Rusty Wier - Rusty & Son (1999)

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It's been some time since I last posted some Rusty Wier, but I'm more than making up for that right now (and a big thank you Frank for that). This is Rusty playing with son Coby, doing a live show that's as good as it gets. It'll put a smirk on your face as well, for Rusty's quite the storyteller with a great sense of humor. For your convenience, I would classify this as Outlaw Country, though musically there's a lot of similarities to Southern Rock. Tasty picking, characteristic vocals, good songs, great vibe. Eight songs making up for 58 minutes of good time music. Not much I can add to what I said in previous posts, but this is by no means any less than his best. Quervo's Gold?

The Outlaws - Live At Reading (1986)

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A nice set of Classic Southern Rock for you here, to warm your hearts during the holidays. Almost classic Outlaws line-up as well, since this show features both Hughie Thomasson and Henry Paul. Excellent recording of The Outlaws promoting their 1986 album "Soldiers Of Fortune", this is what Southern Rock was meant to sound like. Makes me wonder if any new bands are playing Southern Rock like this. You know, with lots of attention being given to arrangement, big intros, sweet harmonies... And whatever happened to that "One An Outlaw" album?! Anyhoo, this is The Outlaws at their very best. Just the way I like it. ;)

Bonnie Bramlett - Sweet Bonnie Bramlett (1973)

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I haven't posted much Bonnie Bramlett before, but this was requested. So, here you have. It's Bonnie's first solo album and it's a very Soulful affair. Not my rip and I'm hoping for an upgrade in the future. Nevertheless, this is the voice alright. You might know her from her work with Delaney, you might know her for being the only white Ikette, but diehard Southern Rock fans will surely know her from contributions as a back-up singer for many Southern Rock releases in the 70's. And what a voice this woman has! Though this rip of the album is somewhat crackly, it's still well-worth checking out. Fired up Southern Soul Rock, guaranteed to show you a good time. And Bonnie Bramlett is still a force to be reckoned with. For those of you reluctant getting this: if you dig Wet Willie, you will surely dig this as well! Good vibrations!

The J.J. Muggler Band - J.J. Muggler (1994)

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This is The J.J. Muggler's debut album, released in 1994. It's a fine slab of juicy Southern Rock, leaning slightly more towards Blues Rock than my previous post. Still, this will surely have you grinning along the way. Excellent playing, gritty vocals and great songs. Louisiana Born & Raised!

James Montgomery - Duck Fever (1979)

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James Montgomery released his first two albums on the Capricorn label, which is my reason for posting this album. Those albums were basically harmonica driven Blues Rock albums, not very adventurous. This album however, is a vast improvement over his first outings. This is the kind of music that makes me wanna get up and dance. (Of course I don't actually do that, since I'm too cool to dance ;-)) If you dig Elvin Bishop or Wet Willie, pay attention. Here's some fine funky music for y'all. And thanks to Luc for supplying this. Some great songs and a very nice sound, without James' harmonica getting in the way too much. It features a nice cover version of The Meters' "Fire On The Bayou" and I love "Not Your Clown". Good time music for those of you that are living for the weekend...

Delta Rebels - Down In The Dirt (1989)

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Delta Rebels was a band that should appeal to fans of the Georgia Satellites. The band features Eddy Shaver (son of legend Billy Joe) and Steve Ingle of Creed. Hardly any subtleties here, this is typically no holds barred, in your face Southern Hard Rock & Roll. In my opinion better than your average Southern Boogie band, I quite enjoyed this album. The playing and singing is just alright. If you're gonna throw a party with lots of beer, this is your soundtrack, boys and girls. Kickin' down the night ;-)

Henry Paul Band - Grey Ghost (1979)

Henry Paul, a founding member of The Outlaws, has produced some great music with several groups in the Southern Rock and County Rock world. He started out in Tampa based Sienna around 1971 with Jim Fish, Monte Yoho and Frank O'Keefe, the former with the HPB and the latter two future Outlaws. After 3 albums with The Outlaws, Henry left in 1977 following "Hurry Sundown", forming the Henry Paul Band within a year.

They recorded 4 albums with "Grey Ghost" as the first and well done effort. Henry rejoined The Outlaws from 1983-1989 during the "Soldiers of Fortune" period. Since 2008, Henry has been involved with both Blackhawk and The Outlaws - after HT "Flame" passed. His easily identifiable voice, that fronted Blackhawk from 1992, is in good form here. Varied instrumentation, including keyboards and harmonica, provides some extra interest, and a jazzy hint of Sea Level.

Henry was a big part of the "Brothers of the Southland" project with Jimmy Hall, Dan Toler and Bo Bice which released a single album in 2009.

The other LPs from the HPB are "Feel the Heat", "Anytime", and lastly the self-titled one that usually begins a groups recording output, "Henry Paul Band".

Highlights: "Grey Ghost" a tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd's Ronnie Van Zant.
"So Long" also a track on the 2012 Outlaws album "It's About Pride".
"Wood Wind" an acoustic guitar work coming in under a minute.

Check this out - it's one that's worth being very familiar with. The harmonies are tight (think The Eagles), and the 3 guitar attack sizzles.

There are lots of credits on the back cover, even road personnel, but nothing on the horns added to "One-Night Stands".

Band members: Henry Paul (g, v), Jim Fish (lg, v), Bill Crain (lg), Barry Rapp (k, v), Wally Dentz (b, v, harm), Bill Hoffman (d) and special guest Joe Lala (perc).

"As the Autumn wind whispers through the tall and lonely pines, And the hour of fate is drawing close at hand, A free bird falling from the sky Brings a bitter end to another Southern man... Grey Ghost!"

Rich Mountain Tower - Rich Mountain Tower (1971)

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Rich Mountain Tower was a band from Tennessee. They put out three album, this one being their debut. Released in 1971, this is Southern Rock avant la lettre, really. The album has more similarities with Crosby, Stills & Nash than any Allman Brothers album. People that enjoy The Ozark Mountain Daredevils may very well enjoy this too. Some great harmonies and, if you can look past the hippie sensibilities of this album, some wonderful songs, that are sure to grow on you. Since there is hardly any information about this band to be found on the web, I will give you all the information provided to me by Pete, who sent this rip. Thanks Pete!
Rich MOuntain Tower - Rich Mountain Tower (Ovation Records - 1971 OV/14-12 Quadraphonic LP)
Side 1:
Uncle Bob White (Paul) 5:11
Circle Sky Moon Mix (Haspel, McNamee) 4:19
Thank You Maggie (Paul) 3:48
If You Dont Look Back (Haspel) 3:16
Our Passage Home (Paul) 3:40
Side 2:
He Ain't Got No Color, Boys (Carr, Paul, Tuccillo, Garrett) 4:09
Song of the Sea (Paul) 2:55
The Same Thing Applies to Me That Applies to You (Paul) 3:50
One Last Farewell (Paul) 2:42
Marie (Paul) 2:36
The band: David Carr - Lead /Rhythm Guitar; Sandy Garrett - Bass/Acoustic Guitar, Lead & Backing Vocals; Doug "Red Buddy" Moisson - Lead Guitar, Pedal Steel, Acoustic Guitar, Banjo, Vocals; Dana Paul - Lead Vocals 12 Str Guitar, Mandolin , Keyboards, Harmonica; Bob Tucillo - Drums, Percussion
Guesting: Randy Haspel - Guitars, Vocals; Lamonte "skip" Ousley - Conga, Persussion; Charlie McCoy - Harmonica; Weldon Myrick - Peal Steel Guitar; Don Tweedy - Moog on "Maggie"; Sonny Pittman - Bass on "Maggie & the Sea"; John 'Hoffy" Hoffman - Banjo
It's a very fine album, so check out Rich Mountain Tower.

A new rip was sent to me by Mike. Made from a pristine copy, he did a 24/96 hi-rez rip of the record (acquired at 24/192). These a wv files/. Get it here!

Fountainhead (Ken Griffen) interview

Unknown to many people, almost mythical for some ones due to their 1981 "Live", Fountainhead is a band from Connecticut which was at its best on the wrong time, on a commercial point of view. Ken Griffen, one of the band founding members, tells us the story.

English version of Bands Of Dixie interview

Fountainhead - Straight From The Source's Mouth (1982) on Skydog's Elysium.

Mose Jones raises $8,150 for the release of his unreleased 1980 album (with the original version of "Alien")

Link to Kickstarter
Mose Jones stuff on Skydog's Elysum:
Mose Jones - Mose Knows (1974)
Mose Jones - Get Right (1974)
Mose Jones - Blackbird (1978)
Jimmy O'Neill - Popular Car (1984)

Bryan Cole interviews for Bands Of Dixie:
First interview
Second interview
 
Steve McRay : "The moment Fate and Purpose walked into my life was towards the end of 2012...long time friend and Mose Jones alumni Bryan Cole passed, and went on to join Randy Lewis and Jimmy O'Neill onstage in the next life. While the feelings of losing my good friend were fresh, the master recordings of the 4th Mose Jones album, which had recently found their way into my hands, came forward to finally be released...these were the final and last recordings of Mose Jones! And with them, the fruition and legacy of our Southern Rock band Mose Jones.

I instinctively knew that this privilege had fallen on me and I called on Mose Jones alumni Marvin Taylor. It is our honor to dedicate the "Lost / Found" project in memory of Randy Lewis, Jimmy O'Neill, and Bryan Cole (friends and original members of Mose Jones) and Tad Bush (friend, engineer extraordinaire and co-producer on the Blackbird LP plus "Lost /Found"), and Chuck Fowler (our friend and stage tech).

It is now our pleasure to offer these once lost and now found recordings of the 4 men who were known as "Mose Jones" 1977 to 1980...and help us fulfill the undeniable Mose Jones legacy while solidifying our place in the history of Southern Rock bands.

I know that we had many devoted friends and fans that bought and listened to our first RCA album BLACKBIRD - and we still have many friends and fans that would love to hear these final Mose Jones recordings, especially since many heard us play these songs live before we broke up in 1980.

The "Lost / Found" album will take you back to a time when Mose Jones was serving up their signature brand of Southern Rock, and adding their own spicy flavors and funk to the organic rock songs of the day - a CD to share with friends who never heard of us before...you know, and maybe make some new friends and turn on some new listeners along the way.

WHAT IS ON THIS FINAL MOSE JONES RECORDING? 
Listen to one of our songs that will be on the LOST / FOUND CD. Randy Lewis on lead vocal (this is Randy doing what he used to do, belting out a song!!) "Dead End Street" (Buie/Lewis/McRay)

Mose Jones features Marvin Taylor (Guitar), Randy Lewis (RIP) (Vocals/Bass), Steve McRay (Vocals/Keyboards), and Chris Seymour (Drums). The album was produced by Buddy Buie, engineered and co-produced by Tad Bush (RIP) and Mose Jones. All songs written by Buddy Buie, Randy Lewis, and Steve McRay as well as Marvin Taylor and Chris Seymour. The album was recorded in analog at famed Studio One in Doraville, GA, where Atlanta Rhythm Section, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, Journey, Joe South, Alicia Bridges, Stillwater, Crusados, and many more artists recorded; except for the Muscle Shoals Horns, which were recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound, Muscle Shoals, AL.

Eight songs plus one or two bonus tracks
Alien
Darlin' Come Back
Slip Away
Dead End Street
I'd Rather Live On The Moon
Working Girl
Coming Back For More
Instrumental Interlude

Plus, we have 8 bonus songs, all recorded in the same time period and for this project. Some of these bonus songs are original and some are cover songs. We will have these bonus tracks mixed and mastered, and have them available in our REWARDS incentives area.

The songs reflect that 70's/80's time - infectious bass and drums grooves with rock, disco, funk, and r & b style - fantastic guitar solos, keyboards with Fender Rhodes and Hammond B3, and topping off with soul inspired vocals and harmony laden choruses. Another bonus; we had the Muscle Shoals Horns add their awesome horns on a few of the tracks - plus, we called in our friend Randall Bramblett to play soprano sax on one of our songs, "Darlin' Come Back"!

Rock history is filled with stories of recording executive's blunders. No one knows what would have happened had fate taken a different turn...RCA choose not to release Mose Jones' final album, aka "Lost / Found". To their ears, there wasn't a top 40 "single" on the album. In 1981, the Atlanta Rhythm Section proved the recording executives wrong when they recorded our song "Alien" (with our enthusiastic blessing) for their Quinella album (Columbia). Alien was released as a 45 single and made it's way to a top-40 hit, climbing to #29 on the Top-40 Billboard charts and sending the song to #16 in Adult Contemporary Billboard charts http://www.billboard.com/artist/280161/atlanta-rhythm-section/chart.

We've always been very grateful to the Atlanta Rhythm Section for coming to us and taking our song to the top 40. Now, we'd like for you to hear it the way we played it!

Don Nix - Hobos, Heroes And Street Corner Clowns (1973)

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"Hobos, Heroes And Street Corner Clowns" is an excellent third album by Don Nix. Laid back, soft, mellow Southern Rock? Call it what you will. Just remember in 1973 musicians weren't much occupied by the thought on what Southern Rock should sound like. The good thing about that, is that it results in a creative approach to the music we all love so much. Don had his roots in Blues and Soul, and that's pretty much what you get here, albeit it with a definite Southern touch. Also some pretty slick arrangements on some of the mellower songs. Good stuff. Very good rip too (not mine, thanks to whoever did this ;-)). Hear that Black Cat Moan...

Billy Crain interview

We had, last year, the pleasure of talking with Billy Crain on the release of his first solo album and he's now already back with a second CD, and also with the new Outlaws album...

English version of Bands Of Dixie interview

The Cooper Brothers: Southbound(Interview by Michalis Limnios)

Canada's premiere Country Rock band from the 70's through the mid 80's, the Cooper Brothers first gained international attention when they signed a major recording contract with Capricorn Records. Over the next few years the Cooper Brothers released two albums under the Capricorn label, the selftitled, The Cooper Brothers and Pitfalls Of The Ballroom.
 
At the height of their career, the band toured extensively with such diverse artists as The Doobie Brothers, Joe Cocker, Charlie Daniels, Atlanta Rhythm Section, McGuinn, Clark and Hillman and AC/DC. In addition, the band worked with some of the most prolific musicians of the day including Chuck Leavell. After Capricorn Records folded the brothers released two more albums before disbanding in the mid-80s. In October 2006, The Best of the Cooper Brothers was released and the band performed for the first time on stage in over twenty years. This prompted a series of sold‐out live dates including a memorable Ottawa Bluesfest concert, opening up for James Taylor in front of 30,000 people. In February 2010, a new Cooper Brothers album was released, featuring 12 brand new songs penned by Richard Cooper. Entitled In From The Cold, the new CD was produced by Colin Linden in Nashville and featured a number of guest artists including Delbert McClinton, Blue Rodeo's Jim Cuddy and Chuck Leavell.

In August 2013, the Cooper Brothers released their brand new CD called SOUTHBOUND. The album was recorded at the Tragically Hip's studio in Bath, Ontario and is produced by Colin Linden.  Southbound was made at a leisurely pace over the course of a year, with the relaxed, smalltown atmosphere at The Bathouse suiting the brothers working methods and laid back temperaments well. 

Dick Cooper talks about the Capricorn Records, music industry, his book, the Beatles, Charlie Daniels, Southern Rock and Blues music.

Interview by Michael Limnios

On this blog: Cooper Brothers - Learning To Live With It (1981)

31st Of February - 31st Of February (1968)

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Some origins of Southern Rock for you in this post. The 31st Of February (formerly Bitter Independents) is a 1968 effort by 3 guys from Jacksonville, FL., who went on to much more successful bands. Scott Boyer and David Brown to Cowboy and Butch Trucks to the Allman Brothers Band. In fact, following this album and after Hour Glass broke up (which followed Allman Joys), Duane and Gregg were in the studio with 31st of February members - so one half of the original ABB was in place a year before they formed. This is the folk rock branch of Southern Rock, with a taste of psychedelic pop. Butch includes some percussion instruments normally heard in a college recital. "Morning Dew" from the second 31st of February album, appears on CD 1 of Dreams, the 1989 ABB box set. Given the time frame, this album is a solid offering with a quality sound. Keyboards add variety to the standard trio of electric guitar, drums and bass. Give it a listen to hear the early days of players who established themselves in the near future. Starting down the path!

Henry Paul interview

While a lot of people wonders about the legitimacy of many historical bands still active or sadden the current musical quality that they offer, there's a band that commands respect. And this band is the Outlaws. Even though Hughie Thomasson departed this world - leaving unfinished his comeback attempt - the band takes off again with a freshness worthy of the first day and a new record at the level of his first LPs ... those whom Henry Paul was part, and Henry Paul that has now taken over the command of the Outlaws...
 
English version of Bands Of Dixie interview

Jimmy and Rickey Stewart (Tennessee River Crooks) interview

Tennessee River Crooks were unknown to most of us a few months ago. After having introduce it to you, we were fortunate to be contacted by the band. We jumped at the opportunity and asked the obvious questions to the Stewart brothers.

English version of Bands Of Dixie interview

Volker Dörfler (Lizard) interview

Lizard is back! An event when we know how the German band has left its mark on the scene and the history of the European Southern rock. But what is this new Lizard like when you know Georg Bayer, its former leader, died three years ago and when you know a new singer is taking his role? So, to know it, we asked some questions to Volker Dörfler, who took the opportunity to give us one of the best Southern rock definitions...

English version of Bands Of Dixie interview.

Don Barnes - Ride The Storm (1989)

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My favorite things to post, must be the unreleased albums. I mean really, that's as good as it gets, even if the music isn't always as good as what you know the artist is capable of. And sometimes it is as good as you hope it would be. For all you 38 Special fans, here is the unreleased Don Barnes album from 1989. And every bit as good as you would expect. Since Don has always been the main provider of 38 Special songs, it should come as no surprise that his music bears heavy similarities to Donnie van Zant's band. Don has been responsible for their biggest hits and has a knack for writing commercial songs of good quality. And this album is just full of that. I guess it leans even more towards straight-up AOR than any 38 Special album, but this is well worth your attention. (I found myself in the kitchen singing Foreigner lyrics to one of the songs here ;-) I'm not too crazy about the quality and I bet there might be better copies out there hiding from us. Someone tried to clean up the sound by using standard noise filters which, I'm afraid, didn't do it a world of good. Then a gain, it didn't do a world of hurt either, so I won't complain. I'm happy I get to listen to this! If you're up for some quality Southern AOR, grab your chance and ride the storm!

Cooper Brothers - Learning To Live With It (1981)

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The Cooper Brothers were a Canadian Southern Rock band. Or rather, are a Canadian Southern Rock band, since they apparently are still around doing their thing. Their thing way back in the 70's included releasing two albums for the Capricorn label. Pretty good yet very smooth albums, which should please fans of 38 Special and Thunder. This album is much less known (graciously provided by my good buddy Mawos) and is quite a treat. Actually quite a bit tougher than the Capricorn albums. Good songs, nice harmonies and a pretty good performance. So, try this. You won't have no trouble learning to live with it.

All about Bryan Cole by Scott Freeman

Excellent article - very informative - about the late Bryan Cole by Scott Freeman on ArtsATL.com