Barbara Mauritz of Lamb: A tribute to a great singer

Introduction: In the wonderful movie “Last Days at the Fillmore” – which we highly recommend -- there are many memorable moments thanks to Bill Graham, and, of course, the music. One of the best songs in the film is the first one, “Hello Friends,” by Lamb, a San Francisco group at one time managed by Graham and led by singer Barbara Mauritz and guitarist Bob Swanson.

Mauritz's incredible voice made the song one of our favorite parts of the film and one we never forgot. Four Lamb recordings were released by Columbia Records: "A Sign of Change," "Cross Between," "Bring Out the Sun," and "Music Box" 

In 1977, she suffered a broken neck and crushed spine in a bus accident. In the mid-'80s, she had recovered enough to play some gigs and compose music.

As a fan of her music, we got in touch with her in December and asked her if she would mind answering a few questions. She agreed to do that and this was the result. She also told us she had another CD in the works. We were very appreciative to Barbara for taking the time to respond.

Update: We received word April 21, 2014, that Barbara, who was 65, had died on April 14, 2014 according to Diane Rapaport, Lamb's manager.

 Q: How did Lamb come together?

Barbara Mauritz: “Lamb came together  in an amazing way.  When I was 16, I hitched from Houston Texas to San Francisco. I got a ride with a rather strange guy from Houston,Texas.  When we arrived in San Francisco  my ride took off with everything I owned after he told me to go to hippy hill in Golden Gate Park and wait for him.   After sitting on the hill for about a half an hour, I started hearing this amazing music coming from the panhandle of the park  and it turned out to be Jimi Hendrix playing on the back of a flat bed  truck.  He was doing a benefit for the Diggers who fed me my first meal for a couple of days and I sat down and listened spellbound and ate my food.

“I had never heard of Jimi Hendrix until then I'll never forget that day.  This short guy with bright red hair asked me if I was a musician and I said yes. Then he told me he was from New York  and was wealthy and had a big house and his thing was to put up musicians and feed them untill they got on their feet.  I looked around at  all the long haired kids about my age, dancing and having the best time, and I knew I was home. The young man, Jerry, was in a mansion. He gave me my own room and I slept for the first time in a safe place.

“The next morning he asked me if I wanted to meet a friend of his  so I went along and we arrived at a storefront on fell street called Lysergic threads. a tall man answered the door and he introduced himself as Bob Swanson.  I spotted a guitar I asked him if I could play it and told him mine had been stolen.  I started playing the first song I had written and when I  finished he got another guitar and said to play it again. It sounded great to us and from  that moment for the next almost seven years we became Lamb.  We are partners still to this day.”

 Q: What was Bill Graham like to work with?

Barbara Mauritz: “Bob and me started playing everywhere we could to earn a living by passing the hat. From coffee houses to pizza places.  One night we were playing a bar-pizza place in Berkeley and the room was pretty empty, so we decided we would play some of the songs we were working on it was almost two in the morning and I noticed a man in brand new overalls and hair down to his waist. He said he was a partner with Bill Graham and his name was David Rubinson.  He asked us if we would like to open up a show for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young at Winterland in two weeks.  Bob and I looked at each other and said, 'Ah yes.'

“Lamb had added a few more people and it was Bob and me on classical guitars and I was the lead singer, Bill Douglas joined us on upright bass, Artimicia Lee on cello, Diva Goodfriend Coven on flute and also an oboe player from the symphony. It was really a great sound. We got to the sound test at about 6 p.m. and were setting up when Bill Graham, who we didn't know yet, came up to the stage and said, 'Who the hell are you and what are you doing on my stage?' David Rubinson came running up behind Bill and motioned to us that it was alright and put his arm around him and walked him away. He returned in a few moments and said everything was alright and to do the sound test.

“It was the first big show. I was so terrified but excited at the same time.  To my amazement, we got several ovations. We continued to get them every night on the fourth night after the biggest ovation. Bill Graham caught me by the arm and said,"Do you hear that? Now when it gets to the peak you go out there with your band and play the best song you have," and he pushed me back out on the stage with Bob Swanson and Bill Douglas following me back out to the stage. After we finished Bill Graham stopped me and said, 'I want to sign Lamb to Fillmore management. You and Bob come into my office tomorrow at 8 a.m. and don't be late!

“The next day, we went into the Fillmore office and Bill Graham was on the phone yelling at someone. He signed with his hand to sit down. I guess I looked scared because when he hung up the phone, he leaned across the desk and said, "Are you afraid of me or something?"  I said no. And he smiled and said he wanted to sign Lamb to his new record company Fillmore Records and wanted to manage Lamb as well. We agreed and Bob Swanson signed. My copy had to be signed by my parents because I was still a minor.

“This was the beginning of a six-year contract.  Bill Graham did a lot for Lamb and one thing was I was chosen to write the theme for the movie 'Where The Lilies Bloom.' It was a Radnitz Mattel movie and received critical acclaim. The movie music was nominated for an Oscar and although it didn't win, it was my first attempt to write movie music.  Earl Scrugs and his Foggy Mountain Boys played different versions of my theme and also released the music that I performed on with his band on top of it. Dianne Sward became our personal manager and we couldn't have gone forward.  She also ran Equinox and Lamb was also a member of.  It was a traveling acoustic shows with all the groups from the area.When I had my son Joshua, She looked after us and was even at the hospital when I gave birth.  Lamb was on the road for the first seven months and came back to work on the second album. The first was "A Sign Of Change," the second is "Across Between", “Bring out the Sun" and the fourth is "Music Box."

 Q:  What was it like at the closing of the Fillmore West? 

Barbara Mauritz: “The closing of the Filmore was incredible and also emotional for everyone there. I  had grown up there backstage and on stage opening for all the bands  like of course The Greatful Dead,It's a Beautiful Day,  Jefferson Airplaine,Cold Blood,Santana, Elvin Bishop and many more.  What an amazing place. I couldn't believe that it was actualy over.  Every night it was packed.  Bill Graham had done it. In one fell swoop he had changed the how concerts were run always making that it was the best it could possibly be for each act. I didn't know that each night was being filmed  and was to be a rockumentary  called 'The Last Days of The Fillmore.'  Bill Graham wanted me and Lamb to open the film at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. I didn't know that the first thing I would see was me singin 'Hello Friends.' I was really surprised and touched by that. He was watching my face and when the song started I couldn't say anything I just sat there with my mouth open. With all those awesome groups I couldn't imagine that Lamb would open the movie and also had another song in the middle.  The musicians were Tom Salisbury on piano, Chris Michie on guitar, Mark Springer on acoustic guitar and backup vocals, David Hayes on electric bass, Richard Sloscher on the drums.                                                 

Bob Swanson at that point decided to open a photographic business and became a master photographer and the head of the Arts Council in Weed.   He is also my partner and co-owner in our publishing company, Steamboat Gothic Publishing.  He is still a close friend and like a big brother to me.

In 1976 my son and I were in a bus wreck in San Rafael. I had to go through spinal surgery. My son, thank God, was all right.  When I recuperated, a good friend, Jeanette Sartaine, a great singer in her own right, sang with me as well, and introduced me to the musicians I luckily had the blessing of working within the studio and on stage. We started recording the first three songs on the new album at Russian Hill Studio. Fred Catero is my favorite engineer to work on. The producer was Steve Douglas the incredible sax player who had many fantastic albums and was at one time the head of Capitol Records. He also played the bass recorder a true artist.  Alex Bentam (Guiness) on guitar and vocals.  He is also an incredible writer as well. Robin Sylvester on fretless bass has the most wonderful sound. and David Perper on drums I've worked with him since the early days of Lamb.

The next two songs were recorded a Fantasy Studios in Oakland.  The producer was Al Brown,  an incredible musician and I'm very grateful to him  as well and without him the sessions wouldn't have taken place.  He is also an old friend of mine. Walter Rappaport also produced and arranged for the sessions to take place and he was also Lamb's first sound man and made our sound system and worked with Lamb for four years. David Margun was on bass and Alex Bentam and David Perper was on the session and Nate Ginsberg was on keyboards. The last four songs were recorded at Getto Records and Danny Aarhus was the owner and former guitarist with Lamb I was given free reign over the studio.  I also engineered and digitally mastered along with Danny who also played bass and co-produced with me. Peggy Day and Daniel Duval were my backup singers

  I've been truly blessed throughout my career to have had all these truly great people and musicians and engineers to have to work with and I will always be grateful to them all.

  I dedicate this album to my son, Joshua Mauritz Wallace, who passed away March 8th, 2008. I miss him and love him more than my own life. He is the reason I continue to write and record.  Joshua always encouraged me to keep playing and writing. I love you baby.  He was born Nov. 13, 1970. My new CD is called 'Give Me Half a Chance.' I'm still working on getting the copies made.  It will be available online.