18 Facts About Drake Levin

Drake Levin's addition helped establish Paul Revere and the Raiders as a premier showband in the Northwest United States.

Drake Levin's performances included synchronized dance steps, playing on his knees, standing on his amplifier and playing his guitar behind his head.

Drake Levin said that Drake's playing had inspired him and said he was a really good showman.

Drake Levin's blues-based guitar style helped drive the band's raw, edgy sound.

Drake Levin's synchronized dance steps and stage antics with fellow Raider bassist Phil "Fang" Volk earned the pair the nickname "The Twins".

In 1966, Drake Levin left the performing version of the band to fulfill his military service obligation by joining the National Guard.

Drake Levin retained the original family name Levinshefski for the writer's credit.

When Volk became ill and could not tour, Drake Levin stepped in to cover for his friend on a few dates, filling in on bass.

When Drake Levin's performing replacement, Valley, decided to leave The Raiders after a little over a year with the group, Drake Levin again stepped in to help the band finish its spring 1967 tour.

Drake Levin was to perform with the Raiders on the Ed Sullivan Show on April 30,1967, but band leader Paul Revere was upset at the pending departure of Volk and drummer Mike "Smitty" Smith and believed Drake Levin to be partially responsible.

Unknown to the group, Revere had hired a replacement guitarist, Freddy Weller, to perform with the group on the Sullivan show, leaving Drake Levin to watch the Raiders only Ed Sullivan Show performance as a spectator.

Volk and Smith left the band after the Sullivan performance and Drake Levin re-teamed with them in Brotherhood.

Drake Levin owned and played a triple-pickup Epiphone Crestwood Custom Deluxe in his early Raiders days, including the pilot episode of Where The Action Is.

Drake Levin was seen televised with a Vox Phantom VI, because of the band's Vox endorsement deal.

Drake Levin did use bandmate Phil Volk's 1960 Fender Stratocaster in the studio.

Drake Levin subsequently performed with artists such as Ananda Shankar, Emitt Rhodes, and Lee Michaels.

Drake Levin participated in reunions of various ex-members of the Raiders, and worked with his friend Phil Volk on several occasions.

Drake Levin died of cancer July 4,2009 at his home in San Francisco, with his wife Sandra at his side.