View source for Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen

{{Short description|American country rock band}}
{{For|the album|Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen (album)}}
{{redirect|Commander Cody}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
| image            = Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen.jpg
| caption          = Andy Stein (L) and John Tichy (R) at the [[Hollywood Bowl]] opening for [[Grateful Dead]], July 21, 1974. The [[Wall of Sound (Grateful Dead)|Wall of Sound]] PA is in the background. Photo: [[David Gans (musician)|David Gans]]
| image_size       =
| origin           = [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]], U.S.
| genre            = {{flatlist|
*[[Country rock]]<ref>[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/commander-cody-and-his-lost-planet-airmen-mn0000115140 Commander Cody] Allmusic Retrieved 31 August 2024</ref>
*[[Western swing]]
*[[truck-driving country]]
*[[alternative country]]
*[[progressive country]]
}}
| years_active     = 1967–1976 as Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen <br/> 1977–2021 as Commander Cody<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.commandercody.com/thebio.cfm |title=The Bio |publisher=Commander Cody |access-date=2013-06-27}}</ref>
| label            =
| associated_acts  =
| website          =
| past_members         = George Frayne <br/> Billy C. Farlow <br/> [[Bill Kirchen]] <br/> John Tichy <br/> [[Andy Stein]] <br/> Bruce Barlow <br/> Lance Dickerson <br/> Steve Davis <br/> Bobby Black <br/> Ernie Hagar <br/> [[Norton Buffalo]] <br/> Rick Higginbotham <br/> [[Nicolette Larson]] <br/> Peter Siegel <br/> Rick Mullen <br /> Steve Barbuto <br /> Mark Emerick <br/> Randy Bramwell  <br/> Chris Olsen <br/> Professor Louie <br/> Sean Allen <br/> Tim Eschliman
}}
'''Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen''' were an American [[country rock]] band founded in 1967.<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor-first=Colin|editor-last=Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|pages=292/3|location=London}}</ref> The group's leader and co-founder was pianist and vocalist George Frayne IV, alias Commander Cody (born July 19, 1944, in [[Boise, Idaho]]; died September 26, 2021, in [[Saratoga Springs, New York]]).<ref name="Risen">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/30/arts/music/george-frayne-dead.html |title=George Frayne, a.k.a. Commander Cody, Alt-Country Pioneer, Dies at 77 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |first=Clay |last=Risen |date=September 30, 2021 |access-date=October 2, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
The band became known for marathon live shows. Alongside Frayne, the classic lineup was Billy C. Farlow (b. [[Decatur, Alabama]]) on vocals and harmonica; John Tichy (b. [[St. Louis, Missouri]]) on guitar and vocals; [[Bill Kirchen]] (Kirchen was born in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut]], June 29, 1948, but grew up in [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]]) on lead guitar; [[Andy Stein]] (b. August 31, 1948, in [[New York City]]) on saxophone and fiddle; "Buffalo" Bruce Barlow (b. December 3, 1948, in [[Oxnard, California]]) on bass guitar; Lance Dickerson (b. October 15, 1948, in [[Livonia, Michigan]], died November 10, 2003, in [[Fairfax, California]]){{citation needed|date=June 2022}} on drums; and Steve "The West Virginia Creeper" Davis (b. July 18, 1946, in [[Charleston, West Virginia]]), followed by Bobby Black, on [[pedal steel guitar]].<ref name="Larkin"/>
==The Lost Planet Airmen==
Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen formed in 1967 in [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]], United States, with Frayne taking the stage name Commander Cody. The band's name was inspired by 1950s film [[Serial (film)|serial]]s featuring the character [[Commando Cody]] and from a feature version of an earlier serial, ''[[King of the Rocket Men]]'', released under the title ''[[Lost Planet Airmen]]''.
After playing for several years in local bars, in 1969 the core members migrated to [[Berkeley, California]],<ref>{{cite web |first=Corry |last=Arnold |date=September 18, 2010 |url=http://berkeleyfolk.blogspot.com/2010/09/commander-cody-and-his-lost-planet.html |title=Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen Performance List 1969: Berkeley Beginnings |website=Berkeley in the Sixties |access-date=September 27, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |first=Ed |last=Ward |date=April 16, 1970 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/interview-commander-cody-and-his-lost-planet-airmen-179296/ |title=Interview: Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=October 10, 2020}}</ref> and soon got a recording contract with [[Paramount Records (1969)|Paramount Records]]. (About a year later, Commander Cody invited western swing revival group [[Asleep at the Wheel]] to relocate to the Bay Area.<ref name = "amb"/>) The group released their first album in November 1971, ''[[Lost in the Ozone]]'', which yielded its best-known hit, a cover version of the 1955 song "[[Hot Rod Lincoln]]", which reached the top ten on the ''Billboard'' singles chart in early 1972.<ref name="Larkin"/> Shortly thereafter drummer Lance Dickerson, Bruce Barlow, the band's manager and the band's bus driver, Ed Dufault, moved to a ranch in Kenwood, California named "The Casa Felice". Here in the basement of one of the 3 houses is where the band set up a studio and practiced for upcoming tours. The tour bus at the time was a converted Greyhound bus with the name and logo "Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen" painted on the side. For a short time, the bus could be seen parked on the side of Warm Springs Road in Kenwood. The band's 1974 live recording, ''[[Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas]]'', features cover art of [[armadillo]]s by [[Jim Franklin (artist)|Jim Franklin]]. The band released several moderately successful albums through the first half of the 1970s. Their 1975 album ''Tales From The Ozone'' was produced by [[Hoyt Axton]]. After appearing in the [[Roger Corman]] movie ''[[Hollywood Boulevard (1976 film)|Hollywood Boulevard]]'', Frayne disbanded the group in 1976.<ref name="Larkin"/>
[[Geoffrey Stokes]]'s 1976 book ''Star-Making Machinery'' featured Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen as its primary case study of music industry production and marketing. Stokes relates the difficulties the band had recording its first album for [[Warner Bros. Records]]. The label wanted a hit album along the lines of the soft country-rock of [[The Eagles]], but the band was not inclined to change its raw-edged style.  The book also detailed various internal conflicts within the band, some related to the recording process, others not.
Later some unauthorized Lost Planet Airmen recordings were released in Europe and Australia along with previously unreleased LPA tracks and some outtakes from existing Paramount and Warner releases.
Kirchen and Stein went on to have successful musical careers, with Kirchen being acknowledged as one of the preeminent [[Telecaster]] players in the world. Stein had a long association with the radio program, ''[[A Prairie Home Companion]]''. Tichy had previously earned a Ph.D. from the [[University of Michigan]] and became head of the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering at [[Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute]] (RPI) in Troy, New York.<ref name="amb">"Vile Gossip", [[Jean Jennings]], ''[[Automobile Magazine]]'', February 2007</ref>
"[[Hot Rod Lincoln]]", the band's most famous recording, was voted a Legendary Michigan Song in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com/legendary-michigan-songs-inductees |title=Legendary Michigan Songs |publisher=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends |date=1965-02-25 |access-date=2013-06-27}}</ref> The following year Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://michiganrockandrolllegends.com/index.php/mrrl-hall-of-fame/319-commander-cody-and-his-lost-planet-airmen |title=Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen |publisher=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends |access-date=2013-06-27}}</ref>
Members of the original group, excepting Frayne, held a 50th anniversary reunion in the San Francisco Bay area in June 2019.<ref>{{cite news |first=Richard |last=Freedman |date=June 11, 2019 |url=https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2019/06/11/june-13-arts-and-entertainment-lost-airmen-reunion-tour-lands-in-bay-area/ |title=Lost Airmen Reunion Tour Lands in Bay Area |newspaper=[[Times-Herald]] |access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Kate |last=Laddish |date=June 28, 2019 |url=https://ipinionsyndicate.com/bill-kirchen-airmen-reunion/ |title=Bill Kirchen: Five Lost Planet Airmen Fly Again This Weekend |website=iPinion Syndicate |access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref>
The band disbanded in 1977, but the name "Commander Cody" survived, being used by Frayne in various iterations in his solo career.{{efn-ua|"Frayne continued with a solo career, still using his stage name, and toured and released albums under various titles including Commander Cody, the Commander Cody Band, Commander Cody and His Modern Day Airmen and Commander Cody and His Western Airmen."<ref name="Lewry">{{cite web|last=Lewry|first=Fraser|date=September 27, 2021|title=George Frayne A.K.A. Country Rock Maverick Commander Cody Dead at 77|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/george-frayne-aka-country-rock-maverick-commander-cody-dead-at-77|access-date=September 27, 2021|work=Louder}}</ref>}}
==Commander Cody==
[[File:Commander Cody - Sarah Stierch 2018.jpg|thumb|upright|Frayne performing as Commander Cody and His Western Airmen in Sonoma, California, in 2018, with Steve Barbuto, Tim Eschliman, Sean Allen and Peter Seigel]]
Retaining his stage name, George Frayne had a subsequent solo career, touring and releasing albums from 1977 on under various names including Commander Cody, the Commander Cody Band, Commander Cody and His Modern Day Airmen, and Commander Cody and His Western Airmen.<ref name="Lewry"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.commandercody.com/the-gigs |title=The Gigs: I ain't never had too much fun! |publisher=Commander Cody |date=2018 |access-date=2019-01-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.evanstonspace.com/upcoming-shows |title=Shows |publisher=[[Evanston S.P.A.C.E.]] |date=2019 |access-date=2019-01-19}}</ref>
Frayne was also a visual artist. He received a bachelor's in design from the [[University of Michigan]] in 1966 and a master's in Sculpture and Painting from the [[Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies|Rackham School of Graduate Studies]] of the University of Michigan in 1968. He taught at the University of Michigan and the [[University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh]], and his art was exhibited at numerous shows around the country.<ref name="CV">{{cite web |url=https://www.commandercody.com/Curriculum.html |title=Curriculum Vitae - The Art of George |work=CommanderCody.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813162816/https://www.commandercody.com/Curriculum.html |archive-date=August 13, 2006 |access-date=September 28, 2021}}</ref> He was a student of [[cinematography]], and has a video ("Two Triple Cheese Side Order of Fries") in the [[Museum of Modern Art]]'s permanent video archive. He has assembled many old movies to go with the band's music as shown on his YouTube channel. Some of his paintings are oversized; most are medium-sized [[acrylic paint|acrylics]] and present pop art images from media sources and historic photos.<ref>"A brush with art: Sensitive painter George Frayne still rocks as Commander Cody", ''[[Austin American-Statesman]]'' (October 18, 1986) p D-1</ref> His book, ''Art Music and Life'' was released by Qualibre Publications in 2009 and is a mix of his best work and anecdotal comments and related stories. He still did portraits of famous automobiles for the Saratoga Auto Museum in [[Saratoga Springs, New York]], where he resided in April, 1997.<ref name="CV"/>
George's brother Chris Frayne is credited with the [[album cover|cover art]] for the ''Lost in the Ozone'', ''Sleazy Roadside Stories'', ''Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Truckers' Favorites'', and ''Country Casanova'' albums. He shared credit with George for the album cover for ''Aces High'', and designed other album covers in the music industry. Chris Frayne died in 1992 of [[multiple sclerosis]].<ref name="amb"/>
On September 26, 2021, George Frayne died in [[Saratoga Springs, New York]] at the age of 77.<ref name="Schudel">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/george-frayne-died/2021/09/29/03baa792-213a-11ec-8200-5e3fd4c49f5e_story.html |title=George Frayne, roots rocker known as Commander Cody, dies at 77 |first1=Matt |last1=Schudel |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |date=September 29, 2021}}</ref>
==Style and influences==
{{Expand section|date=July 2023}}
Influenced by the rowdy [[barroom country]] of [[Ernest Tubb]] and [[Ray Price (musician)|Ray Price]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://wfpk.org/2021/george-frayne-aka-commander-cody-dies-2/|title=George Frayne, AKA "Commander Cody" dies|author=Mel Fisher|work=Music News|date=September 28, 2021}}</ref> Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen's style was built on the foundation of [[country music]], which the band fused with [[boogie woogie]], [[rock and roll]], [[rhythm and blues]], [[Western swing]] and [[jazz]], which ''Classic Rock'' said resulted in "a counter-cultural twist to the [[Nashville sound]]".<ref name="Lewry"/> ''Relix'' said that the band "tossed together [[rockabilly]], [[blues]], country, boogie-woogie, Western swing and whatever else came their way."<ref name=Relix>{{cite web |first=Jeff |last=Tamarkin |date=November 12, 2020 |url=https://relix.com/reviews/detail/commander-cody-his-lost-planet-airmen-bears-sonic-journals-found-in-the-ozone/ |title=Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen – Bear's Sonic Journals: Found in the Ozone |website=Relix |access-date=March 23, 2021}}</ref> ''Tinnitist'' called the band "one of the more interesting bands of the hippie era, fusing county, rockabilly, western swing, [[jump blues]] and more into an infectious amalgam that set the table for outfits like [[NRBQ]]".<ref name=Tinnitist>{{cite web |first=Darryl |last=Sterdan |date=July 11, 2020 |url=https://tinnitist.com/2020/07/11/commander-cody-his-lost-planet-airmen-bears-sonic-journals-found-in-the-ozone/ |title=Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen {{pipe}} Bear's Sonic Journals: Found in the Ozone |website=Tinnitist |access-date=October 11, 2020}}</ref> ''All About Jazz'' described the band's music as "plainly Western Swing—a musically alchemic concoction made up of equal parts country, [[Western music (North America)|Western]], blues, [[big band]] jazz, whiskey and [[cannabis (drug)|reefer]]."<ref>{{cite web |first=C. Michael |last=Bailey |date=May 2, 2015 |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/we-got-a-live-one-here-the-commander-a-k-a-george-frayne-columbia-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php |title=We've Got a Live One Here! |website=All About Jazz |access-date=September 7, 2020}}</ref> Pioneers of [[country rock]],<ref name="Willman">{{cite web|last=Rapp|first=Allison|date=September 27, 2021|title=George Frayne, 'Commander Cody', Country-Rock Pioneer Dead at 77|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/george-frayne-commander-cody-dead/|access-date=September 27, 2021|work=[[Ultimate Classic Rock]]}}</ref> [[roots rock]]<ref name="Variety">{{cite journal|last1=Willman|first1=Chris|date=September 27, 2021|title=Commander Cody, aka George Frayne, Roots-Rock Band Leader and 'Hot Rod Lincoln' Singer, Dies at 77|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/commander-cody-george-frayne-dead-roots-country-rock-lost-planet-airmen-1235075409/|access-date=September 27, 2021|journal=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref><ref name="Schudel"/><ref name=Haring/> and [[alternative country]],<ref name="Risen"/> ''Deadline'' said that the band "[inspired] the legions of [[roots rock|roots-rock]] and [[Americana (music)|Americana]] musicians to come."<ref name=Haring>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/commander-cody-hot-rod-lincoln-boogie-woogie-was-77-1234848566/amp/ |title=George 'Commander Cody' Frayne Dies: Boogie-Woogie Rocker With 'Hot Rod Lincoln' Hit Was 77 |last=Haring |first=Bruce |date=October 2, 2021 |publisher=Deadline |access-date=2022-08-01}}</ref> ''Cashbox'' said that Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen were also "pioneers of [[progressive country]]."<ref>{{cite web |date=July 17, 1976 |url=https://archive.org/stream/cashbox38unse_7/cashbox38unse_7_djvu.txt |title=We've Got a Live One Here |magazine=Cash Box |publisher=Internet Archive |access-date=September 7, 2020}}</ref>
==Members==
* George Fayne – lead vocals, keyboards <small>(1967–1976)</small>
* Billy Farlow – lead vocals <small>(1967–1976)</small>, harmonica <small>(1967–1975)</small>
* [[Bill Kirchen]] – lead guitar, backing vocals <small>(1967–1976)</small>, trombone <small>(1967–1971)</small>, banjo <small>(1973–1975)</small>
* John Tichy – rhythm guitar, backing vocals <small>(1967–1975)</small>
* [[Andy Stein]] – saxophone, fiddle <small>(1967–1976)</small>
* Bruce Barlow – bass guitar, upright bass, backing vocals <small>(1967–1976)</small>
* Lance Dickerson – drums, percussion <small>(1967–1976)</small>, backing vocals <small>(1974–1976)</small>
* Steve Davis – pedal steel guitar <small>(1967–1971)</small>
* Bobby Black – pedal steel guitar <small>(1972–1976)</small>, backing vocals <small>(1973–1976)</small>
* Ernie Hagar – pedal steel guitar <small>(1974–1975)</small>
* Norton Buffalo – harmonica, trombone, backing vocals <small>(1976)</small>
* Rick Higgnbotham – rhythm guitar <small>(1975–1976)</small>
* Jack Black – backing vocals, lead guitar <small>(1970–1971)</small>
===Timeline===
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize  = width:950 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea   = left:100 bottom:110 top:15 right:15
Alignbars  = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy # isolate next tag
Period     = from:01/01/1967 till:12/31/1976
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend     = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:4
ScaleMajor = increment:3 start:1967
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1967
Colors =
id:vocals     value:red              legend:Lead_vocals
id:vocals2    value:pink             legend:Backing_and_lead_vocals
id:lguitar    value:teal             legend:Lead_guitar
id:rguitar    value:brightgreen      legend:Rhythm_guitar
id:pguitar    value:green            legend:Pedal_steel_guitar
id:banjo      value:drabgreen        legend:Banjo
id:bass       value:blue             legend:Bass_guitar,_upright_bass
id:drums      value:orange           legend:Drums,_percussion
id:keys       value:purple           legend:Keyboards
id:harm       value:tan2             legend:Harmonica
id:sax        value:skyblue          legend:Saxophone,_fiddle
id:horns      value:coral            legend:Trombone
id:studio     value:black            legend:Studio_album
id:live       value:gray(0.7)        legend:Live_recording_date
id:bars       value:gray(0.92)
BackgroundColors =bars:bars
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:1 start:1967
LineData =
layer:back color:studio
at:11/01/1971
at:05/01/1972
at:05/01/1973
at:01/01/1975
at:06/01/1975
at:03/01/1976
color:live
at:02/27/1970
at:11/01/1973
at:03/01/1976
BarData =
bar:GF      text:"George Fayne"
bar:BF      text:"Billy Farlow"
bar:JB      text:"Jack Black"
bar:JT      text:"John Tichy"
bar:RH      text:"Rick Higgnbotham"
bar:BK      text:"Bill Kirchen"
bar:SD      text:"Steve Davis"
bar:BB2     text:"Bobby Black"
bar:EH      text:"Ernie Hagar"
bar:BB      text:"Bruce Barlow"
bar:LD      text:"Lance Dickerson"
bar:AS      text:"Andy Stein"
bar:NB      text:"Norton Buffalo"
PlotData=
width:11
bar:GF      from:start   till:end         color:keys
bar:GF      from:start   till:end         color:vocals width:3
bar:BF      from:start   till:end         color:vocals
bar:BF      from:start   till:12/31/1975  color:harm   width:3
bar:JB      from:03/27/1970   till:11/01/1971  color:vocals2
bar:JB      from:03/27/1970   till:11/01/1971  color:lguitar width:3
bar:JT      from:start   till:12/31/1975  color:rguitar
bar:JT      from:start   till:12/31/1975  color:vocals2 width:3
bar:RH      from:12/31/1975 till:end      color:rguitar
bar:BK      from:start   till:end         color:lguitar
bar:BK      from:start   till:end         color:vocals2 width:3
bar:BK      from:start   till:12/31/1971  color:horns    width:7
bar:BK      from:01/01/1973   till:01/01/1975   color:banjo   width:7
bar:SD      from:start   till:12/31/1971  color:pguitar
bar:BB2     from:01/01/1972 till:09/01/1974 color:pguitar
bar:BB2     from:05/02/1973 till:end        color:vocals2 width:3
bar:BB2     from:09/01/1974 till:01/01/1975 color:pguitar width:7
bar:BB2     from:01/01/1975 till:end        color:pguitar
bar:EH      from:09/01/1974 till:01/01/1975 color:pguitar
bar:BB      from:start      till:end        color:bass
bar:BB      from:start      till:end        color:vocals2 width:3
bar:LD      from:start      till:end        color:drums
bar:LD      from:01/01/1974 till:end        color:vocals2 width:3
bar:AS      from:start      till:end        color:sax
bar:NB      from:01/01/1976 till:end        color:harm
bar:NB      from:01/01/1976 till:end        color:horns   width:7
bar:NB      from:01/01/1976 till:end        color:vocals2 width:3
}}
==Discography==
===Albums===
'''Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen'''<br>
Recordings featuring the original Lost Planet Airmen:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album
! colspan="3"| Chart Positions
! rowspan="2"| Label
! rowspan="2"| Notes
|-
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Billboard 200|US]]</small>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Top Country Albums|US Country]]</small>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Canadian Albums Chart|CAN]]</small>
|-
| 1971
| ''[[Lost in the Ozone]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| 82
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| 75
| rowspan="4"| Paramount
|
|-
| 1972
| ''[[Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Truckers Favorites]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| 94
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|
|-
| 1973
| ''[[Country Casanova]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| 104
| style="text-align:center;"| 47
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|
|-
| 1974
| ''[[Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| 105
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1975
| ''[[Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen (album)|Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| 58
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| 95
| rowspan="3"| Warner Bros.
|
|-
| ''[[Tales from the Ozone]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| 168
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|
|-
| 1976
| ''[[We've Got a Live One Here!]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| 170
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|
|-
| 1988
| ''Sleazy Roadside Stories'' <ref>{{cite web |first=Jeff |last=Tamarkin |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sleazy-roadside-stories-mw0000194152 |title=Sleazy Roadside Stories |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Relix
| recorded in 1973
|-
| 1990
| ''Too Much Fun: The Best of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen'' <ref>{{cite web |first=Al |last=Campbell |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/too-much-fun-best-of-commander-cody-mw0000308998 |title=Too Much Fun: Best of Commander Cody |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| MCA
| compilation album
|-
| 1996
| ''The Tour from Hell – 1973'' <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/tour-from-hell-1973-mw0000088588 |title=Tour from Hell 1973 |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Aim
| recorded in 1973
|-
| 2003
| ''King Biscuit Flower Hour Archive Series: Greatest Hits Live!'' <ref>{{cite web |first=Thom |last=Jurek |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/king-biscuit-flower-hour-presents-commander-cody-mw0000391740 |title=King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: Commander Cody |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| KBFH
| recorded in 1976
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Bear's Sonic Journals: Found in the Ozone]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Owsley Stanley Foundation
| recorded in 1970
|}
'''Commander Cody'''<br>
Recordings featuring George Frayne with various other musicians:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Album
! colspan="3"| Chart Positions
! rowspan="2"| Label
! rowspan="2"| Notes
|-
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Billboard 200|US]]</small>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Top Country Albums|US Country]]</small>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Canadian Albums Chart|CAN]]</small>
|-
| 1977
| ''Rock 'n Roll Again'' <ref>{{cite web |first=Eugene |last=Chadbourne |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/rock-n-roll-again-mw0000791163 |title=Rock 'n Roll Again |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| 163
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="2"| Arista
| The New Commander Cody Band
|-
| 1978
| ''Flying Dreams'' <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/flying-dreams-mw0000791164 |title=Flying Dreams |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Commander Cody
|-
| 1980
| ''Lose It Tonight'' <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/lose-it-tonight-mw0000653841 |title=Lose It Tonight |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Line
| Commander Cody Band
|-
| 1986
| ''Let's Rock'' <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/lets-rock-mw0000197467 |title=Let's Rock |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Blind Pig
| Commander Cody
|-
| 1990
| ''Aces High'' <ref>{{cite web |first=Jeff |last=Tamarkin |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/aces-high-mw0000094429 |title=Aces High |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Relix
| Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
|-
| 1994
| ''Worst Case Scenario'' <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/worst-case-scenario-mw0000247771 |title=Worst Case Scenario |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Aim
| Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen
|-
| 2000
| ''Live at Gilley's'' <ref>{{cite web |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-gilleys-mw0000052794 |title=Live at Gilley's |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Atlantic
| Commander Cody; recorded in 1982
|-
| 2005
| ''All the Way Live from Turkey Trot'' <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/all-the-way-live-from-turkey-trot-dvd-cd-mw0000207202 |title=All the Way Live from Turkey Trot [DVD+CD] |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Fa-Ka-Wee
| The Commander Cody Band
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Dopers, Drunks and Everyday Losers]]''
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Blind Pig
| Commander Cody
|-
| 2013
| ''Live from the Island'' <ref>{{cite web |first=Stephen Thomas |last=Erlewine |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-from-the-island-mw0002482431/ |title=Live from the Island |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Woodstock
| Commander Cody and His Modern Day Airmen
|-
| 2019
| ''Live from Electric City'' <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-from-electric-city-mw0003292217 |title=Live from Electric City |website=AllMusic |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Lou |last=Montesano |date=October 4, 2019 |url=https://www.elmoremagazine.com/2019/10/reviews/albums/commander-cody-and-his-western-planet-airmen-live-from-the-sunbanks-festival-electric-city |title= Commander Cody and His Western Airmen: Live From the Sunbanks Festival, Electric City |website=Elmore Magazine |access-date=September 26, 2020}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Liberation Hall
| Commander Cody and His Western Airmen
|}
===Singles===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/290316-Commander-Cody-And-His-Lost-Planet-Airmen?type=Releases&subtype=Singles-EPs |title=Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen: Singles & EPs |website=Discogs |access-date=September 27, 2020}}</ref>
! colspan="6"| Chart Positions
! rowspan="2"| Album
|-
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US]]</small>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Hot Country Songs|US Country]]</small>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Kent Music Report|AUS]]</small><ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=71}}</ref>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>[[Canadian Singles Chart|CAN]]</small>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>CAN Country</small>
! style="width:45px;"| <small>CAN AC</small>
|-
| 1971
| "Lost in the Ozone" / "Midnight Shift"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="3"| ''[[Lost in the Ozone]]''
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1972
| "[[Hot Rod Lincoln]]" / "Wine Do Yer Stuff"
| style="text-align:center;"| 9
| style="text-align:center;"| 51
| style="text-align:center;"| 45
| style="text-align:center;"| 7
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| "[[Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar]]" / "Daddy's Gonna Treat You Right"
| style="text-align:center;"| 81
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| 82
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| "Mama Hated Diesels" / "Truck Stop Rock"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="2"| ''[[Hot Licks, Cold Steel & Truckers Favorites]]''
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1973
| "Watch My .38" / "Semi-Truck"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| "[[Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)]]" / "Rock That Boogie"
| style="text-align:center;"| 94
| style="text-align:center;"| 97
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| 99
| style="text-align:center;"| 37
| ''[[Country Casanova]]''
|-
| "Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas" / "Honeysuckle Honey"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| Non-album track
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1974
| "[[Diggy Liggy Lo]]" / "Sunset on the Sage"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| rowspan="2"| ''[[Live from Deep in the Heart of Texas]]''
|-
| "[[Riot in Cell Block Number 9|Riot in Cell Block #9]]" / "Oh Mama Mama"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1975
| "[[Don't Let Go (Jesse Stone song)|Don't Let Go]]" / "Keep On Lovin' Her"
| style="text-align:center;"| 56
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| 85
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| ''[[Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen (album)|Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen]]''
|-
| "Roll Your Own" / "It's Gonna Be One of Those Nights"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| ''[[Tales from the Ozone]]''
|-
| 1977
| "Seven Eleven" / "Snooze You Lose"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| ''Rock 'n Roll Again''
|-
| 1978
| "Thank You Lone Ranger" / "My Day"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| ''Flying Dreams''
|-
| 1980
| "[[Two Triple Cheese|2 Triple Cheese (Side Order of Fries)]]" / "Rockette 88"
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| style="text-align:center;"| —
| ''Lose It Tonight''
|}
==References==
===Notes===
{{Reflist|group=upper-alpha}}
===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}
==External links==
*[http://www.commandercody.com/ Official website]
*[http://www.awpi.com/CommanderCody/ Commander Cody at awpi.com]
*[http://www.folderpark.net/cody/ Amsterdam 1976 &ndash; live pics]
* {{Discogs artist|Commander Cody And His Lost Planet Airmen}}
* [https://www.discogs.com/artist/475285-Commander-Cody At discogs.com as Commander Cody]
* [https://www.discogs.com/artist/1339456-Commander-Cody-Band At discogs.com as Commander Cody Band]
* [https://www.youtube.com/user/commandercodyvideos The Commander's channel on youtube]
* {{IMDb name|2535869}}
* {{Discogs artist|Chris Frayne}} Discogs entry for Chris Frayne
* {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpK1ylZboyc  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/lpK1ylZboyc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Commander Cody - Hot Rod Lincoln (Live At Rockpalast 1980) - RIP Commander Cody |format=Video |date=September 28, 2021 |via=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}
{{Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1967 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:2021 disestablishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:American country rock groups]]
[[Category:Swing revival ensembles]]
[[Category:Western swing musical groups]]
[[Category:American alternative country groups]]
[[Category:Progressive country musicians]]
[[Category:Roots rock music groups]]
[[Category:Rock music groups from Michigan]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Ann Arbor, Michigan]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1967]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2021]]
[[Category:Blind Pig Records artists]]
[[Category:Atlantic Records artists]]
[[Category:Relix Records artists]]
[[Category:Warner Records artists]]
[[Category:MCA Records artists]]
[[Category:Arista Records artists]]