How it all began
Randy Lewis, Bryan Cole, Jimmy O'Neill, Steve McRay
The Band formed in 1972, with core members from the Florida band "Stonehenge". The band name derived from jazz great "Mose Allison' and a family dog named "Jones". Initially the band was created with Clay Watkins on keys, then during the recording of their first album, replaced by long-time friend Steve McRay (keys and vocals), who had just returned from his stint with the US ARMY and serving in Vietnam. In 1972 Mose Jones was the first band signed by Al Kooper for his startup Atlanta label "Sounds of the South" on MCA Records. Al's "Blues Project" was chosen, and a band named "Elijah". The other band signed to the new label was a little band from Jacksonville that had been playing in Atlanta - that band's name was "Lynyrd Skynyrd".