MISSISSIPPI

Early in 1972 Allison Gros were renamed as Mississippi with Graeham Goble, Russ Johnson and John Mower joined by session musicians: Geoff Cox on drums, Peter Jones on piano, Graeme Lyall on flute and Barry Sullivan on bass guitar. They released a self-titled debut LP in that year which reached #21 on the Kent Music Report Albums Chart. 'Mississippi' was produced by Jones and Ern Rose via the Bootleg label, which had been set up by Ron Tudor and Brian Cadd. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, it "featured a harmony-rich rock sound heavily influenced by Crosby Stills Nash and Young and The Band. One of the highlights was the lush, orchestrated epic 'Save the Land'." In October it provided the single, "Kings of the World" another of the album's standouts – which reached #10 on the Go-Set National Top 40.

In late 1972, Mississippi were joined by Beeb Birtles (ex-Zoot, Frieze) on guitar and vocals, Colin DeLuca (ex-Fugitives) on bass guitar and Derek Pellicci (ex-Ash) on drums. This line-up released a single, "Mr Moondog", in December and toured Australia. They appeared at the Sunbury Pop Festival in January 1973. During 1973 there were several changes in the line-up, with Johnson replaced, in February, by Kerryn Tolhurst (ex-Country Radio) on guitar and mandolin; he was replaced in turn by Harvey James (ex-Clydehouse, Sayla, Wendy Saddington Band) on guitar, a month later. Another single, "Early Morning", was released in July, which peaked at #56 on the Kent Music Report. They supported the Jackson Five on the Australian leg of their tour in October of that year. In that same month DeLuca and Mower left and were replaced by Andre Santos on bass guitar and vocals. Santos was replaced two months later by Charlie Tumahai (ex-Healing Force).

In 1974 they appeared at the Sunbury Pop Festival again. Their next single, "Will I?", appeared in May which peaked at #31 on the Go-Set National Top 40. They toured the United Kingdom in 1974 and broke up. In London Birtles, Goble and Pellici met with former Masters Apprentices bass guitarist, Glenn Wheatley, who agreed to become their manager, should they decide go back to Australia. Wheatley was eager to return to Australia after working in the United States the UK. In the UK, the group met Glenn Shorrock (ex-the Twilights, Axiom) who had been there for four years, and was also returning home. 

In early 1975, the individuals members, Birtles, Goble, Pellici and Shorrock, had returned to Australia and reformed Mississippi, with the addition of Graham Davidge on lead guitar (ex-Red Angel Panic) and Dave Orams on bass guitar. After a few concerts, on the way to a gig in Geelong, in March, they decided to change their name to Little River Band, after passing by the town of Little River. Under the guidance of Wheatley, they became one of Australia's most successful bands in the US. John Mower died in 2016 aged 75. Charlie Tumahai died suddenly on 21 December 1995, aged 46, after suffering a heart attack while working at the Auckland District Court. Harvey James died on 15 January 2011 aged 58 from lung cancer

Members

Graeham Gobel (guitar, vocals), Russ Johnson (guitar, vocals), John Mower (vocals),
Kerryn Tolhurst (guitar), Harvey James (guitar), Peter Martin (guitar), Beeb Birtles (vocals, guitar), Colin Deluca (bass), Andre Santos (bass), Charlie Tumahai (bass), Derek Pellicci (drums)

SINGLES

Kings of the World

4 SEP '72

#7

Early Morning

6 AUG '73

#56

Will I

18 MAR '74

#26

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_%28band%29

http://top100singles.blogspot.com.au/