In early 1975, with Birtles, Goble and Pellicci aboard and the addition of Glenn Shorrock, the group were renamed Little River Band.
[1][2][3] The group were probably named after "Allison Gross",[2] which is a traditional English folk ballad,[4] with a widely recognised version recorded by Steeleye Span for their 1973 album, Parcel of Rogues.
[5] The band moved to Melbourne in 1971 and signed to Ron Tudor's Fable Records label and released two further singles: "If I Ask You" (July 1971) and "All the Days" (December 1971).
[6][7] Its success had immediately followed "Eagle Rock" by local band, Daddy Cool, which had held the number-one spot for 10 weeks.
[9] Early in 1972, Allison Gros were renamed as Mississippi with Goble, Johnson and Mower joined by session musicians: Geoff Cox on drums, Peter Jones on piano, Graeme Lyall on flute and Barry Sullivan on bass guitar.
[5] Mississippi was produced by Jones and Ern Rose via the Bootleg label, which had been set up by Tudor and Brian Cadd.
[1][3][10] According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, it "featured a harmony-rich rock sound heavily influenced by Crosby Stills Nash and Young and The Band.
In London Birtles, Goble and Pellici met with former Masters Apprentices bass guitarist, Glenn Wheatley, who agreed to become their manager should they decide to go back to Australia.