At one point, the band consisted of three keyboardists, with fellow Cornell alumnus Sherman Kelly (who wrote 'Dancing in the Moonlight') joining Altbach and Robinson on the instrument. French musician Didier Alexandre was among the first to join the quartet, becoming a member of the group in the early 1970s. Although the band's membership fluctuated constantly over the next five years, it always included its four core co-founders. However, one by one, each of the four former bandmates would migrate to Paris that same year, where they reformed King Harvest, now as expatriates.

The group broke up for the first time in 1971. At this point, the group primarily played cover tunes by such artists as Sly and the Family Stone, Jimi Hendrix, and The Band, among others, at fraternities, bars, and other local colleges. King Harvest's original four members first formed the group in 1969 in Ithaca, New York, where all four - Dave 'Doc' Robinson ( lead vocals/ bass/ keyboards), Ron Altbach (keyboards), Ed Tuleja ( guitar), and Rod Novak ( saxophone) - were attending Cornell University. They took their name after the 1969 song ' King Harvest (Has Surely Come)' by The Band, one of their musical influences. They are known for their 1972 hit single ' Dancing in the Moonlight'. King Harvest was a 1970s French-American rock band who was formed initially in Ithaca, New York State, U.S., but broke up and reformed in Paris where they began recording their first songs.

King harvest dancing in the moonlight