During the mid-1960s, Sam Shepard played drums for the Holy Modal Rounders. He also wrote some material. At first, he didn't even tell the band that he was writing plays. According to Antonia, one of the other band members, "He didn't tell people about that part of his life. Every once in a while I'd meet someone and we would be busy talking and they would say 'You mean Sam Shepard the off Broadway playwright that won three Obies?' and I'd say 'No, Sam Shepard the drummer.'"