Onion Creek (band)

Onion Creek was an Austin, Texas band embedded in the social and political movement of the 1960s centering on ending poverty and the Vietnam War, seeking equal human rights for women and minorities, greater social and economic egalitarianism, and the confrontation of the power of political and economic elites. Almost all of their music was original material, most of it motivated by personal and counter-cultural themes. They played mostly at the Vulcan Gas Company, a large, funky rock and roll concert venue that featured a bands primarily focused on either counter cultural material, folk rock, or the blues. Onion Creek was one among four or five local bands who were part of a rotation of groups that played concerts there on a more or less monthly basis.

History and Members

The band evolved from the interaction of Terry Dyke and Robert Buck regarding music, songwriting, the counter culture, and radical cultural change. Both were singer-songwriters out of the folk tradition and had played in numerous groups in various types of music, including symphony orchestras, operas, country and western bands, folk groups, and progressive jazz ensembles. The group blossomed when Roland Denny, who also had a rock, folk, and classical background, joined the group. All three wrote or collaborated in writing and arranging all of the songs in the band's repertoire. The final member was drummer Larry Allen. Later members included guitarist Billy Voiers (who was mentored by guitarists Jim MIngs and Johnny Richardson) and drummer Robert (Pogo) Pyon Both Voiers and Pyon ended up in Western Massachusetts and were founders of the band Goodfriend Coyote-Among other things, Onion Creek was known for its vocals. All four members sang lead on some of the songs they performed, and most had complex harmony parts, including multiple-part a cappella work.