Crystal Mansion | THE GARDEN OF LOVE

The Crystal Mansion's relatively short story is that of a white R&B band in the ‘60s moving towards groovy psyche rock in the '70s. And then falling off the musical map.

Initially called The Secrets and initially a cover band, the group included drummer Rick Morley and guitarist Ronnie Gentile. Later, singer Johnny Caswell and organist Sal Rota were recruited. In 1968, The Secrets changed their name to The Crystal Mansion and released THE THOUGHT OF LOVING YOU, on Capitol Records, written and co-produced by Dave White.

Their first single to get national airplay, THE THOUGHT OF LOVING YOU, reached number one in LA and was covered by The Manhattan Transfer, Cher, Spiral Starecase, Lou Christy, Astrud Gilberto and Wayne Newton. Capitol showed interest and financed an album for the band.

In 1970 the single CAROLINA ON MY MIND was released, and reached number 44 on the national charts and hinted at a shift towards pop/ psyche rock. Percussionist Mario Sanchez and keyboardist Pete Iannetti were added in 1971 and in 1972 the band moved to Motown’s label Rare Earth, after they were dropped by Capitol.

Seven years later, Crystal Mansion fired off one more shot with a third self-titled album, Crystal Mansion, that was released on 20th Century Fox Records.  A notice in Billboard magazine calls the band “a new record act” and notes that some of the “top veteran local jazzmen” have been recruited to accompany them, among them “saxophonists Jim Horn, Bill Green, Bud Shank, Buddy Collette, and Tom Scott; bassist Richard Davis; trumpeter Jerry Hey; trombonist Bill Watrous; keyboardist Steve Porcaro; and percussionist Alan Estes”.  Three-time Grammy Award-winning producer Brooks Arthur (the engineer on the band’s other two albums) is quoted as saying,  “I feel so strongly about Crystal Mansion’s musicianship and ability, I felt only guest artists of that caliber could perform well enough with this band.”