Drag the River (Georgia band)

Last updated

Drag the River was a rock band based in Atlanta, Georgia featuring singer/songwriter Michelle Malone. [1] They began as a collection of Atlanta rock-scene mainstays, performing Malone's original songs at local venues such as Little Five Points Pub and Avondale Towne Cinema, often featuring guests from other local bands, including The Indigo Girls, Kristen Hall, and others.

Contents

In 1990, Arista Records released their album Relentless, which featured songs from Malone's previous self-released record New Experience (1988) plus several new tracks, all arranged for a roadhouse-style band. [2] Though Michelle Malone and Drag the River toured extensively with the record (performing in major amphitheaters and arenas, opening for such bands as the Indigo Girls and ZZ Top), it received limited commercial success and proved to be their only major release.

After Drag the River, Malone continued to write songs and release albums as a solo act and with other bands, including Band de Soleil. [3]

Drag The River reunited in January 2019, rehearsing for a reunion concert in Atlanta, Georgia, scheduled for April 2019. [1] [4]

Members

Recordings

Relentless

Arista Records, 1990

Building Fires Over Atlanta (Live EP)

Arista Records, 1991

Father Christmas (Promotional Single)

Arista Records, 1991

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stray Cats</span> American rockabilly band

Stray Cats are an American rockabilly band formed in 1979 by guitarist and vocalist Brian Setzer, double bassist Lee Rocker, and drummer Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia, Canada, and the U.S. including "Stray Cat Strut", "(She's) Sexy + 17", "Look at That Cadillac", "I Won't Stand in Your Way", "Bring It Back Again", and "Rock This Town", which the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has listed as one of the songs that shaped rock and roll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Jackson</span> American country singer and songwriter

Alan Eugene Jackson is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for performing a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country", as well as penning many of his own songs. Jackson has recorded 16 studio albums, three greatest-hits albums, two Christmas albums, and two gospel albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indigo Girls</span> American folk rock duo

Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. They started performing with the name Indigo Girls as students at Emory University, performing weekly at The Dugout, a bar in Emory Village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Me First and the Gimme Gimmes</span> American punk rock band

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in San Francisco in 1995. The band's lineup consists of Spike Slawson, Fat Mike, Joey Cape, and Dave Raun. Chris Shiflett is a former member.

Billy Pilgrim is an American folk rock duo based in Atlanta, Georgia, comprising Andrew Hyra and Kristian Bush. The band's name was taken from the time-traveling anti-hero of Kurt Vonnegut's novel Slaughterhouse-Five. The name was adopted in 1994; prior to that the duo simply billed itself as Andrew Hyra and Kristian Bush. The band has released two albums on a major record label and several independently. The songs "Get Me Out Of Here" and "Sweet Louisiana Sound" were released as singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Ray</span> American singer-songwriter and record producer

Amy Elizabeth Ray is an American alto singer-songwriter and member of the contemporary folk duo Indigo Girls with Emily Saliers. She also pursues a solo career and has released six albums under her own name, and founded a record company, Daemon Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackhawk (band)</span> American band

Blackhawk is an American country music group founded in 1992 by Henry Paul, Van Stephenson, and Dave Robbins. Prior to the group's formation, Paul had been a member of the Southern rock band Outlaws, while Stephenson was a solo rock artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Brigati</span> American singer-songwriter

Edward Brigati Jr. is an American singer-songwriter. He was the co-lead vocalist, along with Felix Cavaliere, and percussionist in the rock group The Young Rascals from 1964 to 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drivin N Cryin</span> American rock band

Drivin' n' Cryin' is an American Southern rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Leisz</span> American musician

Gregory Brian Leisz is an American musician. He is a songwriter, recording artist, and producer. He plays guitar, dobro, mandolin, lap steel and pedal steel guitar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Malone</span> American singer-songwriter

Michelle Malone is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born and raised in Atlanta, she started performing in bands and writing songs as a teenager. Initially, she would sign with Arista Records after performing around parts of Atlanta. Soon after, she would release an album entitled Relentless with her band Drag the River. She would also collaborate with The Harshed Mellows with the song "U.S. Blues" for the tribute album Deadicated. She would again switch labels, going to Velvet records, but decided to found her own record company, SBS Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Suburban Home Records</span>

Suburban Home Records and Distribution is a record label based in Denver, Colorado, United States. The label was founded in 1995 by Virgil Dickerson, and is known for focusing on vinyl releases and bands in the pop-punk and alt-country genres. Its roster has included Two Cow Garage, Drag the River, Oblivion, The Gamits, and Apocalypse Hoboken. In 2006 the label founded the Vinyl Collective, an online store that serves as a community hub for independent vinyl collectors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santana (band)</span> American band led by Carlos Santana

Santana is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1966 by Mexican-born guitarist Carlos Santana. The band has undergone multiple recording and performing line-ups in its history, with Santana the only consistent member. After signing with Columbia Records, the band's appearance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 increased their profile and went on to record the commercially successful and critically-acclaimed albums Santana (1969), Abraxas (1970), and Santana III (1971). These were recorded by the group's "classic" line-up, featuring Gregg Rolie, Michael Carabello, Michael Shrieve, David Brown, and José "Chepito" Areas. Hit songs of this period include "Evil Ways", "Black Magic Woman", "Oye Como Va", and the instrumental "Samba Pa Ti".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gene Cornish</span> Canadian-American musician

Gene Cornish is a Canadian-American guitarist and harmonica player. He is an original member of the popular 1960s blue-eyed soul band The Young Rascals. From 1965 to 1970, the band recorded eight albums and had thirteen singles that reached Billboard's Top 40 chart. In 1997, as a founding member of The Rascals, Cornish was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Witness was an Atlanta rock band that was signed to Arista Records in 1986 under the name Native and after changing their name, put out their self-titled debut album in 1988. The band consisted of lead singer Debbie Davis, guitarist Damon Johnson, bassist Eddie Usher, keyboardist Joey Huffman & drummer Eddie Boyd.

Joseph Rodney Huffman is an American musician. Primarily known as a keyboard player, Huffman has performed with many artists, both in the studio and live. He was a member of Witness, Drivin N Cryin and the Georgia Satellites. Joey has recorded on over 125 records as a musician and producer/engineer during his career including Bowling for Soup's A Hangover You Don't Deserve, Skinny Molly's Here For A Good Time, Miranda Lambert's Kerosene, Soul Asylum's Let Your Dim Light Shine, After the Flood: Live from Grand Forks Prom, Black Gold: The Best of Soul Asylum and Silver Lining, Meat Puppets' No Joke, Matchbox Twenty's Live From Down Under DVD, Butch Walker's Letters, CeeLo Green's Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections, Collective Soul's Youth, Izzy Stradlin's Miami, Blackberry Smoke's New Honky Tonk Bootlegs to name a few. He has also toured with Isaac Hayes (1989), Michelle Malone and Drag the River (1990-1991), The Georgia Satellites (1992-2004), Drivin N Cryin (1994-2006), Izzy Stradlin (1993), Matchbox Twenty (1998) and Soul Asylum (1993–1997). in 2008, he performed live with Lynyrd Skynyrd, filling-in for Billy Powell. He is currently a member of Hank Williams Jr.'s touring band.

<i>New Experience</i> 1988 studio album by Michelle Malone

New Experience is the debut album by Michelle Malone, released in 1988. The album was critically very well received. Produced as an independent LP on Sky Records, it led to Malone signing with Arista Records. Among the musicians on the album was R.E.M.'s drummer Bill Berry. The LP was re-released on CD in 1993 with six new tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peppermint (entertainer)</span> American actress, singer, and drag queen

Peppermint, or Miss Peppermint, is an American actress, singer, songwriter, television personality, drag queen, and activist. She is best known from the nightlife scene and, in 2017, as the runner-up on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. In 2018, Peppermint made her debut in The Go-Go's-inspired musical Head Over Heels as Pythio, becoming Broadway's first out trans woman to originate a lead role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunflower (Vampire Weekend song)</span> 2019 single by Vampire Weekend

"Sunflower" is a song by American indie pop band Vampire Weekend featuring singer and guitarist Steve Lacy. It was the second single from their fourth studio album Father of the Bride, and was released on March 6, 2019 by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "Big Blue". In response to Post Malone and Swae Lee's identically-titled single, the band covered the song as a part of their BBC Live Lounge session.

Beneath the Devil Moon is an album by the American musician Michelle Malone, released in 1997.

References

  1. 1 2 Ruggieri, Melissa (April 11, 2019). "Michelle Malone and Drag the River are getting the band back together". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  2. Bowers, Maggie (June 23, 2017). "'90s rock band reunites in Newnan". Newnan Times-Herald . Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  3. Moser, Margaret (October 18, 2013). "Michelle Malone: Connected to Dirt". The Austin Chronicle . Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  4. Thomaston, Lindsay (March 12, 2019). "Exclusive: Watch Michelle Malone's "Sugar on My Tongue" Video". Paste . Retrieved March 22, 2021.