Roger McGuinn & Band

Infobox Album |
Name = Roger McGuinn
Type = studio
Artist = Roger McGuinn


Released = 1975
Recorded =
Genre = Rock
Length =
Label = Columbia
Producer = John Boylan
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0zddyl3jxpnb link]
*Review-Christgau|C|artist=3315
Last album = "Peace on You,
(1974)
This album = "Roger McGuinn & Band"
(1975)
Next album = "Cardiff Rose"
(1976)

"Roger McGuinn & Band" was Roger McGuinn's third full-length solo album, released in 1975. Recorded in Los Angeles, Ca, this album was McGuinn's third attempt to re-establish himself as a frontman without the Byrds. Along with McGuinn was bass player, Stephen A. Love; guitarist Richard Bowden; keyboards by David Lovelace; and drums by Greg Attaway. Since most know the story of Roger (or Jim) Mcguinn, the tale of the Band seems more interesting to learn.

These last three musicians were all from the same sleepy town of Linden, Texas. Cutting their proverbial teeth alongside Don Henley of Eagles fame, they set out for SoCal in the early 70's to make it in music. Bowden and Henley formed Shiloh, which just happened to include a future Who's Who list of top musicians including Al Perkins (Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street) on steel, Jim Ed Norman (Fmr Pres. of WarnerBros Nashville) on keys, and Richard's cousin Mike Bowden (Emmylou Harris) on bass. After a successful self-titled Dutch release on AMOS records, Henley and Bowden were picked by John Boylan, who also produced this McGuinn album, to help start up a new California country band led by Linda Ronstadt. After a few albums and a couple of tours with her, Henley and a few other members of the backing band went on to form a group you may have heard of- The Eagles. Bowden joined such artist as Jackson Browne, Dan Fogelberg, Stevie Nicks and the Flying Burrito Brothers for successful tours and/or recording sessions. Forming a comedy duo in 1982 with Sandy Pinkard (co-writer of 'You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma') Bowden played the comedy circuit until 1998 when he returned to his hometown of Linden to develop the Music City Texas Theater. Lovelace and Attaway came out to LA and made a few good, although not commercially successful recordings under the guise of Contraband, and Friends. After the McGuinn & Band sessions and a year promoting it on the road in such places as Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall, McGuinn called it off. "It was a bad time for me. The band was good..." but management and timing weren't so fortunate. Lovelace and Attaway (co-writers of Painted Lady) went on to collaborate with steel virtuoso Sneaky Pete Kleinow on an album entitled Cold Steel with fiddler Gib Gilbeau. Only released in limited markets, this was the group's only album. It wasn't many years before these two returned to small town life in Linden as well, later rejoing Bowden on the Music City stage in Richard Bowden & the Moon and Starz. Lovelace died in April 2003, of an apparent heart condition. Attaway, or Moon, is still active in the Theater as house drummer and sits on the board of directors weekly.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Roger McGuinn; except where indicated

# "Somebody Loves You" (Stephen A. Love)
# "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan)
# "Bull Dog"
# "Painted Lady" (Greg Attaway, David Lovelace)
# "Lover of the Bayou" (Jacques Levy, McGuinn)
# "Lisa"
# "Circle Song" (David Lovelace)
# "So Long"
# "Easy Does It"
# "Born to Rock and Roll"

Bonus Tracks

2004 CD reissue
# "Wasn’t Born To Follow" (live) (Carole King, Gerry Goffin)
# "Chestnut Mare" (live) (Jacques Levy, McGuinn)