Having grown up in the hey day of southern rock, I remember when Bunky Odom, who was the Allman Brothers Band’s Tour Manager in 1969/71, sent his kid brother Robert promo copies of the first Allman Brothers Band and the first Boz Scaggs LP’s and which I traded a Four Tops live album for them because Robert liked the Motown scene and did not like that hippy music. LOL
From that day forward I was into southern rock, however when The Marshall Tucker Band came along with Can’t You See, I really did not like it. I liked other songs by them but not that classic track from their first LP and maybe their most popular track. As time rolled on and the second Marshall Tucker album came out, they had grown and matured and were really the second best Southern rock band, yes ahead of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Wet Willie, and Charlie Daniels Band of the known groups. There were plenty of excellent bands that faded into obscurity like Cowboy, Hydra, PotLiquor, Swallow, and Eric Quincy Tate just to name a few that could have competed with the southern rock elite.
The Marshall Tucker Band proved that they were one of the best of the southern rockers, with a diversity that few other than the Allman Brothers displayed. MTB meshed together rock, soul, blues and jazz like the Allmans did, but MTB put more country into some of their songs. This pushed them into a slightly different direction and they were able to produce more hit records. Talent sometimes is not appreciated until time shows the way. For anyone who has never heard this band there is not a bad song on this CD, oh sure some are more enjoyable than others but that is personal taste.
Music is adventure, a journey, or a passage back into time. The journey that Marshall Tucker Band takes you on is one of the most enjoyable you will ever want to hear if you like a band who can play a diverse array of music. Looking back in time I actually listen to Marshall Tucker as often as I listen to the Allman Brothers. Standing tall playing his guitar Toy Caldwell was a fine guitar player, with great musicians playing along with him and Doug Gray with his soulful vocals pushing MTB in ways others never went. The Marshall Tucker Band stands the test of time and sound just as good today as the day they were recorded. Enjoy the Greatest Hits and believe me they are all hits. Sit yourself down into your easy chair on the porch and turn back the hands of time.
Review by Vernon Tart
