Remember Zephyr?

Billed as a blues-based hard rock band, Zephyr was much more than that. It is the culmination of the sixties, with all the styles and genres blended into a hard driven guitar sound. They were not as famous as their original guitarist would become later, but they had a cult following in their native Colorado. It was the singer’s charisma that drew the attention of the audiences in the beginning, although it was Tommy Bolin’s later fame, but also his guitar virtuosity and creativity that managed to secure a place for Zephyr in music history.  The group was formed in 1969 in Boulder, Colorado by guitarist Tommy Bolin, keyboardist John Faris, David Givens on bass guitar, Robbie Chamberlin on drums and singer Candy Givens. The original lineup recorded the eponymous debut album in 1969 for Columbia Records. When “Zephyr” was released in October the results weren’t totally satisfying to the band, as they felt that it failed to capture the essence of their exciting live performances. Though it didn’t set records, the album was selling and their momentum continued to build. Soon after, Bolin left and was replaced by Jock Bartley, with whom the band recorded their second album “Sunset Ride,” again for Warner Brothers Records. On the record, with Bolin out of the spotlight, Candy Givens displayed her gifts as a singer, composer, and harmonica player. David Givens wrote almost all of the songs and produced the album. Although the record didn't sell in huge numbers, it is still in print and has a cult status among Zephyr fans.

The group was practically a launching station for several band members. Tommy Bolin went on to make a short-lived but splendid career, first with Billy Cobham, and after that with Deep Purple. Bartley went on to a successful career with Gram Parsons and Firefall and drummer Michael Wooten went on to play for several years with Carole King. Other Zephyr members of note include trance blues maven, Otis Taylor, who played bass during the mid-1970s, guitarist Zack Smith, and blues guitarist, Eddie Turner, who played guitar in the last incarnation during the early 1980s. Various versions of Zephyr continued to play in Colorado until Candy's death in 1984.

The group was practically a launching station for several band members. Tommy Bolin went on to make a short-lived but splendid career, first with Billy Cobham, and after that with Deep Purple. Bartley went on to a successful career with Gram Parsons and Firefall and drummer Michael Wooten went on to play for several years with Carole King. Other Zephyr members of note include trance blues maven, Otis Taylor, who played bass during the mid-1970s, guitarist Zack Smith, and blues guitarist, Eddie Turner, who played guitar in the last incarnation during the early 1980s. Various versions of Zephyr continued to play in Colorado until Candy's death in 1984.