Bloggerhythms

Poco's new concert album,  One Night In Nashville, is not dedicated to long time member, Paul Cotton, or group co-founder, Rusty Young - the only member to participate in every Poco studio album - but it should be. Those two kept the band going for decades long after most of the other important members departed. Both passed away in 2021. There are some excellent performances on the sixteen song record, but buyers need to beware. The country-rock pioneers previously released this concert on CD back in 2007 with an accompanying DVD under the name Keeping The Legend Alive . It's now out of print and can only be purchased as an overpriced collector's item, so if you already own that disc there is no reason to purchase this new one. But, if you don't have it fans of the band should add this superb set to your collection. The show was recorded at Nashville's Belcourt Theater on May 20, 2004 and reunites most of Poco's "classic" lineup of Richie Furay , drumm...

Very early Poco. L to R: Jim Messina, George Grantham, Richie Furay, & Rusty Young I'm not sure I've ever posted anything on this blog two days in a row before today, but some unfortunate news broke yesterday that is forcing my hand. Even though it's another sad day for earthbound, classic rock fans Rock 'n Roll Heaven just added another member to its all-star band. Poco's Rusty Young passed away on April 14, 2021 at age 75. Young was one of the founding members of Poco, along with Richie Furay and Jim Messina. The latter two asked him to join their new band following the demise of Buffalo Springfield after the steel guitar virtuoso assisted them on the last Springfield album.   Young was the only member of the country-rock pioneers who played on every single Poco record. He was best known for composing two of the group's best known songs, "Rose of Cimarron" (#94 on the Billboard Hot 100) and "Crazy Love" (#17). Almost all of Young's ...

Left to right: Richie Furay, Jesse Furay Lynch, and Aaron Sellen On Sunday, August 30, 2009, The Richie Furay Band played live at the Sellersville Theater , in Sellersville, PA. Furay took the stage with his current band who, not coincidentally, are all parishioners of the church he leads in Broomfield, CO. Furay played acoustic and electric guitar and handled lead vocals while his indispensable sideman, Scott Sellen, contributed lead guitar, banjo, pedal steel, keyboards, plus harmony and background vocals. Furay's daughter, Jesse Furay Lynch , contributed harmonies and played percussion, Sellen's son, Aaron, was the bassist, and Alan Lemke, Aaron's best man at his recent wedding over which Furay presided, was the drummer. Don't let the lineup fool you. This band could really play. Sellen is one of those consummate, multi-talented sidemen who can shift gears and change instruments at the d...

No, this blog is not turning into an "all Poco all the time" publication. It's totally coincidental that June has turned into Poco month. Rest assured that July is going to be completely different as more contemporary fare will be discussed. In the meantime, as promised last week, Poco's former leader and founder, Richie Furay, agreed to participate in an email interview for Bloggerhythms. For those of you unfamiliar with Furay's biography this post will have more meaning for you if you read part one first. I asked Furay for the interview because I believe he is a very fascinating individual who is an unusually positive example from the world of music. I thank you, Richie, for your time and cooperation. ____________________________________ CR: Until very recently I assumed you had retired from public performance. I had no idea you ever made another recording after Legacy , the CD released by the original Poco lineup in 1989. So, I would like to ask what mad...

You know the freeway most rock stars travel. They race full speed up the on-ramp labeled "sex, drugs & rock 'n roll." Fortunately, in most cases maturity and real life eventually kick in and they stop using harmful and illegal substances, settle down with their trophy wives, have a second batch of kids that they won't ignore this time around, get paunchy, and start looking like middle aged accountants. The ones who don't find the exit ramp eventually burnout or become another fatal statistic. A few may even get out of the business and move on to other lives. Two who did are Cat Stevens and Richie Furay. The controversial path of Stevens, now known as Yusef Islam, has been well documented over the decades. He only recently took up music again many years after converting to the religion whose name he now uses as his own. Not as well known is the story of Furay, a member of the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame and co-founder of two legendary bands, Buffalo Spri...