A San Francisco psychedelic folk-rock unit which was primarily the vehicle of virtuoso violinist David LaFlamme. Although they were one of the earliest and most important San Francisco bands to emerge from the Summer of Love, they never quite had the success that so many of their fellow local musicians achieved. It’s A Beautiful Day created a unique blend of rock, jazz, folk, classical and world beat styles during the 7 years the band was officially together.

LaFlamme settled in the Bay Area in 1962, where he immersed himself in the local underground music scene, jamming alongside the likes of Jerry Garcia and Janis Joplin.

After his short-lived Electric Chamber Orchestra splintered, LaFlamme also co-founded an early incarnation of Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks before assembling It's a Beautiful Day in mid-1967. The group - which originally included LaFlamme's keyboardist wife Linda, vocalist Pattie Santos, guitarist Hal Wagenet, bassist Mitchell Holman and drummer Val Fuentes - issued its self-titled debut album on Columbia in 1969, scoring their biggest hit with the haunting White Bird.

Linda LaFlamme left soon after, going on to form Titus' Mother. Keyboardist Fred Webb signed on for the follow-up, 1970's Marrying Maiden.

In 1973, ongoing disputes over royalties forced LaFlamme out of the group he created. LaFlamme mounted a solo career in 1977 with White Bird, continuing his protracted legal tussle with ex-manager Matthew Katz for years to follow. Pattie Santos died in an auto accident in 1989.