The Flower Power were formed in Gulfport, MS, in October 1967 by Craig Ferguson, guitar and lead vocal (formerly of The Soule Survivors), Robert Weathersby, guitar and Gregg Giuffria, organ (both from The Telstars), David Mcintosh and Sandi Craig (from Sandi and the Gang Band) and Joe Rolison from The Varments on bass. They were still in their teens aged between 15 to 17 years old.

They gigged in local clubs and bars up and down the Gulf Coast and, by good fortune, met their future managers Tom and Paul Krimsier in a radio station car park in New Orleans. Tom’s father-in-law was none other than Joe Banashak, a prominent producer and record label owner. He signed them to his Tune-Kel imprint in early 1968 and they cut their first single, ‘Bye Bye Baby’, at the famed Cosimo Recording Studios.

With the Krimsier Management on board the band moved up a gear backing the likes of B.J. Thomas, Jimi Hendrix, Sly and the Family Stone, The Nazz, Todd Rundgren and many others. On Sunday, August 31st The Flower Power were the opening act at the first New Orleans Pop Festival, a two day event with Janis Joplin, Santana and The Grateful Dead. They continued to record for Banashak and released five singles on Tune-Kel, all highly collectable today. They also laid down some material in Houston, Texas, unreleased until now!

Many thanks to band member Joe Rolison for much of the information provided.