Lead vocalist/keyboardist George Frayne took on the stage name and persona of Commander Cody after co-founding the band in 1967. Although the group’s style was often described in its early days as country-rock, the Bay Area-based band had a harder-driving style. And as its sci-fi serial-based name would indicate, more of a sense of humor than other country-influenced artists coming along at the time down in Los Angeles, like the Eagles or Poco. The sounds of rockabilly, Western swing, jump blues, jazz and boogie-woogie piano figured into the band’s free-wheeling style as readily as country, finding enthusiastic fans among followers of rock groups like the Grateful Dead, for whom Commander Cody sometimes opened, as well as devotees of more traditional music forms.

$1 from each record sold will be donated to the American Cancer Society in the memory of George Frayne aka Commander Cody.