Koerner (1938-2024), Ray (1943-2002) & Glover (1939-2019)
Inducted 2012
Guitarist “Spider” John Koerner, Dave “Snaker” Ray (also guitar) and Tony “Little Sun” Glover (harmonica)– the names are legendary, and the seminal country-blues trio they formed in the early 1960s influenced an entire musical era with its passionate treatments of raw blues styling. KR&G were quite simply the greatest and most authentic white blues performers who ever emerged from anywhere at anytime. The fact that three University of Minnesota college students could sound so world-weary and with that unmistakable Southern Gothic style- it was a sound never heard before at that time- especially in The Midwest. The three met in Dinkytown, Minneapolis in the spring of 1962 and by the Fall were playing at clubs and parties in the Twin Cities. Eventually, they recorded six albums with major label Elektra Records that had an intriguing mix of string-band, rag-time and down-home blues styles. They performed at the Newport and Philadelphia Folk Festivals in the mid-1960s and with raucous enthusiasm earned fans that included John Lennon and The Doors. In 2000 and 2001- still performing as a trio after 40 years- they won the Minnesota Music Awards award in the Folk Group category.
