[1] It consisted of Jack Nitzsche (piano), Ben Keith (steel guitar), Tim Drummond (bass) and Kenny Buttrey (drums); the latter replaced during the Time Fades Away tour by Johnny Barbata.
Former Crazy Horse rhythm guitarist Danny Whitten briefly joined the group in 1972 but was fired by Young due to his poor performance during tour rehearsals, precipitating his death from an accidental overdose immediately thereafter.
While in Nashville to tape an episode of The Johnny Cash Show, Young was convinced to record some of his new tracks in Elliot Mazer's Quadrafonic Sound Studios.
Thereafter, Nitzsche eschewed live performance in favor of a career as a prolific record producer and film scorer, culminating in the 1983 Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Up Where We Belong".
Young reconvened The Stray Gators for his 1992 Harvest Moon album, with Spooner Oldham replacing Nitzsche on keyboards.