Luanne Hunt - Lead and harmony vocals;
Patrick Hurd - Lead and harmony vocals, keyboards;
Eric Uglum - Acoustic and electric guitars;
Christian Ward - Fiddle;
Austin Ward - Bass;
Roger Gillespie - Drums, Percussion;
Produced and Arranged by Luanne Hunt and Patrick Hurd;
Recorded at New Wine Studio.
Setting out to record more than just a copycat cover of Dan Fogelberg’s “Leader of the Band,” country duo Luanne Hunt and Patrick Hurd deliver a fresh and breathtaking performance of the 1981 smash hit.
Just released on the American Classic Recordings label, “Leader of the Band” marks Hunt and Hurd’s debut single as a duet. And it is already creating a buzz among radio disc jockeys. Kit McGuire at KRIM-FM in Payson, AZ, predicts the Hunt/Hurd version of Fogelberg’s classic is on its way to the top of the charts.
“When I first received the song, I played it three times in a row and got the goosebumps,” said McGuire. “It’s just fantastic and I would think that every country and classic rock station in the U.S. would want to play it. And I bet their switchboards will be lighting up, too.”
Although Hunt and Hurd have solo careers, they thought it would be fun to team up and record a song that fused their individual styles. Hunt is a contemporary country/folk artist and Hurd writes and records pop music with a country flavor. “Leader of the Band” seemed like a perfect choice to them, as it ranks among their favorite songs.
“One day, Patrick mentioned to me that he always wanted to record ‘Leader of the Band,’” said Hunt, whose song “Solace in the Wind“ landed on the 2009 Grammy ballot in two categories. “My jaw about hit the floor because of all the cover tunes I’ve wanted to do, that was the one I had singled out. Patrick had no idea until that moment, so I felt like that was a huge confirmation that we should work on it together.”
Recording the duet was a bit of an undertaking because Hunt lives in Southern California and Hurd in Port Huron, MI. The pair spent countless hours on the telephone discussing the arrangement, vocal parts and instrumentation. When it was time to begin recording, Hurd laid down his piano and vocal tracks and sent them to the studio Hunt uses via a computer program.
Despite the long-distance recording challenges, Hurd said the most difficult thing about producing the song was figuring out how to turn it into a duet. Fogelberg’s version is told from a first-person perspective about his father Lawrence, the leader of several high school bands in Peoria, IL.
“Unlike Dan’s song, our version is fully-orchestrated, highlighted by a beautiful fiddle solo,” said Hurd. “When I first heard the solo, I had this picture in my mind that the leader of the band in our story was in an old-time bluegrass or country group with his son and daughter.
“Years later, the grown kids are looking back and reminiscing about their dad. Suddenly, the lyrics took on a whole new meaning and the duet made sense.”
In the future, “Leader of the Band” may be part of a full-length CD by Hunt and Hurd. For now, it is available for digital download at iTunes, Amazonmp3, Napster, Rhapsody and www.luannehunt.com. Additionally, it is available for listening on www.youtube, along with a video that tells the song’s story and pays tribute to Fogelberg.
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Hey Luanne Hunt & Patrick Hurd!
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Thanks for the request, nice to see others who held Dan in such high esteem. He has been a huge influence on my songwriting. Nice job on the remake, I wish you both the best, Joe
Hi Luanne and Patrick... Like it! Very much... I do a version of As The Raven Flies. Dan Fogelburg was a fine songwriter. Thanks for the add and stay true to the music.
great arrangement. Dan was such a great writer, not to mention a fabulous musician. I had the honor of meeting him once and told him that I played several of his songs on my gigs. He thanked me and said that is the ultimate compliment, to have a fellow musician cover his tunes. He would feel the same about you and this song I'm sure.
It still puts me in a moment of silence with a sigh that Dans not on this world anymore. I've played this wonderful song, "Leader of the Band", and many other Dan Fogelberg songs countless times back in my New Orleans era of playing coffee houses and he helped me to be a better musician in his inspirational effect on my own musical journey. I think you guys have done a very good job with your own rendition of this timeless beautiful song and thank you so much for sharing that with me. Peace, love and light. Ricky
Dan Fogelberg was a huge inspiration to me. It is still, and always will be hard to believe, hard to except that he has left us. Yes, his incredible legacy will live on in the hearts of us all. I will be forever grateful for the music he instilled in me, heart & soul. My Dad was a Jazz musician and a leader of a band so yes when that song came out It hit home like a bolt out of the blue, especially as I, at that time had just lost him. "Though his blood will always run though my instrument". Your recording of Leader of the Band is extremely beautiful, riseing up a flood of memories from those glory days and I thankyou for being a friend. Thanks for helping to keep the true Leader of the Bands music out there, touching each and everyone who hears it. Thanks for helping keep Dan Fogelbergs spirit alive and well.
Love your Leader of the Band! Thanks for the add you guys, my husband and I are a duo, it is great to hear you and meet other, you sound great, love your voices. Where is Calif are you? I am not familiar with your town. We love California, don't get there much. Keep in touch and if you get to Nashville holler!
Hi Luanne&Patrick,thanks for the add, I've listened to your recording of Leader of The Band
and enjoyed it very much, you have done an absolutely brilliant job and it is a very fitting
Tribute to the man Himself, I'm sure He would give it his blessing and be very proud.
Greetings from Puyallup, WA. I had a chance to listen to your song tonight, and it is beautiful. You did a great job blending your voices, and from what I read, did this long distance. Very nice, and a tribute as well.
