Cat Mother and the All-Night Newsboys

 

(1967-1973)
Personnel: Roy Michaels (bass, vocals), Charlie Chin (guitar, vocals), Bob Smith (drums, keyboards, vocals), Larry Packer (guitar, violin), Michael Equine (drums, guitar), Jay Ungar (violin)
Wikipedia Page

Many groups try hard, but never make a big success. Cat Mother and the All-Night Newsboys was one example. Two of their songs made a minor splash, but they were never able to capitalize on it, and the best known piece connected to one of their members became a familiar melody years after they broke up.

Roy Michaels played with Steven Stills and Rich Furay in the Au Go Go Singers, and joined with Bob Smith, Charlie Chin, Larry Packer and Michael Equine. They started out  in New York, performing in the Woodstock area*  and in New York city. They became friends with Jimi Hendrix, who used them as an opening act and produced their first album, The Street Giveth and the Street Taketh Away. Despite its title, which hints at a punk sensibility, they were more an early example of soft country rock.. 

But they did have a minor hit with "Good Old Rock 'n' Roll." The song has a short intro waxing nostalgic at the old rock and roll songs, and then includes excerpts of "Sweet Little Sixteen," "Long Tall Sally," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" and others. 

Remember that in 1969, a lot of younger music fans rarely had a chance to hear Chuck Berry or Little Richard. No radio stations specialized in oldies; if they played them, they were playing songs from two or three years previously, not from the previous decade. Even the oldies were played sporadically. "Good Old Rock 'n' Roll" was featured often enough to give the fans a chance to hear the songs.

The album did well enough, and the Jimi Hendrix connection helped a bit, but not enough.  The group moved from New York to California and added Jay Ungar on violin before coming out with their next album, Albion Doo-Wah. Reception was mixed but one song became an minor classic:  "Strike a Match and Light Another." This country-tinged tune was a humorous song about marijuana that got a lot of airplay on underground and college radio.

Still, it was not enough to keep the band going. After a couple of failed albums, the group broke up.

One member, however, did have a major success.  Jay Ungar, living in the Woodstock area composed a charming little waltz called "Ashokan Farewell." You may not recognize the name, but you probably have heard it:  Ken Burns used it extensively (25 times) in his documentary The Civil War.

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*Possible giving people the idea of doing a music festival there.