About the band

McKendree Spring boldly weaves the talent of Fran McKendree, Michael Dreyfuss and Marty Slutsky into a journey of musical exploration and mastery that helped redefine the musical boundaries of the 70’s.

In the McKendree Spring exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum in Cleveland, Ohio is an attribution that says:

“Experimental and innovative, McKendree Spring mixed blues, folk and country with a progressive musical vision. Over the course of seven albums, they highlighted the songs of singer/guitarist Fran McKendree and offered up unique interpretations of songs by Bob Dylan, Neil Young and James Taylor. McKendree Spring built much of its reputation as a live act by featuring the virtuosity of guitarist Marty Slutsky and violinist Mike (Doc) Dreyfuss.”

McKendree Spring formed in 1969 as a drummerless four-piece folk-rock ensemble that promoter/manager Bill Graham once dubbed “one of the best unknown bands in the world.” McKendree Spring toured with some of the most exciting artists of the 70’s and shared the stage with performers such as the Everly Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention, Elton John, Ike & Tina Turner, Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman, the Byrds, Jethro Tull, and Van Morrison.

McKendree Spring played various memorable venues as well including Carnegie Hall, the Fillmore East, Lincoln Center, and The Kennedy Center. Not to mention venues that got them there – like My Fathers Place on Long Island, the Agoras in Columbus and Cleveland, the College Coffee House Circuit, and Ohio University in Athens. On May 8th, 1972 McKendree Spring performed with  Billy Preston in the first-ever rock concert at the legendary New York Radio City Music Hall. The band played to a million plus people at the Washington Monument in a Vietnam war protest and starred on the  BBC TV’s ‘Old Grey Whistle Test’ in London with Cleo Lane.