radius. They became regulars at the infamous Cowtown Ballroom in Kansas City. At one show in 1973, music producers Glyn Johns and David Anderle were in town hoping to discover a band with a uniquely American sound. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils easily fit that bill, and they signed a recording deal with A&M Records.
“It’s amazing we got a record deal,” John says. “Record companies want hit records, but A&M wanted artists to be themselves. I’m grateful the producers fell in love with our approach and the idea that each song stands alone.”
Shortly after signing with A&M, the band flew to London, England, to record their self-titled debut album. The album, which features a patchwork quilt on the cover, includes major hits such as “If You Wanna Get To Heaven,” “Spaceship Orion” and “Chicken Train.”
That first album, which put them on the charts, was quickly followed by the band’s second album: “It’ll Shine When It Shines.” For it, the band traded the English recording location for their home turf.
For a few bucks a month, Randle rented the Ruedi Valley Ranch near Aldrich, which included hundreds of acres and a 12-room, antebellum farmhouse. It served as a home base for the band’s musical inspirations. “It was wonderful,” Supe says. “We would stay out there for a few days at a time. We’d get up in the morning, have breakfast and play some music. Then we’d take a break, go for a hike, come back and play some more music. Music was all we were focused on. It was very idyllic.”
To record the album, the band, technical crew and producers literally camped out at the farm for two weeks. “We pulled in a couple little RV trailers and got a recording truck out of San Francisco,” John says. “We just ran cables into the living room of that place, and the tape just kept running. We wrote so many of the songs right on the spot, including ‘Jackie Blue’ and ‘E.E. Lawson.’ ”
“Jackie Blue” would end up becoming the band’s biggest single, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. “After ‘Jackie Blue,’ A&M wanted a ‘Jackie Green’ and a ‘Jackie Red,’ But we told them that we don’t approach our music like that,” John says. “We stayed true to our roots, and it’s paid off in the end.”
After the success of their first two albums, producers at A&M wanted the band to relocate to Los Angeles. This would have boosted the Daredevils’ publicity and earnings, providing them access to national media outlets, such as “The Smothers Brothers” and “The Tonight Show.” But the band stayed in Missouri.
“We all had young families,” Supe says. “My children were eating fresh strawberries from the garden, swimming in crystal blue creeks and breathing pure air. I wasn’t about to uproot my children from that and take them to Los Angeles so I could go on the Sonny and Cher show. We stayed in Missouri. If we’d moved out there, we’d all be millionaires instead of thousand-aires. But, I don’t regret it.”
The Daredevils have defied genres. This, according to Supe and John, is because each member brings unique musical influences — everyone from Chuck Berry to The Dillards to Brewer and Shipley to Hank Williams.
“That’s why the music is so diverse,” Supe says. “Instead of throwing all of it into a pot and homogenizing it, we kept all those influences. At first, our record company asked us, ‘What bin do we put your music in? Do we put it in rock and roll? Do we put it in country? Do we put it in pop?’ And we said, ‘Why don’t you just put the same record in all the different bins?’ ”
In the past five decades, 35 people have taken the stage with the Daredevils. Supe and John are the only remaining original members. “We just kept bringing on people to continue the entity,” John says. “The band we are now has been together the longest. I’m a lucky guy to be a part of something that I helped start, and this is the best band that I’ve ever played in.”
Since 2012, Molly Healey has been joining the band as a violinist, cellist, guitarist and vocalist. Several years ago she was performing with the band Big Smith, and they opened for the Daredevils’ 40th anniversary show. At that concert, the Daredevils asked Molly to sit in with them and play a few songs. They were blown away by her talent and she quickly joined the band full time.
“The first few times I sat in with them, I remember just feeling the gravity of a full 10-piece band,” Molly says. “I’ve never been in a band that big, and it just creates this sheer level of sound. I’ve played with a lot of wonderful soloists, but the Daredevils are unmatched. I mean, we’re talking about legends.”
A Daredevils show is truly an experience. Songs can lean country, rock, folk or bluegrass. Band members play guitars, piano, drums, harmonicas, mandolins and occasionally a mouth bow. Crowds are encouraged to sing along, and the band will deliver a dynamic performance, regardless of the crowd size. “The Daredevils have never tried to be someone they aren’t; they have just been keeping it real for 54 years,” Molly says.
Today the band includes nine musicians: John, Supe, Molly, Bill Jones, Ruell Chappell, Ron Gremp, Dave Painter, Kelly Brown and Nick Sibley. While they all love playing live shows and interacting with fans, they are retiring from touring this year. They will continue making music but will skip the endless hours on the road.
“I just want to thank our fans for all of their support,” Supe says. “There are a lot of musicians out there who have to get day jobs to support their music habit. I never had to go work at Walmart to support my music habit.”
John agrees: “It’s just so gratifying there are people out there who care so much about who we are and what we have to say. Hopefully we were able to bring some joy into people’s lives based on our little songs and stories. The songs will be here long after I’m gone, and I hope they will bring joy for generations to come. You can’t ask for anything any better than that.”
For more information about The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, visit www.theozarkmountaindaredevils.com and find them on Facebook. You can see more of Jim Mayfield’s Ozark Mountain Daredevils photos and his other work by visiting jimmayfieldphotography.zenfolio.com.