John Dillon: The Ozark Mountain Daredevils

“We were all hippies,” is how John Dillon introduces the early days of The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, a rock band formed in 1971 in Springfield. “There was lots of freedom, incredible amounts of fun, huge amounts of spiritual creative energy and no money.”

Since the ’70s, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils have toured the globe, released numerous albums and had many musical eras. Today, the band features founding members Dillon and Michael “Supe” Granda, along with Ruell Chappell, Ron Gremp, Dave Painter, Kelly Brown, Nick Sibley and Molly Healey. The original lineup also included Steve Cash, Larry Lee, Randy Chowning and Buddy Brayfield. Bill Jones, Elizabeth Anderson and Rick Campanelli were contributors in the early days of the band. They recorded their very first album in London, England, at Olympic Studios with legendary producer Glyn Johns, who worked with many other iconic artists such as the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin and the Eagles. “A couple of guys had never even been on an airplane,” Dillon says. “Next thing you know, you go to London and you record a record.” He describes the experience of recording their first album as scary, magical and intimidating. “We were in territory that was unknown to us,” he says. “It’s hard to describe something like that. It just overtakes you, and you’re thrust into a business or a world that you had no idea even existed.”

That world led them to a life of adventure, thrills and countless unpredictable moments. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils went on to have many well-known and number-one hits like “Jackie Blue” and “If You Wanna Get to Heaven.” They recorded six albums plus the packages Greatest Hits and Best Of with A&M Records—the world’s largest independent recording label at the time, prior to its merging into Universal Music Group. They also later released a self-titled album with Columbia Records. They met legendary artists most only dream of seeing live on stage. Paul McCartney is famously photographed wearing an Ozark Mountain Daredevils T-shirt after trading shirts with Supe.

The band’s identity is deeply rooted in the Ozarks—a connection they’ve never strayed from. “Our songs come from a shared sense of place,” Dillon says, “and that place is this place. Whether it’s rock and roll or country or bluegrass or gospel or whatever it is we’re doing, there’s something about living here—being here, going to school here, having friends here—that has always led to that creative spirit that brings those songs to the surface.” It’s why Dillon remains in the Ozarks. You might see him rocking out at Juanita K Hammons Center for the Performing Arts one night and run into him at the post office the next morning. He is someone who follows his instincts and stays true to himself.

Reflecting on unforgettable moments with the band, Dillon holds tight to the memories but chooses to focus on the future. “I think reliving moments is difficult,” Dillon says. “What I look forward to is the next moment, hoping that I want to relive it.”

On the Horizon

After 53 years on the road touring, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils are ready to close this chapter. “We would like to end the touring phase of our lives with a little dignity and grace,” Dillon says. “We’re landing the plane, but we’re not leaving the terminal.” The end of 2025 will mark the conclusion of the band’s touring career. The final tour, which began in January at Kansas State University, will wrap up in November with three consecutive performances at the Juanita K. Hammons Center for the Performing Arts on the Missouri State University campus. On November 13, the Daredevils will perform with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. On November 14, they’ll host a “generations” show: the first half will feature local artists and bands performing a mix of original music and deep cuts from the Daredevils’ history. The second half will be a Daredevils set with special guest appearances. The grand finale on November 15 will feature over two hours of performances from The Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

While Dillon and the band might play one-off shows here and there and even record new music in the future, they’re looking forward to focusing their energy on other interests beyond touring. One of those is Ozark Dry Gin, which won a silver medal at the 2024 San Francisco Spirits Competition and a gold medal from the Beverage Testing Institute in 2023. They’re also excited about their collaboration with Brown Derby on the Maker’s Mark Private Selection bourbon, first released around Christmas, with plans for a re-release later this year.

As for Dillon, “The great thing about having no idea, is the excitement of having no idea,” he says. “I know that there’s gonna be creativity. I’ve been called to do this for so many years, so there’ll be something hopefully in the creative world. And I’ll just keep rocking.”