But in doing my search I came across a name that was my first real intro to boogie woogie many years back.  It was George Frayne, who is better known as Commander Cody of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen fame who emerged in 1971 with the hit Hot Rod Lincoln.  Their first album, Lost in the Ozone, was classic that mixed country and rock and the counter-culture of the time into a meaty syew that was sometimes funny and always enagaging.  It had songs with titles like Down to Seeds and Stems Again and Wine Do Yer Stuff, all great numbers, but my favorite was and is their cover of the Andrews Sisters’ Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar.  I have been singing along to it for nearly forty years now and still gett revved up by Frayne’s rumbling left hand on the keyboard every time. 

Unfortunately, the band’s followup albums never reached the promise of  Lost in the Ozone.  But the Commander has always been entertaining throughout the years and that’s enough.

Frayne is an interesting guy.  Despite his somewhat haggard appearance through the years, he is a pretty accomplished painter, having graduated as an art major from the Univ. of Michigan.  He has a real distinct style, often painting musical legends  such as the portrait of Billie Holliday shown here.  He shows some of his work on sites that art painted by rock stars but his best work is much better than that.

Anyway, he was one of the keepers of boogie woogie’s flame and my first introduction to the swinging sound.  Here’s his Beat Me Daddy:

The Commander Cody Band

From Commander Cody’s website bio (www.commandercody.com):

“Eventually, they (Commander Cody & The Lost Planet Airmen) signed to Paramount Records, and the twangy HOT ROD LINCOLN was a runaway hit, reaching the top ten in 1972.”

“A few more tunes breached the top 40 as they hit the concert trail, playing the legendary Fillmore Auditorium, and finding themselves on bills with the Grateful Dead, The Doors, The Jefferson Airplane, Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin and The Eagles. They also backed up legends Gene Vincent, Link Wray and John Lennon. “

“Later, their 1974 album “Live From Deep in the Heart of Texas” was named as one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s 100 Greatest of all times!”

” Today the Commander Cody Band is closely knit with the legendary George Frayne a.k.a. “The Commander” (leader /keyboards/vocals), Steve Barbuto (drums/vocals), Rick Mullen (bass) and Mark Emerick on lead guitar and vocals…This new edition of the band harks back to the instrumental virtuosity and spontaneity of the original band, and the response from critics and crowds have been overwhelmingly positive. As always, the old Commander Cody himself is behind the piano, leading the musical mayhem and controlled chaos, and sporting his legendary antics and ability to spark up even the toughest crowds.”

A video of Commander Cody, Jerry Garcia, Elvis Costello, Sammy Hagar and more folks performing at the Sweetwater Saloon:

The Commander Cody Band performing “Down To Seeds and Stems Again Blues” in Italy in 2008: