The James Walsh Gypsy Band

Gypsy signed with Metromedia records and released their first album in 1970. It was a double album containing thirteen songs, with several of them running between six to eleven minutes in length. It was rare for groups to release a double album, especially as their first album, in the early seventies. (Only one group prior to them – Chicago – had released a double album as their first album.) Also, with most of their songs longer than three to four minutes, Gypsy was not going to get a lot of airplay on Top 40 radio. But, according to James Walsh, there were two songs from this album released as singles – “Gypsy Queen (Part 1)” and “Dead and Gone”. “Gypsy Queen” did make it into the Billboard Top 100 for a brief period of time. “Dead and Gone” was edited heavily from its eleven minute length on the album and received limited airplay on Top 40 stations. The other songs on the album did receive some airplay on progressive “underground” FM radio stations like KSHE95. The songs were filled with great keyboard and guitar work. The vocals were also tight and in perfect harmony. To this day, this album is a favorite among the group’s fans.