Neil Merryweather | Mama Lion


	“MAMA LION” PRESERVE WILDLIFE Family Productions (Famous Music) – 1972 Lynn Carey – vocals Neil Merryweather – bass and backing vocals James Newton Howard – organ and piano Coffi Hall – drums Rick Gaxiola - guitar Produced by Artie Ripp Engineers – Bob Hughes, Michael Stone Album Cover Concept – Neil Merryweather Album Graphics – Fred Marcellino and Bill Levy Photography – Front Cover Photo, Maria del Ré, Back Cover Photo, Ed Caraeff Songs Ain’t No Sunshine Be Bad With Me Ain’t Too Proud To Beg Wildcat Candy Man Mr. Invitation Sister Sister Can’t Find My Way Home It’s Only A Dream Cry -------------------------------------------------- “MAMA LION” GIVE IT EVERYTHING I’VE GOT Family Productions (Famous Music) – 1973 Lynn Carey – vocals Neil Merryweather – bass and backing vocals James Newton Howard – organ, piano, Ionic synthesizer Coffi Hall – drums and percussion Alan Hurtz – electric and acoustic guitar Produced by Neil Merryweather and James Vickers Engineers – James E. Vickers, Craig Davis, Chuck Johnson, Bobby Ross Album Design – Bill Levy Photography – Hank Dunning Songs Give It Everything I’ve Got I Wanna Be Your Woman Life Is Just A Four Letter Word Mama Never Told Me Crazy Place Dark Garden From Bad To Worse I’m Tired Griffins Saved In a nutshell … After the “Merryweather & Carey” days, Neil put together a new band, took them into Paramount Studios and cut some demos featuring Lynn Carey on lead vocals. Neil saw a restaurant called “Mama Lion’s” while driving in downtown LA and took the name for the new band. He played the demos for manager Ken Mansfield, ex A&R for Verve Records (later became Waylon Jennings manager). Ken signed the band to a management deal and played the tapes for Artie Ripp who signed them to his new label called “Family Productions” (Famous Music). When the organ player severely injured his arm, Neil found a new keyboard player named Jim Howard (James Newton Howard) and, Mama Lion recorded their first album at the Record Plant with Artie Ripp called “Preserve Wildlife”. Neil produced Mama Lion’s second album “Give It Everything I Got”. Neil starts the James Newton Howard solo project. Friend and fellow label mate Billy Joel played on some of Neil’s new songs. At one of the sessions, Neil records a demo for Billy of his song “Piano Man”. Neil leaves Mama Lion, Mama Lion breaks up shortly thereafter in Paris, France. Want to know more? Click here to read more in Neil’s interview with Ruth McCartney.