One of the major Southern rock bands of the '70s, the Marshall Tucker Band was formed in Spartanburg, SC, in 1971 by singer Doug Gray, guitarist Toy Caldwell (born 1948, died February 25, 1993), his brother bassist Tommy Caldwell (born 1950, died April 4, 1980), guitarist George McCorkle, drummer Paul Riddle, and reed player Jerry Eubanks. The group's style combined rock, country, and jazz and featured extended instrumental passages on which lead guitarist Toy Caldwell shone. The band was signed to Capricorn Records and released their debut album, The Marshall Tucker Band, in March 1973. They gained recognition through a tour with the Allman Brothers Band and found significant success during the course of the '70s, with most of their albums going gold. Their peak came with the million-selling album Carolina Dreams and its Top 15 single "Heard It in a Love Song" in 1977.
The band was slowed down by the death of Tommy Caldwell in a car accident in 1980 and faded from the album charts after 1982. Toy Caldwell left for a solo career soon after, and the original lineup disbanded in 1983. Later that same year, Doug Gray and Jerry Eubanks hired some Nashville studio musicians and took the band back out onto the road; a little over a year later, the second wave of the Marshall Tucker Band began, as Gray and Eubanks returned home to Spartanburg, SC, and hired guitarist Rusty Milner, bassist Tim Lawter, drummer Ace Allen, and guitarist Stuart Swanlund.
During the years since the original band dissolved, the group has had country chart hits, toured constantly, made forays into the blues and adult contemporary, and suffered the loss of founding member Toy Caldwell, who died in 1993. Some bandmembers left, some joined, and some stayed right where they were, but through it all, the Marshall Tucker Band endured. The band continued to record steadily, maintained a loyal fan base, and eventually began to receive their due as Southern rock pioneers. The 1998 Marshall Tucker Band consisted of Gray, Milner, Lawter, Swanlund, David Muse (formerly of Firefall, on sax, flute, and keys), and drummer B.B. Borden (formerly of Mother's Finest). The band took several stylistic detours with 1998's all-blues outing Face Down in the Blues and the 1999 spiritual album Gospel. A thorough reissue campaign was inaugurated in 2003, and the new studio record Beyond the Horizon appeared one year later. In 2006, the group released a live 1980 concert, Live on Long Island, and another new studio project, The Next Adventure, appeared in 2007.
The Marshall Tucker Band single "Destruction (Confessions of a Junkie) is #7 on this week's Southern Thunder Radio Top 10! Log onto Southern Thunder Radio...The Home of KICK ASS Southern Rock! www.live365.com/stations/apstone
THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND, THINKING OF YOU MY SWEET FRIENDS AND SENDING MANY WISHES YOUR WAY FOR A VERY HAPPY JULY 4TH !!! I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE HOLIDAY AND THE BIG LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND. MY HOPES ARE THAT YOU WILL NOT ONLY REMEMBER OUR TROOPS (PAST AND PRESENT) DURING THIS VERY SPECIAL HOLIDAY BUT ALSO SAY A SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THEM. I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND I HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO REST, RELAX, HAVE LOTS OF FUN, ENJOY YOURSELVES AND BE ABLE TO SPEND GOOD QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR LOVED ONES, YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS MY WONDERFUL FRIEND. PLEASE ENJOY YOURSELF BUT MOST OF ALL TAKE CARE AND BE SAFE !!!! LOVE & HUGGSSS & BLESSINGS ........ BONNIE
The Rockers are offering Land of the Free as a free download during the Independence Day weekend as a gesture of support for the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and their families. We are releasing the song ahead of schedule to support our American heroes. God bless the USA!
Doug, i am so sad to hear about the death of your beloved wife, i just want to give you my condolences...my thoughts and prayers will be with you and your imediate family...if there is a good thing come out of you losing her, i guess it would be that we now gained a beautiful Angel...i have met you on several occasions in Indiana...at Brandt's H-D Shop in Wabash,In. 2007 and 2008 and at the Coliseum in Ft. Wayne,In. in 1977...it was funny that you recognized me in 2007 after 30 years had gone by since that 1st time i had met you when i was only 14....God Bless You..oh yeah i will be hoping to see you on Aug. 8th this year at Brandt's in Wabash....Happy 4th of July....TIMMY