Coven formed in the late 1960’s following the breakup of garage band Him, Her and Them, landing in Chicago with a Mercury Records contract on the recommendation of Bill Traut, owner of famed Chicago label Dunwich Records. Their first album, which Traut produced, was called Witchcraft, one of the first satanic rock albums. One of the band’s claims to fame is the first use of the “devil horns” sign that was popularized by Black Sabbath and many subsequent metal bands; Coven preceded Black Sabbath chronologically and oddly, featured a member named Oz Osborne, not the same person as the Black Sabbath singer.  Further, a track from the first LP was called “Black Sabbath”.

The band found themselves out of favor with the label as their record coincided with the Charles Manson murders; the album was withdrawn by the label.  The band never recovered, disbanding and leaving Dawson to reform the band with different members and switch labels.  Two more albums were released, the self titled Coven in 1972 and Blood on the Snow in 1974, but neither broke through enough to sustain the band long term.  Coven is widely known for their version of “One Tin Soldier”,  from the movie Billy Jack, which was a national Top 40 hit on Warner Brothers label.  Jinx Dawson released one single on Buddah Records, “Driving Me Crazy/Darkness, Sweet Darkness”, in 1975.

Dawson, after a hiatus, returned to music in the 1990’s and has periodically reformed Coven to record and tour in the US and in Europe. Prophecy Records  released a limited box set containing several Coven vinyl records in 2019, while Real Gone Music reissued Witchcraft in 2018 and Blood on the Snow in 2019.