Hello Music Lovers. I'm on a mission. Although they have had a couple of top ten hits, a band that will celebrate it's 40th year anniversary has never received the recognition that it deseves. So, most of you probably won't read this, but if a few of you do, thanx. Here it is:
One of my favorite bands in the 60's was Buffalo Springfield. On their last album, Richie Furay wrote a beautiful song, "Kind Woman". He recruited Rusty Young to play pedal steel. That was really the beginning of Poco.
Poco had been a band for 2 years before I had ever heard of them. July 4, 1970. Atlanta Pop Festival. I missed the introduction of the band, but when I heard those amazingly high harmonies, and every note and chord being played sounding like a bell, I made my way to the front of the stage. They then kicked into a jam, at the end of it, Rusty was sounding like Hendrix on his pedal steel. He even played it using his chair. I had never seen that instrument played loke this. Then they started playing "Kind Woman." I thought, holy sakes, this is Buffalo Springfield. I later found out they were called Poco.
I returned home and got the 2 albums they had out at the time. The first one was called "Pickin Up The Peices." The band was Richie Furay, Jim Messina, Rusty Young, and George Grantham. Members of the a band that would become The Eagles had been going to every show that Poco was playing at The Troubadore in LA. Halfway through the making of Pickin Up The Pieces, Randy Meisner left to become the bass player for The Eagles. So, Jim Messina did the bass parts that Randy didn't do on that album. Timothy B. Scmidth replaced Randy. A short while later Jim Messina decided to be a fulltime producer and he was replaced by Paul Cotton. He went on to produce Kenny Loggins and joined up with him in Loggins And Messina.
I saw Poco twice the next year in NC. Paul was amazing. He writes country songs and hard rockers, and is a great singer and guitar player. Poco started performing a song, "Good Feeling To Know." It always was a show stopper. This was going to be their really big breakthrough. When that album didn't top the charts, rumour had it that Richie Furay was depressed and was leaving the band.
Then I saw them in Charlotte. Out walked the band. No Richie Furay. I though, oh no, this is the end of Poco. That concert that night put an end to that thought. I could not believe it. How could they be even better now? Rusty was using a slide guitar that he made that sat on a stand and created some amazing sounds.
I continued to follow Poco album after great album. Then, when Randy left The Eagles, Timothy replaced him. I though once again, that's the end of Poco. Then they put out the album "Legend" which contained "Heart Of The Night" and "Crazy Love", their first top ten hits.
After that they kept putting out awesome albums. They went away for a while, then the original band got together to do an album, which contained the hit, "Call It Love." This was actually the only complete Poco album with the original members.
I lost track of them for a while. When I started using a computer I googled them and, holy cow, there they were still playing, with a new album, and coming to a town near me! I went, was lucky enough to sit on the first row, and they were even better now. I talked to them all. It seemed like they were having more fun talking to me, than I was talking to them. I shook the drummer's hand, George, and told him about the first time I saw them in Atlanta. He smiled, and it seemed like he really appreciated my story. A few weeks later I was deeply saddened to hear George had sufferd a stroke on stage near Boston.
The band went on. They are now Rusty, Paul, Jack Sundrud on bass, and George Russell on drums. This band still loves to go on stage. They have been great innovators, influencing everyone from The Eagles to Fleetwood Mac to Keith Urban. Today's country sound is a direct result of Poco.
These guys are true pioneers, and in my mind are hall of famers. If you ever get a chance to support them, please do. They deserve it. Tell them Quinn sent you.

hhehe Quinn I will if I ever see them and have the chance to talk to them

I remember Poco from the 80's with Crazy Love.

Nice smooch! and well written. My brother is a big fan..he's from the midwest, but they're an OK group. Alot of their albums are on diplay in a local store here.