|
The Marshall Tucker Band is an American Southern rock band originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Using a unique mix of soul, blues, jazz, country, and traditional influences, the band helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s with its legendary live performances, lengthy improvisations, and a string of gold and platinum albums. While the band had reached the height of its commercial success by the end of the decade, a loyal fanbase has allowed it to record and perform continuously under various lineups for nearly 40 years.[Colin Larkin (ed.), "Marshall Tucker Band." The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Vol. 5, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2006), pp. 521-522.]
The original lineup of the Marshall Tucker Band, formed in 1972, included lead guitarist, vocalist, and primary songwriter Toy Caldwell (1947–1993), keyboard player and vocalist Doug Gray (b. 1948), flutist Jerry Eubanks (b. 1950), rhythm guitarist George McCorkle (1946–2007), drummer Paul Riddle (b. 1953), and bassist Tommy Caldwell (1949–1980). They signed with Capricorn Records and in 1973 released their first LP, The Marshall Tucker Band. After Tommy Caldwell was killed in an automobile accident in 1980, he was replaced by bassist Franklin Wilkie. Most of the original band members had left by the mid-1980s to pursue other projects.[Ted Olson, "Marshall Tucker Band." The Encyclopedia of Country Music: The Ultimate Guide to the Music (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), pp. 325-326.] The band's current lineup consists of Gray on vocals, guitarist Stuart Swanlund, keyboard player and flutist Marcus James Henderson, guitarist Rick Willis, bassist Pat Elwood, and drummer B.B
. Borden.
Name originThe "Marshall Tucker" in the band's name does not refer to a band member, but rather a Spartanburg-area piano tuner. While the band was discussing possible band names one evening in an old warehouse they had rented for rehearsal space, someone noticed that the warehouse's doorkey had the name "Marshall Tucker" inscribed on it, and suggested they called themselves the "Marshall Tucker Band," not realizing it referred to an actual person. It later came to light that Marshall Tucker, the piano tuner, had rented the space before the band, and the landlord had yet to change the inscription on the key.[The Marshall Tucker Band – Biography. 2009. Retrieved: 9 June 2009.]
HistoryEarly historyThe original members (and some later members) of the Marshall Tucker Band had been playing in various lineups under different band names around the Spartanburg area since the early 1960s. In 1966, members of several such bands merged to form the Toy Factory, named after guitarist Toy Caldwell. The Toy Factory's constantly-shifting lineup included, at times, Caldwell, Caldwell's younger brother Tommy, Doug Gray, Jerry Eubanks, George McCorkle, and Franklin Wilkie. In the late 1960s, several bandmembers served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and several saw action in the Vietnam War. By 1970, Toy Caldwell and Doug Gray had returned to Spartanburg, and the Toy Factory had resumed playing in area clubs.[Michael B. Smith, Toy Caldwell's Carolina Dreams. Tuckerhead.com. Retrieved: 9 June 2009.]
In 1972, Caldwell and Gray once again redid the band's lineup, eventually settling on Tommy Caldwell, George McCorkle, and Jerry Eubanks on bass, guitar and flute/keyboards, while adding Paul Riddle on drums; the new lineup adopted the name "Marshall Tucker Band." They quickly gained a regional following, playing relentlessly night after night. Wet Willie lead singer Jimmy Hall was particularly impressed by one of the Marshall Tucker Band's performances, and submitted the band's demo to Phil Walden of Capricorn Records, which was a pioneering label in the Southern rock genre. Walden signed the band shortly thereafter.[Barry Alfonso,
]Copyright Citations
This article is licensed under the GNU License
Click here for original article: The Marshall Tucker Band
|
![Molly Hatchet - Molly Hatchet - Greatest Hits [Expanded]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61%2BcAaKyEKL._SL75_.jpg)
