From their first LP in 1973, to their powerful stage presence today,
the Marshall Tucker Band has played countless concert venues
around the world. With the success of the Volunteer Jam Tour, and
1999 release of Gospel, the good ol’ boys from Spartanburg,
South Carolina remain as a powerful force in the world of music.
The Marshall Tucker Band present lineup features Doug Gray on lead
vocals; Pat Elwood, bass guitar; Chris Hicks, guitars; Stuart Swanlund,
slide guitar; B.B. Borden on drums, and David Muse on keyboards, saxophone,
flute and vocals. David has rejoined the Marshall Tucker Band
after a 3 year absence.
David originally joined MTB in 1996. As a founding member of Firefall,
David took sometime away from MTB to reunite with his bandmates.
Lead singer, Doug Gray, is quick to credit the
band’s current dynamic members with carrying on the everlasting
Marshall Tucker Band sound. In 1989, slide guitarist Stuart
Swanlund joined the lineup of talented musicians. They also added
the highly respected B.B. Borden, who is a former member of both
Mother’s Finest and The Outlaws, on drums in the early 90’s.
“The buying public never really cared whether we
were country or rock and roll” says founding member Doug Gray.
“They called us a Southern rock band, but we have always played
everything from country to blues and all things in-between.
We’re still playing all of the classic songs, but we are moving
ahead into other styles as well. We’re also playing for a
younger audience than we have in the past, perhaps to the kids of
the fans we played in front of in the 70’s and 80’s.”
Gray also notes that people have gotten “married and buried” to classic MTB songs
like “Desert Skies” and
“Can’t You See”. After nearly 30 years, The Marshall Tucker
Band continues to be played on classic rock and country radio, and
they have never stopped touring.
“We never play less than 150 shows a year, and
sometimes we play as many as 200 shows. We feel we owe it to the
fans who have supported us through the years to deliver the music
in person,” says Gray.
Years of rigorous tour schedules earned the band
the respect of critics and countless dedicated fans. With hit
singles like “Heard It In a Love
Song”, “Fire On The Mountain”, “Can’t You See”, and
“Take The Highway”,
The Marshall Tucker Band earned 7 gold and 3 platinum
albums while they were on the Capricorn Records label. During the
90s, the MTB scored 4 hit singles on Billboard’s country
chart and one on Billboard’s gospel chart. Their music has also
been featured on the soundtracks of movies such as Smokey and the
Bandit, The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper, and Shipwrecked.
The Marshall Tucker Band got its start in
Spartanburg, S.C. when Gray teamed up with Tommy Caldwell and Toy
Caldwell, Paul T. Riddle, George McCorkle and Jerry Eubanks,
borrowing the name “Marshall Tucker” from a piano tuner
who’s name was found on a key ring in their old rehearsal space.
In 1972, they signed with Capricorn Records, the same label that
guided The Allman Brothers Band, Wet Willie, and others to
national fame. The MTB opened shows for The Allman Brothers in
1973, and the following year, they began to headline their own
shows across America due to the platinum-plus sales of their debut
album.
In years to come, The Marshall Tucker Band would
wow critics and influence major country acts like Alabama, The
Kentucky Headhunters, Confederate Railroad, and Travis Tritt with
its definitive blend of rock, rhythm & blues, jazz, country,
and gospel. Now, thanks to the expanding scope of today’s music,
a new generation of fans is learning what the rest of their fans
have known for so long - that good music knows no boundaries.
“As we’ve become older,” Gray grins, eyes
twinkling, “our Southern heritage seems to come out even more.
But no matter how old we get, we can still rock your socks off.”
MARSHALL TUCKER BAND
