Kenny and the Kasuals
| Kenny and the Kasuals | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Kenny Daniel Combo |
| Origin | Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1964–1967 |
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| Past members |
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Kenny and the Kasuals were an American garage rock band formed in Dallas, Texas in 1964. The band played at various venues, including the Studio Club, with a repertoire that consisted of material taken from the British Invasion and R&B standards. Over time the band began experimenting with early elements of psychedelic music and are often cited as one of the first groups to play in such a style. Kenny and the Kasuals released several singles including their best-known song, "Journey to Tyme". A live album, Impact, was also recorded in 1966.
Encouraged by his father, a former big band leader in the 1930s, Kenny Daniel (rhythm guitar, backing vocals) formed the first line-up of Kenny and the Kasuals in 1964 with high school classmate Tommy Nichols (lead guitar, lead vocals) who began jamming with Daniel at his home. Known early on as the Ilusions Combo, the duo was joined by neighborhood friends Blaine Young (drums) and Charles Beverly (bass guitar) to perform for small-time local events. Daniel and Nichols, however, were forced to restructure the line-up later in the same year after Young died from a rare form of meningitis at 18 years of age, and Beverley expressed no desire to tour with the band.
Taking over as frontman, Daniel put together another variation of the group, this time with the name Kenny Daniel's Combo, with guitarist Jerry Smith and bassist Lee Lightfoot, former members of rival band the Vibrations, as well as David “Bird” Blachley (drums) and Paul Roach (keyboards). Daniel and Smith knew Dallas businessman Rick Norwood, leading to frequent gigs at his hotel club and an opportunity for the band to hone their skills as musicians. Soon after, Mark Lee introduced himself to the group at another nearby club with an offer to take on management duties for them. Not much older than the band members, Lee nonetheless sensed potential in Kenny Daniel's Combo and saw an opportunity to cash in on the craze caused by the Beatles. He renamed the group Kenny and the Kasuals and dropped Nichols, making Daniel the face of the band.
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