1969 had been a monumentally successful year for Joe Cocker, who, along with the Grease Band, had engaged in a grueling tour schedule in support of his first two albums. Initially formed in 1966, the Grease Band had evolved over the previous three years and Cocker's touring lineup featured Henry McCullough on lead guitar (who would go on to join Paul McCartney's first post-Beatles group, Wings), Chris Stainton on keyboards (a future mainstay of Eric Clapton's touring bands), rhythm guitarist Neal Hubbard and bassist Alan Spenner (both of whom would join the British soul combo Kokomo), and future Fairport Convention drummer Bruce Rowland.