Career
Though primarily a backing vocalist and occasional percussionist on congas or maracas, he sang lead on the song "The Cover of Rolling Stone", the band"s best-known song, and was a recognisable presence in the band due to the eyepatch and cowboy hat he wore. Sawyer lost his right eye in a 1967 automobile accident. He said the following about his life around the time of his accident: "I must have played all the clubs from Houston to Charleston until I decided I was going insane from too much beans and music, and I gave it up.
I saw a John Wayne movie and proceeded to Portland, Oregon, to be a logger complete with plaid shirt, caulk boots, and pike pole.
On the way my car slipped on the road and the accident left me with the eye patch I now wear. When I recovered I ran straight back to the beans and music and vowed, "here I"ll stay".".