1968 Don Fardon – (The Lament Of The Cherokee) Indian Reservation
John D. Loudermilk began writing songs as a teenager. He entered a poem he wrote in a contest and George Hamilton IV turned it into a hit record named A Rose And A Baby Ruth in 1956.
Other hits followed in the next three decades.
In 1959, Marvin Rainwater recorded another song John wrote, The Pale Faced Indian. The single failed to chart.
British singer Don Fardon joined a local band called The Sorrows in 1963. The band played freakbeat music, which was high-intensity R&B music. The band reached the UK charts with a minor hit, after which Don and Phil Packham left the group.
Don pursued a solo career which peaked in 1968. He recorded a cover version of Marvin’s single after changing the name to Indian Reservation.
His single reached #3 in the UK and #20 on the Hot 100 in the US.
Mark Lindsay had been the lead singer for Paul Revere and the Raiders since they formed the band in 1961. In addition to touring and recording with the band, Mark started recording solo records in 1970.
After scoring a few solo hits, in 1971, Mark was searching for additional songs to record. Jack Gold, the A&R head of Columbia Records, offered to let Mark record a cover version of Indian Reservation. Mark produced the song using the Wrecking Crew, and Paul Revere was the only other member of the Raiders that appeared on the record.
Columbia decided to release the record by the band instead of releasing it as a solo record by Mark. They simply listed the band as The Raiders. They added a subtitle to the title of the song, making it Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian). The 1971 release became the band’s most successful single and their only record to reach #1 on the Hot 100.
After one more single reached #23 on the Hot 100, the Raiders never reached the top forty again.
Mark Lindsay never reached the top forty again, either.
Don and Phil recruited other new members and reformed The Sorrows in 2011. The band still continues to perform live.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Fardon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Reservation_(The_Lament_of_the_Cherokee_Reservation_Indian)
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