Rock group originated in the Wheaton, Maryland area group featuring Nils Lofgren (guitar ex-Waif, Crystal Mesh, Dolphin), George Daly (bass), and Bob Berberich (drums). Daly and Berberich were at one time members of the D.C. group the Hangmen. Lofgren, Daly, and Berberich had also been together in an earlier band called Dolphin and released several singles in the D.C. area. Daly was later replaced with Bob Gordon. By 1972 the group also featured Tom Lofgren on guitar and Kathy McDonald adding vocals.
Through Asgard Productions, (another name for Bluesette bookings) Sharon Peyton was booking agent in Baltimore bringing them to perform at The Bluesette.
The band played a number of gigs in the area including the Parkville Teen Center, UAW Hall on a double bill with the group Marlin, the Mardi Gras on a double bill with Aux… They performed at the Corpus Christi Church Benefit Concert on February 21, 1971 with Aubrey Circle, Howdy Duty, Michael Hunt, Aux, and others.
Grin’s recordings on Spindizzy Records were critically acclaimed. A song off their second album “All Out” produced their lone national hit single “White Lies” in 1972.
Grin photos courtesy of the Baltimore County Historical Society
In 1974 Gordon and Berberich along with John Guernsey recorded a novelty record as Skunko & Sois “Streakin’ USA” (Sweet Breeze 0233), a song about the national fad. This record predated Ray Steven’s hit “The Streak.”
Grin singles include:
1970 Thunder 4000 We All Sung Together / See What a Love Can Do
1970 Spindizzy 4000 We All Sung Together / See What a Love Can Do
1971 Spindizzy 4001 If I Were a Song / See What a Love Can Do
1972 Spindizzy 4005 White Lies / Just to Have You
1972 Spindizzy 4006 Slippery Fingers / End Unknown
197* Spindizzy 4007 Ain’t Love Nice / Love or Else
1974 A&M 1502 Beggar’s Day / You’re the Weight
Albums by Grin:
1970 Spindizzy 30321 Grin
1971 Spindizzy 31038 1 + 1
1972 Spindizzy 31701 All Out
1973 A & M 4415 Gone Crazy
Lofgren continued with a successful solo career after the split up of Grin producing several exceptional albums and a number of singles. He also played in Neil Young’s Crazy Horse and with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Berberich and Guernsey were later with the Rosslyn Mountain Boys…
Nils Lofgren solo singles:
1974 A&M 1692 Back It Up / If I Say it, It’s So
1975 A&M 1812 Cry Tough / Share A Little
1975 A&M 1839 It’s Not a Crime / Share A Little
1976 A&M 1927 I Came to Dance / Code of The Road
1978 A&M 2173 Kool Skool / No Mercy
1978 A&M 2182 Shine Silently / Baltimore
