Soaring harmonies surrounding exuberant lead vocals ... instrumental virtuosity ... musical precision ... memorable original songs ... finely crafted albums ... unforgettable dynamic "live" performances ... "toe-tapping, foot-stomping, knee-slaping, bloodpumping, wide-grinning, shit-kicking down-home rock and roll music"* that makes you forget your troubles and smile. *(to quote Peter Fornatale, WNEW-FM)
These have been Poco's hallmarks since the group was formed in 1968. Over the years the band has evolved. There have been changes in personnel, producers and musical direction, but through it all Poco's continuing growth, their standard of excellence and their infectious enthusiasm have made them one of the most respected and best loved groups around.
Poco is Rusty Young on pedal steel, dobro, mandolin, banjo, guitar and vocals; George Grantham on drums and vocals; Timothy B. Schmit on bass and vocals; and Paul Cotton on guitars and vocals. These four have been playing together since late 1970 when Cotton replaced Jim Messina as Poco's lead guitarist; and they have been the sole members of the group since Richie Furay left Poco in 1973. Rusty, George, Timothy and Paul have spent thousands of hours making music together on stage and in the studio, and it shows - Poco is as tight a unit as you'll ever find, vocally and instrumentally. And they radiate a vitality and a spontaneity that guarantees that Poco's precision could never sound over-rehearsed or mechanical.
Rusty Young has been with Poco from the beginning. He hooked up with Jim Messina and Richie Furay, playing pedal steel on Buffalo Springfield's "Kind Woman"; and, when Buffalo Springfield broke up, he helped the duo form Poco (originally Pogo). Rusty is an awardwinning pedal steel guitarist; he has a column on the pedal steel in Guitar Player Magazine; he is the author of "The Pedal Steel Handbook"; and, as a matter of fact, he has probably done more than anyone alive to take that instrument beyond country limits. When Rusty plays, the pedal steel can reel out straight country licks or it can sound exactly like an organ; it can take a fuzz toned electric guitar lead, or it can sound like a symphony orchestra. As if that wasn't enough, Rusty has added banjo, dobro, mandolin and assorted guitars to his arsenal of sound, frequently switching instruments several times during a song. And, recently he has taken more vocals and has emerged as a fine songwriter - contributing many of Poco's up-tempo country tunes.
Drummer George Grantham, like Rusty, is an original member of Poco and a former member of the Colorado group Boenzye Creeque. George's sweet high harmonies and solid tasty drumming are integral parts of Poco's distinctive sound.
Timothy B. Schmit joined Poco shortly after the release of their first LP, "Pickin' Up The Pieces". A former member of Redwing, Timothy has stepped out front more and more along the years with his fine bass work, his strong clear tenor voice, and his exceptional songs, which range from boucy good-time country rockers to introspective melodic ballads.
Guitarist Paul Cotton was recruited from the Illinois Speed Press just in time for Poco's "From The Inside" album, which included Paul's classic "Bad Weather". Paul's hot guitar licks, strong full lead vocals and versatile songwriting brought just the right edge of high energy rock to Poco's sound.
In 1975 Poco signed with ABC Records and co-produced "Head Over Heels" with engineer/producer/friend Mark Harman. The group had learned a lot of studio chops over the years working with producers like Jim Messina, Steve Cropper and Jack Richardson, and Poco had already produced the "Cantamos" LP themselves. Tim and Paul's proven writing talents had continued to grow and Rusty had come into his own as a writer and a singer. The group worked well with Mark, and this combination helped make "Head Over Heels" one of Poco's most popular albums ever, highlighted by Tim Schmit's multi-harmonied "Keep On Tryin'," which has become one of their standards.
The group followed with the highly acclaimed "Rose of Cimarron" LP, and upon the completion of triumphant tours of the U.S. and Britain, Poco went to to work on their tenth studio LP, "Indian Summer"; and, once again, they outdid themselves. With some able assistance from the likes of Steely Dan's Donald Fagen on synthesizers, percussionist Steve Forman, concert master Sid Sharp, string and horn arranger Jimmy Haskell and co-producer Mark Harman on keyboards, Poco recorded it's strongest album to date.
"Indian Summer" features four tunes from Paul Cotton, including the easy goin' title track, the hard rockin' "Twenty Years," and "Livin' In The Band" - a high-energy, short history of Poco, giving the original Poco "a standing hand" at their very first show. Timothy contributes three sensitive ballads, "Me And You," "Find Out In Time," and "Stay(Night Until Noon)" which he wrote with his wife Noreen. Rusty's fine pair of efforts are highlighted by "The Dance," a four part dance suite that includes "Never Gonna Stop," which could almost pass for country-disco. The album is distinctive and original throughout, yet it is totally accesible and should bring Poco's music to an even wider audience.
Poco has been making some of the finest, most uplifting music around for nine years - they've released thirteen excellent LPs that have sold millions of copies - they've played thousands of incredible concerts to millions of fans - they've been the objects of perhaps the most dedicated following in contemporary music - they've been called "the best group in the world" by numerous critics - they've literally founded and popularized a whole genre of music that has given birth to any number of superstars. And yet, Poco has never had that one smash that brings universal recognition and success. Critic Bruce Popwell explained, "Maybe, just maybe, they are too good to be a conventional commercial success." On the other hand, "Indian Summer is on it's way."
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