The Goose Creek Symphony is an American rock band with roots in Kentucky, Arizona and Washington State. They were originally a side project for Richie Hart and the Heart Beats and best known for their 1972 cover of Janis Joplin's song, Mercedes Benz. The band signed to Capitol Records in 1970, and new members were added: Mike McFadden of Superfine Dandelion, Bob Henke, Fred Weisz on banjo and fiddle and Paul Spradlin, a guitarist credited as Paul Howard. They also had a connection to Waylon Jennings as they shared the services of drummer Richie Albright for awhile. They continued recording until 1976, then reformed in 1990. The band is considered one of the musically tightest of its genre and has continued touring to popular acclaim. The band appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and shared a stage with Jimi Hendrix at the 1970 Atlanta Pop Festival. The earlier Richie Hart and The Heartbeats performed on American Bandstand in the 1950s. Music Goose Creek Symphony is considered by many to be one of the most original bands of their time. 60s/early 70s record labels really didn’t know what to do with a band that played a mixture of rock and roll, folk, jazz and country with an undeniable hillbilly influence, a hippie attitude and a reckless sense of instrumental daring. They used horns and fiddles as well as effects and the usual rock and roll arsenal. In the 70s they fit into a country rock mode, but they were more esoteric and versatile than many of their contemporaries and had more grit and a rugged, less commercial sound. They were/are a good time band that love to jam and stretch out regardless of the genre. They recorded three eclectic albums for Capitol, Est 1970, (1970) Welcome to Goose Creek (1971) and Words of Earnest (1972). All were moderately successful with the last boasting a hit single cover of Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz.” Remastered versions of these discs are available on the group’s website (http://www.GooseCreekSymphony.com). In 1974 the band moved over to Columbia and recorded Do Your Thing But Don’t Touch Mine, which was perhaps the weakest to date, but its still a solid, if misguided set (as the label decided they needed a producer, which they clearly didn’t). Shortly thereafter the band took a hiatus…. a really long one which lasted almost 17 years. Then out of nowhere they came back (and musically it sounds like they never went away), and lo and behold they sound almost contemporary. The Goose Creek story brings new meaning to “you were ahead of your time.” Unlike many of the other bands from the 70s Goose Creek hasn’t mellowed or gotten more commercial. They aren’t resting on old laurels, if anything they’ve gotten looser and more varied. They found most of their old audience as well as many new fans. In the decade since they resurfaced they’ve played many festivals and released a slew of albums including, the superb live set The Goose Is Loose in 1995, which highlights their extended jamming, witness the meandering 20 minutes of so of “Talk About Goose Creek and Other Important Places.” They’ve done the Acoustic Goose, as well as excellent studio albums, such as Going Home (1998) and I Don’t Know (2003). They’ve also released a couple of lost albums, such as Head For the Hills (recorded in 1978 and released in 1997) and recently The Same Thing Again (one music CD and a bonus DVD). The latter was recorded in the mid-70s and essentially forgotten about for three decades. Ironically the title cut has Gearheart singing “If I could live my life over I’d do the same thing again, for 20 long years I’ve picked and I’ve sung.” Well, the band has gotten a new lease of life and while one could say they are doing the same thing again, it’s only in the term that they are playing great music that’s outside the norm and remarkably refreshing, and more than that they simply exude good vibes. The band still keeps an active touring schedule and enjoys a loyal fanbase similar to what the Grateful Dead and Jimmy Buffett have experienced over the years.