The Easy Riders
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Founder | Terry Gilkyson, Richard Dehr, Frank Miller |
| Defunct | 1959 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Key people | Mitch Miller (manager) |
| Products | Folk music recordings |
The Easy Riders were a folk ensemble from the United States, active between 1956 and 1959, consisting of members Terry Gilkyson, Richard Dehr, and Frank Miller. Under the management of Mitch Miller, they secured a recording contract with Columbia Records.
Their most notable success came with the 1957 release "Marianne". Additionally, they created several songs for the 1958 cinemiracle documentary Windjammer, including "Kari Waits for Me" and "Sugar Cane". Gilkyson was the writer behind the chart-topping "The Cry of the Wild Goose" performed by Frankie Laine, and he also contributed to Laine’s 1957 hit "Love Is a Golden Ring," which featured The Easy Riders.
Numerous tracks from their repertoire achieved greater popularity when covered by artists such as The Kingston Trio, Gale Storm, Harry Belafonte, Doris Day, Burl Ives, and The Brothers Four. Among these, "Memories Are Made of This" became a significant success for Dean Martin. Their single "Send for de Captain" served as inspiration for the Beach Boys’ adaptation "Sloop John B", which was based on The Kingston Trio’s version.
In the early 1960s, Gilkyson departed to join Disney, where he penned the Oscar-nominated song "The Bare Necessities" for The Jungle Book.
Richard Dehr passed away in October 1989, while Terry Gilkyson died in October 1999.
Discography
- Marianne and Other Songs You'll Like (1957, Columbia CL 990)
- Blue Mountain (1958, Columbia CL 1103)
- Wanderin': Folk Songs by The Easy Riders (1959, Columbia CL 1272)
- Rollin' (1960, Kapp KL-1196)
- Remember the Alamo (1961, Kapp KL-1216)
- The Cry of the Wild Goose (1963, Kapp KS-3327)