Hope (33)

1970s rock group from Beaumont, Texas. Hope was the brainchild of Kirk Williams, former lead guitarist and vocalist for Kirk Williams & the Daytrippers, a British Invasion-style band that at one time featured Mourning Sun's Bobby Welch. In 1971, Williams took up with Scott McGill, an up-and-coming guitar player who had shadowed Don Lackey for a spell. Following Boot Hill's separation, Bobby Gracia picked up the bass, with drummer Dean Jones joining shortly after. To add appeal to the live show, Williams recruited a pair of attractive sisters, Ann and Elaina Williams (no relation to Kirk), to sing harmonies and the occasional lead. Every member of Hope sang capably, allowing for multipart arrangements that earned comparison to Crosby, Stills & Nash. Late in '72, they brought "Tomorrow" and "Dream Away," both McGill/ Williams originals, to Lowlands, eventually issuing the songs on their own Renaissance imprint. - From the label Numero Group'