McKendree Spring
American progressive folk-rock band
title: "McKendree Spring" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["american-folk-rock-groups"] description: "American progressive folk-rock band" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKendree_Spring" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American progressive folk-rock band ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | McKendree Spring |
| background | group_or_band |
| image | McKendree Spring.png |
| image_size | 250px |
| caption | McKendree Spring in 1970 |
| years_active | 1969–1976, 2009-2021 |
| origin | Glens Falls, New York, United States |
| genre | folk rock |
| label | Decca |
| MCA | |
| Pye | |
| website | mckendreespring.com |
| current_members | Fran McKendree |
| Dr. Michael Dreyfuss | |
| Christopher Bishop | |
| Martin Slutsky | |
| Carson Michaels | |
| :: |
| name = McKendree Spring | background = group_or_band | image = McKendree Spring.png | image_size = 250px | caption = McKendree Spring in 1970 | years_active = 1969–1976, 2009-2021 | origin = Glens Falls, New York, United States | genre = folk rock | label = Decca MCA Pye | website = mckendreespring.com | current_members = Fran McKendree Dr. Michael Dreyfuss Christopher Bishop Martin Slutsky Carson Michaels McKendree Spring is a progressive folk-rock band, formed in 1968 and particularly active in the early 1970s. The band, originally known as McKendree Spring Quartet, formed at Adirondack Community College in Queensbury, New York. The group's leader was Fran McKendree (vocals and guitar); their first bass player was Larry Tucker, followed by Fred Holman; Dr. Michael Dreyfuss (electric violin, viola, Moog, Arp, Mellotron); and Martin Slutsky (electric guitar). Christopher Bishop replaced Holman on bass as of the 1973 release Spring Suite. Some of their music ventured into avant-garde or experimental territory, such as "God Bless the Conspiracy" from their album 3, with its violin/viola/synthesizer solo by Dreyfuss.
Steve Anderson (bass and vocals) and Alan Stoker (drums and vocals) were added for the "Live at the Beachland" live performance recording and 2007 release. In addition, Dave Morrison (harmonica) also played on the live album.
In the summer of 2010, Christopher Bishop (bass and vocals) rejoined the group for the recording of 5 songs for "McKendree Spring: Recording No. 9". This recording also featured Alan Stoker (drums/percussion/vocals), Paul Hollowell (keys) and Fred Mollin (synth).
The band reunited for one final show at the legendary Douglas Corner club in Nashville, May 2013, which was video recorded and released in Dec. 2015 on DVD as McKendree Spring: Times Like These. Fran McKendree, Mike 'Doc' Dreyfuss, and Marty Slutsky, the three founding members of the band, are supported by bassist Chris Bishop, keyboardist Paul Hollowell [Dolly Parton], Nashville standouts Alan Stoker (drums and vocals) and Rock Williams on sax, along with harmony singing by Carol Anderson and Sharon Ferrara Slutsky.
According to the official site, Michael Dreyfuss died on September 25, 2017.
Fran McKendree (born Robert Francis McKendree on May 9, 1947, in Springfield, Massachusetts) died of cancer on June 10, 2021, at age 74.
Albums
::data[format=table]
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | US Top 200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | McKendree Spring | — | Decca | |
| 1970 | Second Thoughts | 192 | ||
| 1972 | McKendree Spring 3 | 163 | ||
| Tracks | — | |||
| 1973 | Spring Suite | — | MCA | |
| 1975 | Get Me to the Country | 118 | Pye | |
| 1976 | Too Young To Feel This Old | 193 | ||
| 2007 | Live at the Beachland Ballroom | — | McKendree Spring Records | |
| 2010 | Recording No. 9 | — | ||
| 2015 | Times Like These | — | ||
| :: |
Charted singles
::data[format=table]
| Year | Single | Chart | Album | US/US Bub. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | "Because It's Time" | 105 | Second Thoughts (1970) | |
| 1976 | "Too Young to Feel This Old" | 110 | Too Young to Feel This Old (1976) | |
| :: |
References
References
- Mayer, Ira. (1972-06-11). "Article 2 -- No Title; McIlwaine To Jake's Jewels". [[The New York Times]].
- (1975-04-14). "McKendree Spring Get Me to the Country". [[The Village Voice]].
- Glens Falls ''Post-Star'' 5 August 1968, p. 2
- (20 May 1972). "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc..
- "Michael "Doc" Dreyfuss, Electronic Violist and Violinist Extraordinaire!".
- "Robert Francis McKendree May 9, 1947 ~ June 10, 2021 (age 74)".
- [https://livingchurch.org/2021/08/12/episcopal-musician-fran-mckendree-dies-at-74/ "Episcopal Musician Fran McKendree Dies at 74", ''Living Church'', August 12, 2021]. Retrieved February 8, 2022
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