Southern Pacific (band)

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Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific (band).jpg
Southern Pacific (left to right: Knudsen, Cook, McFee, Howell), 1989.
Background information
Origin San Francisco, California, United States
Genres Country rock
Years active1983–1991
Labels Warner Bros., Wounded Bird
Past members Keith Knudsen
John McFee
Jerry Scheff
Tim Goodman
Glen Hardin
Stu Cook
Kurt Howell
David Jenkins

Southern Pacific was an American country rock band that existed from 1983 to 1991. They are best known for hits such as "Any Way the Wind Blows" (1989), which was used in the soundtrack for the film Pink Cadillac starring Clint Eastwood and Bernadette Peters, and "New Shade of Blue" (1988, their highest-ranking single on the country charts in November of that year). Southern Pacific was named New Country Group of the Year when they debuted and have been honored by having their name added to the Country Music Association's Walkway of Stars in Nashville, Tennessee.

Contents

History

The band was formed in 1983 with former Doobie Brothers members Keith Knudsen and John McFee and bassist Jerry Scheff. Additional founding members include Tim Goodman on vocals and keyboardist Glen Hardin. The group signed with Warner Bros. Records in 1984 through which their debut album, Southern Pacific was released the following year. Scheff left after the album debuted and was replaced by Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater Revival, while Kurt Howell replaced Hardin on keyboards. Cook and Howell would join the others in the release of Killbilly Hill in 1986. This album would feature the cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Pink Cadillac". Goodman left after the second album to pursue a solo career and was replaced by David Jenkins (formerly of Pablo Cruise) in 1987 in time for the production of the group's third album Zuma (1988) where their highest ranking single "New Shade of Blue" was included. Jenkins left after Zuma and the group remained a quartet for the final album County Line (1989) which included the single "Any Way The Wind Blows" that was used in the Pink Cadillac soundtrack and film that same year. Southern Pacific covered the Roky Erickson song "It's a Cold Night For Alligators" for the tribute album Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson . (Cook had produced more than a dozen of Erickson's songs in 1979, which became Erickson's album The Evil One .) [1] The group disbanded and Warner Bros. released their Greatest Hits album in 1991.

After Southern Pacific's breakup, Knudsen and McFee returned to The Doobie Brothers (who had already reunited in 1987). Knudsen died in 2005 while McFee continues to tour with The Doobies. Cook toured with fellow Creedence Clearwater Revival band member Doug Clifford with the group Cosmo's Factory (now Creedence Clearwater Revisited). Goodman continued to tour and record with The Magic Music Band and his solo project, The Tim Goodman Band. Howell formed his own music group, called Burnin' Daylight. This group also included former Exile member Sonny LeMaire and Nashville songwriter Marc Beeson.

Southern Pacific's four studio albums were reissued in 2003 by specialty label Wounded Bird Records in two double-CD packages.

Cook was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1993. Both Knudsen (posthumous) and McFee were inducted with the Doobie Brothers in 2020.

Reunion concert

On July 12, 2013, Southern Pacific performed a reunion concert at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, California.

Band members

1983–1986
1986
1987–1989
  • Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, background vocals
  • John McFee – lead guitar, steel guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, resonator guitar, electric sitar, harmonica, lead and background vocals
  • Stu Cook  – bass guitar, background vocals
  • Kurt Howell – piano, synthesizer, lead and background vocals
  • David Jenkins  – rhythm guitar, lead and background vocals
1989–1991
  • Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, background vocals
  • John McFee – lead vocals, lead guitar, steel guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, resonator guitar, electric sitar, harmonica, lead and background vocals
  • Stu Cook – bass guitar, background vocals
  • Kurt Howell – piano, synthesizer, lead vocals, lead and background vocals

Timeline

Southern Pacific (band)

Discography

Studio albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak positions
US Country
[2]
Southern Pacific 25
Killbilly Hill
  • Release date: November 1986
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
35
Zuma
  • Release date: June 21, 1988
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
27
County Line
  • Release date: January 5, 1990
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
42

Compilation albums

TitleAlbum details
Greatest Hits
  • Release date: July 9, 1991 [3]
  • Label: Warner Bros. Records
Rhino Hi-Five: Southern Pacific

Singles

YearSinglePeak positionsAlbum
US Country
[4]
US AC
[5]
CAN Country
[6]
1985"Someone's Gonna Love Me Tonight"6040Southern Pacific
"Thing About You" (with Emmylou Harris)1414
"Perfect Stranger"1824
1986"Reno Bound"919
"A Girl Like Emmylou"1719Killbilly Hill
"Killbilly Hill"3720
1987"Don't Let Go of My Heart"2627
1988"Midnight Highway"1416Zuma
"New Shade of Blue"21
"Honey I Dare You"53
1989"All Is Lost"19
"Any Way the Wind Blows"45 Pink Cadillac (soundtrack) / County Line
"Time's Up" (with Carlene Carter)2619County Line
1990"I Go to Pieces"3117
"Reckless Heart"3223
"Memphis Queen" [7]
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

YearVideoDirector
1986"Killbilly Hill" [8] Ethan Russell
1989"Any Way the Wind Blows"
1990"I Go to Pieces" [9] Gerry Wenner

Album appearances

YearSongAlbum
1987"Shoot for the Top" Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol
1990"It's a Cold Night For Alligators" Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye: A Tribute to Roky Erickson

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References

  1. Bentley, Bill (2017-04-21). "Record Store Day Unearths a Roky Erickson Rarity". Austin Chronicle . Austin, Texas . Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  2. "Southern Pacific - Top Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2019.[ dead link ]
  3. "Amazon.co.jp: Greatest Hits: Music". 1991. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  4. "Southern Pacific - Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 6, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  5. "Southern Pacific - Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2019.[ dead link ]
  6. "Southern Pacific - Country Singles". RPM. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
  7. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . November 10, 1990.
  8. Billboard - Dec 20, 1986 - Google Books Result. 20 December 1986. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
  9. "New Videoclips" (PDF). Billboard . May 19, 1990. Retrieved 2016-01-11.