Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1967 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States |
| Founder | George Frayne IV (Commander Cody) |
| Defunct | 1976 |
| Fate | Disbanded |
| Successor | Various solo and band projects by George Frayne (Commander Cody) |
| Headquarters | Berkeley, California , United States |
Area served | United States, international tours |
Key people | George Frayne IV (Commander Cody), Billy C. Farlow, John Tichy, Bill Kirchen, Andy Stein, Bruce Barlow, Lance Dickerson, Steve Davis, Bobby Black |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Number of employees | 9 (classic lineup) (1970s) |
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen was a prominent American country ensemble established in 1967. The band was spearheaded by pianist and vocalist George Frayne IV, known professionally as Commander Cody (July 19, 1944 – September 26, 2021).
Renowned for their extensive live performances, the classic formation featured Billy C. Farlow (vocals, harmonica), John Tichy (guitar, vocals), Bill Kirchen (lead guitar), Andy Stein (saxophone, fiddle), "Buffalo" Bruce Barlow (bass guitar), Lance Dickerson (drums), and Steve "The West Virginia Creeper" Davis (pedal steel guitar), who was eventually succeeded by Bobby Black.
The Lost Planet Airmen
The group Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen originated in 1967 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with George Frayne adopting the stage persona of Commander Cody. Their name drew inspiration from 1950s cinematic serials featuring the character Commando Cody and the feature film Lost Planet Airmen.
Following several years performing in local venues, the principal members relocated to Berkeley, California in 1969 and secured a deal with Paramount Records. Commander Cody also invited the western swing revival band Asleep at the Wheel to join them in the Bay Area. Their initial album, Lost in the Ozone (1971), included a successful rendition of "Hot Rod Lincoln", which climbed into the top ten of the Billboard singles chart in early 1972.
Drummer Lance Dickerson, bassist Bruce Barlow, manager Ed Dufault, and others moved to a ranch named "The Casa Felice" in Kenwood, California, where they set up a studio for rehearsals and tour preparation. The band’s 1974 live release, Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas, featured distinctive armadillo-themed artwork by Jim Franklin. Throughout the early 1970s, they issued several moderately successful albums, including 1975’s Tales From The Ozone, produced by Hoyt Axton. After appearing in Roger Corman's film Hollywood Boulevard, Frayne dissolved the group in 1976.
In his 1976 publication Star-Making Machinery, Geoffrey Stokes examined the band as an example of the complexities involved in music industry production and marketing. The book underscored tensions between the band’s authentic style and Warner Bros. Records’ efforts to steer them toward a softer country-rock sound akin to The Eagles, alongside internal disagreements.
Unauthorised recordings and previously unreleased material later emerged in European and Australian markets, broadening their discography beyond official releases.
Following the breakup, members embarked on distinguished careers: Kirchen gained acclaim as a premier Telecaster guitarist; Stein became a frequent contributor to A Prairie Home Companion; Tichy completed a Ph.D. at University of Michigan and led the engineering department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
The track "Hot Rod Lincoln" received recognition as a Legendary Michigan Song in 2008. In 2009, Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
Except for Frayne, original band members reunited for a 50th anniversary celebration in the San Francisco Bay Area during June 2019.
Although disbanded in 1977, Frayne continued performing solo under various incarnations of "Commander Cody," including Commander Cody, the Commander Cody Band, Commander Cody and His Modern Day Airmen, and Commander Cody and His Western Airmen, releasing albums and touring extensively.
Commander Cody
Beginning in 1977, George Frayne pursued a solo career under a variety of monikers such as Commander Cody, the Commander Cody Band, Commander Cody and His Modern Day Airmen, and Commander Cody and His Western Airmen.[1][2][3]
In addition to his musical endeavors, Frayne was an accomplished visual artist. He earned a bachelor's degree in design in 1966 and a master's degree in Sculpture and Painting in 1968 from the University of Michigan. He held teaching positions at both the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, while also showcasing his artwork across the United States.[4] With a keen interest in cinematography, his video work "Two Triple Cheese Side Order of Fries" has been included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art. On his YouTube channel, he creatively merged archival film footage with his band's musical tracks. His artistic output mainly consisted of medium-sized acrylic paintings, featuring pop art-inspired imagery derived from media sources and historical photographs.[5] In 2009, he authored Art Music and Life, a publication that combines his artwork with personal stories. Furthermore, he produced portraits of vintage automobiles for the Saratoga Auto Museum in New York.[4]
George's brother, Chris Frayne, contributed cover art for numerous albums including Lost in the Ozone, Sleazy Roadside Stories, Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Truckers' Favorites, and Country Casanova. Together, they collaborated on the artwork for Aces High. Chris passed away in 1992 due to complications from multiple sclerosis.[6]
George Frayne died on September 26, 2021, in Saratoga Springs, New York, at the age of 77.[7]
Style and influences
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen drew inspiration from the lively barroom country sound popularized by artists like Ernest Tubb and Ray Price. Their musical approach was firmly grounded in country music, enriched by elements of boogie woogie, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, Western swing, and jazz. According to Classic Rock, this fusion imparted a "counter-cultural twist to the Nashville sound". The band was described by Relix as blending rockabilly, blues, country, boogie-woogie, Western swing, among other styles. Tinnitist referred to them as "one of the more interesting bands of the hippie era," noting their infectious combination of country, rockabilly, western swing, and jump blues, which went on to influence groups such as NRBQ. All About Jazz characterized their sound as unmistakably Western Swing—a "musically alchemic concoction" merging country, Western influences, blues, big band jazz, whiskey, and cannabis.
As trailblazers within country rock,roots rock, and alternative country, their influence extended to numerous artists within these genres. Deadline emphasized their role in shaping future musicians associated with roots-rock and Americana. Moreover, Cashbox acknowledged Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen as foundational figures in the development of progressive country.
Members
- George Frayne – lead vocals, keyboards (1967–1976)
- Billy Farlow – lead vocals (1967–1976), harmonica (1967–1975)
- Bill Kirchen – lead guitar, backing vocals (1967–1976), trombone (1967–1971), banjo (1973–1975)
- John Tichy – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1967–1975)
- Andy Stein – saxophone, fiddle (1967–1976)
- Bruce Barlow – bass guitar, upright bass, backing vocals (1967–1976)
- Lance Dickerson – drums, percussion (1967–1976), backing vocals (1974–1976)
- Steve Davis – pedal steel guitar (1967–1971)
- Bobby Black – pedal steel guitar (1972–1976), backing vocals (1973–1976)
- Ernie Hagar – pedal steel guitar (1974–1975)
- Norton Buffalo – harmonica, trombone, backing vocals (1976)
- Rick Higginbotham – rhythm guitar (1975–1976)
- Jack Black – backing vocals, lead guitar (1970–1971)
Albums
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
Albums recorded with the original Lost Planet Airmen lineup:
| Year | Album | Chart Rankings | Label | Remarks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Country | CAN | |||||
| 1971 | Lost in the Ozone | 82 | — | 75 | Paramount | ||
| 1972 | Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Truckers Favorites | 94 | — | — | |||
| 1973 | Country Casanova | 104 | 47 | — | |||
| 1974 | Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas | 105 | — | — | |||
| 1975 | Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen | 58 | — | 95 | Warner Bros. | ||
| Tales from the Ozone | 168 | — | — | ||||
| 1976 | We've Got a Live One Here! | 170 | — | — | |||
| 1988 | Sleazy Roadside Stories | — | — | — | Relix | recorded in 1973 | |
| Too Much Fun: The Best of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen | — | — | — | MCA | compilation album | ||
| "The Tour from Hell – 1973" | "—"|"—"| Aim | recorded in 1973 | | ||||||
| "King Biscuit Flower Hour Archive Series: Greatest Hits Live!" | "—"|"—"| KBFH | recorded in 1976 | | ||||||
| "Bear's Sonic Journals: Found in the Ozone" | "—"|"—"| Owsley Stanley Foundation | recorded in 1970 | | ||||||
Commander Cody
Albums featuring George Frayne collaborating with various musicians:
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Rankings | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Country | AUS | CAN | CAN Country | CAN AC | |||
| 1971 | "Lost in the Ozone" / "Midnight Shift" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Lost in the Ozone |
| 1972 | "Hot Rod Lincoln" / "Wine Do Yer Stuff" | 9 | 51 | 45 | 7 | — | — | |
| "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" / "Daddy's Gonna Treat You Right" | 81 | — | — | 82 | — | — | ||
| "Mama Hated Diesels" / "Truck Stop Rock" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Truckers Favorites | |
| 1973 | "Watch My .38" / "Semi-Truck" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)" / "Rock That Boogie" | 94 | 97 | — | — | 99 | 37 | Country Casanova | |
| "Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas" / "Honeysuckle Honey" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album track | |
| 1974 | "Diggy Liggy Lo" / "Sunset on the Sage" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas |
| "Riot in Cell Block Number 9#Riot in Cell Block #9" / "Oh Mama Mama" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975 | "Don't Let Go" / "Keep On Lovin' Her" | 56 | — | — | 85 | — | — | Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen |
| "Roll Your Own" / "It's Gonna Be One of Those Nights" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Tales from the Ozone | |
| 1977 | "Seven Eleven" / "Snooze You Lose" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Rock 'n Roll Again |
| 1978 | "Thank You Lone Ranger" / "My Day" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Flying Dreams |
| 1980 | "Two Triple Cheese#2 Triple Cheese (Side Order of Fries)" / "Rockette 88" | — | — | — | – | – | – | Lose It Tonight |
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedLewry - ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedCV - ↑ "A brush with art: Sensitive painter George Frayne still rocks as Commander Cody", Austin American-Statesman (October 18, 1986) p D-1
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedamb - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedSchudel