Review & Photos by Kimberly Annette
When we think of the rock sound of the 70s and all the immense talent that went into creating a genre that still lives on as one of the best decades in the modern history of music, The Marshall Tucker Band must be included. Although the world lost Toy Caldwell, who wrote a majority of their songs in 1993, the music he helped to create lives on through the present band’s line up and do his memory proud.
Doug Gray (lead vocals & tambourine) the only remaining original member of 48 years strong is surrounded by a vastly talented group of guys — Chris Hicks (guitar & vocals), Marcus James Henderson (keyboard, flute, sax & vocals), Rick Willis (guitar & vocals), B.B. Borden (drums), and Ryan Ware (bass) rounding out the current lineup.
The band’s set jumped off with a pure and mellow groove that makes your body move without effort and sway to that 70s smoky goodness. Songs played tonight include “Heard It In A Love Song,” and “Take The Highway,” with its impassioned spiraling flute solos. For the rest of the set, Ethan Power joined in, playing his dobro lap steel guitar for some of the best ageless classics, such as “Cattle Drive,” which Gray announced they hadn’t played live in over 20 years, “Fire On The Mountain,” “Midnight Promises,” and “Hillbilly Band.”
The final song of the set “Can’t You See,” Jake Crawford, Crawford & Power, joined the band to start it off singing the first verse and giving it over to Gray to finish with the crowd energized for more. MTB left the stage in tenacious cohesiveness to return for their encore “Georgia Moon.”
It would be a disservice, not to mention the opening band Crawford & Power. Jake Crawford (vocals and guitar) and Ethan Power (lap steel guitar) make a powerful team. These two country boys from Virginia bring the fun in both originals and covers. Crawford’s strong southern vocals put fire to Power’s talent on his lap steel guitar, creating a sound that rocks in true country boy style.
Crawford and Powers’ setlist included “Lately,” a song about divorce (though Crawford admits to never being married) that showcases what a talented singer he is. Other originals included “Strong Rye Whiskey,” “She Liked To Get High,” “Where We Come from We Drink Moonshine,” “Play a Hank Jr., Song.” They did justice to a medley of covers tunes that featured “Midnight Rider,” “Proud Mary,” and “Jealous,” always a favorite.
The night was a harmonically good night of music. MTB played with a fullness that filled the night that makes our hearts yearn for a simpler time of youthful pleasures. It was well worth the trip to the Historic State Theatre. A big thank you to GTG Promotions for bringing MTB to the area.
