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The Blues Image was a one-hit wonder Latin-tinged pop/rock band, that one hit being "Ride Captain Ride," which made the Top Ten and sold a million copies in 1970. The group was formed in Tampa, FL, in 1966 by <a href="spotify:artist:7o55DoHoctCuBWn1iKvB08">Michael Pinera</a> (b. September 29, 1948, Tampa, FL) (guitar, vocals), Manuel Bertematti (b. 1946, Tampa, FL) (percussion), and Joe Lala (b. Tampa, FL) (drums). <a href="spotify:artist:12t1mIIZr9ovfNRbJ5652w">Malcolm Jones</a> (b. Cardiff, Wales) (bass) joined in 1966, followed in 1968 by Frank "Skip" Konte (b. Canyon City, OK) (keyboards). The band moved to New York City in 1968 and managed a club called the Image. Then they moved to Los Angeles, where they signed to Atlantic Records' Atco division in February 1969, and released their self-titled debut album. This was followed by Open (1970), which featured "Ride Captain Ride." But the Blues Image never followed their hit. <a href="spotify:artist:7o55DoHoctCuBWn1iKvB08">Pinera</a> left, replaced by Kent Henry (guitar) and Dennis Correll (vocals). Then the Blues Image broke up. A third album, Red White & Blues Image, was compiled from outtakes. Skip Konte joined <a href="spotify:artist:4FAEZeJcsYYBkNq2D3KGTV">Three Dog Night</a>, while some other band members reformed as <a href="spotify:artist:60uYcJ84clKEzOxps01zO1">Manna</a>. <a href="spotify:artist:7o55DoHoctCuBWn1iKvB08">Pinera</a> later was a member of <a href="spotify:artist:3cdvlbCYf4WoBdy89RWkNS">Iron Butterfly</a>, then <a href="spotify:artist:3gXTMAnC6eDIfAZ5DHyVeL">Ramatam</a>, and, with Bertematti, the New Cactus Band. He also formed a band called <a href="spotify:artist:0FRc2PvVdLqbk9i1M3DF1O">Thee Image</a> and worked as a solo artist; he died on November 20, 2024 at the age of 76. Lala became a Los Angeles session player and worked with <a href="spotify:artist:5bDxAyJiTYBat1YnFJhvEK">Joe Walsh</a> and the various manifestations of <a href="spotify:artist:2pdvghEHZJtgSXZ7cvNLou">Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young</a>, among others. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi
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