The Sunshine Company - 1968 - The Sunshine Company

Back On The Street Again/ I Just Want To Be Your Friend/Happy/Blue May


The Sunshine Company was an American sunshine pop band from Los Angeles, California. Originally the duo of Mary Nance and Maury Manseau, the group signed to Imperial Records and released their debut album in 1967. They scored three hit singles on the U.S. singles chart over the next two years before disbanding after their third album, 1968's self-titled effort. Bassist Larry Sims and drummer Merle Bregante later backed Loggins and Messina.



The group was discovered by band manager of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Bill McEuen. McEuen proposed they record a single, titled Up, Up and Away, which would have been released had not the 5th Dimension released their own top ten version. Their first released single, "Happy", charted at number 50 nationally, while competing with another version by The Blades of Grass, and the band put The Sunshine Company to its name. Guitarist Douglas Mark joined to form a quintet as the band released their top 40 hit, "Back On the Street Again", but the band never again achieved such success.

 By the fall of 1967, the band released their debut LP under Imperial Records, titled Happy Is The Sunshine Company. It included their two charting singles and charted at number 126 on the Billboard 200. In 1968, the group released their last top 100 charting single, "Look Here Comes The Sun", charting at number 56. A further two albums were released in the year but success eluded the band. There was a proposed fourth album Think but The Sunshine Company broke up before recordings were complete.
Bregante now lives in Liberty Hill, Texas, where he has his own recording studio. Sims died in December 2014.

Members Mary Nance - vocals Maury Manseau - vocals, guitar  Douglas Mark - violin, guitar   Larry Sims - bass guitar   Merel Bregante - drums (usually referred to as Merel Brigante)   Dave Hodgkins - acoustic guitar (1968)

Album discography

    Happy Is the Sunshine Company (Imperial Records, 1967) U.S. #126
    The Sunshine Company (Imperial, 1968)
    Sunshine & Shadows (Imperial, 1968)




Charting singles

    "Happy" (15 July 1967) U.S. #50
    "Back on the Street Again" (25 November 1967) U.S. #36
    "Look, Here Comes the Sun" (10 February 1968) U.S. #56
    "Let's Get Together" (18 May 1968) U.S. #112
    "On a Beautiful Day" (27 July 1968) U.S. #106
    "Willie Jean" (19 October 1968) U.S. #111