After a fifteen minute audition, Bolin was invited to join. The remaining James Gang members contacted Tommy Bolin from a band called Zephyr, on the recommendation of Joe Walsh. After two mediocre albums, "Straight Shooter" and "Passin’ Thru", Troiano left the band in 1973 and accepted an invitation the next year to join the Canadian group Guess Who and played lead guitar on their hit, "Clap For The Wolfman". Replacing Walsh were two Canadian musicians, singer Roy Kenner and guitarist Dominic Troiano, who had gained some notoriety in the Toronto area with a band called Mandela. A fourth album, "Live in Concert" marked the end of Walsh's term with The James Gang as he split for a solo career. After opening for The Who on their European tour, the band released "Thirds" in 1971, which also went Gold, and featured the singles "Walk Away" (#51) and "Midnight Man" (#80). Complete with a new bassist, Dale Peters, and a stronger batch of songs, including the #59 single "Funk #49", the album went Gold.
The James Gang's second album, "The James Gang Rides Again" in 1970, was its most successful. Walsh re-energized the group with his innovative instrumentals and The James Gang released their debut recording, "Yer' Album", which rose to #83 on the Billboard charts later that year. His replacement was Joe Walsh, who was lured away from a band called The Measles. Touring the Midwest United States, the band quickly gained a reputation as one of the best live acts around, but in April, 1969, Schwartz left to join a group called Pacific Gas And Electric, who would reach #14 in 1970 with "Are You Ready?". Formed in Cleveland in 1966, the band was originally conceived by drummer Jim Fox as a quintet, but was quickly scaled down to a power trio completed by bassist Tom Kriss and guitarist Glen Schwartz. In the early '70s, The James Gang was one of the top Hard-Rock acts in America.