Amazing Rhythm Aces

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Biography

The Amazing Rhythm Aces is an United States|American country rock band (music)|group . The band has characterized their music as "American Music" or "Roots Music"—rock, country, blues, R& B, folk, reggae and Latino. While they are best known for their 1970s hit "Third Rate Romance", their small but fanatical fan base would fiercely reject the erroneous classification of the band as a "one hit wonder"; the group has released 18 albums over 30 years including a 15-year hiatus. Their music is distinguished by its eclectic scope, literate and often quirky lyrics, and distinctive vocals by lead singer/songwriter Russell Smith.

History

The Aces were first a local band in Knoxville, Tennessee in the late 1960s to early 1970s although they went by another name "Fatback". The band consisted of founding members Russell Smith (singer)|Russell Smith , Jeff 'Stick' Davis, and Butch McDade. They left Knoxville for greener pastures in the early 1970s.

The Aces came together in Memphis, Tennessee in 1972, first with bassist Jeff Davis and drummer Butch McDade, who had sound recording and reproduction|recorded and toured with singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester . Davis and McDade recruited singing|vocalist / guitarist Russell Smith, keyboardist Billy Earhart III, lead guitar, multi-instrumentalist, Barry 'Byrd' Burton,who died in 2008 and pianist James Hooker to develop a sound mixing pop music|pop , country and blue-eyed soul music|soul .

Stacked Deck (Amazing Rhythm Aces album)|Stacked Deck , their debut album released in 1975, resulted in two crossover (music)|crossover (rock and country) chart-topper|hits , " Third Rate Romance " and "Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song)," the group's lone Top 40|Top 10 country single (music)|single . In 1976 "The End Is Not in Sight (The Cowboy Tune)," from the album Too Stuffed to Jump , won a Grammy Awards|Grammy for Country Vocal Performance by a Group. "Third Rate Romance" reached #1 on the Canadian pop/rock charts.

Burton left the group after the release of 1977's Toucan Do It Too , and was replaced by Duncan Cameron.

In 1978, the Aces released Burning the Ballroom Down , followed the next year by a self-titled effort featuring songs with Joan Baez , Tracy Nelson (singer)|Tracy Nelson and the Muscle Shoals Horns. Both albums received critical approval, but sold poorly. They released another album, How the Hell Do You Spell Rhythum , before disbanding.

Afterlife

Smith became a successful songwriter, Earhart joined Hank Williams, Jr. 's The Bama Band|Bama Band , and Cameron joined Sawyer Brown , a group that found significant chart success in the 1980s with a sound similar to Amazing Rhythm Aces. Hooker joined Nanci Griffith in 1987, there he became the leader of the band The Blue Moon Orchestra. In 2007, James retired from the road and now lives in County Tipperary, Ireland and Mallorca, Spain, where he still continues a very active writing and recording schedule. A year after the release of Out of the Blue , Butch McDade died after a long battle with cancer on November 29, 1998. Barry 'Byrd' Burton went on to become a successful producer and legendary session guitarist. He released a solo instrumental country effort in 2002, titled Byrd Braynz (ADF Records). Barry 'Byrd' Burton died on March 10, 2008 from complications of Myelodysplastic syndrome (a rare form of blood cancer).

Reunion

The Aces reformed in 1994. The group, composed of Smith, Davis, McDade, Earhart, Hooker and new guitarist/mandolinist Danny Parks, released Ride Again , an album of new renditions of their biggest hits.

They began composing songs for a comeback album. Although McDade's cancer -related death on 29 November 1998 slowed the release, Chock Full of Country Goodness appeared in mid-1998 with Michael Organ (drummer) as a temporary replacement. Jeff 'Stick' Davis left the group in 2004 shortly after the release of "Nothin' But The Blues". Since 2007, the Ace's line-up included original members Russell Smith and Billy Earheart, along with Kelvin Holly on lead guitar, Mark Horn on drums and Lorne Rall on bass. The boogie/blues inspired "Nothin' but the Blues" was followed with 2007's "Midnight Communion" which hearkened back to the Aces eclectic roots music origins.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart Positions		Label
Year	Album	US Country	US	Label
1975	Stacked Deck	12	120	ABC
1976	Too Stuffed to Jump	16	157
1977	Toucan Do It Too	26	114
1978	Burning the Ballroom Down	28	166
1979	The Amazing Rhythm Aces	47	144
1980	How the Hell Do You Spell Rythum?	—	175	Warner Bros.
1981	Full House: Aces High	—	—	MSS
1982	4 You 4 Ever: Best of Amazing Rhythm Aces	—	—	M& R
1994	Ride Again	—	—	Breaker
1997	Out of the Blue	—	—	Breaker
1998	Chock Full of Country Goodness	—	—	Valley
1999	Live in Switzerland	—	—	Store for Music
1999	Concert Classics, Volume 3	—	—	Renaissance
2000	Absolutely Live	—	—	Icehouse
2000	Stacked Deck/ Too Stuffed To Jump	-	-	Collectors' Choice Music
2001	Between You and Us	—	—	Pilot
2004	''Nothin' but the Blues	—	—	Russell Smith
2007	Midnight Communion	—	—	Russell Smith
2009	Very Best of Amazing Rhythm Aces	—	—	Varese

Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions					Album
Year	Single	US Country	US	CAN Country	CAN	CAN AC	Album
1975	" Third Rate Romance "	11	14	1	1	2	Stacked Deck
1975	"Amazing Grace (Used to Be Her Favorite Song)"	9	72	10	79	—	Stacked Deck
1976	"The End Is Not in Sight (The Cowboy Tune)"	12	42	20	69	—	Too Stuffed to Jump
1978	"Ashes of Love"	100	—	—	—	—	Burning the Ballroom Down
1979	"Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)"	88	104	—	—	—	The Amazing Rhythm Aces
1980	"I Musta Died and Gone to Texas"	77	—	—	—	—	How the Hell Do You Spell Rythum?

Copyright Citations

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