Sassafras -

Sassafras was a Welsh hard-rock/boogie band from Caerdydd that made the 1973 Polydor album Expecting Company, followed by the 1975/76 Chrysalis titles Wheelin’ n’ Dealin’ and Riding High. The band formed in 1970 and gigged for more than three decades after their brief cluster of recorded activity. They later pressed an archival CDr of their 1978 live set.

Members: Ralph Evans (guitar, vocals), Ricky John Holt (bass, vocals), Rob Reynolds (drums), Terry Bennett (vocals, 1971-2003), Richie Galloni (vocals), David “Dai” Shell (guitar), Steve Finn (bass, vocals), Ray Jones (bass, vocals), Marco James (keyboards, mandolin, violin), Rob “Congo” Jones (drums), Chris Sharley (drums), Peter Stroud (drums), Gary Davies (drums)

Background

Sassafras formed in 1970 in Cardiff, Wales, when guitarist Ralph Evans teamed with bassist Ricky John Holt and drummer Rob Reynolds. David “Dai” Shell joined soon afterward as second guitarist.

Shell had played in Merthyr Tydfil group Chapter Five, which formed in 1966 and worked clubs across Wales and England. The group reached the Cavern in Liverpool and Star-Club in Hamburg after Shell replaced guitarist Frank Janes.

Singer Terry Bennett came from Carlton, Nottingham, where he sang in local group The Breed. He later appeared on Opportunity Knocks with The Diary and spent roughly two years in X-IT. The four-piece found Bennett at an X-IT engagement in Newport and invited him into Sassafras.

Sassafras turned professional after Bennett’s arrival. Reynolds cleared out for Robert “Congo” Jones, the former Love Sculpture drummer.

Sassafras built a club circuit from the Cardiff base and cut early demos at Ddraig Studios, a local facility established in part by Shell. Manager Carl Leighton-Pope ran a Cardiff recording studio by 1972, when Sassafras signed to George Martin’s AIR Productions. The AIR agreement led to a one-weekend album session for the October 1973 Polydor debut, Expecting Company.

Discography: