Spirit
Spirit's guitarist/vocalist Randy California is the step-son of drummer Ed Cassidy.
The Red Roosters(1965 - 1966)
  • Randy California - guitar/vocals - b. Randy Craig Wolfe, February 20, 1951, Los Angeles, California; d. January 2, 1997 (drowned while saving his son off the coast of Molokai, Hawaii) - formerly with The Tangerine Puppets.
  • Ed Cassidy - drums - b. May 4, 1924, Chicago, Illinois - formerly with Thelonius Monk, Art Pepper, Cannonball Adderly, Gerry Mulligan, New Jazz Trio, and Rising Sons (with Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal).
  • Jay Ferguson - guitar/keyboards/vocals - b. John Arden Ferguson, May 10, 1947, Burbank, California - formerly with bluegrass band The Oat Hill Straddlers.
  • Mark Andes - bass/vocals - b. February 19, 1948, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - formerly with The Marksmen and The Red Roosters.
Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes form Western Union (with Mark's brother Matt Andes); Mark Andes leaves for short stint with Canned Heat.
Spirits Rebellious (late-1966 - 1967)
  • Randy California - guitar/vocals
  • Ed Cassidy - drums
  • John Locke - keyboards/vocals - b. September 25, 1943, Los Angeles, California - formerly with New Jazz Trio.
Spirit I (1967 - 1971)
  • Randy California - guitar/vocals
  • Ed Cassidy - drums
  • John Locke - keyboards/vocals
  • Jay Ferguson - guitar/keyboards/vocals
  • Mark Andes - bass/vocals
Albums:
  1. "Spirit" (1968)
  2. "The Family That Plays Together" (1968) - Single: "I Got a Line on You"
  3. "Clear Spirit" (1969) - Single: "Dark Eyed Woman"
  4. "The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus" (1970) - Single: "Nature's Way"
  5. "Cosmic Smile" (2000)
Jay Ferguson and Mark Andes form Jo Jo Gunne; Jay Ferguson has later solo career.
Randy California releases solo album, "Kapt. Kopter and The (Fabulous) Twirly Birds".
Spirit II (1971)
  • Ed Cassidy - drums
  • John Locke - keyboards/vocals
  • John Christian Staehely - guitar/vocals - b. Texas. [Ref: Mark Plummer, Oct. 8, 2002]
  • Al Staehely - bass/vocals - b. Texas.
Album:
  1. "Feedback" (1971)
Group disbands.  John Christian Staehely and Al Staehely continue touring as Spirit; John Christian Staehely later joins Jo Jo Gunne.
Spirit III (1974 - 1975) (reformed)
  • Randy California - guitar/vocals
  • Ed Cassidy - drums
  • Barry Keene - bass
Albums:
  1. "Spirit of '76" (1975)
  2. "Son of Spirit" (1975)
Spirit IV (1976 - 1977)
  • Randy California - guitar/vocals
  • Ed Cassidy - drums
  • John Locke - keyboards
  • Mark Andes - bass/vocals
  • Matt Andes - guitar/vocals
Album:
  1. "Farther Along" (1976)
Mark Andes joins Firefall and, later, Heart.
Spirit V (1977)
  • Randy California - guitar/vocals
Album:
  1. "Future Games: A Magical Kahauna Dream" (1977)
Spirit VI (1977 - 1978)
  • Randy California - guitar/vocals
  • Ed Cassidy - drums
  • Larry "Fuzzy" Knight - bass/vocals
Album:
  1. "Live" (1978)
  2. "Live At The Rainbow 1978" (2000)
Spirit VI (1978 - 1981)
  • Randy California - guitar/vocals
  • Ed Cassidy - drums
Albums:
  1. "Journey to Potatoland" (1981)
  2. "Spirit of '84" (1984)
  3. "Rapture in the Chambers" (1989)
  4. "Tent of Miracles" (1990)
  5. "California Blues" (1996)
  6. "Live From The Time Coast" (2-CDs) (2005)
Compilations:
  1. "The Best of Spirit" (1973)
  2. "Time Circle 1968-1972" (2-CDs) (1991)
  3. "Chronicles 1967-92" (1991)
  4. "The Mercury Years" (2-CDs) (1997)
  5. "Sea Dream" (2-CDs) (2002)
  6. "Son of Spirit / Farther Along" (two-fer) (2004)
  7. "Future Games / Spirit of '84" (2-CDs) (2005)
Randy California solo:
  1. "Kapt. Kopter and The (Fabulous) Twirly Birds" (1972)
  2. "Restless" (1985)
  3. "Euro-American / Shattered Dreams" (2-CDs) (1997)
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Last Revised:  September 7, 2005
Copyright © 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 by Gary S. Hartman.  All rights reserved.