Lost Dakotas

{{short description|Canadian alternative country band}}

{{for|the former exclave|Lost Dakota}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Lost Dakotas

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| landscape =

| background = group_or_band

| alias =

| origin = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| genre = alternative country

| years_active = {{start date|1989}}–{{end date|1996}}

| label = Cargo Records

| associated_acts =

| website =

| current_members =

| past_members = Greg McConnell
Paul Dakota
Adam Faux
Ron Duffy
Rick O'Brien
Tim Bovaconti
J.C. Orr

}}

Lost Dakotas was a Canadian alternative country band in the 1990s."Lost Dakotas find popularity with earthy approach to music". Halifax Chronicle-Herald, March 5, 1993. The band originally consisted of vocalist Paul Dakota and bassist Greg McConnell (formerly of Absolute Whores), who began in 1989 as a busking duo at the corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets in Toronto, Ontario."But does it beat busking?". The Globe and Mail, February 22, 1994."Dakotas get off street ... and hit highway". Toronto Star, March 11, 1993.

Dakota and McConnell added guitarist Adam Faux and drummer Ron Duffy for their 1990 debut, Love to Play. Initially released as a limited edition cassette, the album completely sold out in just two days."Gregarious Greg McConnell", The Globe and Mail, May 19, 1999. The band's visuals, including posters, album art and animated video clips, were created by artist Erella Vent.

1991's Last Train to Kipling (a reference to Kipling station on the Toronto Transit Commission's Bloor-Danforth subway line) stayed in the campus radio charts in Chart for over 100 weeks. The album was most noted for a countrified cover of AC/DC's "Back in Black"."Lost Dakotas found some raunch on new CD". Ottawa Citizen, January 20, 1994.

In 1992 Faux left to focus work on his previous band Pig Farm"Pigfarm drummer didn't miss a beat". Edmonton Journal, May 10, 1994. and was replaced by Rick O'Brien and later by Tim Bovaconti. The band supported the album with their first full-scale national tour in spring 1993.

Their third and final album, Sun Machine, was released in 1993 on Cargo Records."Lost Dakotas find new sound going un-unplugged". Edmonton Journal, December 6, 1994. The album included a cover of Ned Sublette's "Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other", 13 years before the song was made famous by Willie Nelson. At the 1993 Kumbaya Festival, the band performed the song live with rock singer Lee Aaron as guest vocalist."AIDS benefit concert goes over big 3 ways". Toronto Star, September 6, 1993. For their 1994 tour to support that album, the band was also joined by J.C. Orr, formerly of King Apparatus, as a second guitarist.

The band's final recording was a cover of Bob Snider's "You" on the 1996 tribute album Poetreason: The Songs of Bob Snider."How EMI signed busker Bob Rags-to-records tale brings Snider to Yellow Door". Montreal Gazette, November 4, 1995.

McConnell went on to form Stratochief, but died in 1999. He was replaced by Scott Bradshaw, who performed as the band's vocalist on both of their recorded albums."Scott B. Sympathy lets in a little light". Brantford Expositor, May 23, 2002. Erella Vent, now Erella Ganon, continues as an illustrator and writer. Adam Faux currently leads two bands with drummer Topher Stott, Hot Fo Gandhi and The Tiny Specks.