Timeline/1960s

1966

Summer 1966: Houstonians Mayo Thompson and Frederick Barthelme work on an unfinished film. They eventually abandon the project and decide to start a band, The Red Crayola
September 1966: The Red Crayola line-up adds Steve Cunningham, Bonnie Emerson, and Danny Schacht. The line-up soon consolidates to Mayo Thompson (guitar, vocals), Frederick Barthelme (drums), Steve Cunningham (bass).
Late 1966-1967: The group plays live shows around Houston, Texas
December 16, 1966: First known published mention of the group

Flyer for show on January 14, 1967
Article in the Houston Chronicle, January 18, 1967
The Red Crayola performing live, 1967: Mayo Thompson, Frederick Barthelme, Steve Cunningham

February 1967: Record producer Bob Steffek approaches the group to record a single after hearing Thompson play "Mother" live. The band's first recording session results in an unreleased single Dairymaid's Lament / Free Piece.

March 1967: Following a performance in the KNUZ Battle of the Bands, Lelan Rogers signs The Red Crayola signs to independent label International Artists.
March? 1967: The Red Crayola records demos for their first album
April 1, 1967: "Free Form Freak-Out" recording session with The Familiar Ugly

April 5, 1967: Second recording session
April 10, 1967: Third recording session: "Pink Stainless Tail", "Hurricane Fighter Plane", "War Sucks", "F.R.E.D.", "Concrete Block". Roky Erickson from The Thirteenth Floor Elevators added harmonica to "Transparent Radiation" and keyboard to "Hurricane Fighter Plane"
April 13 & 19, 1967: Mono mix
April 25, 1967: Mastering
May 11, 1967: Unknown fourth recording session (2:30pm - 5:00pm)
May 25, 1967: Mixing
June 7 & 9, 1967: Final mixing, editing
June 1967: The Red Crayola's first album The Parable of Arable Land is released

July 1967: The group travels to California to perform at the Angry Arts & Berkeley Folk Festivals (later released as Live 1967)
July 1967: Recording session with guitarist John Fahey. Their label International Artists forces the group to hand over the tapes to return to Houston
1967: The band breaks up; Frederick Barthelme moves to New York

Late 1967: The Parable of Arable Land was an unexpected success so International Artists asks for another album. The band reforms as "The Red Krayola" with a new drummer. The new line-up is Mayo Thompson (guitar, vocals), Steve Cunningham (bass), Tommy Smith (drums)

January 16, 1968: The group is interviewed by Mother magazine
February? 1968: Sessions for the band's second commercially released album
May 1968: Second album God Bless the Red Krayola and All Who Sail With It is released

1969: Thompson and Cunningham visit New York to consider working on Opera for Five
1969: Mayo Thompson illustrates Frederick Barthelme's first book, Rangoon