Mother Earth (US band)
Mother Earth was an eclectic American blues-rock band formed in 1967 in California (frontwoman Tracy Nelson, after she moved from Madison, Wisconsin to San Francisco). Not to be confused with the British acid-jazz band also called Mother Earth (1991–1996, Acid Jazz Records, organist Bryn Barklam).^[raw/articles/wikipedia-mother-earth-american-band.md]
Key facts
- Played the Avalon Ballroom and Fillmore Auditorium in the late 1960s; included on the soundtrack of the 1968 film Revolution.^[raw/articles/wikipedia-mother-earth-american-band.md]
- Signed to Mercury Records and recorded four albums.^[raw/articles/wikipedia-mother-earth-american-band.md]
- After the first album the band moved its base from the Bay Area to a farm outside Nashville, Tennessee; the nucleus solidified around Nelson, keyboardist Andy McMahon and guitarist John "Toad" Andrews.^[raw/articles/wikipedia-mother-earth-american-band.md]
The Hammond / keyboard chair
- Often remembered as Tracy Nelson's vehicle, but Living with the Animals (1968) is a true group effort; guest guitar by Mike Bloomfield.^[raw/articles/rockasteria-mother-earth-living-with-animals.md]
- The keyboard chairs rotated: early members Wayne Talbert and Ira Kamin (1967), then Mark Naftalin (ex-Paul Butterfield Blues Band) on piano, organ and keyboards in the 1968 lineup; session organ by Barry Goldberg also appears on the album.^[raw/articles/wikipedia-mother-earth-american-band.md]^[raw/articles/rockasteria-mother-earth-living-with-animals.md]
- The Hammond here is a supporting soul voice behind Nelson's vocals — church-and-Chicago tradition, not the lead-instrument style of Jon Lord or Keith Emerson. See landmark Hammond albums query.
Related
- albums/living-with-the-animals — its organ-era landmark album
- mark-naftalin — organ/keyboards in the 1968 lineup
- james-taylor-quartet — see also landmark Hammond albums query