Biography
Richmond, Virginia psych-blues outfit the Bosom Blues Band operated under the leadership of singer/guitarist Larry McCullough, a local folkie persuaded in 1966 to join the Soothsayers. That Richmond combo, shaped by the British beat boom, featured guitarists Allen Gay and Duck Baker plus bassist Harold Grigg and drummer Dickie Parrish. McCullough shared the original American R&B discs that had influenced their heroes, enabling the Soothsayers to craft an earthy yet epic sound drawing from both traditional blues and contemporary rock & roll. Collector of 78 rpm records Lynn Anderson soon replaced Parrish on drums, after which Baker shifted briefly to organ before leaving the group entirely and later earning acclaim for his solo acoustic records. With Baker gone, the Soothsayers took the name Bosom Blues Band and cut an LP's worth of material in 1967 at the local Recordings Incorporated studio. The next year they auditioned for Vanguard Records' Sam Charters, who tendered a limited deal the musicians declined. The Bosom Blues Band disbanded soon afterward, though McCullough eventually resurfaced in Zion Crossroads. In 2003 the Bosoms' "Hippie Queen" finally appeared on the third volume in the excellent Aliens, Psychos & Wild Things series.