March 30, 1948

James Leslie “Jim Dandy” Mangrum, who became the flamboyant frontman for the Southern rock group Black Oak Arkansas, was born in Michigan. Mangrum attended high school in Monette (Craighead County), where Black Oak–area children went to school before Monette’s schools’ consolidation with Leachville (Mississippi County). Black Oak Arkansas reached its height of fame in the 1970s, charting ten albums and a hit single. According to author Ron Hall, “Jim Mangrum claims to be the first long-haired rock ’n’ roller in Arkansas, and he may well have been.” His often raunchy onstage antics and froggy, raspy voice have been cited as an influence on rock stars such as David Lee Roth and Axl Rose.

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