Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
Andy Stein (L) and John Tichy (R) at the Hollywood Bowl opening for Grateful Dead, July 21, 1974. The Wall of Sound PA is in the background. Photo: David Gans
Background information
Origin	Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Country rock[1] Western swing truck-driving country alternative country progressive country
Years active	1967–1976 as Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen 1977–2021 as Commander Cody[2]
Past members	George Frayne Billy C. Farlow Bill Kirchen John Tichy Andy Stein Bruce Barlow Lance Dickerson Steve Davis Bobby Black Ernie Hagar Norton Buffalo Rick Higginbotham Nicolette Larson Peter Siegel Rick Mullen Steve Barbuto Mark Emerick Randy Bramwell Chris Olsen Professor Louie Sean Allen Tim Eschliman

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen were an American country rock band founded in 1967.^[3] The group's leader and co-founder was pianist and vocalist George Frayne IV, alias Commander Cody (born July 19, 1944, in Boise, Idaho; died September 26, 2021, in Saratoga Springs, New York).^[4]

The band became known for marathon live shows. Alongside Frayne, the classic lineup was Billy C. Farlow (b. Decatur, Alabama) on vocals and harmonica; John Tichy (b. St. Louis, Missouri) on guitar and vocals; Bill Kirchen (Kirchen was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, June 29, 1948, but grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan) on lead guitar; Andy Stein (b. August 31, 1948, in New York City) on saxophone and fiddle; "Buffalo" Bruce Barlow (b. December 3, 1948, in Oxnard, California) on bass guitar; Lance Dickerson (b. October 15, 1948, in Livonia, Michigan, died November 10, 2003, in Fairfax, California)^{[citation needed]} on drums; and Steve "The West Virginia Creeper" Davis (b. July 18, 1946, in Charleston, West Virginia), followed by Bobby Black, on pedal steel guitar.^[3]