Pure Prairie League

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 2 Oct 2000 9:29 am

From www.tipworld.com

The following was written by a man named Michael Simmons. I don't know him, never met him, and don't necessarily agree with anything he has to say below. I just thought you might be interested in reading it, okay??
Love and kisses,
Jim

"Pure Prairie League was one of the best bands in the second wave of country rockers that followed in the wake of the Byrds and Gram Parsons. The band was formed in Cincinnati in 1971 by Craig Lee Fuller, George Powell, Jim Lanham, and Tom McGrail, who named the group after a woman's temperance group from the Errol Flynn movie
"Dodge City." By the time their self-titled first album was released, McGrail had left the band, which started an ongoing trend of personnel changes that plagued the band throughout its life span. Their second record, which was released in 1972, was entitled Bustin' Out, and it included the song "Amie," which quickly became a concert favorite. Their label was a little slow on the uptake, and when they finally got around to releasing a single of it in 1975, it made it to the Top Forty pop charts. Bustin' Out also included string arrangements by David Bowie's guitarist Mick Ronson. Over the next few years, band members continued to come and go, hampering the band's ability to maintain a consistent sound. In 1979, replacement guitarist Larry Goshorn was replaced by a 22-year-old Vince Gill, who sang on the band's biggest hit, "Let Me Love You Tonight." The Pure Prairie League continued to perform until 1987, when it finally broke up for good.

By Michael Simmons (not Jim Cohen)[This message was edited by Jim Cohen - not Michael Simmons - on 02 October 2000 at 10:30 AM.][This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 02 October 2000 at 11:23 AM.]

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 2 Oct 2000 11:14 am

Jim,
I thought "Amie" was the biggest hit. Anyway, loved that one! Theresa

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 2 Oct 2000 11:21 am

John D. Call played some great steel on the first album " Pure Prarie League". He wasn't on the second album "Bustin Out", but was on "Two Lane Hwy", "If The Shoe Fits", and "Takin the Stage".
One of my favorite bands.

Terry in H-town · Post by **Terry in H-town** » 2 Oct 2000 11:56 am

They were the warm up act for America in about 1976 and they put on a great show. Vince sure looks better with short hair. Oh those hippie days.

Dave Brophy · Post by **Dave Brophy** » 2 Oct 2000 1:37 pm

So Jim,
Are you saying you didn't write this,that someone else wrote this?
Just kidding!

There are going to be a whole lot of upset Amies,Amy's,Aimee's,etc.,if they find out that their song wasn't as big a hit as some song they never heard of.
-Dave

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 2 Oct 2000 2:24 pm

[This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 02 October 2000 at 03:24 PM.]

erik · Post by **erik** » 2 Oct 2000 2:54 pm

Just heard Amie the other day. First time in many years. I have to admit i was "Amied out" in the 70s. That song was played every day for 5 years on the rock stations around here. That and Aqualung.

Saw them with Vince Gill the same year that pop song(Let Me Love You..) came out. I think Vince was playing a black LP Custom then.

Anyways, i like my Country Rock with fire, so i feel the Outlaws took it to the next and highest level. But, they were more ROCK with Country twang.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 2 Oct 2000 3:32 pm

We used to like to do "Kansas City Southern" Peggy Green nailed the steel part.

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CJC

Sam Marshall · Post by **Sam Marshall** » 4 Oct 2000 6:51 pm

The Arizona State Fair has Pure Prarie League on the same bill with Poco this month. No kidding!

Sam in AZ

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 5 Oct 2000 12:35 am

I always liked,"I'll Fix Your Flat Tire,Merle".

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Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 5 Oct 2000 7:32 am

I played with Vince during that period, and I know it wasn't a stoned out smile. I never knew Vince to use anything stronger than Budweiser.

I love those two albums Vince did with PPL. He played some of the best Larry Carlton type rock and roll guitar I have ever heard (and did some killer dobro parts, as well).

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www.tyacktunes.com

Kenny Dail · Post by **Kenny Dail** » 5 Oct 2000 10:00 am

My two favorite bands from that time period were "Poco" and "Pure Prairie League." I liked John David Call and Rusty Young for their Steel playing abilities but, IMO, both band's strongest appeal was their vocal harmonies, not their instrumentation. Poco's harmonies (such as "Bad Weather" and "Magnolia") are unmatched. PPL harmonies (such as "Amie" and "K.C. Southern") are equally unmatched. I heard differences in their homony stylings that made them unlike each other. NRPS was also a preferred favorite during this period but their music was more "bubbly" or happy, but not noted for vocal harmonies.

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 5 Oct 2000 11:52 pm

Actually I'm quite fond of the PPL albums, they are some of the first country-ish albums I ever heard, them and the Ozark Mountain Daredevils.
The weird thing about PPL is that RCA stuck with them for their 1972 album despite the group pretty much falling to pieces and being unable to tour it straight away as they had to rebuild the band. {their second LP was finished off with sessions dudes}, now Californina group Swampwater were cutting their second RCA LP in 1972 and the label just dumped them.
Go figure the record biz!

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 6 Oct 2000 5:38 am

My favorite of the PPL albums was "DANCE"- John Call played some of the most melodic and gorgeous melodies on the pedal steel that I've ever heard to this day~~

John Steele · Post by **John Steele** » 6 Oct 2000 7:55 am

The steel player on the "Bustin' Out" album was Al Brisco - from Renfrew, Ontario, Canada - cultural hub of the Western Hemisphere...
-John

Chris Robbins · Post by **Chris Robbins** » 8 Oct 2000 3:19 pm

John David Call is the reason I play steele guitar today. The live taken the stage album is best double record i own. I wish Rca would release it on cd. Is John David Call still in music?

Blane Sanders · Post by **Blane Sanders** » 8 Oct 2000 5:30 pm

This thread brings back some memories, I'll have to dig out my 8 tracks, and see if the deck still works.

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 9 Oct 2000 6:46 pm

That is a good question, where is John David Call?
He left the group about three times that I know of, he actually bailed for a few months while they were touring the first album and writing the second, but his replacement got an ear infection so he rejoined, of course he bailed not long after and came back in 1975.
Most of their albums are pretty good too, a little light weight at times, and yeah the last couple of albums were signs off a strong comeback, but of course Vince had other things cooking before too long.

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 10 Oct 2000 2:37 pm

Re: John David Call

I have the intro to "Out on the Street" on Dick's Licks in the web site-when Dick and I worked it out, I posted for Call's whereabouts, and no one seemed to know.

Cage is in town, and I'll be seeing him tomorrow-maybe he's got a clue.

John

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Fulawka D-10 9&5
Better Late than Never!
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 10 Oct 2000 3:20 pm

POCO verged on being a supergroup. Their songwriting, orchestration, vocal harmonies, and overall tightness were the class of the period. PPL was workmanlike - just like Alabama, they were more accessible to the listeners, and did some real catchy tunes like "Amie" and "I'll Fix Your Flat Tire, Merle", which was a hoot. POCO was progressive, almost too heady by comparison, although they made up for it in concerts by being raucous. But their recordings, IMO, blow away the other groups of their time. And if anyone needs to be convinced of this, they should pick up the studio copies of "Pickin' Up The Pieces" and "Consequently So Long". Check out the moving bass lines, the involved steel work, twin guitar/steel leads, production arrangements, highly voiced harmonies, etc. This type of stuff just was not being done by the other country rockers.

James Bissaillon · Post by **James Bissaillon** » 12 Oct 2000 5:05 am

Probably not a comeback but Pure Prairie League is scheduled to play a gig here in Omaha, in November I think. Anyone know if they will have a steel with them?

James

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 12 Oct 2000 5:11 am

James,
Fats Kaplan has been playing steel with PPL. I'm not sure if he is on that gig though.

Bob