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90-539: A history of the band written by George Bunnell stated that "The Strawberry Alarm Clock came about by parts of two bands, Thee Sixpence and Waterfyrd Traene, morphing into one." The group, originally named Thee Sixpence, initially consisted of Ed King (lead guitar, vocals), Michael Luciano ( vocals ), Lee Freeman ( rhythm guitar , harmonica, vocals), Gary Lovetro (bass), Steve Rabe ( guitar , vocals), and Gene Gunnels ( drums ). Randy Seol (drums, vibes, percussion, vocals) and Mark Weitz ( keyboards , vocals) joined to replace

180-892: A record label created by Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins . Strawberry Alarm Clock keyboardist Weitz (who played keyboards in 2009 for Corgan's side project Spirits in the Sky) stated, "We’re picking up where we left off, but with a modern sound." The band also reworked some of its 1960s songs. Founding member Lee Freeman (born November 8, 1949) died on February 14, 2010, at the age of 60, from complications arising from cancer . Carrying on as Strawberry Alarm Clock were Weitz, Seol, Bunnell, Gunnels, and Anderson, with Bartek appearing as his schedule permitted. Strawberry Alarm Clock performed live during 2012 around Southern California, including appearances at The Satellite in Los Feliz ,

270-535: A 39-year-old such as King, which Branch attributed to the stress of King's 13 years in the civil rights movement. Shortly after the shot was fired, witnesses saw a man, later believed to be James Earl Ray , fleeing from a rooming-house across the street from the Lorraine Motel. Ray had been renting a room in the rooming-house. Police found a package dumped close to the site that included a rifle and binoculars, both bearing Ray's fingerprints. Ray had purchased

360-532: A colleague from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference , first believed King was dead, but found he still had a pulse. King was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital , where doctors opened his chest and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation . He never regained consciousness, and died at 7:05 p.m. According to Branch, King's autopsy revealed that his heart was in the condition of a 60-year-old man rather than that of

450-695: A conspiracy. In May 1977, Kershaw presented evidence to the House Select Committee on Assassinations that he believed exonerated his client, but tests did not prove conclusive. Kershaw also claimed that Ray was somewhere else when the shots were fired, but he could not find a witness to corroborate the claim. Ray and seven other convicts escaped from Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Petros, Tennessee on June 10, 1977. They were recaptured on June 13 and returned to prison. A year

540-494: A few shows and contributed the theme song to the late-night 1970s televised rock concert series ABC in Concert . They also appeared on one of the smaller stages at the first California Jam on April 6, 1974. Strawberry Alarm Clock reunited once again in 1982 after guitarist Freeman spotted a newspaper ad promoting an appearance by the group at a Los Angeles club, The Music Machine. Freeman knew nothing about this gig and went to

630-556: A guilty plea to avoid a conviction and potential death penalty . Ray was sentenced to a 99-year prison term, but he recanted his confession three days later. Ray fired Foreman and claimed that a man whom he had met in Montreal by the alias of "Raoul" was involved, as was Ray's brother Johnny, but that Ray himself was not. He said through his new attorney Jack Kershaw that, although he did not "personally shoot King", he may have been "partially responsible without knowing it", hinting at

720-583: A poem by the Greek playwright Aeschylus : "Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God." In conclusion, he said that the country needed and wanted unity between blacks and whites, and asked the audience members to pray for the King family and the country, again quoting the Greeks. Kennedy's speech

810-654: A safe house before travelling to Memphis. King participated in a massive march in Memphis on March 28, 1968, which ended in violence. On April 3, King returned to Memphis to attempt a successful new march later that week. His airline flight to Memphis was delayed by a bomb threat, but he arrived in time to make a planned speech to a gathering at the Mason Temple (world headquarters of the Church of God in Christ ). At

900-506: A screening of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (co-written by Ebert and director Russ Meyer ). Freeman, Weitz, Bartek, Bunnell, Seol, Gunnels, and Anderson continued to make concert appearances throughout 2007. By 2008, an ailing Freeman was sidelined, and in 2010, Bartek began to reduce his appearances with the group. In January 2010, Strawberry Alarm Clock started recording new material for

990-532: A segregationist, described the assassination as a "senseless, regrettable act". But Governor Lester Maddox of Georgia called King "an enemy of our country" and threatened to "personally raise" the state capitol flag back from half-staff. California Governor Ronald Reagan described the assassination as "a great tragedy that began when we began compromising with law and order and people started choosing which laws they'd break". South Carolina senator Strom Thurmond wrote to his constituents: "We are now witnessing

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1080-554: A theme song for the city's image in later decades. Bunnell and Seol left the band in late 1968 at the end of the sessions for The World in a Sea Shell due to disagreements over their manager Bill Holmes' mishandling of the band's business affairs. Bunnell, Seol, and Bartek then formed a new band, Buffington Rhodes. Holmes was fired by the remaining members, but he retaliated by creating an alternate version of Strawberry Alarm Clock (featuring Bunnell and Seol) and sending them on tour. The band responded with an injunction against Holmes, and

1170-441: A whole lot of black people today. There no longer needs to be intellectual discussions, black people know that they have to get guns. White America will live to cry that she killed Dr. King last night. It would have been better if she had killed Rap Brown and/or Stokely Carmichael, but when she killed Dr. King, she lost. Despite the urging for calm by many leaders, a nationwide wave of riots erupted in more than 100 cities. After

1260-522: Is what is going to happen to me also. I keep telling you, this is a sick society." King traveled to Memphis, Tennessee , in support of striking African-American city sanitation workers. The workers had staged a walkout on February 11, 1968, to protest unequal wages and working conditions imposed by mayor Henry Loeb . At the time, Memphis paid black workers significantly lower wages than it did white workers. There were no city-issued uniforms, no restrooms, no recognized union, and no grievance procedure for

1350-534: The Good Morning Starshine album failed to sell. He was succeeded by Paul Marshall, who would stay with the group until they disbanded temporarily in 1971. The title track, " Good Morning Starshine ", peaked at No. 87 in 1969 but was eclipsed by Oliver 's more successful version. Weitz quit in December 1969, and the group continued as a quartet with King, Freeman, Gunnels, and Marshall. In 1970,

1440-715: The Los Angeles County Superior Court subsequently barred him from using the band's name to start a rival group. Drummer Marty Katon then joined, along with new lead singer/guitarist Jimmy Pitman (formerly of the Nightcrawlers ), and the band shifted to a more blues rock style. King moved to bass, as he had been playing many of the bass parts in the studio. In early 1969, original "Incense and Peppermints" drummer Gunnels rejoined Strawberry Alarm Clock, replacing Katon. Pitman left in July 1969 after

1530-586: The Richard Rush film Psych-Out . Weitz and King (also a member of Hunger ) were denied songwriting credits by Slay, who stated that they did not write the melody line or lyrics, even though the song was built on an instrumental by Weitz with a bridge by King. This instrumental was originally intended as a B-side to "The Birdman of Alkatrash", which ultimately became the B-side to "Incense and Peppermints". The single spent one week at No. 1 and remained on

1620-533: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. His guitar playing influenced many subsequent musicians, including Metallica bassist Cliff Burton . In 2011, King underwent a successful heart transplant . In 2017, he appeared as a customer in the Discovery Channel docudrama Moonshiners , buying $ 30,000 worth of premium gin . According to a Nashville news station WTVF , King had been battling cancer in

1710-472: The Selma to Montgomery March (1965). As he neared the close, he prophetically referred to the bomb threat: And then I got to Memphis. And some began to say the threats ... or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers? Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to

1800-577: The South . David Halberstam , who reported on King's funeral, recounted a comment heard at an affluent white dinner party: One of the wives—station wagon, three children, forty-five-thousand-dollar house—leaned over and said, "I wish you had spit in his face for me." It was a stunning moment; I wondered for a long time afterwards what King could possibly have done to her, in what conceivable way he could have threatened her, why this passionate hate. Reporters recounted that many whites were also grief-stricken at

1890-901: The Whisky a Go Go , the Echoplex (for the West Psych Fest), and the Adams Avenue Street Fair in San Diego . On October 21, 2012, Strawberry Alarm Clock performed at the 29th annual Love Ride benefit in Glendale , which featured grand marshals Jay Leno , Peter Fonda , and Robert Patrick . Immediately following their Love Ride appearance, the band was awarded proclamations from the City of Los Angeles by City Councilman Tom LaBonge , Eric Garcetti , and Leno to commemorate

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1980-737: The violent backlash beginning to emerge across the country. The next day, Kennedy gave a prepared response, " On the Mindless Menace of Violence ", in Cleveland , Ohio . Although still considered significant, it is given much less historical attention than his Indianapolis speech. President Lyndon B. Johnson was in the Oval Office that evening, planning a meeting in Hawaii with Vietnam War military commanders. After press secretary George Christian informed him at 8:20 p.m. of

2070-615: The "Three Guitar Army". King's guitar playing and songwriting skills were an essential element of Lynyrd Skynyrd's first three albums: (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd) , Second Helping and Nuthin' Fancy . King co-wrote one of the band's most recognizable hits " Sweet Home Alabama ", and his voice counted the "one, two, three", before he launched into his famous riff to start the song. Other songs that King wrote or co-wrote for Lynyrd Skynyrd include "Poison Whiskey", " Saturday Night Special ", "Whiskey Rock-a-Roller" and "Workin' for MCA". Guitarist Rossington noted years later that King

2160-626: The 45th anniversary of "Incense and Peppermints" reaching No. 1. The band accepted plaques for Freeman (posthumously) and King (who, by this time, was happily retired in Nashville, Tennessee ). Bartek was present for their performance, as was the Neville Brothers ' longtime harmonica player, Robert Cowan. On April 1, 2012, Strawberry Alarm Clock released Wake Up Where You Are on the Global Recording Artists label. It

2250-521: The Guru " (charting at No. 65) and "Barefoot in Baltimore" (which peaked at No. 67 and was later included on their The World in a Sea Shell album). The latter song was especially popular in its namesake city of Baltimore , Maryland , in the counterculture neighborhood of Mount Vernon-Belvedere . The tune received considerable airplay on local Baltimore radio stations and was even occasionally used as

2340-701: The Mason Temple, King delivered his famous " I've Been to the Mountaintop " speech. In it, he recalled his 1958 attempted assassination, noting that the doctor who treated him had said that because the knife used to stab him was so close to his aorta, any sudden movement, even a sneeze, might have killed him. He referred to a letter written by a young girl who told him that she was happy that he had not sneezed. He used that reference to say: I, too, am happy that I didn't sneeze. Because if I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around here in 1960, when students all over

2430-686: The South , inspired by an up-and-coming band called Lynyrd Skynyrd (who opened for Strawberry Alarm Clock on their tour of the South). King met the members of what was to become the Jacksonville, Florida -based Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd when an earlier incarnation of the band known as The One Percent opened for Strawberry Alarm Clock in early 1968. King was so enamoured with the band that he told vocalist and leader Ronnie Van Zant that if they ever needed his services, he would be happy to join. It

2520-561: The South started sitting-in at lunch counters. If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around here in 1961, when we decided to take a ride for freedom and ended segregation in interstate travel. King repeated the phrase "If I had sneezed" several more times, recalling numerous other events and acts of civil disobedience from the previous several years: the Albany Movement (1962), the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963, and

2610-576: The South were canceled following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee on April 4, 1968. Ed King said that the band all acquired handguns after King's death for the remaining shows in the South, and that he carried his in his waistband onstage. In their early days of touring, the band members would often sit on "magic carpets" as their roadies carried them to the stage. Drummer Seol would rig up wrist gas jets to give

2700-638: The South, while Gunnels joined the backup band for the Everly Brothers , along with Waddy Wachtel and Warren Zevon . During the tour with Lynyrd Skynyrd, King had expressed interest in joining the band to vocalist Ronnie Van Zant , and he accepted an invitation to join in November 1972. King would later compose the classic opening riff to the band's biggest hit, " Sweet Home Alabama ", released in 1974. Strawberry Alarm Clock briefly reunited in 1974–1975 with Bunnell, Seol, and Bartek. The trio performed

2790-425: The assassination to honor his most deeply held beliefs. James Farmer Jr. said: Dr. King would be greatly distressed to find that his blood had triggered off bloodshed and disorder. I think instead the nation should be quiet; black and white, and we should be in a prayerful mood, which would be in keeping with his life. We should make that kind of dedication and commitment to the goals which his life served to solving

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2880-399: The assassination was the result of a conspiracy involving the U.S. government, the mafia , and Memphis police , as alleged by Loyd Jowers in 1993. They believe that Ray was a scapegoat . In 1999, the family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Jowers for the sum of $ 10 million. During closing arguments, their attorney asked the jury to award damages of $ 100, to make the point that "it

2970-406: The assassination, he canceled the trip to focus on the nation. He assigned Attorney General Ramsey Clark to investigate the assassination in Memphis. He made a personal call to King's wife, Coretta Scott King , and declared April 7 a national day of mourning on which the U.S. flag would be flown at half-staff . Colleagues of King in the civil rights movement called for a nonviolent response to

3060-469: The assassination, the city of Memphis quickly settled the strike on favorable terms to the sanitation workers. On April 8, King's widow Coretta Scott King and her four young children led a crowd estimated at 40,000 in a silent march through the streets of Memphis to honor King and support the cause of the city's black sanitation workers. The next day, funeral rites were held in King's hometown of Atlanta, Georgia . The service at Ebenezer Baptist Church

3150-435: The audience to pray for the King family and to follow King's practice of nonviolence. Mankiewicz and speechwriter Adam Walinsky drafted notes for Kennedy's use, but he refused them, using some that he had likely written during the ride to the site of the speech. The Indianapolis chief of police advised Kennedy that he could not provide him protection and was worried that he would be at risk when talking about King's death before

3240-487: The band appeared in the Russ Meyer cult classic film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls . By this time, their popularity had waned considerably, but they continued touring the South in 1970 and 1971, with an unknown Florida band called Lynyrd Skynyrd opening for them. In late 1971, with no record label and internal conflicts over musical direction, the group decided to disband. Lead guitarist King chose to relocate to

3330-445: The band dubbed the "Torture Tour", a tour that also claimed drummer and founding member Bob Burns weeks earlier due to a mental breakdown. The band continued with only two guitarists for a few months before discovering Steve Gaines in 1976. Gaines was killed in a plane crash along with his sister Cassie Gaines and Van Zant on October 20, 1977. Coincidentally, Steve Gaines was born on the same day as King, September 14, 1949. King

3420-571: The band from another group called Shapes of Sound, to sing lead on the track. The Uni Records subsidiary of MCA picked up the record for national distribution, and the single was re-released in May 1967 with "Incense and Peppermints" as the A-side. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the week ending November 25, 1967. The band made a cameo appearance performing the song in

3510-680: The band he had formed previously with Seol, Bartek, Randy Zacuto, Fred Schwartz, and Criss Jay, which performed under the names Waterfyrd Traene (pre-Strawberry Alarm Clock), Public Bubble (during Strawberry Alarm Clock), and Buffington Rhodes (post-Strawberry Alarm Clock). There were two recording sessions with some of these personnel: one with Dave Hassinger at the Recording Factory and one with Bill Lazarus at Sunset Sound . There were probably ten songs in all that were recorded, but Bunnell stated that both masters were stolen. The post-Strawberry Alarm Clock incarnation broke up before any success

3600-405: The band once again. Jimmy Pitman (born September 28, 1946) died in hospice care on August 29, 2019, at the age of 72. Strawberry Alarm Clock made several television appearances, including American Bandstand , Happening '68 , The Steve Allen Show , and the first episode of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In . Drummer Seol appeared as one of three eligible bachelors on The Dating Game and

3690-624: The band, introduced them. In the months following the Saban Theatre engagement, Strawberry Alarm Clock made plans to write and record new material for an EP. On August 19, 2016, Weitz was hospitalized after a car accident; veteran keyboardist Glenn Brigman filled in while Weitz recovered. On March 18, 2017, Strawberry Alarm Clock performed at the Starry Nights Festival in Santa Barbara with Weitz back on stage with

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3780-694: The charts for a total of 16 weeks. A gold disc was awarded for sales of one million copies by the Recording Industry Association of America on December 19, 1967. Shortly after recording "Incense and Peppermints", the band added Bunnell (on bass, rhythm guitar, and vocals) before making their first album. Also titled Incense and Peppermints , it reached No. 11 on the US album chart in late 1967. Bunnell would also become their main songwriter. Some early Strawberry Alarm Clock songs were written by Bunnell with Bartek. The latter played flute on

3870-532: The club to investigate. There he discovered that the advertisement had actually been a plot by the club's owners to get the real band to reunite. At this point, Freeman, Bunnell, Weitz, and Gunnells reformed as Strawberry Alarm Clock. They were joined in 1983 by singer Leo Gaffney and Freeman's brother, Doug. By 1983, the Strawberry Alarm Clock lineup was Freeman, Bunnell, Peter Wasner (keyboards), and James Harrah (guitar). "Incense and Peppermints"

3960-614: The day of the assassination while on the campaign trail for the Democratic presidential nomination in Indiana , Senator Robert F. Kennedy learned of the shooting before boarding a plane to Indianapolis . Kennedy was scheduled to make a speech there in a predominantly black neighborhood. Kennedy did not learn that King had died until he landed in Indianapolis. Kennedy's press secretary, Frank Mankiewicz , suggested that he ask

4050-515: The departing Gunnels, Rabe, and Luciano just as the name change to Strawberry Alarm Clock was occurring. Seol eventually brought in songwriters Bunnell and Steve Bartek , who participated in the writing and recording of Strawberry Alarm Clock's first album. The inception of Strawberry Alarm Clock, aside from Thee Sixpence, is not well documented, largely because none of the latter band's recordings (subsequently lost) were released. However, according to Bunnell, many Strawberry Alarm Clock songs came from

4140-417: The domestic problems. That's the memorial, that's the kind of memorial we should build for him. It's just not appropriate for there to be violent retaliations, and that kind of demonstration in the wake of the murder of this pacifist and man of peace. However, the more militant Stokely Carmichael called for forceful action, saying: White America killed Dr. King last night. She made it a whole lot easier for

4230-636: The finding of the Memphis jury were later disputed by the United States Department of Justice in 2000 due to perceived lack of evidence. The assassination was one of four major assassinations of the 1960s in the United States , coming several years after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 and the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, and two months before the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in June 1968. As early as

4320-584: The first two Strawberry Alarm Clock albums and would remain involved with the band's later lineups. Bartek later joined The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo and orchestrated Boingo frontman Danny Elfman 's film scores . In November 1967, and again in April 1968, Strawberry Alarm Clock toured on a bill with the Beach Boys and Buffalo Springfield . During the April leg of the tour, several dates in

4410-568: The glory of the coming of the Lord! On Thursday, April 4, 1968, King was staying in room 306 at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. The motel was owned by a businessman, Walter Bailey, and was named after his wife. The Rev. Ralph Abernathy , a colleague and friend, later told the House Select Committee on Assassinations that he and King had stayed in Room 306 at the Lorraine Motel so often that it

4500-433: The hungry", "clothe the naked", "be right on the [Vietnam] war question", and "love and serve humanity". The FBI investigation found fingerprints on various objects left in the bathroom from which the gunfire had come. Evidence included a Remington Gamemaster rifle from which at least one shot had been fired. The fingerprints were traced to an escaped convict named James Earl Ray . Two months after assassinating King, Ray

4590-426: The illusion that he was playing the bongos and vibes with his hands on fire, until the gimmick became too dangerous. During Strawberry Alarm Clock's short lifespan, the band underwent numerous lineup changes. As Bunnell became the primary songwriter, he began playing more of the bass parts, as he was already familiar with the songs. Original bassist Lovetro gradually transitioned into the role of road manager , but

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4680-414: The injustice of such an act, against all white people, I would only say that I can also feel in my own heart the same kind of feeling. I had a member of my family killed, but he was killed by a white man ." These remarks surprised his aides, who had never heard him speak publicly of his brother's death. Kennedy said that the country had to make an effort to "go beyond these rather difficult times" and quoted

4770-496: The investigation remain classified and are slated to remain secret until 2027. In 2010, as in earlier years, some argued for passage of a proposed Records Collection Act , similar to a 1992 law concerning the Kennedy assassination , to require the immediate release of the records. The measure did not pass. A crowd of 300,000 attended King's funeral on April 9. Vice President Hubert Humphrey attended on behalf of Johnson, who

4860-473: The leader's death. In some cases, the shock of events altered opinions. A survey later sent to a group of college trustees revealed that their opinions of King had risen after his assassination. The New York Times praised King in an editorial, calling his murder a "national disaster" and his cause "just". Public figures generally praised King in the days following his death. Others expressed political ideology. Governor George Wallace of Alabama, known as

4950-425: The mid-1950s, Martin Luther King Jr. had received death threats because of his prominence in the civil rights movement. He had confronted the risk of death, including a nearly fatal stabbing in 1958, and made its recognition part of his philosophy. He taught that murder could not stop the struggle for equal rights. After the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, King told his wife, Coretta Scott King , "This

5040-731: The months prior to his death. King died in his Nashville, Tennessee , home on August 22, 2018, at 68 years of age. His death was announced through his personal Facebook page. Following King's death, former Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmate Rossington released a statement saying, "Ed was our brother, and a great songwriter and guitar player. I know he will be reunited with the rest of the boys in Rock and Roll Heaven. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family." Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. City of Memphis City of Nashville Other localities Campaigns Death and memorial Martin Luther King Jr. , an American civil rights activist,

5130-495: The mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! And so I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. My eyes have seen

5220-531: The numerous occasions on which they were underpaid. During Loeb's tenure as mayor, conditions did not significantly improve, and the gruesome February 1968 deaths of two workers in a garbage-compacting truck turned mounting tensions into a strike. In March 1968, after speaking in Greensboro, Alabama , King was hunted by Ku Klux Klan members and used a local home, now the Safe House Museum , as

5310-552: The one that had touched her the most. For some, King's assassination meant the end of the strategy of nonviolence . Others in the movement reaffirmed the need to carry on King's and the movement's work. Leaders within the SCLC confirmed that they would carry on the Poor People's Campaign that year despite the loss of King. Some black leaders argued the need to continue King's and the movement's tradition of nonviolence. During

5400-544: The predominantly black crowd. However, Kennedy decided to proceed. Standing on a flatbed truck, he spoke for four minutes and 57 seconds. Kennedy was the first to tell the audience that King had died. Some of the attendees screamed and wailed in grief. Several of Kennedy's aides were worried that the delivery of this information would result in a riot. When the audience quieted, Kennedy acknowledged that many would be filled with anger. He said: "For those of you who are black and are tempted to be filled with hatred and mistrust of

5490-523: The proper contracts to the band. By 2006, Weitz, Bartek, Bunnell, Seol, and Anderson were back performing shows with the group. King, Freeman, Marshall, and Gunnels joined them for a performance at the Virginia Theatre in Champaign, Illinois , on April 29, 2007. This event was part of the last day of Roger Ebert 's ninth annual Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival , and it was preceded by

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5580-524: The rifle under an alias six days earlier. A worldwide manhunt was triggered that culminated in Ray's arrest at Heathrow Airport , London, two months later. On March 10, 1969, he pleaded guilty to the first degree murder of Martin Luther King Jr.; he later recanted. King's widow, Coretta, had difficulty informing her children that their father was dead. She received a large number of telegrams, including one from Lee Harvey Oswald 's mother that she regarded as

5670-544: The same lineup was joined by Bartek and Marshall for an appearance at Amoeba Records in Hollywood to celebrate the DVD release of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls . In December 2004, Weitz and King were slated to reunite with Seol, Freeman, and Bunnell, along with original "Incense" singer Munford, for a PBS special on 1960s-era rock music; however, the band did not appear. Bunnell later stated in interviews that PBS never sent

5760-490: The shot ripped King's necktie off. King fell backward onto the balcony, unconscious. Abernathy heard the shot from inside the motel room and ran to the balcony to find King on the deck, bleeding profusely from the wound in his cheek. Jesse Jackson stated after the shooting that he cradled King's head as King lay on the balcony, but this account was disputed by other colleagues of King; Jackson later changed his statement to say that he had "reached out" for King. Andrew Young ,

5850-521: The western US before disbanding a few years later in Jackson, Wyoming . On June 16, 2001, the group performed at a concert at San Diego 's Balboa Park , sharing the stage with Moby Grape, Jefferson Starship , Iron Butterfly , Big Brother and the Holding Company , and Country Joe McDonald . Seol and Gunnels joined Freeman, Bunnell, Anderson, and Hubbard for this show. On October 23, 2003,

5940-417: The whirlwind sowed years ago when some preachers and teachers began telling people that each man could be his own judge in his own case." The Federal Bureau of Investigation was assigned the lead to investigate King's death. J. Edgar Hoover , who had previously made efforts to undermine King's reputation, told President Johnson that his agency would attempt to find the culprit(s). Many documents related to

6030-497: Was King who brought a level of professionalism to the fledgling band. King detailed his initial exit from the band in the documentary If I Leave Here Tomorrow: A Film About Lynyrd Skynyrd , saying "Ronnie [Van Zant] and my guitar roadie who changed my strings were thrown in jail in Ann Arbor. They didn't arrive...until 10 minutes before we went on. I had to play on old strings and I broke two strings during "Free Bird". After, Ronnie

6120-612: Was an American musician. He was a guitarist for the psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and guitarist and bassist for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd from 1987 to 1996. King was born in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale, California . He was one of the founding members of the LA-based Strawberry Alarm Clock , a mid-1960s pop psychedelic rock band. The band's largest success

6210-486: Was arrested on June 8, 1968, at London's Heathrow Airport , extradited to the United States and charged with the crime. On March 10, 1969, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in the Tennessee State Penitentiary . He later made many attempts to withdraw his guilty plea and to be tried by a jury, but was unsuccessful. Ray died in prison in 1998. The King family and others believe that

6300-520: Was at a meeting on the Vietnam War at Camp David ; there were fears that Johnson might be hit with protests and abuse over the war if he attended the funeral. At his widow's request, King's last sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church was played at the funeral; it was a recording of his "Drum Major" sermon given on February 4, 1968. In that sermon, he asked that, at his funeral, no mention of his awards and honors be made, but that it be said he tried to "feed

6390-476: Was captured at London 's Heathrow Airport while he was trying to depart the United Kingdom for Angola , Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe ) or South Africa on a false Canadian passport in the name of Ramon George Sneyd. Ray was quickly extradited to Tennessee and charged with King's murder. Ray confessed to the assassination on March 10, 1969. On the advice of his attorney Percy Foreman , Ray took

6480-486: Was chosen by the girl. The band also made two notable appearances in films. In the 1968 Jack Nicholson movie Psych-Out , they performed several songs, including "Incense and Peppermints," "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow," and "The World's on Fire." "The Pretty Song from Psych-Out" was re-recorded by a San Fernando Valley garage band, the Storybook, for the film's soundtrack album, but the Strawberry Alarm Clock's version

6570-482: Was credited with assisting in the prevention of post-assassination rioting in Indianapolis on a night when such events broke out in major cities across the country. It is widely considered one of the greatest speeches in American history. Kennedy canceled all of his scheduled campaign appearances and withdrew to his hotel room. Several phone conversations with black community leaders convinced him to speak out against

6660-502: Was eventually bought out of the group after conflicts with the others before the release of the second album, Wake Up...It's Tomorrow . The album’s single, " Tomorrow ", was a minor hit and their only other Top 40 appearance, reaching No. 23 in early 1968. The second album also benefited from vocal coach Howard Davis, who was brought in to help the members elevate the harmony singing featured on Incense and Peppermints to new levels of sophistication. Later 1968 singles included " Sit with

6750-504: Was fatally shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee , on April 4, 1968, at 6:01 p.m. CST . He was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital , where he died at 7:05 p.m at age 39. He was a prominent leader of the civil rights movement and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was known for his use of nonviolence and civil disobedience . James Earl Ray , a fugitive from the Missouri State Penitentiary ,

6840-422: Was featured in the film. The band's second movie appearance was in 1970's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls , where they played "Incense and Peppermints," "I'm Comin' Home," and "Girl from the City." The soundtrack release included the latter two songs, which were not on any previous albums and were recorded with Marshall on vocals. Ed King Edward Calhoun King (September 14, 1949 – August 22, 2018)

6930-457: Was known as the "King–Abernathy Suite". King's last words were to musician Ben Branch , who was scheduled to perform that night at a planned event. King said, "Ben, make sure you play ' Take My Hand, Precious Lord ' in the meeting tonight. Play it real pretty." According to the Rev. Samuel Kyles, who was standing several feet away, King was leaning over the balcony railing in front of Room 306 and

7020-460: Was nationally televised, as were other events. A funeral procession transported King's body for 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (5.6 km) through the streets of Atlanta, followed by more than 100,000 mourners, from the church to his alma mater , Morehouse College . A second service was held there before the burial. In the wake of King's assassination, journalists reported some callous or hostile reactions from parts of white America, particularly in

7110-417: Was not about the money". During the trial, both sides presented evidence alleging a government conspiracy. The accused government agencies could not defend themselves or respond because they were not named as defendants. Based on the evidence, the jury concluded that Jowers and others were "part of a conspiracy to kill King" and awarded the family the symbolic $ 100 they requested in damages. The allegations and

7200-477: Was not until 1972 when bassist Leon Wilkeson left the band that Van Zant took King up on his offer and asked him to join Skynyrd as the band's new bassist. Wilkeson soon regretted leaving and rejoined the band, and King switched to lead guitar, creating with Allen Collins and Gary Rossington the triple-guitar attack that became the band's signature sound. The band referred to this unique new setup with King as

7290-586: Was one of the guitarists in the reunited Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1987, and played a major role. He had to leave the band again in 1996 because of congestive heart failure . In 2005, Ed asked Mark Basile, a long time friend and guitarist from New York, to put together the remaining non-touring Skynyrd members, Artimus Pyle, Leslie Hawkins, JoJo Billingsley and Bob Burns for several shows from 2005-2006. That band, called The Saturday Night Special Band, played several shows that can be found on YouTube. King, along with all pre-crash members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, were inducted into

7380-761: Was out by 1986, replaced by guitarist Howie Anderson along with a returning Bernard. Anderson also handled keyboard parts via his synth guitar after Bernard left once again, this time to relocate to New Mexico at the end of the 1980s. The band began performing on oldies concert tours during the 1980s, often alongside other late-1960s acts such as Moby Grape , the Seeds , and It's a Beautiful Day . The Freeman/Bunnell/Hubbard/Anderson lineup became their longest-lasting, continuing from 1989 to 2001. During this period, members worked on new material, made occasional concert appearances, and pursued other individual careers. Meanwhile, in 1982, late-1960s Strawberry Alarm Clock member Pitman

7470-520: Was performing with a band called Thunderchicken in Salt Lake City , Utah , and decided to form his own version of Strawberry Alarm Clock. He teamed up with Preston Kofoed (bass), Mordecai Noble (guitar), Dave Stone (keyboards), and Dave "Plumb" Derrick (drums). This version of the group played a benefit for the Veterans of the Vietnam War at New Faces Roadhouse and toured extensively throughout

7560-629: Was re-recorded the same year with a lineup of Freeman, Bunnell, Harrah, Bartek, and Clay Bernard (keyboards), with Bob Caloca on lead vocals. The remake was produced by Dennis Dragon (brother of Daryl Dragon ), who also played percussion on the track. Freeman, Bunnell, Harrah, and Bernard continued on, with Seol rejoining. Seol left again in 1984, and Harrah and Bernard were replaced by actor/musician Jon Walmsley (guitar, keyboards, vocals). Bruce Hubbard, who had earlier played with Bunnell in Buffington Roads, took over percussion duties. Walmsley

7650-401: Was realized. The first and most famous single by Strawberry Alarm Clock was "Incense and Peppermints", produced by Frank Slay . The song was initially released as a B-side by Thee Sixpence on All American Records , which was owned by Bill Holmes, the band's manager and producer. The band was not impressed by songwriter John Carter 's vocals, so Slay chose Greg Munford, a 16-year-old friend of

7740-408: Was riding me, and a lightbulb went off and I said, "That's it." I went back to my room, packed up my stuff and left." King referred to himself as a peaceful "Southern California hippie" and the band's predilection for drunken brawling never sat well with him; the incident which led to his departure was merely the final straw. King's departure in 1975 happened during a particularly difficult tour that

7830-403: Was speaking with the Rev. Jesse Jackson when the shot rang out. King was struck in the face at 6:01 p.m. by a single .30-06 bullet , fired from a Remington Model 760 rifle. The bullet entered through King's right cheek, breaking his jaw and several vertebrae as it traveled down his spinal cord, severing his jugular vein and major arteries, before lodging in his shoulder. The force of

7920-566: Was the band's fifth studio album and first since 1969. Roger Ebert died on April 4, 2013, and on July 27, his widow, Chaz Ebert , requested that Strawberry Alarm Clock perform at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills as part of a tribute to her late husband. Strawberry Alarm Clock played a half-dozen songs, followed by a screening of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls . Charles Dierkop , a veteran character actor and longtime friend of

8010-486: Was the most business-minded member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, relating a story of how King would stock up on food items during stops on tour and then re-sell the items to his bandmates at a 500% markup when they later got hungry on the bus. Band biographer Mark Ribowsky wrote that King was an outsider in Lynyrd Skynyrd to some extent, as he was from Southern California and the only non-Southerner in the lineup, but that it

8100-431: Was with the 1967 single " Incense and Peppermints ", which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 . While with the band he played both electric guitar and bass guitar . The band's popularity waned considerably in the early 1970s. Faced with the loss of their recording contract with Uni Records and with internal conflicts over musical direction, Strawberry Alarm Clock disbanded in early 1972. King opted to relocate in

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