The Forgotten Legacy of Yellow Hand
Yellow Hand was a Los Angeles-based band formed in the late 1960s, known for blending rock, folk, and country influences. Signed to Capitol Records in 1970, the band gained early attention for their connection to Buffalo Springfield, using unreleased songs by Stephen Stills and Neil Young.
Their debut album featured a mix of these iconic tracks alongside original material crafted by band members. Despite their talent, Yellow Hand’s career was short-lived, though their music captured the spirit of the era. Their single ‘Down to the Wire’ found regional success, particularly in Colorado, where it climbed to number three on the charts. Yellow Hand remains a cult favorite among fans of early ’70s rock, representing a bridge between the folk-rock of the 1960s and the more experimental sounds to come.
“My brother was in a band with Richie Valens”
Oscar Vildosola begins by sharing his roots, shaped by family and the early experiences that planted the seeds of his musical career:
“I was born in East Los Angeles. To a single mom. My sister, who was 5 years older than me, taught me how to dance when I was 7 years old. When I was 8 and she was 13, I would go to her junior high school dances and dance with her and her friends. When I was 9 years old, my mom let me go downtown Los Angeles to the Paramount theater to see Lionel Hampton. I went by myself. I had to get 3 bus transfers to get to the theater. I ended up on stage dancing with Lionel that day. My brother played guitar and sang pretty good. He played in a band with Richie Valens (‘Donna’). When I was 10 years old, I would go to rehearsal with him and watch my brother and Richie play.”
Oscar’s early encounters with music seem almost magical, from dancing on stage with Lionel Hampton to watching his brother play with Richie Valens. These were formative years, laying the foundation for what would become a lifelong pursuit.
“I also played sax at 10 too. The drummer in that band got drafted and left me his drum set when I was 13 years old. I put together a band and won my eighth-grade talent show on my 14th birthday. The whole school sang happy birthday to me. I played drums and sang from then on. I joined the Musicians Union in Hollywood when I was 17. I played with some notable people before I joined the union.”
At just 13 years old, Oscar took the first steps in what would become his career by forming his own band. The moment he won his eighth-grade talent show, performing as both a drummer and singer, would be a memory he cherished, but this was just the beginning of a much larger journey.
Oscar’s musical influences were as varied as the records he played along with in his teenage years. His home life introduced him to a wide range of styles:
“My influences were rhythm and blues. There was a lot of country and mariachi music in the house too. My brother was 8 years older than me. He had a Latin jazz band rehearse at the house once in a while. I learned how to play drums with 17 Specialty and Chess 45 rpm records I would play along with when I was 13.”
His love for rhythm and blues, alongside the mariachi and country music that filled his home, would shape the eclectic sound that became his hallmark as a musician.
“When I joined the musician’s union at 17, I started working 6 nights a week with Larry Carlton and a few other L.A. greats at that time (1964-66). Since then I have mostly had 4 or 5 musical projects going on all the time, recording and live music. I was drafted in 1966 at 19 years old. When I got out in 1968, I started playing right away around L.A. I signed with Capitol Records in 1970 with Yellow Hand. I was 23 years old. I toured with the Spiral Starecase and Blues Image after that.”
Oscar’s dedication to his craft was evident even in his teenage years. By the time he joined the Musicians Union in Hollywood at 17, he was already playing six nights a week with some of LA’s top musicians, including Larry Carlton. His career was interrupted briefly when he was drafted in 1966, but upon his return in 1968, he jumped right back into the music scene, eventually signing with Capitol Records in 1970 as part of the band Yellow Hand.
Oscar recalls his early days playing in local bands and the formative experiences that paved the way for his career:
“When I was 16, I played in a local band called the Techniques. They were well known in the San Gabriel Valley, California around 1962-63. We played a place called the El Monte Legion Stadium in California and backed up Don and Dewey, the Olympics and a few other well-known R&B acts back then. This place could hold 3500 people and had great acts play there every weekend. It was really cool working there the few times I did. Right before I joined the union in 1964, I played in a band that won the first Hollywood Teenage Fair in 1964. They were called the Apollos at the time.”
Oscar’s experiences in the LA music scene before joining Yellow Hand were a whirlwind of opportunity. Playing at the legendary El Monte Legion Stadium and winning the first “Hollywood Teenage Fair” with The Apollos were defining moments. These experiences helped him forge invaluable connections within the industry.
“When I joined the union in 1964, they had a work board with people that needed players for gigs. This is one way I made some great contacts at the time. Larry Carlton and I backed up Donnie Brooks (Mission Bell) around 1965-66. Donnie wanted to promote Larry so we started a band called Robin and the Batmen. Larry dressed like Robin, and we dressed like Batman.”
The sense of camaraderie in the LA music scene was evident as Oscar formed connections that led to some creative and memorable experiences, like Robin and the Batmen, where he and his bandmates took on superhero personas as part of their performances. It was a sign of the playful and experimental nature of the scene at that time.
“I was active and playing 6 nights a week in Los Angeles with Larry Carlton and many other great musicians, starting when I joined the musician’s union in Hollywood California when I was 17 years old. I was busy playing drums and singing every week ever since I was 15. I didn’t hang out anywhere because I was busy. Usually playing the cool places to hang out like the Whiskey A-Go-Go, Pandora’s Box, Gazzari’s, and the Cinnamin Cinder, a teenage nightclub. I worked in these places throughout my career from 1964 on.”
Oscar’s schedule was relentless—he didn’t spend time in the usual hangouts because he was too busy playing at legendary venues like the Whiskey A-Go-Go and Pandora’s Box, two hotspots of the LA music scene that hosted some of the biggest acts of the day.
“Right before I joined Yellow Hand, I was in a band with a guitar player named Bobby Cochran. He was Eddie Cochran’s (‘Summertime Blues’) nephew. I also worked with Bobby Cochran in a band called Bobby and the Midnights. This was with Bob Weir from the Grateful Dead and Tim Bogert from (Vanilla Fudge/ Jeff Beck, and Cactus). I have always had 4 or 5 musical projects going on, that’s how I have lived. I was doing session work in Hollywood at the time too; this was around 1969.”
Oscar’s connections continued to grow, and his work with Bobby Cochran and Bob Weir further established him in the industry. His ability to juggle multiple projects at once became a defining trait throughout his career.
“Dallas Smith (the producer of Yellow Hand) put the word out in Hollywood that they were looking for players. I went to Hollywood and auditioned, and I think they came to see me play too. Charley Green was the publisher of the Buffalo Springfield band (that’s how we got the Steven Stills and Neal Young songs. Charley Green owned the publishing.) and Dallas got together and picked out the players for the band. Yellow Hand was their idea. That’s how I got into Yellow Hand.”
Oscar’s entry into Yellow Hand was the result of being in the right place at the right time. Producer Dallas Smith and publisher Charley Green, who had ties to Buffalo Springfield, assembled the band with access to unreleased material from Stephen Stills and Neil Young. This was an incredible opportunity for the band, and it helped shape the direction of their music.
“Charley Green and Dallas Smith both worked for Capitol, Charley with the Buffalo Springfield, and Dallas producing Bobby Vee and Canned Heat for Capitol. We went in the studio and did a dub of ‘Down to the Wire’ and ‘God Knows I Love You.’ Dallas came up with the name, “Yellow Hand”. He presented this along with the recording we did, and Capitol bought it. That’s how I got to sign with Capitol Records.”
With Capitol Records backing them, Yellow Hand recorded their debut album. The band’s name, conceived by producer Dallas Smith, was presented to Capitol along with their demo, and the label quickly signed them.
As Yellow Hand prepared to take the world by storm, Capitol Records played a significant role in shaping the band’s path and ensuring their music reached the right audiences. Oscar Vildosola reflects on the band’s venues and the meticulous effort Capitol put into showcasing them:
“Capitol picked out the venues that Yellow Hand played. It was usually a concert or a showcase venue. There is so much more I will tell you about when I can.”
Capitol’s influence extended beyond just recording. The label ensured that Yellow Hand was booked in key venues, creating a carefully curated image for the band. Concerts and showcases were a significant part of the band’s promotion, reflecting the importance of live performance in an era when audiences flocked to see musicians in action.
The recording process for Yellow Hand was both a creative endeavor and a logistical puzzle. Oscar details how access to unreleased material from Buffalo Springfield members Stephen Stills and Neil Young played a pivotal role in the band’s debut album:
“We put the album together in the studio. We had access to a lot of material from Steven Stills and Neal Young because Charley Green owned the publishing. We had to finish some of Steven Stills’ songs. (If Steven or Neil had an idea, Charley would take them in the studio and have them record what they had — a verse, a chorus, or a bridge, whatever — then he would own the publishing). The two Neal Young songs were complete. That’s how we put half of the album together. Jerry Tawney, the rest of Yellow Hand and myself wrote the other half of the album.”
Oscar and his bandmates found themselves in an extraordinary situation—completing partially written songs from rock legends like Stephen Stills. The unfinished tracks from Stills became the building blocks for the album, while the band also contributed original material. This collaboration between emerging artists and established icons gave the album a unique blend of fresh creativity and rock-and-roll legacy.
“We recorded the album in two weeks. It took Dallas Smith a week to mix the album and then release ‘Down To The Wire’. Capitol rented a house in Denver, Colorado. This is where we toured from. ‘Down to the Wire’ was number three on the Colorado charts, so that’s where Capitol sent us.”
With an incredibly fast-paced recording process, Yellow Hand managed to complete the album in just two weeks, while producer Dallas Smith took an additional week to mix the tracks. The single ‘Down To The Wire’ was a hit on the Colorado charts, climbing to number three, which led Capitol to base the band’s touring out of Denver, a strategic move that reflected their growing popularity.
Capitol Records left no stone unturned when it came to promoting Yellow Hand. The label put substantial resources behind the band, including high-profile advertising in major music publications:
“Capitol paid for a full-page ad in Rolling Stone magazine for Yellow Hand, November 1970. When I entered the Capitol building at any time, the receptionist would play the Yellow Hand album.”
A full-page ad in Rolling Stone was a significant investment and a strong endorsement from the label. The fact that the Capitol receptionist regularly played the band’s album further underscored how invested the label was in their success. The relationship between the band and the label grew deeper through a series of presentations at Capitol, marking significant milestones in the band’s journey:
“We had five presentations at Capitol. First, we presented the single. Second, we presented the album. Third, we took pictures with the president of Capitol on the roof of the Capitol building. Fourth, we played live in the building for everyone that worked there, and fifth, we recorded at the studio there at Capitol. They wanted to make sure we were a real band. I was 23 at the time. Too much fun.”
Oscar’s recollections of these events capture the excitement and the whirlwind nature of the music business at that time. From showcasing their single and album to performing live for Capitol’s staff, Yellow Hand proved they were more than just a studio band—they were real musicians with the talent and energy to back up their recordings.
Reflecting on his experience as a 23-year-old at the height of his career, Oscar’s story is one of perseverance, opportunity, and an immense love for music. His work with Yellow Hand was just one chapter in a long and successful career, but it’s clear that this period holds a special place in his heart.
Oscar Vildosola’s journey from East LA to signing with Capitol Records reflects not just his own talent, but also the rich and vibrant music scene that nurtured him. As he continues to share his memories, it’s clear that his passion for music has never waned.
Klemen Breznikar
