The Ozark Mountain Daredevils will be performing live at the Black River Coliseum at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 29.
A rock and roll band formed in 1971, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils have captured the hearts of fans now for more than five decades with their blend of country, rock, and folk music.
Formed in Springfield, Missouri, in the early 1970s, they released their self-titled debut album in 1973.
“We got started as a bunch of musicians and songwriters who were tired of being a cover band. So we got together and instead of playing the latest cover song on the radio, we played our own songs. And we stuck to our guns,” said band co-founder and bass guitar player, Michael “Supe” Granda during a phone interview with the Daily American Republic.
“That was a better road to take. And it would better serve us in the long run. And it did,” said Granda.
The band quickly gained recognition with their hit single “If You Wanna Get to Heaven,” which topped the charts the same year and remains one of their most iconic songs.
In addition to “If You Wanna Get to Heaven,” the band released “Jackie Blue,” in 1974, which also became a major hit.
Over the years, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils have had several changes in their lineup, with different lead singers and band members contributing to their distinctive sound. Despite the changes, the band has 'soldiered on.'
“When you’ve been together, 51 years, it’s probable that you’re going to have many people come and go, we’ve had musicians come and go and come back again. We’ve always been very flexible with our lineup. We’ve had as many as five people, and we’ve had as many as 11 at one point, so it’s just the different phases you go through. Right now we’re in a real nice phase because the band as it is in 2023 is very, very good,” said Granda.
In addition to Granda, there is another co-founder who remains a member of the band, Randle Chowning, on lead guitar and vocals. They have also added a female Fiddler, “Molly Healey is playing fiddle with us and it just adds a whole other dimension to the sound and we like new dimensions,” said Granda.
The band just recorded a new version of “Jackie Blue,” which according to Granda should be released before their show date at the end of April.
Granda said he has enjoyed his career as a musician, “the thing that it offers you is, I own my time. That means I don’t have to get up in the morning and go work 40 hours a week so I can play on the weekends.”
“When you’re an artist, the most important thing you can own is your time,” said Granda, “so when I get up, the whole day is spent in an artistic fashion whether I’m writing a song or a book or a poem, or whether I’m outside planting tomatoes and basil. I own my time, I do what I want when I want and that’s pretty valuable. Not a lot of people can say that.”
While the band will play the songs fans have come to know and love, Granda said they will also be adding new music to the show.
“We have new music that’s going to be interspersed with the old. We’re still recording. We’re still writing and producing new music, which will be interjected into the show,” said Granda.
The Ozark Mountain Daredevils’ music has stood the test of time, with their hits remaining popular among fans and gaining new listeners even after several decades.
Granda said, “It’s going to be fun. When people come to the show they can expect to have fun. Which is one of the main objectives of doing the job, helping people have fun, so come on out and let’s have fun.”