THE GRASS ROOTS

A baby boomer favorite, the Grass Roots had over 20 hits from 1966 to 1972, being on the Billboard charts for a record-breaking 307 consecutive weeks (1967-1972). Quite a nice run for a group with such an unusual genesis—the band name was registered even before the actual band was formed! Yes, the Grass Roots were launched as a concept, by prolific songwriter-producers Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan. Their concept? The Grass Roots were to be a folk-rock band in the same vein as the Byrds (a band which was at the forefront of a genre that was clearly the hot new trend in music at the time).

Barri and Sloan had been brought together by mega-producer Lou Adler and had written hits for such artists as the Turtles (“You Baby”) and Johnny Rivers ("Secret Agent Man”).   They also had a desire to record themselves.  In 1964, they recorded as The Fantastic Baggys with an album “Tell ‘Em I’m Surfin’”.  When Adler formed Dunhill Records in 1965, the two were hired as staff writers.  While waiting for artists to be signed to the new record label, the duo came up with a folk-rock song for themselves.  Recorded with studio musicians under the name of The Grass Roots,  “Where Were You When I Needed You” became a moderate hit in Los Angeles with P.F. Sloan singing lead.  But songwriters Barri and Sloan were not willing to go out on the road as a band to support this potential hit.   So a real band was needed to become The Grass Roots.

They decided to hire a San Francisco-based band named The Bedouins.  Lead singer Bill Fulton sounded similar to Sloan.  The Bedouins signed on, agreeing to become The Grass Roots.  The band started to perform as a unit and became a very popular act on the hip Sunset Strip.  However, dissension started early on, as it became clear that the band members would not be recording the first Grass Roots album.  Only Fulton would be used for lead vocals, while Barri and Sloan and studio musicians would play on the records.  This, of course, did not set well with the other members of the band.