Curtis Knight and the Squires were a

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

band that was fronted by singer and guitarist

Curtis Knight Curtis Knight (May 9, 1929November 29, 1999), born Mont Curtis McNear, was an American musician who is known for his association with Jimi Hendrix. In his Hendrix biography, David Moskowitz notes: "Curtis Knight was born in Fort Scott, Kansas, ...

in the mid-1960s. Both

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

and sax player

Lonnie Youngblood Lonnie Thomas (born August 3, 1941 in Augusta, Georgia), known as Lonnie Youngblood, is an American saxophonist and bandleader best remembered for playing with Jimi Hendrix. Biography Youngblood's main influence is King Curtis, although his ear ...

were members for a while.

Background

The band is referred to as a workaday party R&B band by ''Billboard''. The line up of the group wasn't always with the same musicians. Sax player

had been a member. The line up pictured on the cover of the '' You Can't Use My Name: The RSVP/PPX Sessions'' album features Curtis Knight, Jimi Hendrix, Marion Booker and Ace Hall. At some stage in 1964, Hendrix met Knight in the lobby of a Harlem residential hotel and they hit it off. Hendrix became a member of the band Curtis Knight and the Squires in October the following year. While with the band, Hendrix signed a contract with the owner of PPX Studios,

Ed Chaplin Bert Edgar Chaplin 'born as Bert Edgar Chapman''(September 25, 1893 – August 15, 1978) was a backup catcher in Major League Baseball. Chaplin batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Pelzer, South Carolina. Chaplin was signed ...

for just one dollar. This would later cause major problems for Hendrix. He finally left The Squires on May 20, 1966.

Releases

In September 1966, "Hornet's Nest" bw "Knock Yourself Out" were released on the RSVP label, RSVP 1124. Hendrix co-composed them with Jerry Simon. The two songs on the single are the representative of Hendrix's first compositions to be on a recorded release. In 2000, the UK label Jungle records released the album ''Jimi Hendrix With Curtis Knight & The Squires – Knock Yourself Out: The 1965 Studio Sessions'' which in addition to the 10 studio tracks included 5 bonus live tracks. In 2015, the album ''You Can't Use My Name: The RSVP/PPX Sessions'' was released. It featured recordings Hendrix made with the group around 1965. The album features "Hornets Nest", "No Such Animal", and "Knock Yourself Out". It also features a song called "How Would You Feel", which has a strong resemblance to Bob Dylan's "

Like A Rolling Stone "Like a Rolling Stone" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on July 20, 1965, by Columbia Records. Its confrontational lyrics originated in an extended piece of verse Dylan wrote in June 1965, when he returned exhausted fro ...

", which also happens to be a black rock protest song.

Personnel

* Napoleon Anderson aka Hank Anderson ... bass * Marion Booker ... drums (often spelled Marlon Booker) * George Bragg ... drums * Nathaniel Edmonds Sr. aka Nate Edmonds ... keyboards * Ditto Edwards ... drums * Ed "Bugs" Gregory ... bass * Ace Hall ... bass & tambourine * James Marshall Hendrix aka Jimmy James aka Jimi Hendrix ... guitar & vocals * Harry Jensen - guitar & bass * Curtis McNear aka Curtis Knight ... vocals, guitar & tambourine * Ray Lucas ... drums * "Shears" ... guitar (participated in the 1967 sessions) * Lonnie Thomas aka Lonnie Youngblood ... sax & vocalsEarly Hendrix
Curtis Knight (& the Squires), Personnel
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Discography

References

{{Authority control Musical groups established in the 1960s Musical groups disestablished in 1966 Musical groups from New York City Jimi Hendrix 1960s establishments in New York (state) 1966 disestablishments in New York (state)