Filmed May 2012

In the year 1963, some high school pals decided to get together to form a group because of their love of music. After 43 years, several dozen albums… three of which became gold, one of which became platinum, and one gold single from a song known as "Jim Dandy To The Rescue," which was told to them to record by none other than Elvis Presley himself (!), this group of friends still manages to stay together. (After talking to Elvis, Black Oak Arkansas was told the following week by their producer Tom Dowd and by their label president Ahmet Ertegun that these two industry giants were also about to ask BOA about recording that same tune! Ahmet himself only personally signed 5 groups to recording contracts in his long, long recording history… and Black Oak Arkansas had the honor of being number 5!) Many testimonials and awards have been presented to this band by everyone from Bill Graham, (who founded and ran Winterland Ballroom and both the Fillmore East and West), to Wolfman Jack from the Midnight Special; from First Lady Betty Ford to President Bill Clinton!

With an original homespun musical flavor, Black Oak Arkansas has been presenting their music and their life to the worlds’ public now for almost half of a century, and with a still active touring and recording schedule… there is presently no end in sight! June of 2007 found them performing at the Sweden Rock Festival along with Aerosmith, Scorpions, Motorhead, REO Speedwagon and many more! In 2012 BOA were in Brazil playing for more than 4 millions people. You can also find them this year in the studio working on their newest planned release entitled "Memphis Mean Tymes," and continuing to book concerts through the 21st century touring season.

Jim "Dandy" Mangrum, the blond dynamo of the center stage, has been the lead singer and front man for BOA since their conception in junior high school with guitarist Rickie Lee Reynolds. Jim has been heard to say that one of his proudest moments was when Johnnie Carson asked Mick Jagger on the Tonight Show that of all of the new and up-coming groups… "Who was his favorite Front man?" Mick quickly said, "Jim Dandy of Black Oak Arkansas!’ On the first U.S. tour, Bad Company was a special guest on a tour of the BOA boys, and David Coverdale was known to have given the same response. Once at a birthday party in New York for Ahmet Ertegun, none other than Mr. John Lennon came over to personally meet Jim Dandy… put his hand on Jims’ shoulder… and told Jim that he thought Jim was "ahead of his time!"

Jim has been said to be the role model for famous singers in bands such as Guns and Roses, Van Halen, Motley Crue and many more. In 2004, Jim was elected by Classic Rock magazine as being number #36 in the top 100 front men of all time! His live-show antics and verbal fire snatching on stage, along with his unusual vocal style and instrument of choice, the scruboard, have made him into the Rock and Roll legend that he is today.

Along with Jim Dandy, BOA these days consists of Rickie Lee Reynolds on guitar, (lifetime pal and original founding member of Black Oak Arkansas), Johnnie Bolin on drums… an incredible drummer with the longest BOA stage-life in history…(and whose brother was Tommy Bolin, legendary guitarist with several great albums of his own… and also of James Gang and Deep Purple fame before his tragic death in 1976), George Hughen on bass, (Long-time Arkansas friend of the Black Oak Arkansas Wild Bunch… who was recruited from another part of the BOA family from Ft. Smith, Arkansas called The Judge Parker Band), and Mr. Hal McCormack on the slammin’ lead guitar, (another long-time friend and guitarist for such bands as Survivor and Tora Tora).

Black Oak Arkansas’ live show has been described as, " They come gallivanting out onto the stage like a bunch of escaped lunatics from a Dogpatch Insane Asylum!" Though many albums have been put out over the years on this bunch of guys, they were always known best for their live shows. On Jim’s 25th Birthday, Bill Graham presented them with an award for playing 320 one-nighters in one year! (That night, BOA legend has it that the BOA road crew wanted to get Jim Dandy 25 girls so that he could "run the line!" But luckily, the road crew only found 16!) Wolfman Jack called them the hardest working band in Rock and Roll history! There was never a middle ground for Black Oak Arkansas… you either loved ‘em or ya hated ‘em!

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