Country-rock pioneer George Frayne, best known for his alter ego "Commander Cody", has passed away following a battle with cancer.
Frayne formed Commander Cody and His Lost Airmen in 1967 and the band mixed country, rock and roll, Western swing, and rockabilly, under a foundation of boogie-woogie piano. They were among the first country rock bands to take its cues less from folk rock and bluegrass and more from the rowdy barroom country of the Ernest Tubb and Ray Price style. The band became known for marathon live shows.
As Frayne told No Depression in 2018:
“In about 1966 I found a Bob Wills album and marijuana. I’m pretty sure those guys were stoned most of the time. I started listening to Jerry Lee Lewis’ album that had 'Crazy Arms' and Buck Owens’ greatest hits. We did [Owens'] 'Tiger by the Tail' regularly. What country music afforded for us was there was no rehearsal, we listened to the record, we drank a bunch of whiskey and coke, and played. Country music is easy to do if someone knows the lyrics and the song, you can follow along relatively easily.”
George Frayne was 77.
