Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen

Country rock group Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen was founded in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1967 by pianist and singer George Frayne IV, better known by his stage name Commander Cody. George Frayne’s stage name was inspired by a character in 1950s sci-fi serials and movies. The group’s line-up also featured vocalist and harmonica player Billy C. Farlow, guitarists John Tichy, Bill Kirchen and Steve Davis, saxophone/violin player Andy Stein, bassist Bruce Barlow, and drummer Lance Dickerson. The group would encounter many personnel changes over the years, but George Frayne, Andy Stein and Bill Kirchen remained the core of the group until their 1976 split. Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen built up a country-rock repertoire influenced by rockabilly and Cajun music. In 1971, they released their debut album, Lost in the Ozone, which featured their Top 10 single "Hot Rod Lincoln”. Their next album, Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Truckers Favorites, reached Number 94 on Billboard’s 200 Albums chart. Sales stalled in 1973 with Country Casanova, but the eponymous album, released two years later, reached Number 58 thanks to the track "Don’t Let Go" (Number 56). Later that same year, they released the album Tales from the Ozone, embarking on a farewell world tour in 1976. Their final album was We've Got a Live One Here, a live release recorded during that tour. The band split up, but George Frayne continued to record and perform as Commander Cody. George Frayne died on September 26, 2021, at the age of 77.

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