The Brogues was a Merced, California band formed in 1964 by Eddie Rodrigues (guitar), Rick Campbell (organ), Greg Elmore (drums) and Bill Whittington (bass).[1] They became a five-piece when guitarist Gary Grubb (also known as Gary Cole, and better known as Gary Duncan) joined.
The band recorded only six songs: a demo session for "Someday" and "Journey", and two released singles "Someday"/"But Now I Find" and "(I Ain't No) Miracle Worker"/"Don't Shoot Me Down".
"(I Ain't No) Miracle Worker" is their best known song. It has been included in the compilations Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968 and Trash Box, and has been covered by several groups, including The Chocolate Watch Band,[1] The Chesterfield Kings and The Barracudas. There is also an Italian version by I Corvi, titled "Ragazzo di Strada".[2] "Don't Shoot Me Down" has been included in Pebbles, Volume 10 (LP).
The band dissolved in 1965 when Rodrigues joined the U.S. Army.[1] Gary Grubb and Greg Elmore later joined San Francisco-based Quicksilver Messenger Service, and received acclaim and relatively wide commercial success.