Biography
In 1968 the country-rock band Kangaroo took shape when vocalist Barbara Keith joined forces with drummer/vocalist N.D. Smart II. Keith had already established herself as a folksinger with appearances at Greenwich Village’s celebrated Café Wha?, while Smart brought experience from previous groups such as the Remains and Bo Grumpus. After the two moved from Boston to Washington, D.C., they added multi-instrumentalist John Hall and guitarist Ted Spelies—who had worked together earlier in the British Walkers—to round out the quartet. The new ensemble soon settled in as a regular presence at D.C.’s Peppermint Lounge and landed a contract with MGM, which put out the debut single “I Never Tell Me Twice.” The self-titled album and follow-up single “Frog Giggin’” appeared shortly afterward, but the group disbanded in early 1969. Smart went on to help form Mountain with Leslie West, Hall later joined Orleans, and Keith released two solo albums on Verve.
Albums