Individual band members pictured from left to right, Rick Kennell, Stanley Whitaker, Frank Wyatt, Kit Watkins and Coco Roussel.

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• Contact Information
 
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• Albums
 
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As a sophomore at Madison College in Harrisonburg, Virginia I was fortunate enough to meet some amazing musicians. Guitarist Stanley Whitaker and Sax/Keyboardist Frank Wyatt, who roomed next door to me, were forming the band that became HAPPY THE MAN. The music they created was different than any type of music I had heard before, or since. Happy The Man was one of the top American Progressive Rock bands of the late 1970's.

Influenced by Yes, Gentle Giant, Genesis and other diverse bands, Happy The Man played Progressive Rock, Symphonic Rock, and what has been called early New Age music. Intricate music with unusual and shifting meters and unusual chord progressions all played with incredible ease. Combining a well crafted melody with complex arrangements was just one of the many ways the band blended diverse musicians into the unit that was HAPPY THE MAN.

HAPPY THE MAN went on to record four amazing albums and a live album before disbanding in the Spring of 1979.


If I can be of ANY help locating CD's of this incredible band, please E-mail me. They are definately worth looking for.

A very special welcome to one of Happy The Man's newest fans, Melissa Reeves, in Australia!

Check back to this site again soon as there are some exciting HTM developments in the works!!

JB



  HAPPY THE MAN ALBUMS

Happy The Man

1977
Arista

1 Starborne (Watkins) 4:22
2 Stumpy Meets The Firecracker In Stencil Forest (Whitaker) 4:16
3 Upon The Rainbow (Befrost) (Watkins-Wyatt) 4:42
4 Mr. Mirror's Reflections On Dreams (Watkins) 8:54
5 Carousel (Wyatt) 4:06
6 Knee Bitten Nymphs In Limbo (Whitaker) 5:22
7 On Time As A Helix Of Precious Laughs (Wyatt) 5:22
8 Hidden Moods (Watkins) 3:41
9 New York Dream's Suite (Wyatt) 8:32

Mike Beck: Percussion
Rick Kennell: Electric Bass
Stanley Whitaker: Six and Twelve String Guitars, Lead Vocals
Frank Wyatt: Saxes, Flute, Piano, Keyboards, Vocals
Kit Watkins: Mini Moog, Acoustic Piano, Rhodes Piano, Arp String Ensemble, Hammond B3, Hohner Clavinet, Flute, Marimba
Produced by Ken Scott

ROAD CREW
Eric Smith: Road Manager
Steven Meeks: Stage Lighting
Kenny Baily: Stage Manager
Wayne Garber: Sound Engineer
Live Sound Provided by Ace Pace
Cover Art: Mary Walsh Photo/ Dennis Luzak Illustration Back cover Photography: Mary Walsh Inner Sleeve Photo: Benno Friedman Design & Art Direction: Bob Heimall

Special thanks: Jack Anderson, Larry Aronson, David Bach, Kenna Beck, Roger Birnbaun, The Bhongers, Sue Bradbury, Meg Brenner, Mike Brigante, Fred Brown, Geri Calkins, Mary Chappell, Clive Davis, Hal Dean, Steve Durham, Dude, David Eltzroth, Our Families, Stu Fine, Andrea Fisher, Tim Flynn, Cliff Fortney, Howard Fritzson, Gary Funston, Joyce Garber, Jeff Garringer, Geroge and Dee Dee, Sally Heldrich, Mark Homes, Tom Hook, Jim Hoover, Johnny Hornberger, Johnny's Parents, Bill Hunter, Paul Ipoc, Izzy, Ed Kenestrick, Leah Kennell, Alice, Kimball, David Knapp, Bonnie Leon, Nina Levine, Marilyn Lipsius, Crain Mauck, Nancy Jo Morrissey, Tim Moses, Prof. Mota, Dan Owen, Tim Pace, Robin Parr, John Paul, Skip Pizzi, Pup, Suzy Rappold, Ron Reedy, Eddie Ross, Jo Ryle, Ed Sclafani, Donna Sholar, Barbara Smith, C. Shaw Smith, Bob Steinem, Charlie Thomas, Jody Walker, Chris Wellons, Geroge West, Ken Whitaker, Steve Witt, Mike Zirkle. Additional thanks to: Neil Graham of the Percussion and to Paul Reed Smith for the Beautiful Handcrafted Guitars.
 

Crafty Hands

1978
Arista

1 Service With A Smile (Riddle/Hawks) 2:42
2 Morning Sun (Watkins) 4:05
3 Ibby It Is (Wyatt) 7:51
4 Steaming Pipes (Whitaker) 5:42
5 Wind Up Doll Day Wind (Watkins, Whitaker, Wyatt) 7:10
6 Open Book (Wyatt) 4:54
7 I Forgot To Push It (Watkins) 3:03
8 The Moon, I Sing (Nossuri) (Watkins) 6:16

Stanley Whitaker: Six and Twelve String Guitars, Vocals
Frank Wyatt: Pianos, harpsichord,Saxes, Flute, Words
Kit Watkins: Pianos, Harpsichord, Moog, Fake Strings, Clavinet, 33, recorder
Rick Kennell: Bass
Ron Riddle: drums, percussion
Produced by Ken Scott
 

Beginnings

1990
Cuneiform Records

1 Leave That Kitten Alone, Armone (Wyatt) 9:16
2 Passion's Passing (Wyatt) 8:40
3 Don't Look to The Running Sun (Fortney) 9:52
4 Gretchen's Garden (Wyatt/Ken Whitaker) 11:04
5 Partly The State (Fortney) 9:20
6 Broken Waves (Watkins) 5:49
7 Portrait of a Waterfall (Whitaker) 6:45

Mike Beck: Drums, percussion
Cliff Fortney (tracks 2-5) Lead vocals, flute, Rhodes
Rick Kennell: Bass
Kit Watkins: multi-keyboards, vocals
Stanley Whitaker: Electric guitar, vocals
Frank Wyatt: Keyboards, Alto Sax, Flute, Vocals

This recording is a collection of music from Happy The Man's first two years - 1974 and 1975. Featuring material never before released, the album offers an hour of meticulously-crafted compositions from one of America's best progressive bands - featuring Cliff Fortney on vocals and flute, Mike Beck on drums and percussion, Kit Watkins on keyboards, Frank Wyatt on electric piano and sax, Stanley Whitaker on guitar and Rick Kennell on bass.

All Titles arranged and produced by Happy The Man and published by Peripheral Music, ASCAP

Tracks 4 and 5 recorded live at the first band-house, Rockbridge Circle, Harrisonburg, Virginia, February 1974 with 2 mikes onto 2-track tape. Additional processing and transfer to DAT by Kit Watkins, 1990.

Tracks 2 and 3 recorded at Mennonite Broadcasting, Harrisonburg, April 1974 onto 4 track tape, engineered by Abe Ritenhouse. Re-mixed by Kit Watkins onto DAT, 1989.

Tracks 1, 6, and 7 recorded live at the band's "warehouse" in Harrisonburg, July 1975 with 2 mikes onto 2-track tape. Additional processing and transfer to DAT by Kit Watkins, 1989.

Special thanks: Kenny Bailey, Fred Brown, Wane Garber, Jeff Garringer, Johnny Hornberger, Ed Kenestrick, David Knapp, Ken Whitaker and Steve Witt.

3rd "Better Late..."

1990
Cuneiform Records

1 Eye Of The Storm (Watkins) 3:58
2 The Falcon (Wyatt/Whitaker) 6:09
3 At The Edge Of This Thought (Wyatt) 5:16
4 While Chrome Yellow Shine (Wyatt/Watkins) 6:10
5 Who's In Charge Here? (Whitaker) 5:39
6 Shadow Shaping (Watkins/Wyatt/Whitaker) 4:25
7 Run Into The Ground (Watkins/Kennell) 5:02
8 Footwork (Watkins) 4:19
9 Labyrinth (Watkins) 7:29
10 Such A Warm Breeze(Whitaker) 5:08

Produced by Kit Watkins.
Engineered by Wayne Garber and Kit Watkins, 1979.
Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 remixed by Kit Watkins, 1989.
All titles arranged by Happy The Man and published by Peripheral Music, ASCAP.
CD mastering by Digital Mastering.
Four track loan and photography by Paul Joslow.
CD design and graphics by Paula Millet and Kit Watkins.

This is the final demo tape made by Happy The Man. It was recorded in February, 1979 at the band house in Reston, Virginia, using a Teac 3340 4-track recorder. Basic tracks were recorded live by all members. Flute, sax, vocals, and some solos were overdubbed. Final mixes were made on a Revox A-77 half-track at 1 1/2 ips. Tape hiss and minor amounts of distortion were inevitable with the equipment available at the time. Nevertheless, this recording provides an excellent representation of the band in its last year.

Kit Watkins: Keyboards, Flute
Frank Wyatt: Electric Piano, Alto Saxes, Flute
Stanley Whitaker: Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Vocals
Rick Kennell: Bass
Coco Roussel: drums, percussion
 

Live

1997 Cuneiform Records

1 Service With A Smile (Riddle/Hawks)
2 Starborne (Watkins)
3 Open Book (Wyatt)
4 Hidden Moods (Watkins)
5 Morning Sun (Watkins)
6 I Forgot To Push It (Watkins)
7 Ibby It Is (Wyatt)
8 Nossuri (The Moon, I Sing) (Watkins)
9 I Carve The Chariot on the Carousel* (Wyatt)
10 Steaming Pipes* (Whitaker)
11 Knee Bitten Nymphs In Limbo* (Whitaker)
12 Mr. Mirror's Reflections on Dreams* (Watkins)

Kit Watkins: Keyboards, Flute
Frank Nakahara-Wyatt: Keyboards, Sax
Stanley Whitaker: Guitars, Vocals
Rick Kennell: Bass
Coco Roussel: drums, percussion
The live CD was recorded July 1, 1978 at The Cellar Door and  October 8, 1978 at Louie's Rock City (*) by Skip Pizzi.

Kenny Bailey - road and stage manager
Wayne Garber - sound engineer
Steve Meeks - lighting and equipment manager
Ace Pace - sound system engineer

Cover design by Kit Watkins
Rear photo by Linda Kalloch
Inside photos by Geri Pizzi
 

Retrospective

1977 Arista Records (from the album Happy The Man), Inc., 1978 Arista Records (from
the album Crafty Hands), Inc., 1983 Happy The Man (from the album Happy The Man 3rd "Better Late...")

1 Service With A Smile (Riddle/Hawks) 2:42
2 Morning Sun (Watkins) 4:04
3 Starborne (Watkins) 4:32
4 Stumpy Meets The Firecracker In Stencil Forest (Whitaker) 4:20
5 Carousel (Wyatt) 4:02
6 Knee Bitten Nymphs In Limbo (Whitaker) 5:22
7 Steaming Pipes (Whitaker) 5:20
8 Wind Up Doll Day Wind (Watkins, Whitaker, Wyatt) 7:10
9 Open Book (Wyatt) 4:53
10 I Forgot To Push It (Watkins) 3:04
11 Hidden Moods (Watkins) 3:41
12 New York Dream's Suite (Wyatt) 8:29
13 Eye Of The Storm (Watkins) 3:57
14 At The Edge Of This Thought (Wyatt) 5:17
15 While Chrome Yellow Shine (Wyatt/Watkins) 6:11

1977,78,83 ESD

 

Back to Contents


Links



FORMER AND PRESENT BAND MEMBERS

NEW OFFICIAL HTM WEB SITE IS UP AND RUNNING! CLICK HERE TO GET THERE





Kit Watkins




David Bach - Another Amazing Madison Musician




BANDS THAT INFLUENCED HAPPY THE MAN

Gentle Giant Home Page




Yes home page




PROGRESSIVE ROCK

Ghostland...A great Progressive rock site




WHERE TO BUY HAPPY THE MAN CD's






The Artist Shop...Kit Watkins, Cuneiform and Camel are all members of this cooperative.




Cuneiform Records.....Happy The Man CDs are available at this site




RELATED SITES

Happy The Man.....Morgan Roussel's Site





Happy The Man "...Dream Chants On Whispering Winds





Stan and The Sequencers..... (Collection of MIDI files from HTM, Kit & Coco, Camel, Etc)