About the
Plain Brown Wrapper

Plain Brown Wrapper was born out of a group of individuals with a true passion for music.

From about 1967 till 1973 the Wrapper shared their devotion to music and live performance

with fans all over Michigan.  The band hailed from Lansing, performing mainly around Detroit.

For most of the band's existence they drove around Michigan in their old, modified, 

never painted, school bus/dressing room. Performing together, and early-on living together,

they survived many economic challenges and Michigan's competitive music scene.

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The 1st Wrapper performed for 6 mo. as the "house band" on a Lansing TV teen-show, called "Swing Lively".

Initially they worked in teen-clubs, and at high schools, then as a bar band performing amazing "covers".

The musicians soon developed original songs. Writing and arranging their material together at rehearsals,

they performed their music before large crowds and become very popular throughout Michigan.

The Wrapper even signed a contract with Capitol Records for a planned album release (1968),

but due to forces beyond their control, no album was recorded.

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However, the band did get a recording contract with Dunwich Productions in the autumn of 1969. 

Many say that Wrapper's first (and only) studio album would have received well-deserved acclaim

for its originality, vocals, arrangements, horns and the 20 minute jam on side 2 entitled:

"Don't Ride the Big White Horse" (A composition by John Rhys Eddins),  

with special guest "Yeshwua Ben Israel" on conga drums!

But sadly ... it was not to be.

It was another music recording business bummer!  

This time it was problems between Dunwich Productions and Great Lakes Studios.  

The album recordings were 90% complete, but once again the Wrapper's "First Album" dreams were crushed. 

Furthermore, the original 8-track tapes were never returned to the band, and are presumed lost.

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Well known for using various combinations of instruments, trumpets and 3 & 4 part harmony,

this rock band was like no other.  And although they went through many stages of development

and changed personnel six times, their performances always combined elements of hard rock energy

with jazz improvisation.  This was even true in the early stages when they were playing

extended 'covers' in bars.  Eventually though, they became more performance oriented

and played mostly the Woodstock-type venues and college concerts.  

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Plain Brown Wrapper was not always the main act, but they "opened" for many well-known artists and groups such as:  

Alice Cooper, Dick Wagner and The Frost, Bob Seger System, The Amboy Dukes, Frijid Pink, Sweetwater, SRC, Minnie Ripperton, Brownsville Station, The 4-Tops, The MC-5, and Big Brother and the Holding Co. (without Janis Joplin), etc.

JUST TO NAME A FEW!