Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen were true country-rock and Americana pioneers. Their unique, uncompromising brew of rockabilly, R&B, honky-tonk, Western swing, and Bakersfield twang set them apart and even yielded a 1972 hit cover of the ’50s country-rapper “Hot Rod Lincoln.” After disbanding in 1976, pianist-rapper Cody (George Frayne), Dieselbilly king Bill Kirchen, and steel guitarist Bobby Black kept that spirit alive in their solo careers.

Back from the Ozone reunites original members Kirchen, Black, fiddler-saxophonist Andy Stein, rhythm guitarist/singer John Tichy, and rock-solid bassist Buffalo Bruce Barlow; Frayne died in 2021. Filling in are steel guitarist Peter Siegel, pianist/singer (and longtime Kirchen associate) Austin de Lone, and drummer Paul Revelli, all familiar with the legacy.

With half the songs Cody/Airmen favorites, Kirchen handles most vocals and unleashes his Tele in the right spots; particularly his ripping break on “Olivette,” 89-year-old Black’s steel remains polished and masterful. On the newer ballad “I Can’t Get High,” Tichy humorously addresses the newly legal world of pot. The Western-swing anthem “My Window Faces the South,” an Airman staple, showcases Kirchen, Stein, de Lone, and Black swinging with authority.

The early Airmen were audacious. They’re veterans now, yet that old attitude remains.

This article originally appeared in VG’s February 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.