The Lamont Cranston Band
The Lamont Cranston Band is an American blues band, based in Hamel, Minnesota. It was founded in 1969 by brothers Pat and Larry Hayes and continues today with Pat as the band's frontman. The band is named after the alter ego of the pulp hero The Shadow.History
"Excuse Moi, Mon Cheri," written by Larry Hayes, was recorded by the Blues Brothers and released as the B-side of their single "Soul Man". In 1981, the band broke into the Billboard charts with their biggest hit "Upper Mississippi Shakedown", The song appears often on Classic Rock and Album Oriented Rock radio stations worldwide..
The band has played with some notable musicians, such as Muddy Waters, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, the Kinks, the Yardbirds, Kansas, Yes and the Blues Brothers. In 1981, they opened for the Rolling Stones on a leg of their North American tour.
Pat Hayes played guest harmonica on a track on Percy Strother's second album, The Highway Is My Home (1995Band members
Current lineup
- Pat Hayes, vocals, guitar, harmonica
- Bruce McCabe, piano
- Jim Greenwell, saxophone
- Brad Pelkey, bass
- Jeff Rogers, drums
- Rod Smith, guitar
- Tim Wick, organ
Previous members
- Dick Perna, tenor saxophone
- Dave Olausen, guitar
- Danny Webb, drums
- Joe Sherohman, bass
- Jim Novak, drums
- Ted Larson, guitar
- Ted Sherarts, guitar
- Larry Hayes, guitar
- Bob Bingham, guitar
- Charles Fletcher, bass
- Andy Bailey, piano, Hammond B3 organ
- Dale Petersen, piano, Hammond B3 organ
- Jon Preizler, piano, Hammond B3 organ
- Aaron Virnig, drums
- Brian Risling, saxophone
- Billy Shiell, trumpet, flute
- Bill Black, bass
- Michael Carvale, bass
- Charlie Bingham, guitar
- Mick Masoff, bass
- Rick O'Dell, saxophone
- Tommy Burnevik, saxophone
- Pete Masters, trombone
- Larry McCabe, trombone
- Rico Anderson, drums
- Mike DuBois, drums
- Jesse Petrowski, bass
- John Baker Saunders, bass
- Paul Scher,saxophone
- Danny Rowles, piano, organ
- Greg Shuck, drums
- Jason Kotecki, drums
- Jeff Rogers, drums
- Brad Pelkey, bass
- Jason Medeiros, guitar
- Rob Arthur, keyboard, guitar
- Joe Chandler, Saxophone,guitar
Discography
Albums
- The Lamont Cranston Band
- Specials Lit
- El-Cee Notes
- Up from the Alley
- Shakedown
- Bar Wars
- Last Call
- A Measure of Time
- Tiger in Your Tank
- The Lamont Cranston Blues Band featuring Pat Hayes
- Upper Mississippi Shakedown: The Best of the Lamont Cranston Band
- Rock Awhile: The Early Years 1975–1978
- Roll with Me
- Tiger in Your Tank
- Lamont Live!!
- In the 80's
- Live at the People's Fair 1987
- Lamont Cranston Band with Bruce McCabe
Singles
- "Aint Nobody Here but Us Chickens"/"Something You Got", Shadow Records
- "Takin' a Chance" / "E Jam", Waterhouse Records 15002
