In Memory of The Stray Gators: Gone But Not Forgotten

The Stray Gators, 1971
Tim Drummond, Jack Nitzsche, Neil Young, Kenny Buttrey, and Ben Keith
Broken Arrow Ranch, September 1971.
Photo by JOEL BERNSTEIN
(Click photo to enlarge)
With the passing this week of Tim Drummond: 1940 – 2015, we were reminded that The Stray Gators are down to one last surviving member -- Neil Young.

As kahunasunset commented on "Tim Drummond: 1940 – 2015":

Neil is the only one left of the original Stray Gators. Sad

Neil Young
Jack Neitzche
Ben Keith
Tim Drummond
Kenny Buttrey

So, long live the Stray Gators! Gone but not forgotten...

• Ben Keith: 1937 - 2010
• Kenny Buttrey RIP

Lest anyone forget, it was the Stray Gators and the Nashville sessions which produced the album Harvest that put Neil Young in the middle of the road before he headed for the ditch.

Neil Young's 1972 "Harvest" is his most commercially successful album.

"Heart of Gold" is Neil Young's only number one hit single in his long musical career. The song, on the surface, seems to be a plea for the redemption of all-conquering love. With James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt singing backup, the song was a made for radio hit waiting to happen. And amazingly, more than 40 years later, the song continues to be among the most requested and performed in concert.

From the album Decade's hand written liner notes by Neil himself on the hit song "Heart of Gold":

"This song put me in the middle of the road. Travelling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride but I met more interesting people there."

More on the "Barn Sessions" and Neil Young's album Harvest .

Also, see Neil Young... The Quintessential Survivor.

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