Frijid Pink

Frijid Pink is a Detroit area blues rock band formed in 1967, best known for their version of "House of the Rising Sun," released in 1969. The initial line-up of the band included drummer Richard Stevers, guitarist Gary Ray Thompson, bassist Tom Harris, lead singer Tom Beaudry (aka:Kelly Green), and later added Larry Zelanka as off-staff keyboardist. Frijid Pink was formed when members of the Detroit Vibrations Stevers and Harris were joined by guitarist Gary Ray Thompson, (who convinced Vibrations' manager Clyde Stevers (Richard's father) that he was a better candidate for a guitarist), and singer Tom Beaudry, who later took the stage name Kelly Green. They spent their first two years touring throughout the Southeast Michigan/Detroit area and eventually signed with Parrot Records. Their first two singles, "Tell Me Why" (#70 Canada) and "Drivin' Blues" (both released in 1969) failed to attract much attention, but their third 1969 effort, a distorted guitar-driven rendition of "House of the Rising Sun," reached the Top Ten on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in winter 1970 and #3 in Canada. This disc sold over one million copies, thereby receiving a gold disc. The band was so popular in their native Detroit area that a fledgling Led Zeppelin (who were just then getting started from the remnants of The Yardbirds) opened for them at Detroit's Grande Ballroom. Frijid Pink often shared billing with the likes of the MC5, The Stooges, The Amboy Dukes, and others.