Biography
White Eyes never achieved widespread national attention, yet they ranked among the most popular acts on the Midwest’s rock ballroom and regional festival scenes throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their psychedelic sound combined forceful guitar lines, polished vocal harmonies, and tunes that remained sharp and memorable while retaining the music’s full force. The story began in 1965 when high-school classmates Philip Jackson, who handled guitars, vocals, and keyboards, and Butch Dillon on drums enrolled at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri. Hoping to assemble a soul and R&B outfit, they brought in guitarist and singer Greg Camp along with vocalist Cat Sherrell, who was only fourteen at the time but already displayed a powerful, assured delivery.
Operating briefly as Dillon’s Children, the musicians soon abandoned that direction as rock styles evolved, and in 1969 they relocated to Columbia, Missouri, drawn by the University of Missouri campus and its greater tolerance for the counterculture. After guitarist Kent “Duck” Linneweh joined, the group adopted the name White Eyes, taken from the undead figures in the low-budget horror film Plague of the Zombies. Transporting equipment in an aging hearse, the band maintained a steady schedule of local performances and regular road trips—most often to Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas—earning enough to forgo conventional employment.
Late in 1969, Anthony Comstock Productions supplied studio time for a full-length demo intended to attract booking agents and a possible record contract. By May 1970 the band had recorded eight tracks live in the studio—seven originals plus a version of the Lennon/McCartney rarity “It’s for You.” An A&R executive at Chrysalis Records responded favorably enough to secure opening slots on tours by Procol Harum and Ten Years After, yet no deal followed. Personnel shifts continued, bringing in guitarist Larry Knight, who had already contributed to one demo track, and keyboardist Jimmy Harlow.
White Eyes disbanded in 1975. Greg Camp and Jimmy Harlow subsequently formed Camp Harlow, which became a durable presence on the Missouri rock circuit, while Philip Jackson launched White Rock Prairie Band. After further work with Camp Harlow and as a solo artist, Greg Camp passed away in 2009. The 1970 demo finally received its first official release in 2015 when Numero Group issued it as the band’s debut album four decades after the breakup.
Operating briefly as Dillon’s Children, the musicians soon abandoned that direction as rock styles evolved, and in 1969 they relocated to Columbia, Missouri, drawn by the University of Missouri campus and its greater tolerance for the counterculture. After guitarist Kent “Duck” Linneweh joined, the group adopted the name White Eyes, taken from the undead figures in the low-budget horror film Plague of the Zombies. Transporting equipment in an aging hearse, the band maintained a steady schedule of local performances and regular road trips—most often to Kansas City and Lawrence, Kansas—earning enough to forgo conventional employment.
Late in 1969, Anthony Comstock Productions supplied studio time for a full-length demo intended to attract booking agents and a possible record contract. By May 1970 the band had recorded eight tracks live in the studio—seven originals plus a version of the Lennon/McCartney rarity “It’s for You.” An A&R executive at Chrysalis Records responded favorably enough to secure opening slots on tours by Procol Harum and Ten Years After, yet no deal followed. Personnel shifts continued, bringing in guitarist Larry Knight, who had already contributed to one demo track, and keyboardist Jimmy Harlow.
White Eyes disbanded in 1975. Greg Camp and Jimmy Harlow subsequently formed Camp Harlow, which became a durable presence on the Missouri rock circuit, while Philip Jackson launched White Rock Prairie Band. After further work with Camp Harlow and as a solo artist, Greg Camp passed away in 2009. The 1970 demo finally received its first official release in 2015 when Numero Group issued it as the band’s debut album four decades after the breakup.
Albums
Singles
