It's a Beautiful Day

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It's A Beautiful Day was a band formed in San Francisco in 1967, and was the brainchild of violinist and vocalist David LaFlamme. David had previously been in the band Orkustra. The other members were David's wife Linda (keyboards), Pattie Santos (vocals), Hal Wagenet (guitar), Mitchell Holman (bass) and Val Fuentes (drums). The group was a bit of a latecomer to the psychedelic scene, and is often considered to have been among the "second wave" bands that emerged from the San Francisco Bay Area.

The band's debut album, It's A Beautiful Day, released in 1969, featured the tracks "White Bird" (which quickly became a hit), "Hot Summer Day" and "Time Is". The vocals and violin playing of David LaFlamme plus Pattie Santos' singing drew a huge following in the Bay Area.

By 1970 the original lineup of the band had changed a little (David and Linda had split up: David stayed, Linda left the band, and Fred Webb replaced her), but their next album, Marrying Maiden, released in 1970, still included some popular tracks and didn't fail to chart.

The band continued to record (Choice Quality Stuff in 1971 and the live album Live At Carnegie Hall in 1972) and tour until 1974. Although they were still able to produce some very popular tunes, they failed to generate the interest they had enjoyed in previous years. In 1974, they dissolved. Sadly, Pattie Santos was killed in a car crash on December 14, 1989.

It's A Beautiful Day reunited in 1997. The band still features founder David LaFlamme and original drummer Val Fuentes. They have recently completed a string of shows in 2005 and plan to continue playing in 2006 and beyond.