Well, that's more affordable. Might poke around some used book websites around Knoxville to see if I can find a copy. I like things of the past from the Knox area. I re-read, often, Cormac McCarthy's Suttree because the setting is Knoxville in the 50's-60's.
Five Twins, Jet Black Factory, Taoist Cowboys (pronounce it correctly and it's pretty clever - great band too), Candy Creme and the Wet Dream, The Real Hostages and my favorite Smokin' Dave and the Premo Dopes (emerged out of Real Hostages).
Remember Judybats, White Animals, Mel and the Party Hats as well.
I used to book gigs for bands that played for bars and frats in Knoxville.
Here are a few that you may know...
The Big Tease
Matt and Erick / Down From Up
Ward Gunther
Mikel Grubb Band
Jaystorm
Jacks of Trade
I was a huge fan. I grew up in the same neighborhood as Todd (Steed) and Dave (Nichols) and was best buds with George Hooks (original drummer).
They're live shows were always spontaneous and unique. A cross between NRBQ and the Minute Men.
I have some tapes of a show at The Best Italian on the strip and the Buttonwood Cafe. They had a lot of great shows at Vic & Bills and at Hobo's (including the night after the 1982 streak breaking victory over Bama).
Well, that's what some in The Loved Ones became. The Loved Ones broke up shortly after Dorian's (drummer) death and formed The Amazing Rhythm Aces. Smith an Byrd were pretty much the ones that started it. Russell Smith wrote and sang lead on Third Rate Romance. In the early '90', Russell left the Aces, who basically broke up for awhile, and formed a rhythm and blue grass band call Run C&W. He brought in Bernie Leadon, who played guitar and banjo with the Eagles. Here's the a couple of clips that I can find. They do soul music bluegrass style. They cut two albums and Russell went back and reformed the Aces. In the video, Russell is the short guy with the big hat on the right and Leadon is playing banjo.
A few other bands that come to mind from the 60's and 70's............Tron Luttrell of Tron and the Truetones. Tron started out in the mid 60's as the singer with the True Tones and had a musical presence in Knoxville for a long time. May still be going on. I've lost touch with him over the years as I have with many from back then. Another is Cheyenne that used to play mostly at the old Long Branch in the mid to late 70's. Don't know if any of those guys are still making music anywhere. They played the hard driving southern rock style of Skynyrd and other of that period. A very prominent band of the 60's was Little Joe and the Appolos. They played many local spots in and around Knoxville and, also, did the southern tours as other bands of the day. They played back up for some concert venues and opened for others. They used to open for Ray Charles when he came to town and opened for the Rolling Stones on their first trip to Knoxville.
Another popped into my head just now. Anyone remember Pam Tillis playing with a couple of different groups on the strip in the 70's? This was before she went country.
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