Marshall Tucker Band News

From www.MediaMikes.com

By Garrett Lane

The Marshall Tucker Band
Orlando Jai Alai
Orlando, FL
April 13, 2012, 8:00PM.

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

On April 13, 2012, Southern Rock pioneers, “The Marshall Tucker Band” performed at the Orlando Jai Alai Center. The current incarnation of the “The Marshall Tucker Band” includes founding member Doug Gray, who performs as singer, lead tambourine, and emcee. Grey was fantastic as he worked the crowd with funny stories and jokes from the road that were tasteful but still elicited a loud and boisterous response from the several hundred fans in attendance. Though I can only compare the band’s performances to past albums and YouTube clips, as far as I’m concerned, Gray and company performed as well and probably better than they did 30 years ago. The vocals were sharp, the guitar solos soared, and of course the iconic flute was dead on.

The whole act performed as one experienced and cohesive unit in front of a diverse and enthusiastic crowd. Multiple generations of fans, including young children, yuppies, and retirees, all dressed in the requisite rebel flag t-shirts, cowboy boots, and basic black sang along as the band played for about 90 minutes and covered all of their hits including “Fire on the Mountain”, “Heard it in a Love Song”, and fan favorite “Can’t You See”.

As far as the venue is concerned, the Orlando Jai Alai Center has ample parking, comfortable seats, and several areas to purchase adult beverages. Interestingly enough, the Jai Alai Center, does not close down its gambling business during concerts, so you can bet on the ponies in between songs if you want to. The band performed on the wooden jai alai court and something about the structure enhanced the loud and rich acoustics. Unfortunately, tonight there were some technical difficulties with speaker feedback but all in all it’s a great place to see a show.

In short, “The Marshall Tucker Band” was and still is a great act. They are a must see for anybody who likes good music and I would definitely see them again.

CLICK BELOW TO READ THE STORY @ MEDIA MIKES WEBSITE:

http://www.mediamikes.com/2012/04/concert-review-the-marshall-tucker-band-orlando-fl/

Hey animal lovers! 

In case you missed it, this just aired nationally on SiriusXM as well as on 108 radio stations. Click the link below to hear Doug's interview on Animal Radio® which, since 2003, has been America's most-listened-to pet talk.

Skip ahead to the 1 hr 12 minute mark...

http://animalradio.com/645PODCAST.mp3

From UltimateClassicRock.com

by: Alanna Conaway

For decades, the Marshall Tucker Band has been one of the greatest Southern rock bands of all time, changing the sound of ’70s music with hits such as ‘Heard It in a Love Song,’ ‘Can’t You See’ and ‘Fire on the Mountain.’

Today, the band is still going strong, despite the many tragic deaths of various original members over the years. Still fronted by founding member Doug Gray, the band is gearing up for yet another full year of touring with plenty of surprises planned along the way.

Ultimate Classic Rock recently caught up with Gray to talk about what’s on the horizon for him and the guys.

Last time we talked, you mentioned some new music was getting ready to be put down in the studio. Do you have any idea when we can expect to hear some new music from you guys?

“There are three or four songs, but there’s nothing set in stone. The studio’s there. How hard is it to go into the studio and record? Everybody makes a big deal out of it. With us, it’s like when there’s a record there, we got the deal, so we just got to put the songs together. If you rush to something, it’s totally an anti-climatic thing. It’s not as much fun to go into the studio if you know that you’ve got it down pat, which we never do. If you have it just a little bit rehearsed, that’s cool because it’s inevitable that it’s going to change because we wake up every day, and there’s different things you have to face. We never plan.”

You also mentioned this South Carolina Hall of Fame album that was being finalized in recent months. Do you have a release date set for that album?

“That record’s coming out probably in the next four to six months. It sounds really cool. It’s got the Allman Brothers on there … everybody kind of came in for that project. It was a dedication to Tommy and Toy [Caldwell] because they were gone at that period in time, but South Carolina wanted to induct us, so we did it. It sounded great.”

You guys have been making music and touring for so long now. What kind of things run through your mind before taking the stage?

“It’s kind of weird … we don’t talk to each other before we go on. We sit there in the bus, and we don’t go in the dressing room too much. It’s kind of weird, but once we get on stage, it’s like, ‘Hey! How are you doing?!’ [laughs] We start talking. I don’t know why it’s that way, but the original band was that way, too. We always would get up and jam before the show in the dressing room, and that’s how we learned what songs would be on the next record.

“When we do a large show like that, most of the time we’ll sit around and maybe have a beer and talk to old friends, and then when we walk out there, everybody has their individual routine that they go through. We’re not burning chickens or nothing, you know what I mean [laughs]? We’re not hanging feathered animals and no voodoo chant, but it is kind of rare that we get real social. Then you want to kind of calm down, and then you walk out there and it’s like, ‘Hey, how you doing, man? It’s great to see you!’ It’s like meeting new friends again once that first note is played. It’s pretty cool.”

Well I guess that saves you guys from getting into any fights right before you take the stage!

“We never get mad. Me being known as ‘Doug the Peace Maker,’ nobody in my band wants to do that. Plus, it’s harder to get up now [laughs]! You hurt a lot worse when you get older [laughs].”

In June, the Marshall Tucker Band will make a return to the Grand Ole Opry, this time taking the stage at the famed Opryhouse. How does that make you feel, knowing you are being welcomed back to the prestigious stage so soon?

“I’m excited because we’re acknowledged and that really matters more. We had a wonderful thing go on that [Opry debut] night, and I couldn’t have asked for it to be any better. I was scared. If a person could be afraid, I was a little nervous. I get weirded out before I walk into an interview with most people. If you’re worth your weight, then you supposed to be a little nervous, I believe.

“But up there, it was a trip walking in and seeing Bill Anderson and all those people welcoming us like we had known them all their lives. We actually hadn’t met that many of those people because we’re in a whole different world. For our band to be acknowledged by those people that had so much history and so much understanding was an honor. Those people were there because they wanted to hear country music. They wanted to hear Bill and all these other people who were on the Opry. They didn’t really expect the Marshall Tucker Band to come out there and shine them the way we did.

“The best words to come forth was when Bill said, ‘For the folks on the radio, that’s what you call getting a standing ovation on the radio, and that’s why we didn’t talk during that.’ I was knocked down. I just can’t express it. You can’t get it out of your mind.

“I remember just standing back there waiting to go on … [country singer] Joe Diffie was there, and he’s a buddy, but when you get these other people like [Opry legend] Little Jimmy Dickens coming up and saying for me to come over to his dressing room, and we sat there and talked. That’s pretty heavy.

“Having that door open to you and actually getting to go there, and then being invited to come back and play? I have a lot people to be thankful to for that offer. I really do. I love it.”

Read the article on UltimateClassicRock.com

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/marshall-tucker-band-doug-gray-interview/

The MTB is happy to announce it will be on the Rock Legend's Cruise again in January 2013!

The best cabins are available, book yours now!

On newsstands now!  New Stories on The Marshall Tucker Band! 

Click picture to read the story on Billboard.com

LOOK FOR THE MTB IN THE FEB. 2012 EDITION OF GOLDMINE MAGAZINE

Four decades ago, during the early days of The Marshall Tucker Band (MTB), the multi-platinum selling southern rock group never had the option of releasing their music on CD or digitally through online retailers. Those were the years when the MTB and every musical act on the planet depended on the trusty vinyl record as the vehicle for delivering music to the consumer. In celebration of 40 years, the MTB comes full circle with the release of the vinyl edition of The Marshall Tucker Band: Greatest Hits (Ramblin' Records/Shout Factory).

“As we continue to tour, more and more fans are showing up in the autograph lines with their original Marshall Tucker vinyl records, even more so than CDs,” says MTB lead singer and founding member, Doug Gray. “There’s just something cool about vinyl. It’s very retro and I think most people out there will agree that in today’s day and age, retro is ‘in.’ This is an appropriate release for us, especially since we’re celebrating 40 years.”

The 17-track album, a Gatefold Double-LP 180 gram vinyl record, contains some of the MTB’s most notable hits including “Can’t You See,” “Heard It In A Love Song,” “Fire On The Mountain,” “24 Hours At A Time” and “Take The Highway.” Three of the 17 tracks are previously unreleased live concert recordings from an earlier overseas tour.

In the fall of 1976, the MTB traveled to the UK and Europe for the band’s maiden voyage of those territories. The tour featured Bonnie Bramlett and Grinderswitch as supporting acts to the MTB. The band was red hot in America and the time was right to spread the word to other countries. Doug Gray remembers, “We didn’t know what to expect but from the people at the hotel to the crew at Hammersmith Odeon and finally the sold out crowd all made us feel so welcome, we couldn’t believe it. It was the same in Scotland but with a different accent.” When the band decided to release Greatest Hits in vinyl form, there was extra space available to include live tracks, recorded during tour stops in Glasgow, Scotland and London.

Since turntable record players are no longer a mainstream commodity, the new Greatest Hits vinyl record will contain a digital download card, included to ensure consumer listening.

On coming full circle with the band’s first vinyl release since 1988, Doug Gray notes, “Hey, now for the first time in over 20 years we can say we’re releasing a new ‘record’ and really mean it!”

The vinyl edition of The Marshall Tucker Band: Greatest Hits will be available for purchase later this month in all vinyl record stores, online at Amazon and in our web store here by clicking here.

The Marshall Tucker Band: Greatest Hits (Vinyl) Track Listing:

1.  Take The Highway

2.  Blue Ridge Mountain Sky

3.  In My Own Way

4.  Fire On The Mountain

5.  Heard It In A Love Song

6.  Ramblin’

7.  Searchin’ For A Rainbow

8.  I Should Have Never Started Lovin’ You

9.  24 Hours At A Time

10.  Long Hard Ride

11.  Can’t You See

12.  Too Stubborn

13.  This Ol’ Cowboy

14.  Desert Skies 

15.  Hillbilly Band (Live)

16.  Every Day I Sing The Blues (Live) 

17.  Will The Circle Be Unbroken (Live)

MTB on Fox this weekend!

This Saturday, December 17, on the Fox News Channel's Huckabee, The Marshall Tucker Band spreads a little seasonal cheer, Southern Rock-style, when the group joins the former Arkansas Governor's national television show for a special holiday performance.

The Marshall Tucker Band will perform "Merry Christmas Baby," a song from its recent holiday album, Carolina Christmas. The special holiday edition of Huckabee also includes performances by Toby Keith, Yo-Yo Ma and Kelly Wright.

In addition to The Marshall Tucker Band's Huckabee appearance, this Monday, December 19, the band's lead singer and founding member Doug Gray will appear live on the Fox News Channel's Hannity, joining the show's "Great American Panel."

The Marshall Tucker Band wraps up its 2011 touring season this Sunday night in New York City at BB King Blues Club. This year marked the band's 40th Anniversary since forming in 1971.

Year End Special!

MTB Special offer for you last minute shoppers still looking for good ideas.  Check out the MTB Year End special - 

Three great items for $35...

1. MTB Greatest Hits Vinyl Edition - 12" 180 Gram virgin vinyl, comes with download codes for your iPod.

2. MTB's Carolina Christmas CD - The great voice of Doug Gray singing your favorite Christmas tunes performed as only the MTB can do and includes the very, very special song "Christmas in Custody" as well as a reading by Doug Gray of T ’WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. 

3. 2012 MTB Wall Calendar/Poster.  

ORDER HERE!