Montello, WI-based psychedelic pop quartet Underground Sunshine comprised singer/guitarist Chris Connors (aka John Dahlberg), keyboardist Jane Little, German-born Bert Kohl on bass, and his brother, Frank, on drums. In mid-1969, the group scored a left-field Billboard Top 40 hit with their debut single, a cover of the Beatles' "Birthday"; that August 2, Underground Sunshine even performed the song on television's American Bandstand. Their debut LP, Let There Be Light, soon followed, although the single "Don't Shut Me Out" fell just shy of the Hot 100 -- the song was written by soft pop maestro David Gates, years later leading to false rumors that Underground Sunshine was in fact a precursor to Gates' own band, Bread. In 1970 Underground Sunshine resurfaced with "Nine to Five (Ain't My Bag)," which missed the charts completely; when their reading of "Jesus Is Just Alright" met the same fate, the group dissolved. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
