One of the first bands Randy Meisner was a founder of is a band called the Drivin’ Dynamics in Scottsbluff, NE. It was first formed in 1961 as the Dynamics, and they later changed the name to the Drivin’ Dynamics. Sometime in 1966 they competed in a Battle of the Bands contest in Denver.* They did not win, but the Soul Survivors band (of Denver) was there looking for a new bass player and asked Randy to join their band. He did join and moved to Colorado, and the Soul Survivors stayed in Denver for a short time and then moved to California. Since there was already a band called the Soul Survivors in California, they changed their name to the North Serrano Blues Band briefly and then to The Poor.
There is more info on this page.