Though Southern Rock legends The Marshall Tucker Band were fairly prolific throughout the 1970's, the band never released an official live album from that period other than the half-live, half-studio album Where We All Belong in 1974. In recent years however, a few archival live recordings have surfaced from the band covering concerts from the late '70s and early '80s, including this recent 2CD set from The Warehouse in New Orleans on New Year's Eve 1978. At the time, the band were touring in support of their 7th studio album, Together Forever.
Complete with great sound quality and killer performances, this live set features The Marshall Tucker Band at the height of their powers and churning out pretty much a greatest hits set of all their best songs up to that point. Mandatory hits such as "Heard It In a Love Song", "Can't You See", "Fire On the Mountain", "This Ol' Cowboy", "Searchin' For a Rainbow", "Fly Like an Eagle", and the rousing "24 Hours at a Time" are played splendidly, the bands penchant for Southern styled country rock with a healthy dose of jazz & blues perfectly on display. Doug Gray's vocals are spot on throughout, and the late guitar virtuoso Toy Caldwell's sizzling Gibson Les Paul licks are a joy to listen to, especially on the raging instrumental "Long Hard Ride" and the chickin' pickin' of "Ramblin'" and "Hillbilly Band". "Blue Ridge Mountain Skies" is another gem here, complete with Jerry Eubanks' soaring sax and Toy's tasty lead guitar.
If you've long waited for that official live album from The Marshall Tucker Band in their prime, look no further. Come celebrate New Years in 1978 into 1979 with the band and their loving fans with this thrilling live set...it's a keeper!!
Track Listing
DISC 1:
1 “Fly Like an Eagle”
2 “Long Hard Ride”
3 “Fire On The Mountain”
4 “Heard it In A Love Song”
5 “Dream Lover”
6 “Blue Ridge Mountain Skies”
7 “Can’t You See”
8 “Hillbilly Band”
9 “Ramblin'”
10 “This Ol’ Cowboy”
11 “Desert Skies”
12 “24 Hours at a Time “
DISC 2:
1 “New Year's Countdown, Auld Lang Syne”
2 “I’ll Be Loving You”
3 “Searchin’ For a Rainbow”
4 “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”