Mike Hugg

The other one in Manfred Mann. He and Mann co-fronted the band through the 60s, got into advertising, writing a number of jingles, and eventually formed Manfred Mann Chapter Three, a jazzier, proggier extension of their radio-friendly incarnation. By the time Earth Band began, though, Hugg had gone on to record solo albums, the first being the quietly, tenderly stunning Somewhere.

Interesting in that it puts his rhythm-section proclivities—drums, vibes, and, most importantly, piano—at the center of the action. It's a dusky sort of beachy, balmy, like Dennis Wilson on a more upbeat day. He has a springy Randy Newman affectation and a certain genre ambidexterity, drifting from lilting California country to smudgy psych deftly.

Later in the 70s, he started a funky prog outfit, Hug. They put out one LP, Neon Dream, called it a day, and, barring the odd reunion here and there, he's remained quite low-profile ever since.