Mellotronists

While driving home from our show last night during a tornadic storm 
outbreak in my area, I had my local radio station on for weather 
updates.  I caught about the last half of a song that was stated to 
date from 1969 by a band called "Neon Philharmonic."  It had sort of 
a pop-prog, kind of an "American" Moodies feel to it, with a little 
of that "Love is Blue" vibe, and strings that were at times very 
Mellotronish and at times clearly real.  I don't recall ever having 
heard them or of them before.  Can anybody fill in the blanks on 
that, particularly the possibility of some early rock Mellotron use?