46 Years After Their First Hit, Missouri's Ozark Mountain Daredevils Are Still Raising Hell

There was a time, around Kansas City — and the whole country — when the Ozark Mountain Daredevils were the soundtrack of summer.

When you drove around town, “If You Wanna Get To Heaven” and “Jackie Blue” blasted from car stereos tuned to radio stations playing what we now refer to as classic rock. More rustic songs like “Standing on A Rock” and “Chicken Train” were cult favorites, perfect for singalongs around bonfires at the lake.

In this part of the country, everyone knew the Daredevils. Now, at an age when most bands are long past retirement, they’re still walking the rock-strewn path that got them here in the first place.

“The early days in KC for me were probably the most fun because it was all eye opening, you know? Everything was huge and a huge surprise for me at every turn,” says percussionist Ruell Chappell, who was in the band from 1976 to 1980 and rejoined in 2008.