Crow (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis-St. Paul , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Crow is a blues rock group from the United States, originally active between 1967 and 1972. They are primarily recognized for their track "Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games with Me)," which was subsequently interpreted by artists such as Black Sabbath and Ike & Tina Turner.
History
The ensemble was established in 1967 within the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, initially under the name South 40, featuring vocalist David Wagner, guitarist Dick Wiegand, bassist Larry Wiegand, keyboardist Kink Middlemist, and drummer Harry Nehls. The band adopted the name Crow as they pursued a broader national presence. Drummer Harry Nehls was succeeded by Denny Craswell. After a rejected demo submission to Columbia Records in 1969, Crow secured a contract with Amaret Records.
Their first studio album, Crow Music, included the single "Evil Woman," which climbed to number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1970. Subsequent releases Crow by Crow (1970) and Mosaic (1971) produced singles that charted but did not replicate the initial album’s commercial impact. The band's effort to transition to Elektra Records was thwarted by Amaret Records retaining ownership of the Crow name. In 1971, Wagner departed and was replaced by Mick Stanhope; however, the group disbanded in 1972. That same year, Wagner issued a solo record titled d/b/a Crow.
In 1980, Crow reunited with Wagner alongside new members John Richardson, Jeff Christensen, Denny Johnson, and Robby Belleville, releasing Crow on the Run in 1982 before disbanding once more. The band regrouped again in 1988 and has since performed intermittently throughout the Midwest region. Individual members have received Minnesota Music Awards recognizing their contributions. Crow earned induction into the Minnesota Rock/Country Hall of Fame in 2005 and later into the Iowa Rock & Roll Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
Currently, Crow continues to perform sporadically across Midwestern venues with Dave Wagner as lead vocalist.
Live albums
- 1968 Live at Someplace Else – released under the name South 40
Studio albums
- 1969 Crow Music
- 1970 Crow by Crow
- 1971 Mosaic
- 1972 d/b/a Crow (solo project by David Wagner)
- 1981 Crow on the Run (issued exclusively in the Northwestern United States)
Compilation albums
- 1972 Best of Crow
- 1992 Evil Woman: The Best of Crow
- 2007 Classics: 1969–1972
- 2007 Before the Storm (David Wagner solo)
- 2013 The Best of Crow
All these albums were released through Amaret Records except for Live at Someplace Else (Metrobeat), Evil Woman: The Best of Crow (K-Tel/Era), Classics: 1969–1972 (Noiseland Industries), The Best of Crow (Sundazed), and Before the Storm (K-Tel).
Singles
- 1969 "Time to Make a Turn" (US No. 123)
- 1969 "Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me)" (US No. 19, Canada No. 15)
- 1970 "Cottage Cheese" (US No. 56)
- 1970 "Slow Down" (US No. 103)
- 1970 "(Don't Try to Lay No Boogie Woogie on the) King of Rock N' Roll" (US No. 55, Canada No. 52)
- 1971 "Watching Can Waste Up Time"
- 1971 "Yellow Dawg"
- 1972 "Mobile Blues" (David Wagner solo)
- 1972 "Cado Queen" (David Wagner solo)
All singles were distributed via Amaret Records.
Members
- David Wagner – lead vocals (1967–1971)
- Dick Wiegand – guitar (1967–1972)
- Larry Wiegand – bass guitar (1967–1972)
- Kink Middlemist – keyboards (1967–1972)
- Harry Nehls – drums (1967–1969)
- Denny Craswell – drums (1969–1972)
- Mike Mlazgar – drums (1969)
- Mick Stanhope – vocals (1971–1972)
- Chico Perez – percussion (1971–1972)