{{Short description|American folk musician and bassist (1939–1998)}} {{Infobox person | name = Oz Bach | image = <!-- just the filename, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing brackets --> | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Paul Michael Bach | birth_date = {{Birth date|1939|06|24}} | birth_place = Paw Paw, West Virginia | death_date = {{Death date and age|1998|09|21|1939|06|24}} | death_place = Asheville, North Carolina | other_names = | known_for = Bass player for Spanky and Our Gang | occupation = }} '''Paul Michael''' "'''Oz'''" '''Bach''' (June 24, 1939 – September 21, 1998) was an American folk musician and bassist for the 1960s group Spanky and Our Gang.
Bach entered music in 1962 as a guitarist, singer and comedian, before switching to bass in 1963. He then played as a back-up musician for Fred Neil, Tom Paxton, Bob Gibson and Josh White. In 1965, Bach and his friend Nigel Pickering made the acquaintance of Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane, a singer from Chicago. The three later became Spanky and Our Gang. The trio released their eponymous debut album in 1967.<ref name=All/>
He left the band prior to the release of their second album ''Like to Get to Know You'' in 1968. He then began to work as an arranger for Linda Ronstadt, Steve Miller and Sérgio Mendes. In the late sixties, Bach joined bands such as Wings, Spooner Summit,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spankyandourgang.com/ozbach/Spooner.html|title=Spooner Summit|publisher=spankyandourgang.com|accessdate=2012-12-03}}</ref> and Tarantula.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spankyandourgang.com/ozbach/Tarantula.html|title=Tarantula|publisher=Spankyandourgang.com|accessdate=2012-12-03}}</ref>
After 1972, Bach started a talk show in Florida and directed an award-winning short film "Froggy Went A-Courtin'" (1977).<ref name=All>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/oz-bach-mn0001251834|title=Oz Bach – Music Biography|publisher=Allmusic|last=Eder|first=Bruce|accessdate=2012-12-03}}</ref>
Bach died of cancer in September 1998. He was buried at the Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory Cemetery at Pisgah Forest, North Carolina. He was married four times and had seven children: Philip, Kelly, Kim, Jessica, Sarah, Belinda and Jonathan.
==Discography== * ''Spanky and Our Gang'' (1967) * ''Like to Get to Know You'' (1968) * ''Live'' (1965 - released 1968) * ''Wings'' (1968) * ''Tarantula'' (1969)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Find a Grave |7115398 |Paul Michael "Oz" Bach |work=Folk Musician |author=K |date=January 25, 2003 |accessdate=December 3, 2012}} *[http://www.spankyandourgang.com/ozbach/Oz.html Spanky and Our Gang homepage]
{{Spanky and Our Gang}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bach, Oz}} Category:1939 births Category:1998 deaths Category:American folk musicians Category:American rock bass guitarists Category:American male bass guitarists Category:20th-century American bass guitarists Category:Deaths from cancer in North Carolina Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:Spanky and Our Gang members Category:People from Morgan County, West Virginia Category:Musicians from West Virginia