Description:

From Humble Hippies to Ozark Mountain Daredevils

Member of Beloved American Band Takes Readers on Rock-n-Roll Joy Ride in New Book

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In every era, countercultures find their own beat, grooving within the community they create. The dawn of the 1970s witnessed a gathering of musicians and assorted Bohemians at a cozy night club in the shadows of the Ozark Mountains. Three decades later, the story of the band that emerged from these jam sessions is revealed in It Shined: The Saga of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils , the new book by band member Michael “Supe” Granda.

Granda’s true tale of the little hillbilly rock-n-roll band that made it big begins on his first day of college at Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield. As he wanders aimlessly exploring campus, he also searches for the perfect, savage sound to make him feel at home. This quest ends up inspiring more than 30 years of music with the Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

It Shined invites readers into The New Bijou Theater In Springfield, Missouri—the perfect home for Granda and his newfound family of music devotees. A haven from the tension of the Vietnam War, The Bijou was the first stomping ground of the future Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Granda relives these early days, capturing the free-for-all atmosphere, the kinship and collaboration of musicians and friends, and the constant pulse of music in the air. “Everyone played. Everyone sang. Everyone contributed,” writes Granda.

When an untimely fire claimed the Bijou, the group retreated to a two-story Civil War era mansion in the rural Ozarks. In this isolation the band’s first cohesive sound was born. Dubbed the Family Tree, Granda and the band became a favorite among the local counterculture.

Granda weaves a success story that remains rooted in the humble beginnings of a ragtag group of hippies with bare-bones equipment. Courted by music label executives like David Anderle, the band suddenly found themselves in the pages of Rolling Stone magazine. The highs of fame, the turmoil of life in the spotlight and the joy of doing what they loved shape one adventurous story that culminates in a final, emotional performance by the beloved Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

For music lovers, it is a veritable encyclopedia of the rich Springfield music scene, as Granda fondly recalls all the musicians, industry heads (Wayne Carson, Si Simon), and venues that become a part of his world. For any reader it is a compelling tribute to all those who have honored their tunnel vision and let their passion lead them down one long adventurous path.

About the Author

Born in St. Louis, Michael “Supe” Granda grew up listening to Benny Goodman and Count Basie until his own tastes emerged to favour Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. In 1964, after seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, he bought his first guitar and formed a band. Local musical influences were the famous Gaslight Square and fellow St. Louis native Chuck Berry. Granda attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, where he laid down his roots and discovered his future Ozark bandmates. His essays have been published in numerous magazines and books. It Shined is his first published book.