Happy the Man

Happy the Man – Progressive rock band. Initially conceived by American high school students in Frankfort, Germany, Happy the Man did not originate in Indiana, but it included several musicians from Fort Wayne. After the aforementioned high school students Stanley Whitaker (guitar) and David Bach (keyboards) met Rick Kennell (Fort Wayne bassist in the U.S. Army and stationed in Germany), they planned to start a progressive rock band in the same vein as Genesis, King Crimson, Yes, and Gentle Giant, when they all returned to the United States. In 1972 at Madison College (now James Madison University) in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Happy the Man started to take shape with the addition of Michael Beck, Kennell’s drummer friend from Fort Wayne. Other personnel changes took place including the soon departure of Bach and the arrival of Fort Wayne musicians Cliff Fortney (vocals and flute, 1973-74) and Dan Owen (vocals, 1974-75). In 1975, the band became primarily an instrumental group, playing sophisticated compositions in a fusion/art rock style. While developing a growing cult following, the band signed with Arista Records and released a self-titled album in 1977 shortly before Beck left the group. In the following year, HTM came out with Crafty Hands, although neither of the albums sold well. As a result, Arista dropped the group, and they all parted ways in 1979. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, four albums of unreleased material and compilations became available, as HTM continued to secure a significant fan base. In 2000, Whitaker reunited the group – with Hoosier Rick Kennell still on bass – and recorded The Muse Awakens in 2004.