D.C. based progressive rock group. Stan Whitaker (guitar) and Rick Kennel (bass) met in Germany in 1971. Kennel was stationed there in the service and had met Whitaker who was performing in a service club with a group called Shady Grove. Upon returning to the D.C. area the two organized a group that would eventually include Mike Beck (percussion), Kit Watkins (keyboards, flute), and Frank Wyatt (keyboards, flute, sax). In addition to playing the guitar Whitaker became the main vocalist for the group.
Happy the Man began as a totally instrumental progressive group later adding vocals to their repertoire. They took up residency in an old farmhouse dubbed “Happy the Manor” in Winchester, Virginia, where they began working on their original music. Early gigs at the Old Fairfax Theatre gained attention throughout the area. HTM went on to play at many D.C. clubs including the Bayou, Cellar Door, CSAR Benefit at Warner Theater, and many concerts around Baltimore including college concerts at UMBC, Goucher… In 1977 they performed at the 3rd annual End of the World festival in Baltimore.
The group signed with Arista Records and released the albums “Happy the Man” (1977), and “Crafty Hands” (1978). The second album featured Ron Riddle on drums. A third album released in 1983 titled “Better Late…” (Azimuth Records) consisted of unreleased demos originally recorded in 1979 with drummer Coco Roussel (ex-prog rock band Heldon).
Watkins went on to play in the progressive group Camel in the late ‘70s, appearing on the 1979 LP “I Can See Your House From Here” (Arista 4254). He also released solo LP’s including “Frames of Mind” (Azmuth 1002) in 1982, “Labyrinth” (Strawberry 105) in 1982, and “Wet, Dark, and Low” (East Side Records) in 1992. Whitaker later played for ‘80s groups Vission, One by One, and Band of a Thousand Names, before moving to California in the ‘90s. His Baltimore band One by One was selected in 1989 as a national finalist in the Yamaha Soundcheck Best Unsigned Band contest.
Returning to Baltimore, Whitaker re-formed Happy the Man in the ‘00s. The group began to perform live again and started work on their first LP in 23 years. Several CD’s of previously unissued recordings have been released on the Cuneiform label. Stan could also be seen as solo at clubs throughout Baltimore, Washington, and Virginia areas.
1977(LP) Arista 4120 Happy the Man
1978(LP) Arista 4191 Crafty Hands
1983(LP) Azmuth 1002 Better Late…
