 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(August 2009) |
The Sanford-Townsend Band | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Alabama, United States |
| Genres | Pop rock, blue-eyed soul |
| Years active | 1974–1980 |
| Labels | Warner Bros. |
| Past members | Ed Sanford Johnny Townsend Roger Johnson Otis Hale Jerry Rightmer Jim Varley |
The Sanford-Townsend Band was a rock and roll band who scored a hit single in 1977 with "Smoke from a Distant Fire".
The Sanford-Townsend Band featured keyboardists Ed Sanford (from Montgomery, Alabama) and Johnny Townsend (from Tuscaloosa, Alabama), who previously worked together in a Tuscaloosa-based band called The Heart (not to be confused with the band Heart fronted by Ann and Nancy Wilson from Seattle/Vancouver).
After reuniting in Los Angeles, Sanford and Townsend signed a publishing deal with Chappell Music and began writing songs, most notably "Peacemaker" for Loggins and Messina, which was co-written by Sanford and Townsend with Kenny Loggins.
Their 1976 self-titled album, recorded at the famous Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama, started getting attention when "Smoke from a Distant Fire" reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 9 in Cash Box, and No. 13 in Record World. The album was retitled with the name of the hit song and re-released as just by Sanford & Townsend. The band supported the song by opening for Fleetwood Mac on their Rumours tour, as well as concerts with The Marshall Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels, Jimmy Buffett, Foreigner, and Heart.
The band's follow-up albums, Duo-Glide (also credited to Sanford & Townsend) and Nail Me To The Wall (back to the full band name again), were significantly less successful. Sanford and Townsend returned to their careers as session musicians and songwriters.
The band's long-time bassist, Jerry Rightmer, died in 2007 at the age of 57 from cirrhosis of the liver, brought on by hepatitis C.
Former lead guitarist Roger Johnson currently works with his wife in publishing. He had spent 25 years in the film industry as a video technician and editor subsequent to his time in the Sanford-Townsend Band. [1]
In 2008, John Townsend formed the Toler/Townsend Band with Dan Toler. Townsend's tenor voice remains substantially unchanged from thirty years prior. [2]
| Title | Year | Chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [5] | AUS [6] | |||
| "Shake It to the Right" | 1977 | — | — | Sanford Townsend Band |
| "Smoke from a Distant Fire" | 9 | 44 | ||
| "Eye of My Storm (Oh Woman)" | 1978 | — | — | Duo-Glide |
Alabama is an American country music band formed in Fort Payne, Alabama, in 1969. The band was founded by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry. They were soon joined by another cousin, Jeff Cook. First operating under the name Wildcountry, the group toured the Southeast bar circuit in the early 1970s, and began writing original songs. They changed their name to Alabama in 1977 and following the chart success of two singles, were approached by RCA Records for a recording deal.
Daniel Earl Hartman was an American pop rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer, and songwriter and original frontman for several bands, including The Soploids, Mak and the Turnarounds, Our Wringer, Last Wing, and Orion. Among songs he wrote and recorded were "Free Ride" as a member of the Edgar Winter Group, and the solo hits "Relight My Fire", "Instant Replay", "I Can Dream About You", "We Are the Young" and "Second Nature". "I Can Dream About You", his most successful song, reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984 and No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart in 1985. The James Brown song "Living in America", which Hartman co-wrote and produced, reached No. 4 on March 1, 1986.
Michael H. McDonald is an American singer, keyboardist and songwriter known for his distinctive, soulful voice and as a member of Steely Dan (1973–1974), and the Doobie Brothers. McDonald wrote and sang several hit singles with the Doobie Brothers, including "What a Fool Believes", "Minute by Minute", and "Takin' It to the Streets." McDonald has also performed as a prominent backing vocalist on numerous recordings by artists including Steely Dan, Toto, Christopher Cross, and Kenny Loggins.
Loggins and Messina was an American pop rock duo consisting of Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina, who achieved major chart success during the early-mid 1970s. Among their well-known songs are "Danny's Song", "House at Pooh Corner", and "Your Mama Don't Dance". After selling more than 16 million records and becoming one of the leading musical duos of the 1970s, Loggins and Messina separated in 1976. Although Messina would find only limited popularity following the breakup, Loggins went on to achieve major chart success in the 1980s. In 2005 and again in 2009, Loggins and Messina reformed for tours in the United States.
Native Sons is the sixth and final studio album by singer-songwriter duo Loggins and Messina, released in January 1976. It was a departure from previous recordings owing to the presence of string sections, stronger emphasis on flute, minimized use of saxophone, downplayed country influences and Jim Messina's signature guitar work was barely in evidence. After a final concert in Hawaii, the duo quietly went their separate ways. The Messina-penned rock and roll song "Boogie Man" was later covered by Australian rock band The Blue Echoes.
Finale is the second live double album by singer-songwriter duo Loggins and Messina, released in early 1977. Tracks on the album are from performances while touring in 1975 and 1976.
Celebrate Me Home is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. It was released on April 13, 1977, by Columbia Records. The album was Loggins' first since splitting from Loggins and Messina, represents a slight move away from the folk-rock leanings of his previous recordings towards a more polished, soft rock sound.
Nightwatch is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, released in 1978. The album is Loggins' highest charting album on the Billboard 200 to date, reaching number 7.
"Footloose" is a song co-written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins. It was released in January 1984 as the first of two singles by Loggins from the 1984 film of the same name. The song spent three weeks at number one, March 31—April 14, 1984, on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Loggins' only chart-topper, and was the first of two number-one hits from the film. Billboard ranked it at the No. 4 song for 1984.
"What a Fool Believes" is a song written by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. The best-known version was recorded by the Doobie Brothers for their 1978 album Minute by Minute. Debuting at number 73 on January 20, 1979, the single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 14, 1979, for one week. The song received Grammy Awards in 1980 for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year. In 2024, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Sailcat was an American rock band that was signed with Elektra Records in the early 1970s, and best known for the hit song "Motorcycle Mama".
Barry Edward Beckett was an American keyboardist, session musician, record producer, and studio founder. He is best known for his work with David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, and Roger Hawkins, his bandmates in the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, which performed with numerous notable artists on their studio albums and helped define the "Muscle Shoals sound".
American Pride is the fourteenth studio album by American country music band Alabama, released in 1992 by RCA Nashville. It included the singles "I'm in a Hurry ", "Take a Little Trip", "Hometown Honeymoon" and "Once Upon a Lifetime". "I'm in a Hurry" was a Number One hit for the band, while the other singles all reached the Top Five on the U.S. Billboard country charts. "Between the Two of Them" was later released as a single by Tanya Tucker from her 1994 album Fire to Fire.
"A Love Song" is a song written by Kenny Loggins and Dona Lyn George, first released by the folk-rock duo Loggins and Messina in 1973 on their album Full Sail. Country artist Anne Murray covered the song later that year for her album of the same name.
"Your Mama Don't Dance" is a hit 1972 song by the rock duo Loggins and Messina. Released on their self-titled album Loggins and Messina, it reached number four on the Billboard pop chart and number 19 on the Billboard Easy Listening Chart as a single in early 1973.
"Danny's Song" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, as a gift for his brother Danny for the birth of his son, Colin. It first appeared on an album by Gator Creek and a year later on the album Sittin' In, the debut album by Loggins and Messina. The song is well remembered for both the Loggins and Messina original, as well as for Anne Murray's 1972 top-ten-charting cover.
"Got the Time" is a song written and performed by the British new wave musician Joe Jackson, appearing as the closing track on his 1979 debut album, Look Sharp!. The song has since been performed frequently in live concerts by Jackson.
Just Before the Bullets Fly is a studio album by the Gregg Allman Band, released on Epic Records in 1988. The album peaked at number 117 on the Billboard 200 chart.
"Smoke from a Distant Fire" is a song by American duo Sanford-Townsend Band. It was released as a single in 1977 from their self-titled album.
"Heart to Heart" is a song by American musician Kenny Loggins, co-written with Michael McDonald, and composer David Foster. It was released in 1982 as the second of three singles from his 1982 album High Adventure. It reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent five weeks in that position, from late January through late February. It spent a total of 13 weeks in the Top 40, and 17 weeks on the Hot 100. It also reached number 15 on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100.
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