Band of Oz

A Carolina Tradition for 50 Years In the mid sixties the group known as Band of Oz had its humble beginnings in eastern North Carolina (Grifton) . It was a bunch of grammar and junior high school guys (because no one was old enough to drive) being hauled around in Ray Houston’s Chevy station wagon pulling a little red trailer. The group at that time was called The Avengers. As the mid sixties would have it the band was a guitar and keyboard group playing the sock hops at area schools, private parties and an occasional club whenever the owner would risk having them. The later part of the sixties saw the group bring in a horn section which brought a big change in the music. Freddy Tripp (Band of Oz, Dynamic Upsetters, Embers, Shakers, Breeze Band, etc.) and Jimmy Smith were the first horn players. Until the name change around 1970 three members of the group had remained the same Johnnie Byrd, Buddy Johnson and Keith Houston.