The Doors

Formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1965, The Doors were a defining psychedelic rock band of the 1960s, rather than a blues ensemble. The group featured vocalist Jim Morrison (born 1943; died 1971), keyboardist Ray Manzarek (born 1939; died 2013), guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. Recording for Elektra Records, their music was an atmospheric blend of rock, jazz, cabaret, and poetry. However, they were deeply influenced by the blues; they regularly integrated covers of Chicago blues staples (such as Howlin' Wolf's "Back Door Man" and John Lee Hooker's "Crawling King Snake") into their live sets and studio albums. While their adaptations brought significant royalties and new audiences to foundational blues songwriters like Willie Dixon, The Doors fundamentally operated as a commercial rock band utilizing blues as a stylistic ingredient.