James Mangrum

Jim Dandy, performing with Black Oak Arkansas in 1973

James Mangrum (born March 30, 1948 in Benton Harbor , Michigan ), better known as Jim "Dandy" Mangrum , is the lead singer and front man of the American southern rock band Black Oak Arkansas .

life and work

Mangrum was born in the city of Benton Harbor , Michigan, where his Arkansas parents worked. The family returned to their home state and raised Mangrum in the small town of Black Oak, Arkansas. He grew up a Southern Baptist and attended Monette High School in Monette , Arkansas.

While in high school , Mangrum and classmate Rickey Reynolds formed a band called The Knowbody Else . In 1966, Mangrum and members of the group stole musical equipment from Monette High School and Manila High School and were sentenced to 26 years in prison at the Tucker Prison Farm. However, the judgment was overturned. Mangrum and his group left Arkansas and moved first to New Orleans and then to Memphis, Tennessee .

In 1970 Mangrum and his band traveled to Los Angeles , where they signed with Atco Records and released their self-titled first album under the new name Black Oak Arkansas . In 1973 they released their most successful album, High on the Hog , which reached number 52 on the US charts. One of the album's songs, " Jim Dandy, " which was a cover of the 1957 LaVern Baker song, peaked at number 25 on the Billboard charts and became their best-known single and Mangrum's signature song. It also featured the singer Ruby Starr , who shared the vocals with Mangrum. In 1974 Mangrum and his band played alongside bands like Deep Purple and Black Sabbath at the California Jam in front of an estimated record crowd of 400,000 visitors.

In 1974 Mangrum sang as guest musician alongside Alice Cooper , Carmine Appice , Eddie Jobson , John Entwistle , Keith Moon , Justin Hayward , Bill Bruford on Steve Hammond's 1975 science fiction rock musical LP "Flash Fearless Versus The Zorg Women Parts 5 & 6 ".

In 1982 Mangrum was involved in a car accident in which he broke three vertebrae. After a two-year hiatus, he appeared again with Black Oak Arkansas, which continues in various lineups to this day. After his fans had built a cult following, they called themselves the "Dandylions".

James Mangrum is best known for his croaking voice , his long hair and his wild, explicitly sexual stage poses , which sometimes include the imitation of sex with a washboard , which he often uses to accompany his singing.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Steve Hammond's biography

Web links

• Official Black Oak Arkansas website
• Black Oak Arkansas, Jim Dandy at www.loudersound.com
• Interview with Jim Dandy in the Washington Times