MISSISSIPPI (BAND)

Mississippi was an Australian band (1972-1975), which featured some big names in Australian rock music, Graeham Goble, Beeb Birtles and Kerryn Tollhurst (who did a short stint with the band in 1973).
They grew out of an Adelaide based folk-rock band called Allison Gros, which featured Graeham Goble, Russ Johnson and John Mower. The band later moved to Melbourne and signed to the Fable record label. Under the pseudonym "Drummond" they recorded a 'chipmunk' version of the 1950s rock song "Daddy Cool", which spent 7 weeks at the top of the Australian national charts from September 1971. The success of this single rode largely on the back of the success of Australian band Daddy Cool, who had scored a number one hit for 10 weeks earlier in the year, Eagle Rock, which Drummond's single knocked off the top slot.
In 1972, the band became known as Mississippi and released a self-titled debut LP (AUS chart position #21), which featured the single "Kings of the World" (AUS chart position #7, 1972) on the Bootleg label, a label recently set up by Brian Cadd. In late 1972, Mississippi were joined by Beeb Birtles on bass and vocals. Birtles had been bassist with popular Australian band Zoot.
1973 saw several changes in line-up, a new single release "Early Morning" (AUS chart position #56, 1973) and supporting the Jackson Five Australian tour in October of that year.
In 1974 they appeared at the Sunbury music festival and released another single "Will I?" (AUS chart position #26, 1974). They did a tour of the UK in 1974, and after a disastrous tour, broke up. In London band members met up with former Masters Apprentices bassist Glenn Wheatley who agreed to become their manager, should they decide go back to Australia. Glenn was eager to return to Australia after spending some time working in the USA & the UK. In the UK, they also met up with Glenn Shorrock (ex-Twilights) who had also been in the UK for several years, without seeing much success and also wished to return home. From this nucleus, the Little River Band was born.
In 1975, they returned to Australia and reformed, with the addition of Glenn Shorrock, firstly under the name Mississippi. After a few months of touring, on the way to a gig in Geelong, Victoria one day, they changed their name to the Little River Band, which they took from a signpost along the road. Under the guidance of producer Glenn Wheatley, they became one of Australia's most successful bands to make it big in the USA.

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References

References

★ www.milesago.com - Mississippi
Chart info from "''Australian Chart Book''" by David Kent
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