The Beau Brummels were an American rock band, formed in San Francisco in 1964. The band's original lineup included Sal Valentino (lead vocals), Ron Elliott (lead guitar), Ron Meagher (bass guitar), Declan Mulligan (rhythm guitar, bass, harmonica), and John Petersen (drums). Although their initial musical style blended beat music and folk music and typically drew comparisons to The Beatles, the Beau Brummels later worked with other music genres such as psychedelic rock and country rock.
The band broke into the mainstream with their debut single, "Laugh, Laugh," for which they would later be credited for setting the aesthetic foundation for the San Francisco Sound. The band's popularity continued with the subsequent album, 1965's Introducing the Beau Brummels, and top 10 single "Just a Little." Although the group's commercial success dwindled by the following year, their albums of the late 1960s received critical acclaim.
The band underwent several personnel changes, beginning with Mulligan's departure in 1965. Guitarist Don Irving joined the band in late 1965 when Elliott began to suffer seizures resulting from his diabetic condition, leaving him unable to tour with the band. Shortly after the release of Beau Brummels '66, Irving left the group when he received an induction notice into the armed forces. Petersen left to join Harpers Bizarre. The Beau Brummels were a trio for 1967's Triangle album. Meagher was drafted for military service in 1968, leaving Valentino and Elliott as the only remaining band members for that year's Bradley's Barn album. The duo parted ways in 1969 to record solo material and participate in projects by other artists. The five original Beau Brummels reformed in 1974, and the band released an eponymous album the following year