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 Pure Praire League - who listens to them?
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| Author | Topic: Pure Praire League - who listens to them? |
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Billy T. Johnson Member From: Statesboro, Georgia, USA |
posted 02 February 2005 10:55 AM
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Pure Praire League was great coountry rock band lut of teh '70s that did some really grat music. Most know them for "Amie". there first and 2nd abums are great and woould be worthy of checking them out. Tunes like "I'll Fix Your Flat Tire Merle", "Country Song" and others are top drawer country rock tunes (as GP called it "Cosmic American Music"). later, ------------------ |
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Randy Pettit Member From: Van Alstyne, Texas USA |
posted 02 February 2005 10:59 AM
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I ate up ALL their stuff in the '70's. John David Call was one of my main early influences that got me started on PSG. Ironically, they started sounding "poppy" when they added Vince Gill in '78 or '79. |
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Billy T. Johnson Member From: Statesboro, Georgia, USA |
posted 02 February 2005 11:26 AM
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Vince Gill killed there sound!!! sorry Vince, billy ------------------ |
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Andy Greatrix Member From: Edmonton Alberta |
posted 02 February 2005 11:58 AM
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I believe that Al Brisco played on their "bustin' Out" Album. |
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Billy T. Johnson Member From: Statesboro, Georgia, USA |
posted 02 February 2005 12:01 PM
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yea, thats rings a bell. great album!!! billy ------------------ |
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Ray Minich Member From: Limestone, New York, USA |
posted 02 February 2005 12:38 PM
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Amie, whatcha gonna doooo... (Is it "wanna" or "gonna"? I can't remember...) Now for the grand prize, anybody heard of the "Kaz - Fuller" band? (Same lead singer if I remember correctly, from about 1978). [This message was edited by Ray Minich on 02 February 2005 at 12:38 PM.] |
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Billy T. Johnson Member From: Statesboro, Georgia, USA |
posted 02 February 2005 12:51 PM
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nope, but . . . i am listening. . . are they a similar sytle? i am going to start a new thread on best country rock nad! billy ------------------ |
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Jerry Overstreet Member From: Louisville Ky |
posted 02 February 2005 01:26 PM
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I dug out "Two Lane Highway" just a couple weeks ago. The whole LP is really good with lots of pedal steel by JD Call. One of the guys whose playing and intonation helped to kick-start my Steel addiction. |
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Tony Prior Member From: Charlotte NC |
posted 02 February 2005 04:21 PM
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Still have all the early LP's.. Still cover "I'll fix your flat tire Merle" now and then. Probably the most influential of the Country Rock/Steel groups for me..( back then of course) t ps..although mentioned..I'm talkin' the Pre-Vince days [This message was edited by Tony Prior on 03 February 2005 at 06:54 AM.] |
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Donny Hinson Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A. |
posted 02 February 2005 04:46 PM
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The little that I remember of them sounded like pretty "amateurish" country rock, to me. What was some of their best stuff? Maybe I missed something. |
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Randy Pettit Member From: Van Alstyne, Texas USA |
posted 02 February 2005 05:01 PM
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To me, PPL was like three different bands... There was the early Craig Lee Fuller era (with Aimee), in which it was basically the "Craig Lee Fuller Band". After Fuller left, they were what I consider to be a "true band", with no single dominant front man. When Vince Gill arrived, PPL became the "Vince Gill Project" and morphed more into a rock/pop band rather than their earlier country/rock efforts. I liked PPL's "middle period" the best - great steel by John David Call. |
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chuck lemasters Member From: Jacksonburg, WV , |
posted 03 February 2005 07:15 AM
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If I remember correctly, the first album, with Aimee, steel by Al Brisco, was recorded a couple of years before it was ever released. The next couple of albums, with John David Call on steel, were probably more rock than country, and recorded in in a very plain manner, a very un-slick production. This is probably the music you are remembering Donny. At the time I loved the tunes, wore out the records playing along with them. John David Call's steel sound was very hi-fi and smooth, but, as with the rest of the production, very plain sounding, little or no echo, etc. chuck |
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Bob Hayes Member From: Church Hill,Tenn,USA |
posted 03 February 2005 07:53 AM
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Whenm I was with the " Lovinm Country Bamnd inm Ogdomn & Salt Lake City,Utah .back imn the Early '80's we covered all of it, plus ZZTop,Charlie Danmiels,Skaggs,Alabama,everythinmg..plus a mnew guy fromn Texas ..startinmg with Amnarilo by Mormnimng..We "Rocked the Country...I think Grouchy |
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Glenn Suchan Member From: Austin, Texas |
posted 03 February 2005 08:13 AM
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Chuck, The lineup for first PPL album was Craig Fuller, George Powell and John David Call. Al Brisco replaced John David Call on the second album "Bustin' Out". Both albums had been recorded a couple of years before "Amy" became a pop hit. By that time Craig Fuller moved to Canada and George Powell took over leadership of the band. BTW: Craig Fuller replaced the deceased Lowell George in Little Feat when they reformed in the late '80's. He stayed with them until the mid '90's. He retired and was replaced by Shawn Murphy. Keep on pickin'! |
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Mark van Allen Member From: loganville, Ga. USA |
posted 03 February 2005 10:49 AM
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I'll agree that the various incarnations of PPL had vastly different sounds. But the earlier versions weren't "killed" by Vince, he just replaced players/writers and the sound changed, of course. "Firin' Up" with Vince is a fantastic country-rock record. No steel I can recall but great tunes ranging from bluegrass to hard rock with Vince's great voice and some blistering guitar. We covered a few of the tunes from this LP in one of my bands and they were great fun to play. ------------------ |
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chuck lemasters Member From: Jacksonburg, WV , |
posted 03 February 2005 03:22 PM
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Glenn, I stand corrected. But wasn't Aimee from the second album, the one with Al Brisco? And this was the record that brought them national attention, rather than their first. Regardless, I have them all somewhere in the basement, all badly worn. chuck |
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Rick McDuffie Member From: Smithfield, North Carolina, USA |
posted 03 February 2005 05:58 PM
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"I'll fix yer flat tire Merle, Don't you get your sweet country pickin' fingers all covered with erl. You're a honky I know, but Merle you got soul. Yeah, I'll fix your flat tire Merle." Gotta love it. I wonder if John David Call is a descendent of Cap'n Woodrow Call? [This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 03 February 2005 at 05:59 PM.] |
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Glenn Suchan Member From: Austin, Texas |
posted 03 February 2005 06:12 PM
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Chuck, "Amie" was on their second album, "Bustin' Out". However, the band didn't achieve moderate national popularity until "Amie" became a hit a year or so later. Although "Amie" was their hit, I think other songs were better. "Early Morning Riser", "Angel #9", "Boulder Skies"... Keep on pickin'! |
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Ben Elder Member From: La Crescenta, California, USA |
posted 04 February 2005 02:25 AM
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The first (with the REAL Norman Rockwell cover) PPL LP has always been a Top 5 (out of thousands of LPs and CDs) favorite of mine (Bustin' Out--ehhh, yawn; Two-Lane Highway--back on track). What ever became of John David Call? (Ditto all the inspiration comments stated above.) |
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Bob Carlucci Member From: Candor, New York, USA |
posted 04 February 2005 02:41 AM
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JD Call was a BIG influence on me.. He was a VERY good, VERY underrated player! I stole a bunch off of him. Very cool sound out of his Sho Bud..Dry as the desert sand! Almost No "steely twang" Almost bordering on muddy....Never any reverb or effects.It suited thier sound perfectly though! Loved those guys.. I completely lost interest when Vince came on the scene. Although he has immense talent and ferocious guitar and vocal chops,he was not the right fit for this band,unless you like that soft country pop type of thing... Give me "Flat Tire Merle" "Tears" "Two Lane Highway" "Country Song" Aren't You Mine" etc.. to me,THAT stuff was the "real PPL... bob |
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Jim Palenscar Member From: Oceanside, Calif, USA |
posted 04 February 2005 06:36 AM
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In between "Bustin' Out" and when Vince came on board you could hear the evolution of the band. In particular, there was an album called "Dance" where more reverb was added to the steel and the steel playing became more even more melodic with songs like "Sister's Keeper" and "All the Way". One song that really opened my eyes up to musical conversation - a "call and answer" type of situation between the steel and the guitar was "Aren't You Mine". I understand Larry's point about "amateurish" but, for me, the music set me just right. Someone said that John David Call was working in a music store in Cincinnati or somewhere in that area. I tried to track him down one day on the phone but was unsucessful. |
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David Cobb Member From: Chanute, Kansas, USA |
posted 04 February 2005 08:43 AM
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The first time I heard those guys I was hooked. It may have been the Bustin' Out LP. I began seeking all their releases. The album artwork was terrific too. I remember thinking that when Vince joined, it was the end of them, and it was, and we'd probably heard the last of Vince too. Boy was I wrong about him. |
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Billy T. Johnson Member From: Statesboro, Georgia, USA |
posted 04 February 2005 09:43 AM
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i caught PPL in Atlanta 25-30 years ago and tehy were really good. if i am correct, they were pushing Two High Highway. One thing about PPL is that there members changed like the wind. billy ------------------ |
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Ray Minich Member From: Limestone, New York, USA |
posted 04 February 2005 02:49 PM
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1974 album pile in college, partial contents... (other brain cells now dead) Same point in history as Amie. Pure Prarie League Oops, how could I forget "Skynyrd"? [This message was edited by Ray Minich on 04 February 2005 at 08:00 PM.] |
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Ray Minich Member From: Limestone, New York, USA |
posted 04 February 2005 02:51 PM
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Duplicate post by accident, browser failure. [This message was edited by Ray Minich on 04 February 2005 at 02:52 PM.] |
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fraser Member From: seattle wa |
posted 04 February 2005 08:12 PM
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By the time the "Aimee" album came, PPL was over the hill. The first album is/was fantastic. A good friend in jr high school...his father managed them. We used to listen them practice in their basement. I got an album for cleaning the swimming pool,etc for them! Saw many of their earliest gigs in NE Ohio. I'm pretty critical but their first album still sounds super. Fraser |
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Chuck McGill Member From: Jackson, Tn |
posted 05 February 2005 05:35 AM
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The first group of guys we called a band learned almost the entire first record. Great music and John Call rocked. Country Song is still a favorite of mine. Oh and Craig Fuller in Little Feat brought back some fond memories. |
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Billy T. Johnson Member From: Statesboro, Georgia, USA |
posted 05 February 2005 05:38 AM
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'Country Song' is a GREAT tune! Great solos!! billy ------------------ |
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Pete Burak Member From: Portland, OR USA |
posted 05 February 2005 11:09 AM
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I would say the PPL alblum "Home On The Range" was largly responsible for my searching the local classifieds for my first pedal steel. Country Song is still one of my favorite tunes! I would reccomend the live alblums for a sample of what the band really sounded like. "Live!! Takin' the Stage" and "Home On The Range" (double album with both live and studio). Although I played most of their later Top 40 hits, I was more a fan of their 70's tunes (especially the ones with PSG or hot guitar pickin'). Found this bio: http://launch.yahoo.com/ar-260953-bio--Pure-Prairie-League [This message was edited by Pete Burak on 05 February 2005 at 11:10 AM.] |
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Chris L. Christensen Member From: Los Angeles, California, USA |
posted 05 February 2005 03:09 PM
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I first heard PPL when I was a very young lad and have really dug them ever since. I thought their image and material were great. Perfect Country Rock! Does anyone know whatever happened to John David Call? Has he posted to the forum. I was saddened to hear about Michael Conner, the keyboard player, passing away about 6 months or so ago. Larry Goshorn, who played lead guitar and wrote or cowrote many of the songs, and his brother, I think his name is Tom, still play regularly in I think either the Columbus or Cincinnati, Ohio area. |
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Bob Cox Member From: Portsmouth,Ohio USA |
posted 06 February 2005 07:06 AM
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John lives in Chilicohe,Ohio,He was at our show last year and ran sound ,his lovely wife sang on show and wow she can sing like a bird .John is backing up his wife Andria at this time. |
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Billy T. Johnson Member From: Statesboro, Georgia, USA |
posted 06 February 2005 07:54 AM
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i remember buying PPL albums when they came bout new when i was in college, i.e. 1969-75. i often would listen to i think teh 2nd PPL album with Country Song on it. and later my next favorite was 'two lane highway'. like i said arlier, 'I'll Fix Your Flat Tire Merle' always gave me a smile. as good 7 as big of a country star M. Haggard was, he was as manay was in those days, . . . did not practice what they preached . . . ! ole Merle had a few 'good' vices you might say, but thought some how it was OK and different from a young 'hippie' (damm i love that word!) doing the same stuff or usually had near as hard! i need to read the lyrics to '. . . flat tire merle' again.. i know i posted this earlier somewhre, but the Larry Goshen (sp?) guyitra ditty was great! i can see the 'twist' in his face now when the strings hit the frets!!! i think, i saw them in Atlanta around that same time period. peace, ------------------ |
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Pete Burak Member From: Portland, OR USA |
posted 06 February 2005 02:17 PM
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'Just picked up PPL's "Extended Versions" CD ($7.99). Great Steel on 10 'Live In Concert' tunes! |
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John Rickard Member From: Phoenix (It's A Dry Heave) AZ |
posted 06 February 2005 09:31 PM
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Pure Praire League! Great stuff! Many "Steelers" learned to play along with their vinyl (or 8 tracks). JR |
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