Formed in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1972 by original members Tommy Caldwell (bass/ vocals), Toy Caldwell (guitar/vocals), Jerry Eubanks (flute/saxophone), Doug Gray (guitar/vocals), George McCorkle (guitar), Paul Riddle (drums), Southern Rock legends The Marshall Tucker Band obtained their title from a seemingly random name on the door key to the rehearsal space they had been renting, not realizing until later that Marshall Tucker was indeed a real person, a blind piano tuner and previous renter of the space. Members have come and gone over the years, but these days, The Marshal Tucker Band consists of founding member Gray, slide guitarist Stuart Swanlund, B.B. Borden on drums, Marcus Henderson on flute/saxophone/keyboards/background vocals, Pat Elwood on bass guitar, and Rick Willis, as well as Chris Hicks, on guitar/vocals. Combining Rock, R&B, Jazz, Country and Gospel in over twenty-five studio albums during their forty-four year history, The Marshall Tucker Band return to the road in 2015 as they celebrated the fortieth anniversary of their 1975 gold album, Searching For A Rainbow, with a ten month long tour across the US. The Searching For A Rainbow Tour began on January 23rd in Greensboro, North Carolina and will continue throughout the fall to wrap up on October 17th in Steelville, Montana. On Saturday, March 21st, The Paramount in Huntington, New York welcomed the Marshall Tucker Band back to the venue for the first time since 2013, along with New York-based The Montauk Project and Rock and Blues band The Bourbon Stills Band for an evening of music that would bring down the house.
Opening the night was The Montauk Project, consisting of Mark Schiavoni on vocals/guitar, Jasper Conroy on drums/vocals, Chris Wood on bass, Jack Marshall on lead guitar/vocals and Matthew King doing the live sound and studio recordings. The band name refers to 668 The Gig Shack out in Montauk as “their spot” where they “blow the whole place out.” This local act has been around for a few years, releasing their first self titled EP in 2012. Using their own eclectic blend of Beach Grunge, they also entwine a melodic Blues Rock sound that listeners are drawn to the instant the band begins to play. They captured the crowd with their opening song, titled “Good As Gold,” from their 2014 album Belly Of The Beast. With their own unique sound of strong vocals, guitar, drumming and bass, they have a justified confidence most often seen in those with more mileage under their feet. The venue was heavy with shaking heads, swaying to the sounds of “Lady In White,” loving these musicians and welcoming them with deserved applause. They have a talent and form all of their own, regardless of the comparative style of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and the surreal, mind blowing sounds attributed to bands from the ’70s. Great things are coming for these four impressive Long Island Natives. Upcoming events include an April 19th show at Revolution in Amityville, and April 25th at Amityville Music Hall.
Second to the stage was The Bourbon Stills Band, who got their break when they opened for The Marshal Tucker Band back in 1985. They are made up of John Fuchs on bass guitar/vocals, Richie “Filth” Lombardo and Steve Killian on lead and slide guitars, John Laguzzi on drums/vocals, Steve Demieri on the Hammond B-3/piano and Phil Franco on lead vocals. Established in 1976, Bourbon Stills have performed over a dozen shows with The Marshall Tucker Band, and then they went on to open up for artists such as The Gregg Allman Band, Dickey Betts & Great Southern, Gov’t Mule, The Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, Widespread Panic and many more in the Rock-n-Roll community. This night, they paid a great tribute to the Allman Brothers Band by performing their top hits in an impressive way, captivating the audience from the first song, “Statesboro Blues,” and priming them for the night’s headliners. An extensive version of “Jessica” followed, and the set continued with “Blue Skies” as Gray enticed the audience by sharing out the microphone, finally leading into “One Way Out.” More than thirty-five years later and still with most of the original members, The Bourbon Stills Band is as strong as ever.
Taking the stage at 9:50 PM with a backdrop of 1976’s Long Hard Ride draped across the back of the stage, the timeless and iconic The Marshall Tucker Band pumped up the crowd with their Southern Rock, starting the set with their legendary track, “This Ol’ Cowboy” from their 1974 album Where We All Belong, followed by a seductive version of “Dog Eat Dog World” with Hicks taking on lead vocals. As the crowd quickly devoured both songs, Gray picked up the pace with the classic “Fire On The Mountain.” Breaking into “Midnight Promises,” the band took the crowd on a journey through time with the compelling “I’ll Be Loving You,” making them bounce out of their seats to dance and sing along. Next was an outstanding version of “Take The Highway” featuring an unforgettable flute solo by Henderson and Borden knocking ’em dead on drums. The raspy vocals of Gray and soulful sound of pianist Henderson made for a tender rendition of “Asking Too Much Of You,” prompting the first standing ovation of the evening.
Leading the house into one of the band’s most popular songs, “Can’t You See,” Gray got everyone up and singing until he stopped abruptly to break into a talking/chanting version of War’s “Why Can’t We Be Friends” before continuing on with their hit. Moving right along, “Blue Ridge Mountain Sky” was nothing less than brilliant and kept The Paramount rocking and rolling with smiles on their faces. As the night continued, Gray waxed poetic about the accomplishment of reaching new audiences both young and old and how it reinforced the fact that The Marshall Tucker Band continues to be an appreciated, respected, enjoyed and admired piece of the world of Southern fried Rock-n-Roll music.
Keeping up with an incredibly fast and thorough trip across country, The Searching For A Rainbow Tour will continue on for a minimum of another seven months, with the band adding extra shows in even more cities as they go. They are seasoned and well-preserved, yet their sound is as fresh as it was when they first formed almost half a century ago. The loyalty of the fans continue and they look forward to what The Marshall Tucker Band will deliver in the future. One thing is for certain and that is they will certainly keep on rocking the way only these Southern musicians can. Fans should check them out if they stop at a venue nearby for some great Rock-n-Roll.
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