aka: Nighthawks, Double Trouble
Active Years: 1974-1977
Genre: Blues
Base Location: Eugene, Oregon
Crayhawks Lineup:
- Richard Cousins – Bass (also played in Foghorn Leghorn from Tacoma)
- Robert Cray – Guitar, Vocals
- Dave “Thor” Olson – Drums
- Curtis Salgado – Harp, Vocals
- Dave “D.K.” Stewart – Piano, Vocals
Their run was about ’74 to ’77. They were a s$#* hot outfit of equal parts of finesse and fiery energy. On a good night nobody could touch them. Besides playing twin bills as Double Trouble, they had gigs as the Crayhawks with Cray, Richard Cousins, DK Stewart, Curt Salgado and Dave Olson on drums.
Salgado befriended John Belushi while Curt was still in the Nighthawks (and Belushi was in Eugene filming “Animal House”) and turned him onto blues and R&B. This was the inspiration for the Blues Brothers which had its start as a skit on SNL.
Besides Salgado, both Stewart and Dave Olson would go on to play in later line-ups of the Robert Cray Band. Stewart would also play in the Paul DeLay Band for a spell before launching a successful regional career.
-Bruce Partridge, April 2007
Source: PNW Bands