Midnight Raiders slide 1

The Midnight Raiders – from Connecticut or Osceola, Iowa?

Midnight Raiders slide 1

I found four slides of a group with the Midnight Raiders on their drum head. The guitarist is playing a Harmony Rocket with a Gibson amp. Given the map of Connecticut visible in two of the photos, I would bet that’s where they are from. If so, I have no way to trace this band without names.

There was a group called the Midnight Raiders from Osceola, Iowa that released one 45, “Pretty Baby” / “Steppin’ Stone” on Raider Records 7-75477/8 from March, 1967.

Names on the labels were:

Janet Oliver
Ron Hart
John Jones
Butch Black (Orval Black III?)

Perhaps I will be able to get confirmation that the trio in the photos was not the group from Iowa. In any case, I’d like to hear from any members of the “Pretty Baby” / “Steppin’ Stone” band.

Midnight Raiders slide 3

Unfortunately the Epson V600 scanner I use puts vertical lines into the image that are not in the original slides.

Midnight Raiders slide 2

Midnight Raiders slide 4

4 thoughts on “The Midnight Raiders – from Connecticut or Osceola, Iowa?”

    1. Mike you should post some pics of the 45 and send Chris some mp3’s of the record. We all would love to hear them. Thanks

  1. I read the story about this band somewhere, I can’t find the video again, but what I remember is that they recorded this single with a secretary’s dictaphone. That is why it sounds so crude.

  2. I don’t know if it’s the same Midnight Raiders, but I was looking at the Guitar Addicts FB Group and someone had posted that he had been to the Dallas Guitar Show and he posted a photo of a 1954 Les Paul that was used by them. The owner wanted $65K for the guitar. With the guitar is part of a photo of the group and a 45 RPM. I have the photo saved to my phone but don’t know how to share it here..

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