Quick Facts
| Intro | American guitarist and folk/rock musician |
| Was | Guitarist Musician |
| From | United States of America |
| Field | Music |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 17 May 1941, Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana, USA |
| Death | 31 October 1968, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA (aged 27 years) |
| Star sign | Taurus |
Biography
Malcolm Hale (17 May 1941 - 31 October 1968) was an American guitarist, trombonist, and folk/rock musician. He is remembered as the lead guitarist and trombonist for the 1960s sunshine pop band Spanky and Our Gang, whose hits included "Sunday Will Never Be The Same" and "Lazy Day."
Early life
Malcolm Hale was born on May 17, 1941, in Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana.
Career
Malcolm Hale was the lead guitarist and trombonist for Spanky and Our Gang. The group was known for its vocal harmonies.
The band, formed by Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane, derives its name from Hal Roach's Our Gang comedies of the 1930s, because of the similarity of her surname with that of George McFarland (Spanky). Other members of the band include:
- Nigel Pickering (June 15, 1929, Pontiac, Michigan – May 5, 2011, St. Augustine, Florida) – rhythm guitar, vocals
- Paul "Oz" Bach (June 24, 1939 – September 21, 1998) – bass guitar, vocals (1966–67)
- John "The Chief" Seiter (born August 17, 1947, St. Louis, Missouri) – drums, vocals (1967–69)
- Geoffrey Myers - bass, vocals (1967)
- Kenny Hodges (August 3, 1936, Jacksonville, Florida – January 29, 2013, Papillion, Nebraska) – bass, vocals (1967–69)
- Lefty Baker (real name Eustace Britchforth Baker, January 7, 1939, Roanoke, Virginia – August 11, 1971, California) – lead guitar, banjo, vocals (1967–69)
- Jim Scherz "Moon" (born April 26, 1946, Levittown, New York) – drums (1975) and road manager.
The group had released two albums with Hale: Spanky and Our Gang (Mercury, 1967) and Like to Get to Know You (Mercury, 1968). After Hale's untimely death in October 1968, they released a third album, Anything You Choose b/w Without Rhyme or Reason, in January 1969. The band then dissolved only to re-group in 1975 briefly for an album titled Change.
Death
Hale died on October 31, 1968, from carbon monoxide poisoning due to a bad heating system, in Chicago Illinois. He was 27. The band dissolved after his death, in 1969. The remaining members did revive the band briefly in 1975 for one album.
