Linn County -

Linn County was an American psych-rock band that released the 1968/69 Mercury albums Proud Flesh Soothseer and Fever Shot, followed by the 1970 Philips release Till the Break of Dawn.

Members: Stephen Miller (vocals, keyboards), Fred Walk (guitar, sitar), Larry Easter (woodwinds), Dino Long (bass), Ray “Snake” McAndrew (drums), Clark Pierson (drums)

Background

Linn County developed from the Prophets, a Cedar Rapids group assembled in the mid-1960s by manager Kenny Thompson with keyboardist Stephen Miller, reedist Ron Lustic, and drummer Jerry “Snake” McAndrew. Ron Lustic departed and Thompson shifted into management. The Prophets then added guitarist Fred Walk, bassist Bob Miskimen, and reedist Larry Easter. Miskimen soon cleared for bassist Dino Long.

Walk grew up in Webster, Iowa, where he played trumpet in elementary school and took up guitar at age thirteen. By his late teens, he switched between bass and guitar on the east Iowa club circuit. Easter came from Davenport, Iowa, and joined the Prophets from the Quad Cities music circuit. Miller and McAndrew came from Cedar Rapids and Chicago, respectively.

The Prophets played R&B and rock at ballrooms and college venues across the Midwest, including Jimmy’s Lounge in Waterloo and the Twilight Room and Cougar Lounge in Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa. Upon their move to Chicago, they adopted the name Linn County Blues Band, an ode to their former locale. They played regular engagements at Mother Blues on Wells Street, including double-bills with Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Howlin’ Wolf, and James Cotton.

Cedar Rapids artist John Cabalka, then employed by Mercury Records in Chicago, became manager, with Ed Adkins as road manager. Linn County Blues Band signed with Dunwich Records and began an album at Chess Studios in Chicago. Mercury acquired the Dunwich contract in 1968 and signed the group to the label. Mercury shortened the name to Linn County and relocated the band to San Francisco, where the group prepared the material that became Proud Flesh Soothseer.

Discography: